The air in the grandfather's study smelled of old leather and expensive ink—the smell of true power. Sia sat in the oversized mahogany chair, her peach suit a soft glow against the dark wood. She was looking at a series of merger documents, her eyes moving with the mechanical precision of a high-speed scanner.
"You're working too hard again, Sia-paa."
She didn't look up. She knew the voice. It was Rohan, her best friend. He walked in wearing a vibrant shirt, looking like he had just come from a beach club. He dropped a neon-colored energy drink on her desk, right next to her formal Rasmalai.
"The markets don't sleep, Rohan," Sia said, her voice quiet but firm.
"Neither do ghosts, but at least they don't have to worry about the Q4 projections," Rohan joked, leaning over her desk. "Come on. It's Friday. There's a party at the warehouse. Everyone's going."
"I am not 'everyone'," Sia replied, finally looking up. Her baby-innocent face was calm, but her eyes were weary. "Grandfather hands over the keys to the empire in six months. I need to ensure there's still an empire left to lead."
The Jealous Eye
As if on cue, the door creaked open. Her maternal cousin, Mehak, stood there. Mehak was older, dressed in high-fashion labels, but she lacked the quiet gravity that Sia commanded.
"Grandfather is asking for you, Sia," Mehak said, her voice dripping with a forced sweetness that didn't reach her eyes. "He's talking about the 18th-birthday gala again. It must be so nice to have everything handed to you just because you're 'the favorite'."
Sia didn't take the bait. She didn't even acknowledge the insult. She simply stood up, her black high ponytail snapping into place.
"It's not handed to me, Mehak," Sia said, her voice like velvet-wrapped steel. "It's entrusted to me. There's a difference. One is a gift; the other is a burden you aren't strong enough to carry."
Rohan let out a low whistle. Mehak's face flushed with a sudden, ugly rage before she turned and vanished back into the hallway.
"She's going to try something, you know," Rohan said, his playful tone turning serious. "Jealousy is a bad auditor."
Sia picked up her copper disc, the holographic light reflecting off her pale, porcelain skin.
"Let her try," Sia whispered. "I finished my Master's at fifteen, Rohan. I've already calculated her next three moves. She's playing checkers. I'm playing the market."
The Malhotra Legacy: The Inner Circle
Nana-ji (Ishwar Malhotra): The Patriarch.
The Two Daughters: Meera (Sia's Mother): Married into the Singh family. Supportive and elegant.
The Aunt (Mansi): Meera's sister. A "good" person, but often caught between her daughter's jealousy and her father's wishes.
* The Four Grandchildren:
1. Aryan (20): Sia's older brother. Protective but often overshadowed by her brilliance.
2. Sia (17): The designated heir. Master's graduate at 15. The "Silent Hawk."
3. Mehak (19): Sia's maternal cousin (Mansi's daughter). The rival who feels the throne belongs to her as the eldest granddaughter of the Malhotra bloodline.
4. Riya (15): Sia's younger sister. The innocent observer who adores Sia.