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The conflict

The next day, Atharv was busy in a board meeting with the directors. They discussed the financial updates and strategies to improve their hotel services. ‘Exotiq’ was a brand name of hotels and many branches were spread all over India. It was started by his grandfather, Virendra Pratap and now as he was getting old, he handed over the business to Atharv. In just one year, the yearly turnover of ‘Exotiq’ doubled and it became one of the top ten hotels in India. Now Atharv was planning to extend his business more and he also dreamed to open a branch in Canada too.

One of the directors informed “There is a problem for the land of the next project. The owner was initially ready to sell the land but now he is refusing to do so. We offered him more money but he is very adamant and not listening to us.”

Atharv was listening carefully looking down at the file in front of him. After a few moments, he said without lifting his head “Find out the reason for his refusal and try to solve it.”

Another director raised his hand and started saying in his deep voice “I have something to say on this matter.”

Everyone’s eyes turned to him and looked at him curiously to know what he had to say about it. After hearing his voice, Atharv lifted his head and looked at him indifferently. His expression was unreadable.

The man also looked at him coldly and opened his mouth to say, “You should leave that land and look for another. That owner won’t sell it.”

“Why are you so confident about it? Do you know that owner?”

Raising his one eyebrow, the man asked, “If I say yes, then will you leave the land?”

All the directors’ jaw fell apart to hear him. They were well aware of the conflicts between Atharv and this man. He was none other than the adopted son of Atharv’s uncle Veer Ahuja. He was adopted by Virendra Pratap’s younger son Vivek Ahuja when he was only 3 years old and was raised in the Ahuja family as an elder son, but Virendra Pratap never liked him as he was not his blood-related.

All these years Vivek Ahuja and Veer worked hard for the betterment of the company. But as Veer was not his biological grandson, Virendra Pratap didn’t want to hand over the business to him. Virendra Pratap suddenly remembered his elder son, Om Ahuja, whom he cast out of the family many years ago because Atharv Ahuja was his only biological grandson. When Vivek Ahuja came to know about this, he fought back for his rights. It was all because of his hard work, the company got so much success, name, and fame. He made ‘Exotiq’ a brand name in the field of the hotel business. Then how could he just hand over the business to his elder brother’s son who never visited India? But who would explain this to Virendra Pratap? He was a very headstrong person and once he decided, no one could change his mind. He summoned Om Ahuja to come back to Mumbai, India to take over the business. This angered Vivek Ahuja the most. Out of anger, he lost his control and attacked Virendra Pratap to kill him. Luckily his bodyguards stopped him on time and sent Vivek to jail but on the way to the police station, he managed to escape, and now he was living in exile. No one knew where he was, including Veer. Virendra Pratap not only disowned Vivek but he also cast off Veer from the business but after continuous requesting of Om Ahuja for retaining the position of Veer in the business as he was raised by the Ahuja family, then only Virendra Pratap allowed Veer staying in the company.

Veer clenched his fists tight on both sides, recalling all these. Out of nowhere, Atharv came and took over the business that his foster father reared for so many years and now he was forced to follow his orders. He hated Atharv from the core of his heart and never accepted any of his orders. He always did exactly the opposite of what he said.

Atharv also didn’t like him at all, but he never paid him attention and never let him took advantage of him. Atharv didn’t want to create a scene in front of the directors, so he stood up and walked out of the conference hall after saying to Veer, “Come to my office.”

Veer looked at his leaving figure coldly without moving from his place. He also knew that Atharv didn’t want to show their disputes in front of others. He stood up and followed him to his office quietly.

Once Veer entered the office, he saw Atharv, standing beside the wide one-way glass wall fixing his gaze outside. Without turning back, Atharv asked, “Why did you say that the owner won’t sell the land?”

Without answering his question, Veer asked him another question “Have you ever gone there to look around where the project was planned to start? You can’t run a business just sitting inside your office. You need to go out and check whether your work is creating any problem for others or not.”

Turning around abruptly, Atharv shot a frosty gaze at Veer and snapped, “I am not here to hear a lecture from you. I asked you a question and you need to answer me simply.”

Putting his hands inside his pocket, Veer said lifting his chin high, “I won’t allow you to start your project there, because that land covers half of an orphanage present there. That orphanage is a home for many children and if you build a hotel there then they will lose their home and I won’t let it happen.”

Atharv chuckled and sneered “This type of talk doesn’t suit in the mouth of a murderer’s son.”

“Atharv…” Veer shouted instantly taking out his hands from his pocket. Glaring at him, he exclaimed, “Don’t call my father a murderer. He is not a criminal. He is framed.”

Coming closer to him, Atharv said sternly, “Still denying? Police got proofs against him and other than him who will plan to kill my Dad. He is murdered and sooner or later police will capture him. He and you together planned to kill my Dad. One day I will get the proof against you too and that day, no one can stop me to send you to jail. I am tolerating to you only because of my Dad. If he didn’t request for you to stay in this company then I would have thrown you out of this office a long time back.”

Veer laughed softly and smirked, “Well, I also want to see how capable you are.” He winked at him before he turned around to leave.

Gritting his teeth, Atharv looked at his back coldly. He took out his phone and dialed his assistant’s number, once Veer went out of the office.

“Come to my office in a minute.” He said those words as soon as the call connected.

Huffing and puffing, Karan came inside the office hurriedly and saw Atharv sitting on his chair sullenly. His expression was dark.

Karan swallowed hard to see his gloomy face. Gathering his courage, he asked, “Yes, Mr. Ahuja. How can I help you?”

“Do you know the place where the new project was going to start?”

Karan nodded and said “Yes. I know that place well.”

Atharv asked again indifferently, “Did you know that half of the land belonged to an orphanage?”

“Yes, I do.”

Slamming his fist on the table, Atharv shouted, glaring at Karan “Then why didn’t you tell me earlier? Why didn’t you include the information about it? For your incomplete information today someone just humiliated me. If you want to continue working here then do your job properly, understood?”

Horrified, Karan’s legs wobbled and stuttered “I-I understand. I will…”

“Go and tell to stop all the works of that project until we find suitable land for it.” He interrupted Karan and waved his hand.

“Yes, Mr. Ahuja.”

Karan didn’t delay to leave the office the moment he finished speaking. He inhaled deeply the moment he came out as though he was holding his breath for a long time.

Inside the office, Atharv buried his head in his works. After a long time, he called Karan to discuss something. Karan came there without delay and started working together. While they were busy working, Atharv received a call in his intercom.

“Hello.”

“What?”

His eyebrows knitted tight after hearing something from the other end and he shouted instantaneously.

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