Out of the five jury members who had accepted James Brown's payoff, three ultimately chose to stay true—while two who ignored Raghavan's warning were discreetly removed from the panel. With the storm behind them, the D.A Studio team finished their presentations without further obstruction.
The atmosphere lightened.
The battle was won.
As the final teams trickled into rooms and the session stretched into late afternoon, Punitha turned to the group.
"Should we head back? I think the presentations will run till evening."
Dhiviya glanced toward the upper floors.
"Yeah, you all go ahead. I've still got a few things to handle here.
My husband is waiting for me."
That caught them off guard.
"Your husband is here?" Sanjana blinked.
"Wait, big boss? Where?"
Dhiviya hesitated.
She glanced at the faces around her every one of them had fought beside her, believed in the company, held the line when things got hard.
It was time.
"What I'm about to tell you needs to stay between us.
I feel guilty for not saying anything earlier… but now that we've done our part—
and all of you have given a thousand percent—
You deserve the truth."
Her voice was low and steady.
The team leaned in.
Shankar grinned playfully.
"Spill it already. The suspense is killing me."
Dhiviya gave a small smirk, then motioned for them to gather closer.
She whispered.
"Athavan… is the Chairman. The owner of AD Tech.
And until he makes that public, it stays our secret."
A beat of silence.
Then she stepped away gracefully disappearing toward the executive wing.
Her team stood there stunned. Frozen mid-thought. The hallway felt quieter. Almost sacred.
Sanjana broke the silence.
"She's not joking, right? That wasn't… a prank?"
Arjun let out a breath.
"It makes sense. That moment he got approval from Raghavan so quickly for second project presentation—it clicked."
Shankar laughed.
"AD Tech. DA Studio. A for Athavan. D for Dhiviya.
Of course.
These two named their companies after each other.
Thier naming sense... haha."
And the hallway buzzed with realization.
They hadn't just built a pitch.
They had stood beside royalty in disguise.
......................................................................
The sun hung low over Metropore City, casting golden rays through the glass walls of the AD Tech executive floor. The skyline shimmered behind Athavan, seated calmly in his oversized Chairman's chair. The sleek black desk in front of him was cluttered with reports and a laptop, its screen blinking with submission logs from the day's presentations.
He didn't look up.
But the moment the door creaked open, he spoke.
"How did everything go?"
Dhiviya slipped into the room like a shadow—her steps soft, eyes wide.
"You already got all the reports, right? You tell me—was it good?"
She flashed a playful grin as she collapsed into the suede sofa near the window.
Athavan finally closed his laptop and leaned back.
"According to Raghavan, every jury rated your team's presentations highly.
You didn't just survive—you impressed."
Dhiviya's eyes sparkled.
"Seriously?"
Athavan nodded. Then stood.
"Now… come on. We're leaving."
"Leaving?"
She stood quickly.
"i could've have waited downstairs for you right?"
He smirked and walked over, gently took her hand.
"Trust me. You'll want to see this."
She followed with raised eyebrows as he led her to a small lift hidden behind a brushed steel panel. Inside, only two buttons existed. One was simply marked with a glowing H.
Before she could ask, Athavan pressed it. The lift ascended silently. Her pulse matched the quiet tension.
Within a minute, the doors opened—revealing a rooftop hangar bathed in golden sunlight.
And waiting, perched like a mechanical hawk, was a sleek helicopter.
Dhiviya's jaw dropped.
"We're flying that?"
Athavan chuckled.
"Come on. First time up close?"
He helped her climb in as the blades began to whirl.
The city buzzed below as the chopper rose.
She squeezed his arm, unsure if it was nerves, excitement… or both.
They soared beyond the concrete jungle of Metropore, the skyscrapers shrinking into specks. The flight lasted forty minutes—crossing lush coastlines, cutting across the breeze, dipping above emerald waters.
Finally, an island emerged.
Rolling hills. Towering palms. Earth being carved. Forest lines cleared.
The helicopter descended on a mountaintop helipad surrounded by container-style offices and utility vehicles. A team rushed forward to greet them as they landed.
The door opened.
Dhiviya stepped out and inhaled—salt air, sun-warmed earth, and eucalyptus.
"Is this the island I think it is?" she asked.
Athavan smiled, already walking toward a waiting four-wheel drive.
"Yes. This is where we'll build the AD Tech City."
She climbed in beside him. The road was narrow, winding through untamed forest. Butterflies scattered from tall grasses. Birds looped above trees glowing with sunset hues.
After ten minutes, the vehicle pulled up beside a mountain cabin tucked near a waterfall.
The structure was stunning—bamboo accents, glass panels, modern with wild soul. It looked like something lifted straight from a Bali resort ad.
A soft-spoken, middle-aged woman greeted them at the porch.
"You'll be staying here tonight, Master. I'll prepare food in the kitchen cabin."
Athavan nodded and gestured for Dhiviya to enter.
She followed quietly—still soaking in everything.
Until she heard the word "stay."
"Wait… we're staying? You didn't tell me!
I didn't bring any extra clothes!"
Before Athavan could answer, the housekeeper gently smiled.
"Don't worry, my lady. Master prepared everything for you.
Your clothes are in the closet."
Then she departed.
Still confused, Dhiviya wandered into the bedroom.
There were two wardrobes. She opened the larger one and gasped.
Inside—dresses tailored to her style. Hues she loved. Fabrics she favored.
In a drawer, she found neatly folded undergarments—her exact size.
Her cheeks went pink.
He bought these?
How did he even know my size…?
She laughed softly to herself—equal parts shy and touched.
Moments later, she found Athavan sitting alone outside on a bamboo lounge chair, sipping coffee as the sun melted into the horizon. The waterfall roared gently in the background. Crickets stirred.
She slid beside him, curled up close.
"Alright, husband.
What are we doing here?
What is this?
Did you… kidnap me?"
He smirked and handed her the coffee cup.
She took a sip.
Steam rose into the evening light.
"You told my parents, right?" she teased.
Athavan turned to her, eyes soft and mischievous.
"Maybe.
"Or maybe I just borrowed you for one night."
"You…!" Dhiviya gasped, panicked and flustered.
Despite sharing the same bed over the past few weeks since Athavan returned from India, they had never crossed the line. The tension between them had lingered like perfume present but never spoken.
Dhiviya instinctively tried to step away, but Athavan caught her wrist gently and pulled her toward him. She lost balance and landed right into his lap.
Their eyes met.
His gaze was soft, but fiery—like embers fanned by wind.
She felt heat flood her cheeks.
Crimson.
Crimson as the setting sun.
Athavan leaned in, his breath a whisper between them. Dhiviya's heartbeat echoed in her chest like festival drums—loud, unpredictable, holy.
He closed the distance and kissed her gently.
On her forehead.
A gesture not of conquest—but of promise.
Then, wordlessly, he helped her up, still holding her hand. They walked toward the waterfall cascading behind the cabin, a silver curtain glowing under moonlight.
Standing there, side by side, the sound of rushing water filled the silence between them.
Athavan stared ahead.
Then he spoke.
"I think I'm ready."
He turned to her, his voice quieter now—weight behind each word.
"I want to tell you everything about me.
Do you want to hear my story?"