***Reyansh's POV.***

"I am sorry, Mr. Malhotra, but we can't help you with it. But if you are interested in opening it in-" Mr. Roy says.

"Thank you for your time. I should take my leave." I say and get up before they could finish the sentence which all the others before him were trying to say.

I have never cared what people thought before, so why should I care what they think now? Living life on my own values is what I believe in. And I have only three values.

Always be there for your family.

Stay focused on what you want and never stray from that path, whatever happens.

And last, always eat something cold when angry.

That one is the latest. I hate getting cold and eating ice cream or any cold thing. So it is a punishment if I get angry at my situation or myself or anyone. Because I have realized tough way that anger takes away strength to think.

"How was it?" Bhai asks and one look at my face and says, "That bad, huh? Why don't you let me help you, Reyansh? What is the shame in asking for help from your own brother or father?"

"There is no shame but... You will not understand. Let it be." I say and sit in the car.

"I won't understand. When you were just five and I was seven, I knew you were scared enough to pee your pants going to the washroom in the middle of the night. But I let you pretend that you are showing me beautiful stars. Seriously." He says and looks angry.

"Okay. It is just that this is something I have to do on my own. I have always been given whatever I wanted. Good education, best gadgets, excellent support but I never struggled so I feel things are too easy for me. And this could create a problem for me if I settle in. Because lately I have been feeling that all my life I have been going through this schedule which was made by someone else." I say.

"What schedule?" He asks.

"After birth and enjoying childhood, graduating school, graduating college, then masters, then marriage, and last, divorce. Sometime later, I have realized that I forgot one dream I had when I was ten. To have my gaming or software company. I was not just used to be thrilled while playing games, it was the technology that used to call out to me. That how people do this?" I say.

"Then why didn't you take your chance and left?" He asks.

"Why go out when I found a perfect place here? I love this place and Chandigarh. I know you would say I am just getting too attached. But I want to grow my business here." I say.

"How many months do you have?" He asks.

"Two more months before they sold the place away." I say.

"Why didn't you just buy it?" He asks.

"Because I don't want to depend on the place and become lazy. That is why I am doing two meetings in a day with investors." I say.

"You will get there, little brother. I know you will." He says and I nod.

"Just drop me here and go." I say.

"I can stay." He says.

"No. After this, I am going home. I have some fresh changes to make in my ideas." I say.

"Again?" He asks.

"Please, IT is growing every day. There is something new every day." I say and wave at him.

My car is in repair, so Bhai came to drive me to my meeting. But I know he has promised to have lunch with Mayra. I take a deep breath and go in. This has become routine for me for the past six months. Wake up, help at the company with the servers or any technical issue. Then if there is any meeting, go for it. Explain the ideas and get rejection.

I don't know why that happens. My friend recently got his investment to open a security agency here. This could only mean two things. Either something is wrong with my ideas, which I believe are not possible, or someone out there is trying to sabotage me.

"Hey, Ansh." I hear a voice that I am trying to forget.

I turn and see Jagvi coming out of her car in a skirt and tight shirt. I don't know what to do with her. Our relationship is over yet she is still trying to hang around me even though she is engaged to another. I used to be angry about that, but not anymore as slowly I feel my affection for her fading away.

Why?

"So, have you thought about my offer to ditch your family and be my partner?" She says.

That's why. Can she not for once ask how I am? I miss those days when we were just college mates, and she used to care about me more than money or status. But nowadays she thinks about nothing but that.

"No." I say simply.

"You should, dear. I mean, it was our dream. (No, it wasn't) And I can do anything to fulfill it for you. All you have to do is just ask.(And ditch my family)" She says.

"Not interested." I say and turn to leave, but she stops me by putting her hand on my arm.

I am relieved that I don't feel my skin tingling anymore from her touch.

"You won't get any investors, dear. And I know your honor won't let you take help from your family or friends. So, are you sure you want to give up on your dreams?" She asks and comes close to me.

Before I could answer, there comes a loud honk. We turn around and a funny thing happens. As Jagvi was standing in front of me, she got splashed with water on the side of the road because of melted snow. She gets drenched like a cat and I get this sudden urge to laugh, but that would be wrong.

"Oh, my gosh! Hahaha!" I hear a familiar sound coming from the car.

The girl comes out and I say, "Ramya."

"I am... Hehe... I am... Hehe... Okay, I am fine now. No, I am not. Hahaha!" She laughs right at Jagvi's face.

"You! You did this on purpose, didn't you?" She asks and I get between her and Ramya.

"No, I didn't. I just saw my damsel here in distress. So came to save him. But I didn't know there was a puddle here. I am so sorry." She says and tries to control her laughter but can't.

"You-" Jagvi starts but I don't want any scene here in the middle of the road.

"Go home, Jagvi. You will catch a cold otherwise. Go." I say.

"Yes, your shirt is all transparent." Ramya says directly and I give her a wide look, "What?"

But that sentence sends Jagvi to her car, and she leaves but before saying, "Think about it, Ansh. And you, I will see you soon."

"Okay." Ramya says and waves at her.

"What are you doing here, Ramya?" I ask her.

"Actually, I was just passing by and saw you." She says.

"Okay. Now bye." I say and turn to leave.

"Shall I drop you?" She asks.

"No." I say politely.

"But why?" She asks.

"Because I don't want your help." I say.

"But I want to help. So take it. It is not like you are taking investments from me. And it is almost lunchtime. If I am lucky, I could eat something tasty made by Aunty." She says with stars in her eyes.

"You just came by yesterday." I say with a frown.

"So? Are saying I can't see my sister? How mean, Rey." She says with a huff.

"My name is Reyansh, not Rey. And I am sorry." I say, and I really mean it.

"Then why do you let your ex-wife call you Ansh? When she stops, I will too." She says, and I roll my eyes.

"What do you want?" I ask.

She opens her car door and says, "You know exactly what I want. Get in."

I sigh and sit inside, and she starts driving. This is the first I have been in her car and I feel like I have made a mistake. She is driving so fast.

"Slow down, Ramya. We are not in a hurry." I say.

"This is your punishment for saying no to me." She says and I hold on to my seat in case she loses it. But eventually she slows down and I sigh in relief.

"So how did it go?" She asks and I know exactly what she is asking.

"Not good." I say.

"You are really weird. You know that." She says.

"Says the girl, who has a weird laugh." I say.

"Hey!" She says, "It just that you know she is trying to sabotage you and I can help you. Then why don't you take my help? I want to invest and show my mum that I am ready for the business world."

"You can do that with your mother's business." I say.

"No. I want to do something on my own." She says and I look at her to see if she is serious and she is.

"I will think about it." I say.

"Please think about-" She says but stops and also the car, "Did you just said you will think about it?"

"Yes." I say.

"Oh, thank you." She says and gets excited, but I show her my hand.

"Don't get excited. Thinking doesn't mean agreeing." I say.

"Okay. Fine. Now let's go in." She says and gets out of the car.

As I see her go in and get mixed up with family with laughter, the weird laughter, I think it would not be bad to take her help, but maybe in the end when I have no option.

Till then, I have to avoid her which is next to impossible.