Recap: Maya decides to stay at Lekha's home.  Aryan and Sanju go out to pray at temple

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Aryan arrived early at the office along with Ranjith. The atmosphere in the building was buzzing not just with work, but with whispers, speculation, and gossip. Ever since the party and Aryan's public announcement of his marriage, the office had become a hotbed of curiosity.

But more than that, many were anxious about a major change: the formation of the new team under Pradeep. The decision, they all knew, rested solely in Aryan's hands, and whatever he said would be final.

Inside his cabin, Aryan turned to Ranjith.

"Ranjith, allot the 42nd floor for Pradeep and Maya. Get their workspace arranged and let the employees representing both DC Group and ARC work under the same wing."

"Sure," Ranjith replied. "We may need a week to implement the complete setup because I've already spoken to the infrastructure team."

"That would be great. Just keep Maya posted on the progress of the workspace completion."

"Sure, sir."

"Any news about Maya or Chandrasekar?"

"Sir, Maya is still at her friend Lekha's home. Chandrasekar hasn't taken any initiative as of now."

"Good. Watch out," Aryan said, his tone calm but sharp.

Later, during lunch break, the cafeteria was alive with chatter—some harmless, some biting. A group of employees huddled around, gossiping more freely than they should have.

"Do you think Sanjana madam will come to today's meeting?" one employee asked.

"I think so," another replied. "Maybe she'll come in a silk saree like she did at the party."

"She was just a PA. How could she handle business operations?" a third chimed in.

"She's the typical boring type," the first one sneered. "Wears a saree and stays home waiting for her husband to return."

"I expected someone bold and confident to marry Aryan sir. But now we find out they were married for a year already?" another said, shaking their head.

"If she was really Aryan sir's type, why would he keep the marriage secret for a whole year?" another mocked.

"Guys, this is ridiculous to talk behind their back," someone finally said.

"Aryan sir told everyone he loved her and got married. Whatever her character or attitude is, it's none of our business," another employee reasoned. "Didn't you all see the way he looked at her at the party?"

"My god, they were a stunning couple!" said another, smiling. "Their marriage is still making headlines."

"And if Aryan sir ever finds out you're gossiping about his wife like this, I swear, he'll fire you on the spot."

"Whatever," the first speaker shrugged. "I just said what I thought. What's wrong in that?"

"At least that Maya had some attitude. She seemed more perfect for him," someone added with a smirk.

Pavithra, who had been quietly listening nearby, finally lost her patience. She slammed her tray down and stormed over.

"Shut up! How dare you talk about Sanju like that?" she snapped. "Better mind your words. If you have the guts, say this in the meeting in front of Aryan sir—then you'll know what his love for his wife truly means. If you don't have the courage to say it to his face, then train your damn tongue."

The crowd fell silent, and just then, the announcement bell rang for the meeting. Everyone dispersed, heading toward the conference hall with nervous anticipation.

Inside, the large conference room was already buzzing as executives and team leads took their seats. Aryan arrived soon, flanked by Ranjith and Pradeep. Ranjith and Pradeep sat on either side of Aryan, but there was still one chair unoccupied—right next to him.

Pavithra took a seat next to Ranjith. There were five minutes left before the meeting began when the doors opened with a soft push.

Sanjana entered.

She was dressed in a crisp white shirt paired with a black blazer and pants. Her hair flowed in soft curls, and she wore one-inch heel sandals. A pair of elegant pearl studs adorned her ears. Her presence silenced the room.

Those who had gossiped about her were now left jaw-dropped. She looked every bit a confident, commanding professional.

Aryan immediately stood up from his chair as she walked in. His action prompted everyone else to rise and greet her respectfully. With a nod and a polite smile, Sanjana returned the greeting and took her seat beside Aryan.

"Welcome, everyone," Aryan began. "We're here for an official meeting regarding ARC Cosmetics. It's my honor to introduce Mrs. Sanjana Aryan Chaitanya—state first rank holder in higher secondary school, gold medalist in Business Studies, and an MBA in Finance Management. She will be joining as one of the board members and the Chairperson of ARC Cosmetics."

There was a moment of stunned silence—then the room erupted into applause. The ones who had questioned her capability were now ashamed.

Aryan continued, "Next, our new CEO for ARC Cosmetics—Mr. Pradeep. He's a seasoned businessman, with vast experience in advertising and marketing. He will take sole responsibility for ARC Cosmetics' operations."

He turned with a smile. "Welcome, Sanjana and Pradeep."

Aryan looked around. "As you already know, a few executives will report directly to Pradeep. Each designation will have one representative from ARC and one from DC Group. We have shortlisted a few to start working under him. Now, I request Mrs. Sanjana to address you all."

Sanjana stood up confidently. "Hello everyone. Many of you already know me, so there's nothing new to introduce. Let's get straight to business."

She paused for a moment before continuing.

"As Aryan said, I have the list of employees who will work under Mr. Pradeep. ARC holds the major share in this partnership, so even after we begin joint operations, you will remain ARC employees. Your welfare is our priority. The initial business SOP might be challenging, but we'll make this a success."

"ARC employees will not be directly reporting to DC employees. You'll continue your work as usual and report to Mr. Pradeep."

She smiled. "I expect your full effort to make this partnership a grand success. I believe in all of you."

There was a brief pause before she made the surprise announcement. "Ms. Pavithra will be the Finance Lead for ARC Cosmetics. Congratulations, Pavithra."

Pavithra was taken aback. She stood up, overwhelmed.

"Thank you so much. I'll give my complete dedication and skills to this role," she said with pride.

