A new launch in the month of September could mean only one thing. ‘They are targeting the Diwali season, aren’t they?’ Siya asked, taking a sip of her Merlot. She was too unsettled to eat, but she could never resist a vintage glass of wine.
‘They must also be aiming to corner the bridal market. That is going to undercut us on both exclusivity and celebrity endorsements,’ Abhay’s voice followed, cool and clear.
Siya eagerly suggested, ‘We can counter it if we launch a new line oflineagecollection and position it as a heritage celebration with designs from our family heirloom archives. We can run it with a focus on emotional ad campaigns and influencer collabs.’
She had already begun forming a rough plan in her mind when Kartik scoffed aloud. ‘Influencers cannot reflect our luxury standards as much as A-list celebrities. This is the real world, not your fairyland, Siya. Don’t trouble your tiny brain so much and let the adults talk.’
The words struck like a slap, and embarrassment burned her cheeks. She couldn’t bring herself to look at Abhay, so she cleared her throat and took a big gulp of her wine. It wasn’t the first time Kartik had spoken to her this way in a fit of drunken stupor, so she was used to it. But the fact that Abhay witnessed it made her stomach churn.
Abhay kept his gaze on Siya, who refused to meet his eyes, and he could see that she was trying not to show the sting. He clenched his jaw to stop profanities from rushing out, and in a clipped tone, said, ‘I think it’s a good idea.’
Siya’s gaze darted toward him, and though she didn’t say anything, he could see reluctant gratitude reflected in them. Abhay shrugged casually, but there was a touch of defiance in it. ‘Loyalty brings customers, whether it's through an influencer or a celebrity. People want elements of relatability and emotion in what they buy, especially with a bridal focus. What Patel and Riaz are doing is a spectacle. We have a long-standing loyal customer base and elite buyers behind us.’
Mihit raised an eyebrow at his son, clearly surprised with his input. His eyes danced between Siya and Abhay, and she could tell he was trying to decipher the nature of their united front.
While Kartik was talking to the waiter, Siya discreetly picked up the half-full bottle of whiskey and placed it on the floor next to her leg. She could only pray her father didn’t notice the missing bottle. When Kartik tried to fill his glass with the bottle, Siya knew he was too drunk to see it was empty.
Mihit took one look at the drunk Kartik and rolled his eyes. The way he was playing with his cufflinks with his brows furrowed, his displeasure at her father’s behaviour was clear as day.
Mihit exhaled and trained his gaze on both of them as he said, ‘Jayesh Patel is not just trying to enter the market. He is trying to redefine it. And with Riaz backing him up, he’ll succeed if we keep fighting and dividing the market among ourselves.’
For decades, Agrawal and Kashyap had split the jewellery market like two empires divided by blood and war. Where one opened a flagship store, the other opened two. Every season, every exhibition, every celebrity campaign, it had always been a cut-throat competition between the families.
Kartik pointed his finger at Siya, and she could see that his eyes were bloodshot now. ‘If they get a foothold in the market before we come together, we lose leverage. Permanently.’
Her spine stiffened. She narrowed her eyes as she asked, ‘What do you mean bycoming together?’
‘We’re setting aside our differences and sealing this alliance the old-fashioned way.’
Abhay frowned and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the edge of the table. ‘Dad, what is he talking about?’
Mihit smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. ‘He means we are combining our forces. One business, one family. A unified Goliath legacy too big to compete with.’
Siya held her glass so tight that it almost cracked under the pressure. The breath in her chest froze to ice. Through the ringing in her ears, she barely heard Abhay ask in a rough voice, ‘Excuse me?’
‘You heard him. We want the two of you to get married,’ Kartik said, sipping his whiskey as if he hadn’t just thrown a bomb across the table.
‘You can’t be serious,’ Abhay argued in a gruff voice, giving them a chance to retract it.
Kartik didn’t flinch. He gave a faint smile and said, ‘It’s a strategic decision. The market responds well to symbolic power.’
Siya felt her throat tighten up but kept her tone even as she asked him, ‘So, I’m a symbol now?’
Kartik chuckled bitterly and shook his head. ‘Only you could make everything about you. Must you always be so dramatic, Siya?’
Before she could respond, Mihit stopped her with a gesture of his hand and said, ‘I understand the magnitude of what we’re asking you to do here. This isn’t… simple. But the threat from this new launch is very serious, and if we don’t unify now, we will lose control of the market.’
‘There are other ways to unify, Dad,’ Abhay told him. ‘A joint seasonal launch, or maybe a merger where we can show solidarity.’
‘You kids don’t understand how the real world works,’ Kartik remarked, trying to take a sip from his empty glass.
Siya opened her mouth, then closed it again. Speaking against her father in private was one thing, but doing so in front of the Agrawals was something she didn’t want to risk. Her pulse quickened as she tried to figure out what to say.
It was clear from Kartik’s drooping eyes that he was too far gone to reason with, so Siya turned to Mihit and said, ‘Uncle, I think we should consider the optics here. Our family rivalry is well-known and this sudden change will raise questions. If the press finds out the marriage is transactional, it may backfire.’
Abhay nodded in agreement with her. ‘The day our competitor announces a new partnership, we end our decades-long rivalry for what? For love? You don’t think people will find it suspicious?’
‘That’s why our PR head, Shukla, has come up with an elegant solution. We’ll announce that the two of you have been secretly married for two years and have been living together in perfect domestic bliss. And now, we are ready to bless it with an official ceremony.’
