“I miss him, Mom,” I finally say, the words escaping my lips with a heavy sigh. It’s a relief to let them out, even though they bring a fresh wave of tears. “I miss him so much.”
Mom strokes my hair gently. “I miss him too, Sana. More than words can say. Every day feels incomplete without him.”
I nod, keeping my head buried in her lap, unwilling to move. She says nothing either, and we sit in silence, letting our sobs speak for us. Lost in our own thoughts, I reflect on all the moments spent with Dad—the way he always went out of his way to fulfil even my smallest wishes, no matter how tight money was. Whenever Mom would scold him for spoiling me, he’d just brush it off, saying,“Sana is our only daughter, and she deserves to be spoiled like a princess.”
Now, with him gone, I long for that kind of love again, that special attention. The ache is relentless, but there’s something oddly comforting about crying in Mom’s lap. It doesn’t erase the pain, but it soothes it just enough to let me breathe again.
Chapter 4
Aditya
My eyes sting from exhaustion as I stare at the sales report, the numbers starting to blur together. I had just wrapped up a kick-ass long meeting with the investors of ApexTech Innovations, only to rush straight here, to my dad’s office at Thakur & Co., the import-export business he built from scratch, and which I now oversee. Juggling responsibilities between both companies is certainly not easy, but it’s something I signed up for, so I have no complaints. In fact, I love the adrenaline rush that comes with it—it keeps me constantly on my toes.
I’m still lost in the numbers when a knock on the door pulls my attention away from the report.
“Come in,” I say, looking up to see my personal assistant, Naitra, walk in.
In her mid-forties, Naitra exudes confidence and a quiet authority. Her neatly tied dark hair, sharp features, and ever-present rectangular glasses give her a professional look, while her crisp formal shirt and pants make it clear that she’s focused and here to work.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not judging other women. But I’ve come across plenty who dress to scream for attention. NotNaitra. And that’s exactly why I’m comfortable having her here. I trust her completely. Efficient and always composed, she has been my right hand since I joined Thakur & Co. She keeps everything running, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks even when I’m occupied with other responsibilities.
“Mr. Thakur,” she says, coming to stand in front of my desk and placing a brown folder before me. “These are the revised numbers for Thakur & Co.’s latest import and export reports. I had the finance team double-check the figures, especially the discrepancies in last quarter’s shipments. There were some inconsistencies in the freight costs, but we’ve reconciled them. I thought you’d want to review them before we finalise everything.”
I let out a small sigh, rubbing my temples before reaching for the folder. “Good. The last thing I need is another financial headache.” I flip it open and scan the numbers. “Did we figure out what caused the discrepancies? I don’t want this becoming a recurring issue.”
Naitra nods. “Yes, it was a miscalculation on the logistics team’s end. They overlooked some adjustments in freight charges due to fluctuating fuel prices. I’ve already instructed them to implement a stricter review process going forward.”
I nod, skimming through the pages as I take in the numbers. “Good. Make sure they stick to it. I don’t want careless mistakes messing with our margins again.”
“If you want, I can schedule a meeting with the team to go over the changes.”
I glance back up at her. “Do that. Schedule the meeting for tomorrow. I want a full breakdown of what went wrong and how they’re fixing it.” Leaning back in my chair, I close the folder. “Is that all?”
Naitra gives a curt nod. “Mr. Thakur requested to see you. He said it’s important.” She pauses for a moment before adding,“He’s in his office whenever you’re ready.” Here, she refers to Mr. Thakur as my dad, Ram Thakur.
I nod, exhaling slowly. “I’ll meet him right away.” Even after passing the reins to me, Dad’s presence in the office is constant. And knowing him, if he’s asking for me, it’s definitely not just a casual chat.
Naitra nods and turns to leave.
Standing up, I grab my phone and head to his office, which is right next to mine. Stopping at the door, I take a brief moment before knocking lightly.
“Come in,” Dad’s deep voice calls out, commanding as ever. Even without seeing him, I can already picture him—seated behind his desk, his sharp eyes scanning the documents in front of him, going through everything with an eagle eye.
I push the door open and step inside. As expected, Dad is seated behind his large mahogany desk, his reading glasses perched on the bridge of his nose as he studies a document. My gaze scans the room. His office carries the same old-school elegance it always has—dark wood furniture, shelves lined with business journals, and a faint scent of his signature cologne.
He looks up as I walk in, setting the papers aside. His sharp, deep-set eyes study me with the same intensity like they always have, his bald head only adding to his no-nonsense persona. Dressed in a crisp white shirt with the sleeves casually rolled up and a navy waistcoat, he looks every bit the businessman who built this company from the ground up.
Gesturing toward the chair in front of him, he says. “Sit, son.”
I take a seat, leaning slightly forward as I rest my arms on the desk.
“What is it, Dad?” I ask, meeting his gaze.
“I heard you approved a one-month paid leave for Mr. Sujit, our finance manager.”
I nod. “Yes. Mr. Sujit had a family emergency, Dad. His wife had to undergo major surgery, and he needed to be there for her. He’s been with the company for years, and I wasn’t going to deny him that.”
“Business doesn’t run on emotions,” Dad says, his voice firm, almost dismissive. “Compassion is good, but not at the cost of efficiency.”
