Rahul was just about to open his laptop to draft a business proposal to Divya, only to slowly close it again.
He realized a major flaw in his plan: he currently didn't have an operational team back in India. If he rashly started a massive e-commerce operation, he and Kabir alone wouldn't be able to handle the complex logistics, customer service, and supply chain management involved. To make real, sustainable money, one must have a solid team.
However, an empire isn't built overnight. When the time came, collaborating with his former boss, Mr. Sharma, wasn't entirely out of the question either.
But there was no rush. His immediate focus should remain on high-quality content output and continuously growing his follower base. And of course, the most important thing was still obtaining Charm Points. Charm Points were the absolute prerequisite for everything in his new, wonderful life.
As for the e-commerce collaboration with Divya, he would see if a natural opportunity arose to bring it up during his time in Thailand.
Thinking of this, Rahul rose from his chair, stretched, grabbed a fresh surgical mask, and prepared to head out for an early dinner. After eating, he planned to visit the massive ICONSIAM mall to see if he could harvest some more Karma points from the elite crowds there.
Just as he pulled out his hotel room card, the phone in his pocket vibrated.
Taking it out, he saw it was a call from Divya.
"Rahul, where are you right now?" her voice sounded surprisingly bright.
"At the hotel. I was just about to head out to grab a bite."
"That's perfect. Don't go out. I'll have my driver come pick you up; let's have dinner together tonight," Divya said joyfully. "I have something important to discuss with you."
Hearing this, Rahul's heart stirred. Could it be that the new products sold out entirely, and she's holding a private victory banquet for me? That worked out perfectly. He could casually bring up the idea of a collaboration during dinner. If they could reach a handshake agreement now, it wouldn't be too late to build out the team once he returned to Mumbai.
"Alright, send the driver over. I'll wait in the hotel lobby."
After hanging up, Rahul took the elevator down and sat on a plush sofa in the lobby. Within a few minutes, a pristine white Toyota Alphard pulled up to the hotel entrance. Rahul walked out and slid into the luxurious back seat.
The driver navigated the Alphard through the chaotic Bangkok traffic, eventually pulling up to a hidden, high-end restaurant with traditional Thai-Lanna vintage decor.
A waiter dressed in traditional silk led Rahul across a small, indoor river landscape and into a secluded, private dining room. Pushing the carved wooden doors open, it wasn't the massive corporate victory banquet Rahul had half-expected.
Divya was the only one sitting at the large table.
Her usually cold, perfectly composed face instantly lit up with a brilliant, warm smile when she saw him.
"Rahul, please sit. This restaurant serves the most authentic Isan cuisine in Bangkok. Ordinary tourists can never find this place."
Rahul sat down across from her, and Divya signaled the waiter to start serving the food.
"Rahul, this is Som Tum, also known as Green Papaya Salad. It's spicy, so be careful. This is Tom Kha Gai, chicken in a rich coconut soup; the flavor is particularly sweet and fresh. And oh, this is my absolute favorite: Pad Krapow Moo Krob, stir-fried crispy pork belly with holy basil!"
Divya enthusiastically introduced every dish to Rahul as it arrived. She looked exactly like a young girl eager to share her favorite things on a first date, completely devoid of her intimidating CEO aura.
Since Rahul was genuinely hungry, he ate every dish with great relish, complimenting the complex flavors. Divya felt that Rahul was giving her incredible emotional validation, and the look in her eyes became even more tender and affectionate as she watched him eat.
Once they had both nearly finished, Divya elegantly dabbed her mouth with a napkin and finally spoke up:
"Rahul, there is a serious business matter I want to discuss with you."
"What a coincidence," Rahul smiled, leaning back. "I actually have a business proposal I wanted to discuss with you, too."
"You go first," Rahul made a gentlemanly gesture.
Divya was a businesswoman; she was straightforward and got right to the point:
"Today's global new product launch was massively successful. Our online pre-sales are currently ten times higher than any of our previous launches! So, I feel that choosing you as the global spokesperson was the absolute best decision my company has ever made."
"You are naturally aligned with our brand's philosophy. Therefore, for the aggressive expansion of Santiya, I want to collaborate with you to bring the brand directly into your country. I want to open the Indian market."
"I wonder... do you have any interest in a joint venture?"
After Divya finished speaking, she stared at Rahul with bright, expectant eyes. Please say yes, Rahul, so I'll have a legitimate excuse to fly to Mumbai to visit you! Please say yes! she pleaded internally.
