Page 21 of Entangled Vows (Destined Diaries #2)

Vikram sat at the head of the boardroom table, calm on the outside but tightly coiled beneath that tough facade.

The silence in the room was charged with tension.

On his right sat Mahika, her face unreadable, while Mohit sat on his left, looking visibly restless.

The other five board members shifted quietly in their seats, waiting for the meeting to start.

Then the doors opened, and Vikram didn’t even need to look up to know who it was.

Uday Jehangir, one of the senior-most members, walked in. A man whose influence stretched far beyond the company. With his silver hair slicked neatly back and eyes that still shone with sharp intelligence, he carried a decade-old experience as the former head of the Jehangir Group.

“Apologies for the delay, gentlemen,” Uday said in his clipped, no-nonsense tone. “These old bones take time nowadays.”

Vikram immediately stood up and gave him a nod. “Good afternoon, Mr. Jehangir.” They exchanged a firm handshake, and the room fell into a silence so tense it felt like the stillness before a storm.

“Good afternoon, young man. Hope everything is in order, because this meeting will be a fast-track one. It’s time to get this company back on track,” Uday said firmly.

“Yes. Everything has been handled,” Vikram stated, guiding him to his seat.

Mahika took in the tension in the room. Uday Jehangir wasn’t just another board member. He was the sharp and ruthless strategist who had once guided their fathers. His mere presence shifted the balance of power.

Uday’s eyes rested on her, softening just slightly. “Congrats, dear. I heard the good news of your marriage to Vikram!”

Mahika gave him a flat smile. “Thank you. Though I’m not sure about the ‘good news’ part of your statement.”

Uday’s brow arched as he looked at her. Then he turned to Vikram with a sly smile. “She’s certainly going to keep you on your toes, son.”

Vikram merely clenched his jaw in response.

The meeting began by delving into merger details, logistics, team integrations, and financial considerations.

Vikram responded to each question with ease, his responses sharp and precise despite his terse tone.

By the end, they’d assured the board members that the company was now stable, and the merger would soon take full effect.

“Now that everything has been clarified and accounted for, this meeting is adjourned,” Uday declared, his voice a raw blend of calm and steel.

Vikram’s frown deepened at the abrupt dismissal. Why would Uday end the meeting without his consent, when Vikram was the one who’d called it?

What the hell was this old man scheming?

He said nothing, only let his gaze wander to Mohit’s. His own eyes narrowed with irritation, while Mohit remained calm, silent, and unflinching. Vikram silently acknowledged the unspoken solidarity.

For a brief moment, Vikram’s expression shifted, but when he spoke, he kept his voice in check. “Mr. Jehangir is right. We’re done here.”

Everyone vacated the room until only four remained: Mahika, Vikram, Mohit, and Uday.

Mahika’s palms pressed tightly against the smooth fabric of her saree, trying to wipe the dampness of the sweat on her palms. She was anxious, of what…

even she didn’t know. Her eyes kept darting to Vikram, who sat rigid, his arms crossed, exuding an air of calm authority.

His gaze was impossibly sharp, as though trying to burn through the walls of silence surrounding them.

Even Mohit, usually steady, looked tense.

“I suppose you’re all waiting for me to tell you the truth about the clause,” Uday said, his voice low and disturbingly calm.

Mahika swallowed hard. Mr. Rao’s words came back to her mind. He had told her that if anyone could explain the ‘complications’ behind this merger, it was Uday Jehangir.

“This entire arrangement,” Uday continued, almost as if speaking to himself, “...the unequal partnership between Vikram and Mohit, and the marriage clause binding you now…” His eyes locked on Mahika and Vikram. “It all traces back to one man. Ajay Thakkar.”

At the name, both Vikram and Mohit sat up straighter. Mahika had heard the whispers. Excel Group, the rival of the JK group, was always spoken of in hushed tones.

“What does Ajay Thakkar have to do with this?” Mohit asked.

“If my assumptions are correct, then everything,” Uday said crisply.

Vikram’s voice cut in, sharp and commanding. “I will need you to explain further, Mr. Jehangir.”

Uday’s gaze narrowed, and he spoke bluntly.

“Excel Group was, and still is, a rival of JK Group. It’s no secret that they’re neck-deep in shady dealings.

Behind the glamour of their hotels, resorts, and business fronts, they are into shit like smuggling, money laundering, and illicit businesses, all neatly hidden beneath layers of respectability. ”

Mahika frowned. “What does that have to do with the clause?”

