Regardless of your efforts, circumstances will align in their rightful places only when destiny permits. We certainly play a role in shaping our own fate, yet there exists a formidable force beyond our control, overseeing our endeavours and rewarding them when we give our best.

The owners of V.G. Associates, Vikram Mehra and Gautam Singhania, hold this belief.

Gautam and Vikram have been close friends since their childhood. They attend the same college and develop similar business ideas, which leads to the creation of V.G. Associates.

The two young lads are the only source of friendship, joy, inspiration, and family for each other. They have different thoughts and ideas, and sometimes they fall into arguments; however, they always make decisions mutually. Their friendship pulls them back, and they can't stay mad at each other for a long time.

Vikram Mehra has grown up to be arrogant, bossy, and rude. He's his mother's only child, and he loves her dearly. He can't bear any nuance in work, and therefore, he's got many names from his employees. He worships work, and this is what makes him different from all others.

On the other hand, Gautam Singhania is a workaholic, just like his best buddy. But he's kind, caring, and gentle with the employees. He's loved by everyone in the office, and he often gets into arguments with Vikram when he asks him to be a little soft on the employees.

Despite the differences, they're getting along well, and they own two hotels, and two fashion houses, and they deal in the IT business too. Life's good for them.

******

It's a fine day in the office of V.G. Associates. Gautam and Vikram are busy in a meeting with some foreign clients. It's been 2 hours since they've been inside the conference hall. It seems like this client is a tough nut to crack. Another hour elapses, and the two friends come out of the conference room, looking happy. They see off the clients and assemble in Vikram's chamber to discuss the deal.

Gautam enters the chamber while talking over the phone. He's instructing someone about a certain task. He sits opposite Vikram, and the guy raises his brows at him. Gautam smiles at him, denying telling him about the caller. Vikram glares at him.

"Kya chal raha hain, Gautam? Subah se dekh raha hoon, kuch toh chal raha hain tumhara!" He rolls his eyes.

"Toh thik hain, find for yourself!" Gautam grins at him.

"Ahan! So, what are you up to, Mr. Singhania?" Vikram asks him, his eyes fixed on his face as if he's trying to read his expressions.

"I am up for a meeting. Vikram! Rohit Sinha se meeting karni hain na, toh main Cafe Velvet Haven jaa raha hoon. Tum time se ghar pahuch jaana! Tumhara phone nahi laga toh Maa ne mujhe bola ki main aaj tumhe ghar jaldi bhej dun aur zyada kaam naa karvaaun." Gautam says it teasingly, while Vikram makes a long face at him.

"Maa bhi na! Maine kal hi kaha tha koi kaam hain toh bata dein. Lekin nahi, abhi unko yaad aaya. Mujhe Meher Bisht se milna hain regarding the fashion show planning." Vikram expresses his displeasure.

"Tum vo meeting postpone kar sakte ho, Vikram. Agar Meher aaj available hain toh meeting prepone kardo. Lekin ghar time se jana, nai toh tumhare saath saath, mujhe bhi Maa se daant aur maar dono milegi." Gautam ends his statement with a giggle, causing Vikram to laugh as well.

They converse about the recently secured deal, and shortly after, Gautam departs from the office for his meeting. Vikram reclines in his swivel chair, his thoughts drifting to his mother. It strikes him that Gautam was discussing his mother, whom he affectionately calls Maa and Vinita, Vikram's mother, has never had any objections to it. In a similar vein, Vikram refers to Gautam's parents in the same endearing manner. They are like a close-knit family, always there to support one another. Vinita and Gautam's mom, Kavya, often playfully remark that the two boys were meant to be brothers, even though it never came to pass. Naturally, these two friends have a history of mischief from their childhood, and some of it carries on to this day.

