chapter 22

SerendipityEpisode-22"Megha! Are you there? Are you listening?" Gupta Sir's voice snapped her out of her thoughts."Yes, Sir, I'm listening... but I'm standing in front of Sehegal Tower. What should I do? Sehegal or Supreme? What do I choose?"Megha's voice wavered with indecision."Megha! Listen... I’m calling Arvind Sehgal now. But you must reach Supreme House by 10:30. Can you manage?"Her watch read 9:15. BKC to Cuffe Parade usually took 45 minutes, but it was a Monday, and the traffic was terrible.There was no way to give a precise time estimate."Megha, can I trust you? I’ve placed all my faith in you," Gupta Sir's words carried the weight of his expectation.Megha took a deep breath. Exhaling, she gave the driver Ramesh JI instructions,"Please Turn the car toward Cuffe Parade. We need to be there by 10:00.""Don’t worry, Sir. I’ll get there in time," she reassured him and ended the call.Within seconds, she messaged her team at Sehegal Towers, informing them of the meeting's reschedule.She posted a quick apology in the group chat, asking everyone to go back to the SWC office and wait for the further instructions. ‘Sorry once again,’ she apologized...  before calling Purab.“Hi! What happened to you all of a sudden?” she asked, her concern evident."Megha... sorry... I know you’ve been pulled into a last-minute meeting because of me," Purab's voice was weak, his apology sincere."Don’t say sorry! You didn’t choose to get sick! But I need you to email me all the files related to the presentation.I have to study everything before I stand in front of them. It’s Supreme! There can't be even the slightest mistake... Wish me luck,"Megha said in one breath, her words tumbling over each other in her anxious excitement.Her voice carried a blend of worry, fear, and a fierce determination to succeed.“I’ll send everything, but trust me, you don’t need luck. You’re the star of SWC—you’ll shine no matter what. Don't stress!”Purab managed to joke, despite his condition.Megha chuckled softly. “Oh, come on, Purab. Supreme is like the sun. How can a tiny little thing like me make any difference? But I’ll give it my all, no matter what.”"Well, little firefly, go light up a dark corner in that Supreme meeting. I've sent you everything. Call me if you need anything," he said, his voice fading but still managing to laugh at his joke."You take rest, and don’t worry. I'll handle it," Megha assured him.She began reviewing the Supreme presentation on her laptop, her mind now racing through facts and figures. The next 40 minutes were critical for her to absorb as much information as possible.The car took a U-turn and sped toward Cuffe Parade. This turn, though unknown to her, would become the most significant shift in Megha's life, setting her on a new and beautiful path.Can I trust you? Gupta Sir’s words echoed in her mind as her eyes skimmed through Supreme’s data.The Supreme Group—India’s third-largest industrial and financial conglomerate—had started nearly 90 years ago.Founded by Ramnath Sannyal and his friends in Mumbai, the company had grown exponentially and now operated in 65 countries.Prakash Sannyal, the third generation of the family, had built a colossal fortune.The group boasted an annual turnover of over 5 trillion rupees and employed more than 400,000 people worldwide.From chemicals to cement, aluminium to automobiles, tires, textiles, mining, pharmaceuticals, power, food processing, and even resorts—Supreme had a stake in nearly every industrial sector, cementing its place on the global stage.The enormity of the Supreme Group's influence made this last-minute challenge daunting for Megha.So much depended on her presentation—the reputation of SWC, Gupta Sir’s 35 years of dedication, his position in the financial sector. The stakes had never been higher.By the time her car pulled up in front of the Supreme House, it was a quarter to ten.Megha stepped out and took in the sight of the sea, stretching out endlessly in front of Cuffe Parade.The 28-story towering Supreme House loomed above her, its size reflecting the group's overwhelming presence.The wind tugged at her saree as she gazed up at the building, her eyes tracing its height. If there’s a terrace on the top floor, the view of the sea must be breath-taking, she thought for a moment, then immediately shook off the distraction. Focus, Megha. You're here for a reason.She grabbed her laptop bag and told the driver to park the car. As she walked into the lobby, a magnificent idol of Ganesha greeted her.It reminded her of Arya’s favourite Bappa. For a moment, Arya’s face flashed before her eyes, and she smiled. That small smile offered a brief but welcome comfort amid her extraordinary tension.Stepping into the elevator, she pressed the button for the 27th floor, wondering why all important conference rooms seemed to be on the top floors of buildings. Maybe it’s symbolic, she thought. The higher you are, the closer you are to the top of your company—showing the world you’re the best.Megha took a deep breath, readying herself for what would be a defining moment in her career.To be continued....© ®️ Meghna_Yadav 2021Special Thanks to friend Gayatri and my loving daughter, my buddy.Hello Readers,Illuminate the five stars of ratings with your gentle touch. Do let me know your thoughts via comments..Thanks and Regards,Meghana Yadav... Â