The ringing of my phone woke me up... I glanced at the other side of the bed, only to find it empty.

"Hello?" I inquired, answering the call.

"Hello, Mam! Good morning?" a very familiar female voice confirmed from the other end.

"Good morning," I responded yawning, realizing who she was and why she might be calling.

"Mam, we've got everything ready! When should we start?" she asked.

I glanced at the clock, which showed 8:00. "Isn't office time at 9?" I questioned.

"Yeah, Mam, but I was asking since you usually attend most meetings at this time," she clarified.

"I'm not in Italy, and I'll be attending the meeting in person, not just virtually," I explained.

"Sure, Mam," she said, and the call ended.

Just then, he emerged from the walk-in closet, fully dressed in a black turtleneck, beige blazer, and black pants.

"Are you going somewhere?" he inquired, fastening the watch on his wrist.

"Yeah! Sulking all day isn't my thing," I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant.

"Hmm!! But can I inquire something?" He turned around to face me.

"So! You're part of the York Group, and there are some rumors circulating," He stated, his words making me sit up straight. I felt a dilemma wash over me.

The news of my resignation had clearly reached him, but I wasn't ready to confirm it yet. "It's okay if you don't want to respond," he assured me, noticing my hesitation.

But I knew I had to disclose it eventually. It was better he heard it from me than someone else, to avoid any misunderstandings. "Let's discuss this in the evening!" I exclaimed with a sigh, we definitely needed to have this conversation.

He nodded and exited the room after receiving a call.

I entered the bathroom and attended to my morning routine. After a refreshing bath, I began getting ready. I dressed in an orange saree, paired with a full sleeve black blouse, and completed my look with a belt.

I headed downstairs to join everyone. I went straight to the kitchen, where both Mrs. Randhawa's were present.

"Aunty," I called out, feeling less awkward using this term than addressing her as Mrs. Randhawa.

They both turned their heads to look at me, exchanged a glance, and then went back to their work, ignoring me.

I was unsure why they were ignoring me.

"Aunty," I tried again, but there was no response from their side. I started feeling slightly nervous about their sudden change in behavior. 'Did I do something wrong? What did I do? Why are they ignoring me? What could it be?' I was busy thinking when a thought hit my head, and I decided to check it... "Maa!" I called, and this time she turned and gave me a beautiful smile that reached her eyes.

"Yeah, now you get it," she said, standing in front of me.

"You really take your time to process things," Mrs.... I mean, Chachi, added with a hint of amusement.

"Now, tell me what you want to share," Maa inquired.

"Well... I wanted to discuss... I had to go to the office... so..." I began.

"Back to Italy?" Chachi inquired with wide eyes.

"No, no, not Italy... it's here..." I clarified.

"Why inquire then? Proceed!" Maa urged, and I nodded.

"I should be leaving..." I stated, but Maa interrupted.

"Why the hurry? First, eat something." I nodded in response, feeling hungry.

Everyone was sitting at the dining table in their regular positions and we joined them.

"So, Ava!" Dad began, and everyone's eyes turned to me. The tension in the room escalated.

"I heard you're going to join your work here!" he continued.

"Yes!" I confirmed with a nod.

"Good!" he responded, and that was all he said. The tension dissipated, and everything returned to normal. Everyone finished their breakfast and started leaving for their respective workplaces.

"I'm waiting for you!" Adwait called out as he exited the hall.

I grabbed my purse from the room and headed to the main gate. He was standing there, leaning against the frame of his car, waiting for me.

"I'm waiting for you!" Adwait said, exiting the hall. It was unexpected, and I wanted to protest, but didn't get the chance.

I grabbed my purse from the room and headed to the main gate, where he was standing, leaning against the frame of his car.

"But I can go by myself," I tried to protest, reaching near him.

"Are you sure you can find your way here?" he asked. "If you take the main road, you'll end up stuck in traffic and be late on your first day. Well, you're already running late, so my lady, let's proceed."

