Siya had not looked at him once since she came on, but now, as Kartik came to stand beside her, she did.
There was a deadly calmness to her that unsettled him. She held his gaze and he felt a prickle of suspicion at his nape. He couldn’t put his finger on it but something was different about her. She looked like a woman on a mission.
And when she flashed him a confident smile, he found himself wondering what game she was playing at.
Kartik touched her arm briefly, clearly trying to exchange a private word, but Siya flipped his hand with hers and looped her palm around his elbow. The movement was so quick and smooth that Abhay nearly missed it. Kartik clapped along with the rest of the guests, but the crease between his eyes deepened.
‘I know many of you have been wondering what the name of this new collection would be, and I’m so thrilled to finally share it with you tonight.’
The screen behind them lit up with the name in cursive with the official launch monogram.
‘Vintage Reverie is a dream from the past, reimagined for the future.’
Applause pounded through the room as the screen showed their complete catalogue of vintage and modern minimalist jewellery pieces. The cameras ate it all up with a never-ending thirst.
‘Without my father, this would be just another idea on paper. Many of you know him as the face behind Kashyap Luxe, the man who made it a household name, but to me, he is my inspiration.
Kartik turned to her, his brows lifting in surprise. ‘Siya…’
‘No Dad, you deserve all the credit for being the wind under my wings, because had he not insisted I prove myself for a seat at the table, I might never have built one of my own. So, it’s my honour to stand beside you as I announce my new brand.’
Suddenly, there was pin-drop silence in the room as everyone froze, wondering if they heard her right. Kartik’s mouth was slightly open, and he looked dumbstruck.
Siya gracefully turned back to the screen and tapped a button. Vintage Reverie faded into the background as a transition slide slowly overtook the focus. There was an audible gasp from somewhere in the room when the new name shone on the screen.
House of Karielle: Adorning Every Era
by Siya Kashyap-Agrawal
‘I’m proud to announce that Vintage Reverie and every jewel within this collection is the maiden launch of a new brand I’ve built and nurtured with love, House of Karielle,’ Siya announced with a bright smile, and all chaos broke loose.
Chapter 32
The auditorium fractured into a blur of noise and questions. Siya could hear the sharp hiss of camera shutters, and the bright, staccato bursts of flashes momentarily blinded her. But more than that, she felt how beside her, Kartik had gone very still.
His shoulders were locked, and the smile looked frozen on his face. And now, with every camera on him, with the weight of every eye in the room suddenly focused on the woman he’d dismissed, he looked like he was being pulled under a high tide.
Kartik covered her hand with his and gripped it like a vice. The pressure was punishing and his manicured fingernail pressed against her joint bone. She gritted her teeth but maintained the regal smile on her face because of the practice she’d had over the years.
With her other hand, she gestured for the journalists who had their hands raised, and chairs scraped loudly as they shifted closer.
‘Ma’am, this is a shock. This collection was marketed everywhere as a Kashyap-Agrawal merger but now it’s under your new brand. Was that only a marketing tactic?’
Siya chuckled and said, ‘Since you’re present here to cover this event, I’m sure you know my name, right?’
The journalist was surprised to be put on the spot and mumbled, ‘Yes, ma’am. You’re Siya Kashyap.’
‘Great. Now, like you said, we marketed it as a Kashyap-Agrawal merger and it was intentional. We meant to keep this new brand under wraps until today, so we did a cheeky thing and never specified that it was a Siya Kashyap and Abhay Agrawal merger.’
The journalist had anohface and then nodded in understanding. Subsequently, a few raised hands went down.
Siya had to thank Vihaan for that. That loophole was a masterstroke.
‘But why go to such lengths to hide it?’ one of the media personnel asked from the back.
‘Because timing matters,’ Siya answered smoothly. ‘We did it this way because we knew that revealing a new brand before it was ready would dilute its impact.’
‘This is certainly unprecedented, ma’am,’ someone called out, and a hum of agreement went through the crowd.