“Everything,” Uday replied. “For years, Ajay Thakkar had been pressuring Om to accept a business merger and a marriage proposal between you and his nephew.”

“What?” Mahika forgot to breathe for a moment.

“That’s… that’s bullshit.” Mohit snapped. “I would have known about this. Dad never hid anything from me.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Mohit. Your dad was anything but transparent. Not just with you, but even with his best friend and business partner, Sanjyot.” Uday shot them all a measured look.

“I don’t understand. What are you implying?” Vikram’s jaw stiffened. “We don’t have all day, Mr. Jehangir. I assume you know the importance of time.”

“I do,” Uday answered, his tone clipped. “And I’m doing you a favour by offering my time. So let me finish without interruption.” He stared at Vikram for a second longer before shifting to Mohit.

“Ajay Thakkar had approached Om with the proposal for a merger multiple times. Every time, Om refused. He and Sanjyot had an agreement between them. Come what may, there would be no merger, ever, and Mahika would never be married into that family. They stood their ground. They knew exactly who they were dealing with.”

Uday paused and took a measured breath. “And yet… everything dangled on a fragile thread when Om fell into the wrong company. He started gambling. At first, small bets. A game here, a wager there. But soon, addiction took hold of his senses and his judgment eroded, pulling him deeper.”

Mahika’s chest tightened. Her father had always seemed upright, so disciplined that it was difficult for her to believe this.

“I… I can’t believe this,” she whispered, trying to wrap her head around it.

“Gambling?” Mohit’s voice was sharp, filled with disbelief and raw rage. “But… how could he? How could he risk everything like that?”

“He didn’t want to. I’m sure he tried to fight it.

But in the end, he just couldn’t.” Uday’s tone became colder than ever.

“When Sanjyot called me in a panic, Om was there. He had just confessed that he’d embezzled money from the company funds.

He called it a mistake, born out of desperation, but he couldn’t put the money back in the company.

And worse… Om was already drowning in debt.

Not bank debt,” Uday emphasised, “but debts owed to the Mafia. Dangerous people.”

“That’s the missing money everyone keeps talking about? No one else knows about this?” Mahika asked.

“Yes. The amount was substantial. No one could just put that kind of money back so quickly.”

Mahika sat motionless, absorbing every word. The tension in the room was palpable, as if it seared her skin.

“And then… Ajay Thakkar made his move,” Uday continued, “with the same proposal he had chased for years, but with a twist. A merger between JK and Excel…under the condition that all of Om’s debts would be cleared in exchange for Mahika’s marriage to Thakkar’s nephew.”

Her heart stopped at the words. She flinched when Mohit almost yelled.

“WHAT??” Mohit’s voice rose. “How could he agree to something that put Mahika’s safety at risk? And what I don’t understand is how could Ajay Thakkar refuse to take no for an answer?”

Uday’s jaw ticked. “Because Excel Group doesn’t play by ordinary rules. They don’t care about morals, family, or loyalty. They play to win, whatever the cost.”

Vikram leaned forward, his voice like ice. “And what did Om Uncle do then? Did he accept the proposal?”

“Of course not. He refused,” Uday answered without hesitation.

Mahika’s eyes searched his face. “Then, what about the debt?”

“The debt was cleared. Sanjyot did what any best friend would do. Paid off every last rupee and made sure Om never slipped back into that abyss again.”

The silence in the room was deafening.

“So… the unequal partnership?” Mahika’s voice trembled.

“It’s because Om had to sell his shares to Sanjyot,” Uday replied evenly.

Uday’s gaze settled on all of them. “As for the marriage clause… I don’t know for sure, but I believe it was written to protect Mahika. And maybe,” Uday added smoothly, “because Sanjyot always wanted Mahika as his daughter-in-law.”

Mahika’s chest ached at hearing those words. Her eyes instinctively darted to Vikram. He sat there stiffly, his silence heavy with barely contained anger.

Beside her, Mohit buried his face in his palms and rubbed his temples as if willing everything to go away.

“I swear, no one… no one will ever use my sister like this again. Not on my watch.” He looked up at Vikram, his voice laced with a fierceness only a protective brother could have.

“Promise me, Vicky. You will never let harm come her way.”

Vikram flexed his jaw and nodded tersely. “Of course. I will keep her safe. Always.”