He uttered so much, but after processing his words, I realized he was right. I was still not familiar with this place, whereas he had grown up here. I had visited here and there for his wedding, but either I had someone with me or relied on Google Maps. While I could still use it, a person would be more reliable, I thought.

"Let's proceed," he said, slipping into the driver's seat. I took the passenger seat.

"So, where is your destination?" he questioned, resting his gaze upon me.

"The Lucas," I replied, and he simply nodded, starting the car. No questions? That was unexpected.

"Are you not going to ask anything?" I inquired.

"About what?" he asked, catching me off guard.

"Nothing," I mumbled, and he sighed.

"If you want to tell me something, then you should. I'm bad at guessing."

"No, I was just wondering why you didn't ask anything about me going to Lucas," I clarified.

"You said you're going for work, which means you have some business to attend to. Why should I ask further? York Corporation is a big deal, and if they have business with Lucas, it's not surprising. And most importantly, I believe you. Faith is the most important thing in any relationship. Everything else is secondary, but faith, trust, and loyalty to your partner come first."His words struck a chord within me.

'Faith and trust' - he's right. For any relationship to work, faith is key. Faith and trust in your partner.

I sighed, contemplating whether to open up to him.'Should I tell him? Will he believe me? No one ever has. But I could try, couldn't I?'

"What happened?" he asked, drawing my attention back to the present.

"Nothing, just..."

"Just?"

"I don't know, it's kinda complicated..."

"You know, you shouldn't be named Ava but Complicated," he said with a chuckle, and I couldn't help but laugh too.

"And what about you? The knight in this complex?"

"Oh! Yeah! Yeah!" he exclaimed, chuckling.

"We're here," he announced, stopping the car at the entrance of the Lucas headquarters. I spotted Riva standing there, with Amira and Caleb behind her.

"Okay then, I'm leaving," I uttered.

"Okay! Bye! And wait for me to pick you up later," he reminded me.

"Bye! And no need, I'll probably be staying late," I retorted, sliding out of the car.

"Don't worry yourself too much then!" he exclaimed, and the car drove away, joining the few other vehicles behind us.

I turned to face Riva, who was staring at me like I was a ghost. Her mouth was agape, and I could see the same shocked reaction from Amira and Caleb. Well, it was understandable, given they had no knowledge of what had transpired during the wedding.

"Close your mouth, or flies will enter," I teased, standing in front of them.

Riva stumbled, taken aback by my words, while the other two remained dazzled.

"Hmm," I murmured, noticing their reaction.

"I apologize! I mean, good morning, ma'am!" they chimed in unison, Amira and Caleb slightly bowing.

"Good morning! Let's go! Everyone would be waiting," I announced, and their feet sprang back into motion behind me.

"Lead the way," I instructed Riva, and she guided me towards the entrance and all the way to the President's chamber.

Amira and Caleb followed closely, providing a brief description of the office. Although I didn't need it, having proposed the idea and selected every detail along with Riva and Atulya, I did need it since I had never been here physically.

I couldn't let my uncle discover that I was trying to break free from his grasp. So, the three of us devised a plan: Riva would be the face of the operation, Atulya would handle the more discreet aspects, and I would be the unknown support system for 'The Lucas'. I had to keep it a secret that I was using my uncle's resources to build something entirely my own, something he couldn't take away from me.

Amira began to explain, and I glanced at the 5'ft girl with black hair tied in a ponytail, dressed in a black bodycon. She was fidgeting with her fingers as she spoke. Her coal black eyes filled with enthusiasm and jitteriness.

"Mam, this is the main building. We have four additional buildings. The CEO's, MD's, and President's chambers are located in this main building, making it the central hub. This building has 15 floors, each dedicated to a different department. The top, second, and third floors are reserved for the President, CEO, and MD, respectively. Below them is the Secretaries' floor, followed by our PR department."

"Amira, I know it's my first time here, and you're quite nervous, so relax, I'm not going to eat you alive," I said with a smile, turning to her. "And secondly, I know everything about this place. After all, I've also contributed to its development."

Amira nodded, looking slightly more at ease.