Vikram is jolted from his daydream when he hears a knock on the door. He grants the visitor entry, and it turns out to be the manager who hands him a file to sign. Simultaneously, his phone rings, and it's Meher, the event planner, explaining that she can't meet him due to unexpected work commitments. Although he feels a twinge of frustration at what he perceives as unprofessional behaviour, he also empathizes with her, knowing that unforeseen tasks can disrupt anyone's schedule. With a deep sigh, he realizes it's nearly 5 p.m. Rushing to complete his pending tasks, he delegates some to the manager, understanding that he needed to hurry home as per his Maa's instructions.

*****
Vikram reaches home only to find his mother waiting for him already. He looks at her in awe. She's ready, did she expect him on time? He shakes his head, she contacts Gautam, and that guy doesn't disobey his mother.

"Maa, kahan jaana hain? Aur maine kal pucha tha toh aapne bataya kyun nahi?" Vikram asks, as he keeps his bag on the couch.

"Vikram, shaant ho jaa. Main teri maa hoon, koi employee nahi, jo ghar mein aate hi sawaal kar raha hain. Aur aaj ke din mandir toh jaana hi hain na. Maine puja rakhwayi hain. Panditji is samay they isliye abhi jaana hoga." His Maa looks at him.

"Kal kyun nahi bataya? Vo toh acha hua, Meher ne meeting cancel kar di, varna main nahi aa paata." He says, expressing his displeasure.

No, he doesn't oppose any form of prayer, but he's not fond of impromptu arrangements, especially when they come from his family. While he often encounters unexpected tasks at work, he prefers not to interrupt his professional responsibilities for personal matters. He prefers to make plans well in advance.

"Kyun? Gautam bhi toh jaa sakta hain naa, teri jagah. Chal ab mujhse behes na kar, aur jaake ready ho jaa. Maine tere kapde nikaal ke rakhe hain." Vinita commands, and Vikram can't deny her.

He walks into the room and gets dressed. He can shout at anyone in the office, he's called rude, and he can argue with Gautam as well, but there are two persons against whom, he can't withstand any argument. His mom is one of the two. A smile makes way on his face as he thinks about the other one, but his mom calls him and he moves out of his room. He has to be at service for his mother.

*****
After two hours, Vikram and Vinita arrive home, only to discover that the house is enveloped in darkness. Vikram is taken aback, but they proceed inside. He inspects the fuse and is pleasantly surprised to find it in perfect working order.

As he turns to converse with his mother, the lights suddenly illuminate the room, and a cascade of flower petals descends upon him. To his astonishment, he discovers his mother, Gautam, and other family members, along with a few of his friends and colleagues, present. He is pleasantly taken aback as everyone extends their birthday wishes. Yes, it's his birthday, and his mother had arranged a special puja for his well-being. Simultaneously, unbeknownst to him, his mother and friend had organised a surprise party in his honour.

Vikram is stunned and overwhelmed at the same time. In the next instant, a little boy leaps into his arms, and he locks his little arms around his neck.

"Happy Bulday, Buddy!" the boy wishes him in his babyish voice and pecks a kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you, buddy! How are you?" Vikram holds the boy in his arms.

"I am fine! Aapko pata hai , ye sab Dadda ne sajaya. Aur Aaryav ne bhi help kiya." the little boy says while looking at the beautiful decoration around the hall.

"Acha, ye toh bahut achcha hain, thank you." Vikram smiles at the boy.

"Chalo na, cake cutting time. Aaryav ko cake khana hain!" He says babyishly, causing him to giggle and he moves towards the centre of the table where the cake is kept on the centre table.

His eyes meet Gautam, who grins at the moment. Vikram understands that all the meetings and his visit to the temple had been planned so that Gautam could arrange the party.

"Toh ye chal raha tha subah se?" Vikram asks.

"Haan, main teri tarah boring nahi hoon na, aur Maa ne kaha tha party hogi, toh unka order kaise taal deta." Gautam replies while looking at Vinita.

"You mean to say main boring hoon? Dekha buddy, tumhare papa na bahut pareshan karne lage hain mujhe," Vikram looks at Aaryav.

"Ah! Who's talking? Uske sath mil ke toh tum bachche ban jaate ho! It's hard to find who's a kid!" Gautam jokes, earning a slap from his best friend.

