Facing Divya's burning gaze, Rahul smoothly swept her up into a princess carry.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone on the open-air terrace, he walked toward the restaurant entrance. The female diners watched their retreating backs, all of them looking like lovestruck teenagers.
"Wow, that is so romantic."
"It's literally a scene straight out of a Bollywood movie!"
"I wish I could be carried out by a guy looking like that."
Divya listened to the soft whispers around her, feeling the solid strength of Rahul's arms and the warmth of his chest. At this moment, she was utterly intoxicated. Her arms tightened their hold around his neck, and her eyes barely left his face.
She had decided to be completely bold, just this once!
Just like that, Rahul carried Divya all the way down the elevator and across the street to the adjoining luxury hotel.
He pulled the VIP keycard from Divya's designer clutch and swiped open the door. The moment it clicked shut, Divya's entire demeanor changed. The Ice Queen melted entirely; she became as passionate as a roaring fire, acting without a single ounce of hesitation.
Rahul could feel her slight clumsiness—a testament to her lack of experience—and gently, expertly guided her along the way.
In this moment, within the luxury penthouse suite on the 27th floor, time belonged solely to Rahul and Divya. Ignoring the future, the board meetings, and the corporate pressures, they only enjoyed the present.
The bustling, noisy streets of Bangkok far below gradually quieted down...
Early the next morning.
Rahul woke from his slumber. Upon opening his eyes, he saw Divya already awake, wrapped in a plush white bathrobe, looking at him with eyes as soft as water.
"Good morning, Rahul," Divya whispered, her voice carrying a hint of uncharacteristic shyness.
A warm smile appeared on Rahul's face, but just as he was about to speak, Divya leaned down and gently covered his lips with her hand.
"Don't say anything, and don't ask anything."
"I drank too much last night, so please don't overthink it. We live in completely different worlds and we're destined not to be together. So... consider last night a gift. From me to you."
As she spoke, her face suddenly flushed a bright, vibrant red again.
Rahul understood perfectly what she meant. Since Divya could be so free-spirited and direct, why would he ruin the moment with hypocritical, polite platitudes? However, his sharp eyes caught a fleeting hint of insincerity in her gaze—she was trying very hard to convince herself as much as him.
Rahul sat up, leaning against the headboard, the sheet pooling at his waist. "Aren't you going to rest a bit more? You were pretty... exhausted."
"No need. I have to get to corporate headquarters. Today is the global new product launch, and there's a mountain of things to handle," she said, reverting slightly to her CEO tone. "I had my executive secretary bring me a fresh change of clothes; she should be here any minute."
Just as Divya finished speaking, there was a soft knock at the door.
When she opened it, the secretary was stunned to see her boss's absolutely glowing, radiant complexion.
"Director, your skin looks amazing this morning!"
"Oh? Does it?" The corners of Divya's mouth curled up unconsciously. "Wait for me in the lobby. I'll be down as soon as I change."
Divya closed the door and changed into her sharp business attire with her back to Rahul. Then, she placed a luxury shopping bag on the edge of the massive bed.
"Rahul, these are some fresh clothes for you. You should sleep in a bit longer. I'm heading to the office now."
With that, Divya leaned in close, gave him a lingering, gentle kiss on the cheek, picked up her designer bag, and left the suite.
The moment she stepped out of the hotel lobby, Divya's face shifted back into the flawless, unreadable mask of an Ice Queen. But inside, her heart was doing backflips like a joyful teenager.
Sitting in the back of her chauffeured Alphard, her mind was flooded with vivid images of Rahul. At the same time, a sudden wave of panic hit her. Did my speech this morning sound too much like a female playboy? What did she mean by 'destined not to be together'? Would Rahul feel like she had just used him as a boy toy? He wouldn't think she was totally heartless, would he?
Should she give him some kind of financial compensation?
No, no, that wouldn't be right at all. What would that make this? A transaction? Suddenly, a brilliant corporate strategy occurred to her.
