Fourteen Years Later
“Did you hear thenews, sir?”
Vihaan glanced up from his desk, signing off on the quarterly reports that he’d been reviewing. He reached out to accept the iPad his trusty PA, Laila, held out to him.
“The top books listed in four separate categories on Asia Today came from Stork Publications,” she added with a grin, swiping through the article to show him their rankings.
His lips curved into a pleased smile at seeing Kaya’s novel ranked high in their recommendations. A business deal turned friendship was the best payoff he could have asked for. Better yet, this particular deal had reunited his best friend, Arjun, with hisestranged wife, Kaya.
Keen eyes scrolled the list of contenders in the other categories. “What about Reed & Co.?” he asked, referring to his father’s business.
He read a few lines, and his smile dropped. As usual, his achievements were listed alongside Suraj Oberoi. Father and son—the Oberoi legacy. What a joke.
“Their recent magazine spreads are on par with ours, but our fiction releases are generally received better. Which reminds me, I’m filling out the RSVP for the Asia Publishing Gala next week. Will you be taking Ms. Dutta as your plus one?”
“Who?”
“Tina Dutta, your,” Laila cleared her throat, “datefrom last weekend. She was the runner up at the pageant we sponsored.”
“Right,” Vihaan nodded, scribbling yet another signature as he checked through his sheet again. “Did you courier her the box I’d left on your desk?”
“I did. She didn’t seem impressed and has left many messages for you, one of them clarifying that she can afford her own toy.”
Vihaan slid a mischievous glance at his PA but nothing about her even expression suggested she had any clue what that complaint was about. “Anything else?”
“The last one said if you don’t call her back, she’ll be going to the benefit with your cousin.”
“Hmm. Send her an appropriate gift, and thank her for her time, Laila.”
“It doesn’t bother you?”
Vihaan shrugged, winking playfully at Laila. “The lady wants to live her life and make her own choices. I’m man enough to know when to bow out. Might want to add a bottle of aspirin along with her gift. She's going to need it to deal with my cousin.”
Laila’s lips trembled, even as she tried to maintain a stern look. “Very well. Your father also called, requesting a meeting. Would you like me to set one up?”
“No. I’m not interested in whatever new offer he has right now, but I will no doubt hear about it eventually.”
“It was to ask you for lunch, sir.”
Laila had been with him for years and was loyal to a fault. She was perhaps the only person who wasn’t completely enamoured with him, and he liked her even more for it. Which was why the hint of chastising in her tone made him grin.
He shook his head once, a polite reminder that he wasn’t in the mood to be reprimanded by his assistant.
With a sigh, Laila pulled up his schedule. Vihaan listened to her intently while she brought him to speed on their acquisition. Ethos was a fairly new broadcasting channel that had seen a small but loyal following, their viewership gained mostly due to good quality programming. However, the lack of funds and industry politics made it certain that their growth would remain stunted. This made it a perfect project for Vihaan, who had money, influence and experience to allow the channel to expand its offerings. Eventually, he would absorb it and have it re-branded as a Stork subsidiary.
Already, he had multiple regional newspapers, magazines and book publishing imprints amalgamated under Stork Media House, going head-to-head with the businesses his father had begun long ago. With print media more or less under his command, his move into television and OTT broadcasting would undoubtedly give him the edge over Reed & Co.
In less than two hours, the acquisition would be announced, and he’d step in as the new owner and CEO of Ethos Entertainment.
“Everything at the new office has been prepared the way you’d instructed,” Laila added, getting his final signatures on the employee policy changes he’d been in the midst of incorporating. “I’ve asked the driver to bring the car around for you. We should head out if we want to make the meeting on time.”
Vihaan nodded, picking up his jacket and phone as they strode down the hallway towards his private elevator.
“Has everyone gathered already? I don’t want anyone missing this unless they are ill or out of the country,” he said, his shoes clicking rhythmically against the gleaming tiled floors that led towards the exit.
“Yes, the senior team members and staff have been asked to be present for a personal announcement but nothing else has been revealed. We moved your office into Ethos yesterday and the previous CEO is set to introduce you today to the company. The rest of the employees will receive an email timed with the public announcement during the 4:00 p.m. news release.”
Laila’s words ended as abruptly as her steps, her heels cluttering to a stop next to his feet when he paused right outside the exit doors. His gaze swung towards her, and he almost rolled his eyes when he saw the flush on her face.