"Believe me, Amira, every single wall here is painted according to her specifications!" Riva chimed in with a chuckle.

I followed Riva into the President's chamber, located on the top floor of The Lucas, is a spacious and elegantly appointed room that exudes power and sophistication. The chamber is designed to impress, with a sleek and modern aesthetic this was choosed to reflect the company's commitment to innovation and excellence.

As I enter the chamber, the stunning views of the city skyline was visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows that wrap around the room. The walls are adorned with a rich, black marble finish, complemented by subtle wood accents and sleek, silver trim.

The room is dominated by a large, executive desk made from polished mahogany, positioned in front of a stunning world map etched into the marble wall. A comfortable, leather-upholstered chair sits behind the desk, accompanied by a pair of guest chairs in a matching style.

(Cabin)

Caleb and Amira excused themselves, leaving Riva and me alone in the President's chamber.

"You did a great job," I praised, gazing around the room.

"It's all thanks to your directions," Riva beamed with pride.

"Okay, so everyone's here?" I inquired.

"Yeah, ma'am. As you requested, I've arranged everything and informed the board of directors about your arrival. They're really excited to meet you..." Riva trailed off.

"But, ma'am..." she hesitated.

"Leave the formalities, girl..." I murmured.

"Okay! It was suffocating for me too!" Riva exclaimed, sitting down in one of the chairs. I took a seat in the main chair behind the desk.

"So, doesn't he...I mean, isn't he Adwait Randhawa? Why was he dropping you off?" Riva queried.

"We're married!" I announced, a mischievous glint in my eye.

Riva's eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open in shock. She looked like she'd just seen a ghost.

"Wait, what? When? You didn't even tell me, girl! How could you? I'm your best friend! I've been taking care of our company for years in your absence, and this is how you treat me? Why? What did I do wrong?" Riva exclaimed, barely pausing for breath.

"Calm down, calm down! I'll tell you everything. It's not what you're thinking. Okay?" I tried to interrupt, but Riva was having none of it.

"Okay, I'll listen. But tell me everything from the start," she demanded, her eyes flashing with hurt and curiosity.

And so, I began to narrate the whole story...

"What the actual hell..." Riva muttered, shaking her head after I finished. She drained her glass of water, looking stunned.

"Yeah, the actual hell," I agreed, chuckling.

"What kind of luck is that? Tell me too! I want to meet my prince charming!" Riva joked, a hint of wistfulness in her voice.

"Hmm, should I send you somewhere undercover too?" I teased.

"Yeah, yeah, please!" Riva exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Okay, but everyone knows you!" I pointed out, laughing.

Riva rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

"No, no, only a few business clients, CEOs of our sister branches, some media personnel, and a few people in our office know about me," Riva explained.

"Oh, is there someone left who doesn't know?" I teased.

"Yeah, yeah, there are!" Riva replied, her eyes sparkling.

"Okay, give me a list of them, and then we'll see," I said with a grin.

Riva's eyes glinted, but her expression quickly turned fiery. "What! You're making a fool of me, right!"

"Unfortunately, yes," I admitted, chuckling. "I don't understand how I chose you as my managing director."

Riva let out a furious "Fuck off!" but then snorted and remained seated, saying nothing.

"Okay, jokes apart, can we discuss work now?" I asked, turning serious.

"Yeah, sure," Riva replied, composing herself.

"So, tell me, what did you find out?" I questioned, leaning forward.

"Well, I looked at the person you want to know about... What's his name was... Umm... Yeah... Girish Basu... Right..."

"Yeah..."

"So, I don't know how reliable the information is, since it's an old case and there wasn't any information about it a few days ago, but suddenly we got this," Riva said, her voice measured.

"What did you find out?" I asked, curiosity piqued.

Riva handed me a file. "Look at this!"

I opened the file and scanned its contents. Inside, I found a photo of my dad, which I had obtained from my uncle, along with some details about his life, including his wife and child. There wasn't much information available about his wife, except that she was Italian. They had two children together, a son and a daughter, but that's about it. Not even the kid's ages were mentioned

But what caught my attention was another photo of someone with almost identical biodata, but with slightly different looks. The two individuals looked eerily similar, with only a few distinguishing features setting them apart.