If Santiya wanted to aggressively increase its global popularity and sales, why not open a flagship branch in a major Indian metropolis like Mumbai or Delhi? With Rahul's striking looks and his rapidly growing status as a global influencer... if she put him in charge of the Indian branch's operations, the chances of massive success were incredibly high!
That way, Rahul wouldn't feel like she was paying him off; they would be legitimate business partners!
Thinking of this, Divya's mind began to race with exciting projections and marketing strategies. She brainstormed all the way to the company headquarters, only snapping out of her daze when her secretary reminded her of her schedule.
"After the new product launch, notify all regional managers to report to the main conference room. We are discussing international expansion," Divya ordered sharply.
Meanwhile, Rahul, who was no longer the least bit sleepy, got out of bed and dressed in the fresh clothes she had left for him.
Recalling Divya's massive contrast in behavior, Rahul couldn't help but chuckle. Was he being used as a tool? Definitely not. When two mutually attracted people collide, sparks are inevitable. It was pure, primal, and lacked any messy ulterior motives.
In fact, Rahul felt like he was the one who had walked away with the ultimate prize. After all, where else in the world could you find such a perfect deal: a stunningly beautiful, wealthy female CEO who didn't demand he take responsibility and wasn't the least bit clingy?
Just as he was about to leave the suite and head back to his own hotel, his phone buzzed in his pocket.
It was a WhatsApp video call from Kabir.
Rahul answered immediately. On the other end, Kabir was momentarily stunned when he saw the opulent, panoramic background behind Rahul.
"Bhai... did you change hotels again?" Kabir asked, squinting. "Your room from yesterday definitely didn't look like a billionaire's penthouse."
Rahul replied casually, "Oh, I didn't book this room."
Upon hearing this, Kabir's face contorted, and he spoke through gritted teeth. "Was this booked by that Ice Queen CEO?!"
"Rahul Bhai, seeing you living your absolute best life... I am truly, deeply happy for you!"
Rahul laughed out loud at his friend's pained expression. "If you're truly happy for me, why does it sound like you're grinding your teeth into powder? You're dying of jealousy, aren't you!"
"No! Absolutely not!" Kabir lied poorly.
After a bit more banter, Rahul turned serious. "Alright, why did you call? Is the footage edited?"
"Yes, it's all done. I'm uploading the proxy file to you now; take a look and tell me if the pacing is right."
"Give me twenty minutes. I'm heading back to my room to grab my laptop."
After hanging up, Rahul grabbed a cab back to his three-star hotel in Siam Square. He booted up his laptop and downloaded the video file Kabir had sent.
The video was a tight 15 minutes long, covering a single day's worth of material. But Rahul could instantly tell that Kabir had poured his heart and soul into the edit.
Not only had he seamlessly cut together all the key narrative points, but he had also added perfect, cinematic background music that elevated the production value. More importantly, Kabir had expertly highlighted the subtle, electric chemistry between Rahul and Divya.
Rahul only needed to record a quick voiceover narration, and the episode would be ready to break the internet.
Impressed, Rahul initiated a video call back to Kabir.
"How is it, Bhai? My editing skills haven't rusted, have they?" Kabir asked, looking incredibly proud of himself.
"It's brilliant, Kabir. The quality is top-tier. I'll add the narration and post it tonight."
Rahul paused, his tone shifting to business. "By the way, what was your exact in-hand salary at your last job?"
"Around ₹60,000, but after PF and taxes, I took home about ₹50,000," Kabir answered honestly.
Rahul thought for a moment. "How about this: I'll pay you ₹1 Lakh a month as a base, and when the channel's ad revenue hits the next tier..."
Before Rahul could finish his sentence, Kabir jumped out of his chair, yelling excitedly.
"Bhai, that's way too much! I'm just editing vlogs from my bedroom!"
"Kabir, shut up and listen," Rahul said sincerely. "Back when I quit my job, didn't you offer me your entire life savings just to support my crazy idea?"
"Between brothers, we don't count pennies. And do me a favor—unpack your bags. You aren't going back to Punjab."
"The next step is to build this empire together!"
Kabir let out a deafening, joyful howl. "Bhai, you aren't just my friend... you are practically my own blood!"