ep 3
The air inside Sharma & Co. crackled with nervous energy.
Meeting rooms buzzed with final checks — files aligned, screens tested, nameplates cleaned. Staff moved with sharp urgency. A tension lingered in the space, unspoken but deeply felt.
This wasn’t just any client visit.
This was Leonardo De Luca — a man known less for his business empire and more for the myth surrounding his power. And he was arriving today.
Even Nischal Sharma, the ever-calm pillar of the firm, could feel the shift.
After triple-checking every single detail, he finally let himself settle into his chair. For the first time since morning, he leaned back and closed his eyes — if only to breathe.
A gentle knock broke the stillness.
He opened his eyes slowly. Predictably, the door eased open and revealed Tara — professional as always, holding a steaming cup of coffee in her hand.
She placed it on his table without a word at first. That quiet gesture — that understanding — brought a small, rare smile to his lips.
Tara Mehra/PA of Sharma siblings
Your coffee, sir. Thought it might help you breathe for once today. (calm, soft, composed)
Nishchal Sharma/ FL Brother
You’re a lifesaver. Exactly what I needed. Thank you, Tara. (gratefully,small smile, taking the mug)
He took a slow sip, exhaling afterward like the caffeine untied something tight in his chest.
He glanced at her. Noticed the way her blouse sleeve was slightly rolled up, a smudge of pencil near her wrist — classic signs of her skipping meals again in the middle of work madness.
Nishchal Sharma/ FL Brother
Did you eat?
Tara Mehra/PA of Sharma siblings
Not yet. I’ll grab something later. There’s too much left— ( Shrugs lightly)
Nishchal Sharma/ FL Brother
Skip one more meal and I’m deducting your salary. (flatly, with authority)
Tara Mehra/PA of Sharma siblings
Sir, I— (half-smiling)
Nishchal Sharma/ FL Brother
Argue again and I’ll deduct twice.(cutting her off)
Tara let out an annoyed huff, barely resisting the urge to roll her eyes. A tiny twitch gave her away.
Nishchal Sharma/ FL Brother
Roll your eyes one more time and I’ll also cut off your Wi-Fi access. (smirking)
Tara Mehra/PA of Sharma siblings
I’m telling Aaravi you’re becoming a tyrant. (mock glaring)
Nishchal Sharma/ FL Brother
Great. I’ll block her credit cards too. I know how to handle two brats at once. (playfully smug)
He raised his cup in salute.
She sighed dramatically and turned to leave.
Nishchal Sharma/ FL Brother
Tara… seriously. Eat something before they arrive. It’s going to be a long day. (gently, but firm)
She paused, nodded sincerely this time, and left the room.
The sun dipped lower in the Delhi sky as a convoy of black vehicles rolled past the company gates. The staff stood straighter, eyes subtly widening. The air stilled as the sleek, obsidian-toned Maybach halted in front of the main entrance.
Doors opened.
Two figures emerged, and in that instant, it felt like the temperature dropped.
They didn’t need to speak to announce who they were.
Leonardo De Luca stepped out first — sharp, refined, his presence so commanding it was as if the space adjusted around him. Dressed in a tailored charcoal suit with subtle Russian-collared edges, his gait was slow, deliberate — as if nothing could ever rush him. Not even time.
Behind him came Valentina De Luca, equally magnetic. A power suit in gunmetal grey, her heels made no sound, but her gaze silenced the world. Where he was fire smothered in ice, she was ice honed to perfection.
Every senior executive felt the weight of their arrival.
But Nischal stood firm.
He stepped forward, composed, professional — the epitome of grace under pressure.
Nishchal Sharma/ FL Brother
Mr. De Luca, Ms. De Luca. Welcome to Sharma & Co. We’re honored to have you here. (offering a polite handshake, cold, calm but respectful)
Leonardo’s eyes met Nischal’s. There was a beat — a flicker of something unspoken. Appraisal, perhaps. Respect. Maybe curiosity.
Leonardo De Luca/ML
Mr. Sharma. The pleasure is mine. You run a tight ship, I see. (smooth, low-toned)
Nishchal Sharma/ FL Brother
We try. Shall we? (with a small, composed smile)
Valentina’s gaze lingered longer than necessary. She tilted her head ever so slightly, reading him — or maybe just surprised. She hadn’t expected the Indian businessman to look this... unshakable.
Something in her shifted.
It wasn’t an attraction. Not exactly. It was recognition — of strength. Of stillness. Of someone who could withstand fire without melting.
Leonardo sensed it — didn’t react. But he registered it.
As they began walking inside, Tara stepped forward beside Nischal, professional posture intact.
Tara Mehra/PA of Sharma siblings
I’m Tara Mehra, Executive Assistant to Mr. Sharma. I’ll be supporting you during your time here. If there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate. (courteously, with a slight bow of her head)
Valentina barely glanced her way.
Leonardo nodded faintly.
Leonardo De Luca/ML
Efficiency is a rare virtue. I hope the rest of your team follows your lead. (quietly to Tara)
Tara smiled, respectful and unreadable.
They entered the glass doors of the conference room. The team followed behind, alert and composed, though every footstep felt like it echoed too loudly in the silence.
The meeting was about to begin.
Contracts. Strategies. Money.
None of them knew — especially Leonardo — that this was the beginning of something else entirely.
Not just a merger of business…
But of boundaries.
Of control.
Of lives.
Author
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