Hearing this, Rahul inwardly marveled at the sheer coincidence. He was literally just about to propose a distribution partnership, and he hadn't expected her to be thinking the exact same thing, but on a much grander scale!
Without any hesitation, Rahul smiled and agreed: "What I wanted to tell you was about this exact same matter."
Hearing this, Divya's eyes widened in pleasant surprise. "Really? We were actually thinking the exact same thing?"
"I remember when I was little, my Indian grandmother taught me a phrase... is this what they call 'two minds, one thought'?"
Rahul nodded. "Exactly that. Two minds, one thought."
"Today, I posted the vlog of the photoshoot on my Indian social media accounts," Rahul explained. "I didn't expect such a massive reaction from my fans. In the comments alone, thousands of people were asking where they could buy the clothes. If Santiya was brought to India, there would definitely be a massive, hungry market for it. The streetwear design of Santiya is easily on par with top-tier Western luxury brands."
Hearing Rahul praise the clothes she had personally designed so highly, Divya felt a profound surge of sweetness and pride in her chest.
"Thank you, Rahul. Hearing you say that gives me immense confidence."
"I already held an emergency board meeting this afternoon, and the company's executive decision-makers all fully support collaborating with you. Through our meeting, we decided to open a flagship branch and distribution center in Mumbai."
Divya leaned forward, her tone turning purely professional but laced with excitement.
"And you, Rahul, will be responsible for the operations of this branch. You will be the Legal Representative and CEO of the Indian division."
"Santiya HQ will provide 100% of the financial backing, the logistics chain, and the clothing inventory. You only need to handle the marketing, the live-stream selling, and driving the sales volume."
"As for the profits, let's keep the math simple: a straight fifty-fifty split of the net revenue. How does that sound?"
After Divya finished, she looked at Rahul with eager eyes. At the same time, she thought to herself: Rahul, this should more than compensate you for last night, right? It proves I value you. Please don't refuse.
Rahul was genuinely shocked after hearing the terms Divya offered.
Divya's corporation would provide the massive capital required and the entire physical inventory. He only needed to be the face of the brand and handle the digital sales funnel. And the profits were still split fifty-fifty?!
If he sold the clothes, he'd make millions. If he somehow failed, he wouldn't lose a single Rupee of his own money. What was the difference between this and her just handing him a blank check?
How could there be such a ridiculously good business deal in this world?
Suddenly, Rahul remembered the speech she gave him that morning in the penthouse. She had said it was impossible for them to be together. Could she be compensating him in this massive, elaborate way? It was highly likely. She was essentially buying his continued presence in her life under the guise of corporate expansion.
But on second thought, Rahul let the pride go. Don't top-tier influencers and celebrities also get massive equity deals just for attaching their names to a brand? He had nothing to feel embarrassed about. He had the audience; she had the product. It was a perfect synergy.
However, it had to be said that Divya's emotional intelligence and business acumen were terrifyingly high.
Thinking of this, Rahul extended his hand across the table. "Alright, Divya. We have a deal."
Seeing Rahul agree, Divya immediately stood up from her seat, walked quickly around the table, and pressed her soft, red lips firmly against his cheek.
"That's fantastic! Thank you for doing this with me."
"As for the legal details, I'll have Santiya's corporate lawyers draft a comprehensive joint-venture contract tomorrow. We'll finalize and sign it while you're still in Bangkok. By the time you return to Mumbai, you can start setting up the physical office!"
Saying this, Divya pulled Rahul up by the hand.
"Come on, let's get out of here. I'll take you to see our current flagship store in ICONSIAM."
Divya chartered a private luxury speedboat to take Rahul across the Chao Phraya River, arriving at the magnificent, glittering ICONSIAM mega-mall on the opposite bank.
After a private tour of her massive, high-end retail store, they walked out onto the mall's massive riverside terrace.
Divya held tightly onto Rahul's arm, pressing herself against him. She looked up at him, her eyes completely devoid of the Ice Queen persona, replaced entirely with burning affection and desire.
"Rahul... come back to my penthouse tonight," she whispered softly. "I still have many private pieces I designed that I haven't modeled for you yet."
"They're... very bold."
Rahul smirked slightly. Is this what they call 'tasting the sweetness and becoming addicted'? Then what was he waiting for?
"I have a preference for black lace," Rahul murmured back. "But deep purple is also nice."