In a corner, Maya sat stunned, caught completely off guard by the announcement. But there was nothing she could do.

Sanjana continued, "Next, we have a new employee, Ms. Keerthy. She will join us on the official business day as the Marketing Lead. The rest of the team structure will be shared via official email."

She turned to Pradeep. "Pradeep, you may speak now."

"Thank you, Aryan and Sanjana," Pradeep said, standing. "Thanks in advance to the team who'll be part of this exciting new venture. We'll have more detailed discussions soon. Thank you."

Aryan stood once again. "That's all for today. We'll wind up with this."

As the room began to empty, only Aryan, Ranjith, Sanjana, and Pradeep remained—each one aware that the game had now truly begun.

As the meeting concluded and the room emptied, Pradeep turned to Ranjith.

"Ranjith, we need to meet Maya to have a formal business talk," he said.

"Sure, Pradeep," Ranjith nodded.

Aryan, standing nearby, added with a calm authority, "Pradeep, you can start the recruitment process if you need to hire more employees. Mainly, just be quick to hire your PA."

"Sure, Aryan. I'll do it. Now let me just look at the work progress on the floor," Pradeep responded.

"Sure. Ranjith, take Pradeep with you," Aryan instructed.

With a nod, both Pradeep and Ranjith left the cabin for the inspection.

Aryan then walked back to his cabin with Sanjana beside him. As he sank into his comfy leather chair, Sanjana made herself comfortable—on his lap. His arms wrapped around her automatically, a natural fit.

"So, wifey," Aryan smirked, "you look classy and sexy in your business attire."

"Shut up, Mr. Husband. You always find me sexy in every costume," she replied with a teasing glare.

"Not all, I swear," he grinned.

"Uh-huh. So, where do I work from?"

"You'll always be next to me," Aryan said, brushing a lock of hair from her face. "Your existing cabin will be upgraded with a few new interiors."

"Hmmm. Maya will be in our building," Sanjana murmured, her tone more thoughtful.

"She'll be several floors down from us," Aryan assured her. "Pradeep, Pavithra, and Keerthy will be on the same floor as us. Any suspected activity from her will get caught by someone. The entire building is under 24x7 CCTV surveillance. And your cabin will only be accessible to me, Ranjith, Pavithra, and Keerthy. No one else. You don't have to worry."

"I'm not scared about my safety, Aryan. I just fear she might play with our relationship," Sanjana confessed.

"Don't be crazy," he said gently, kissing her temple. "Let her play dirty. Just remember—we're together."

"Okay... but did you just call me crazy?" she narrowed her eyes and smacked his chest lightly.

"Ouch!" he laughed. "Okay, sorry! Now tell me—what have you decided?"

"For what?"

"What? I told you to decide our honeymoon spot! Before this business starts, let's go somewhere, breathe fresh air, energize ourselves."

She muttered under her breath, "How would we be left with energy if we go on honeymoon?"

"I heard that," he said smugly. "You don't worry. I'll take care of it if you lose energy."

"Shut up, Aryan."

"Answer me. I'll tell Ranjith to make the arrangements."

"How about... Maldives?"

"I'm fine with whatever your choice is," Aryan said with a fond smile. "The place doesn't matter to me. It's just about you and me being together."

She gave him a look. "We're already together... in our room."

"Yeah, but how long should we be in the same room?" he smirked.

She quickly placed her hand on his mouth. "Don't finish that sentence."

He pulled her hand away playfully. "Hey, I was talking about staying in the same room. What did you think?"

"No... nothing. I thought of nothing."

"Liar. I know you better. That thought did come to your mind, didn't it?"

"You're a dirty man with a dirty mouth."

"How about you say that again tonight in our room?"

"I'm leaving," she declared, making a move to get up.

But Aryan pulled her back into a tight embrace, burying his face in the crook of her neck and inhaling her scent.

"It's been a long time since I had something sweet," he murmured. "Sanju baby, how about I order some dessert?"

"No. Nothing until we leave for honeymoon."

"This is too much. I won't accept that."

"Who asked you to accept it? I've decided, and that's final."

"Try if you can escape now. We'll think about the night later."

In one swift move, he lifted her into his arms and carried her into the relaxation room. She wiggled her legs, protesting, but he held her tight. Using his hind leg, he shut the door and playfully threw her onto the plush bed.

Later that evening, Ranjith entered Aryan's cabin. He found Aryan at his desk, working on his laptop.

"Sir, shall I get you coffee?"

"Yes, Ranjith. Coffee for me and hot chocolate for Sanju. She's asleep—had a headache."

"Sure, sir."

Ranjith soon returned with the drinks and left them on the table before exiting quietly.

Aryan picked up the tray with coffee and hot chocolate and walked into the room. He paused for a moment, seeing Sanjana sleeping under the comforter, her clothes still lying on the floor.

He sat beside her and gently nudged her awake. "Wifey, have this hot chocolate. You'll feel energized, then we'll go home."

Still drowsy, Sanjana sat up, leaning on his shoulder as she sipped the warm drink.

The richness and sweetness seemed to revive her almost instantly. She freshened up and got dressed to leave.

As she fixed her hair in front of the mirror, she muttered, "Don't ever expect me in your cabin henceforth, Aryan. First thing I'll do is throw your things back into the master bedroom on the second floor."

"Try me," he said with a lazy grin. "I'll carry you there immediately. And just so you remember—the master bedroom on the second floor is way bigger than the one we're in now."

"Oh my god, Aryan! Shut up and come, let's go home!" she laughed, dragging him out before he could say anything more.

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