I felt a shiver run down my spine as I gazed at the photos, my mind racing with questions and doubts. Who was this person? And what was their connection to my dad?

"Okay, before you say anything else, let me tell you one thing..."

"What?"

"We discovered two Girish Basus."

"Two?" I responded, furrowing my brows in confusion.

"Yeah! It was as if everyone thought they were two different people, but according to our conclusions, they're the same person."

"Wait, what?" My jaw dropped in shock.

"And that's not all," Riva continued, her tone serious. "There's more, and it's going to make you think twice. We already knew about one of them, but the information about the other one is now unexpected."

"Okay, stop dragging it out and tell me!" I exclaimed, my curiosity piqued.

Riva took a deep breath before continuing. "So, when you asked me to look into it, I found out that one of them is Girish Basu from the Basu Royal family. Apparently, almost three generations ago, a rivalry started between the Basu and Rajvansh families, leading to the downfall of the Basu family, and they had to flee. This is that Girish Basu," she said, pointing to the picture of my father.

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut, my mind reeling with the implications.

"He was the last heir of the family, but he too died in an accident in India. And everyone believed he didn't have any heirs, but a few days ago, a rumor started spreading that his daughter is alive and is coming back to India to take her revenge. And apparently, she's already attacked them once," Riva spoke.

"What rubbish..." The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"Yeah, it sounds like a fairy tale, but these royals value their friendships and rivalries too much," Riva replied.

"Okay, what about the other one?" I inquired.

"We couldn't find much information about him. According to my research, he doesn't exist in any records, and there's no record of his death either. So, it can be said that he's still alive," Riva explained.

"Do you know how he died?" I quired, my mind racing with questions.

"It's said that his whole family died in a car accident," Riva replied, her voice measured.

"Okay..." I mumbled, trying to process all the information.

"What about the other one?" I pressed on.

"We couldn't find much information about him. He's not in any records, and according to my research, he doesn't exist. There's no record of his death either, so it's possible he's still alive," Riva explained.

"Do you know how he died?" I probed further.

"It's rumored that his whole family died in a car accident," Riva revealed.

"Well, it's said that this man abducted a child from..." Riva began.

"From..." I prompted.

"...The Randhawa family. But they accidentally discovered about their child, and then with the help of the Bansal family, they managed to get their son back," Riva finished.

I felt like my head was about to explode. This was really too much to digest.

"It's rumored that he used the other Girish's identity," Riva uttered. "Some people believe the Rajvansh family orchestrated this to create a rift between the other two families, but they've denied it. Still, the tension between them has been palpable, and it's never fully dissipated. Then, the Malhotras stepped in and tried to ease the tension by arranging a marriage."

"That I ruined?" I inquired, tapping my fingers on the desk.

"Hmmm... Probably," Riva murmured. "Since there haven't been any other weddings in their household..."

"Okay, so which son was he?" I queried, my mind still reeling from the revelations.

"Huh?" Riva looked perplexed.

"I mean, the Randhawa's have three sons. Which one was he?" I pressed on, my mind racing with questions and calculations.

"The youngest one, Ariv Randhawa," Riva revealed.

"You're already living in that house, so you must have met him by now. Here are the rest of the details about him..." Riva continued, handing me a file.

I was stunned, unsure of how to react. Everything was new to me, and I had no idea what to expect. The information was not what I had anticipated, and I couldn't believe I was related to this family without even knowing them. I worried about how they would react when they discovered my true identity.

I flipped through the pages of the file blankly, my eyes scanning the information about Ariv until I landed on a photo.

My memory was hazy, but I thought I recognized him. If I calculated correctly, they were the same age.

But what about Vritika, then? If Ariv was my brother, why had Nityam chachu and Ridhika chachi accepted him as their son? More questions swirled in my mind than answers.

I sighed, both mentally and physically, feeling overwhelmed. I didn't know what to say or think. The sheer amount of information was too much to handle.