"Dekh rahi ho na, Maa! Tumhara laadla mujhe hi sata raha hain, wo bhi mere birthday ke din!" Vikram makes a face and looks at Vinita, who giggles.

"Ab wo tujhe ek din toh sata hi sakta hain! Aur vaise bhi, tu Gautam ke alawa aur kisi ki baat maanta bhi nahi hai!" Vinita shrugs her shoulders.

Vikram makes a face at his mom and Gautam. His Ma is also on his buddy's team and they don't leave any stone unturned to tease him. Gautam's mother, Kavya embraces him in her arms and playfully scolds Gautam. She persuades him to cut the cake, and Aaryav is still nestled in his arms.

"Aaryav, beta idhar aao, chachu ko cake kaatne do!" Gautam calls him.

"Noo! Main bhi cake kaatunga chachu ke sath." Little Aaryav retorts.

"Arey, par birthday toh buddy ka hai naa?" Gautam asks.

"Wo mere bhi buddy hain, isliye Aaryav bhi cut kar sakta hain." The little boy puts his argument.

" Han toh hum dono hi cake cut karenge aur khayenge, tumko nahi khana hai toh mat khaao! And let us cut the cake in peace." Vikram says before his friend could say anything and the little boy chuckles.

Vikram sits on the couch and Aaryav is still nestled in his arms. It seems like his favourite place. He cuts the cake and feeds it to his mom, and later to the boy in his arms.

Aaryav is Gautam's son and the second person with whom Vikram can't withstand. The little boy calls him Buddy, he loves to call him buddy more than he loves to call him Chachu.

Vikram might shout at his colleagues, his mom or even Gautam, but this little guy has the power to calm him down and he doesn't say a word to him. Rather, he's the one protecting him whenever Gautam or his wife, Vandana scolds him. The little boy feeds him a piece of cake. At the same time, Vikram can hear an argument. Vikram turns around only to find Gautam arguing with his wife, Vandana. He sighs deeply, for, he can't speak between them and he knows how irked is his friend.

Vandana is arguing with Gautam. She has a party to attend and he has denied to go. It's a party thrown by Vandana's best friend and Gautam is not interested in those fashion parties. His wife is irked as she has to stay here, and she didn't want to. If she had denied coming, Kavya would have scolded her.

"Jab tum yahan aa sakte ho toh mere sath kyun nahi aa sakte?" She questions.

"Kyunki mujhe wahan jaane mein koi interest nahi hain, Vandana! Aaj mere dost ka birthday hain aur main yahin rahunga. Tumhe dikkat hain na, you are free to go!" Gautam shouts at her.

"Okay, fine! Waise bhi yahan party nahi, sirf ek get-together hain. You don't know what a party is!" Vandana comments, though she knows how much Vikram means to her husband.

"Aaryav chalo beta, hum jayenge ab." Vandana tries to call her son.

"Noo! Mujhe yahin rehna hain. Buddy ne mujhe story sunaane ka promise kia tha!" Little Aaryav says.

"Arey, Shriya Maasi ki party mein zyada games hain." She tries to persuade him and Gautam is fuming in anger.

"Oh please, Vandana! Tumhe Jana hai toh jaao. Tumhe bas apni luxury ki chinta hain,, status aur parties important hain, family se toh koi rishta hi nahi rakhna hai na tumhe! Tum jaa sakti ho, lekin main aur Aaryav yahin rahenge." Gautam says irritatedly.

Vandana wants to retort, but Gautam shuts her down and asks her to leave. Vandana glares at him and leaves, unknown that Vikram has overheard their conversation. Meanwhile, Aaryav is again nestled in Vikram's lap, he's a little scared but Vikram has managed to calm him down and is feeding the cake to him. Gautam sits beside him and sighs deeply while Vikram looks at him and says something that leaves Gautam stunned.

To Be Continued.

What did Vikram say?

Stay tuned.

KabirsAngel❤️happy Birthday to your significant half😁I hope you like it ❤️sending love and hugs ❤️