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Author's pov-

The sun was at peak and as the intensity of heat was rising so was the match of basketball being held in the open court of one of the stadiums. No, it was not any serious match where medals and ranks mattered. It was a friendly match which is played every weekend for all the basketball lovers and the team was divided but players played as their life depended on it. Today it was the match between red dragons and yellow tigers, where red dragons needed one more point to win and only thirty seconds were left for the match to be over.

Everybody thought that they lost, but suddenly the ball was snatched by one man, who was panting and sweating but that didn't stop him from looking handsome, and girls swooning over who watched him from the fence and hooting for him. He was running with only one goal on his mind that he had to put the ball in the basket, only fifteen seconds were remaining and the distance between him and the basket was decreasing. Players from the opposite team were trying their best to stop him, but were met by the defeat. At last when three seconds were left, the ball went inside the basket and the whistle was heard indicating the match ended and was won by the red dragons.

Everybody shouted for his win, but he was just looking towards the sky, muttering something which was not heard by anyone and grinned showing his full teeth. The members of his team literally jumped on him by their win. He was so happy. The man was none other than Rudra Malhotra, son of Vikram and Amrita Malhotra. Rudra is the CEO of Regal ventures, the company which he struggled in his college years to make it all on his own has finally become one of the top fashion show organizing companies in the country. All credits goes to his hard work and dedication and learnings from his father.

Rudra is an easy-going person, is fun to be with but once you mess with his people, he turns into one enraged person you don't wanna mess with. So far the enraged version has not come into reality yet except for one or two times, but that is the story for later. Talking about how he looks, he is one of the most eligible and desirable man of the country, which comes to the conclusion that he is extremely handsome, with fair complexion and those black curly hairs and gray misty eye color, he has a long nose and perfect jawline and icing on the cake is his dimples which can flatter any girl. Talking about his physique, he is five feet eight inches tall with lean muscles and toned body with six pack abs.

He changed from his sports outfits to his office wear which isn't something most CEOs wear. His outfit included white shirt and trousers with a vest on top of it. He was on his way to his car when his phone rang and judging by the time on his watch he can guess that it is none other than his mother's call. He picked it up, "Rudra, is your game finished or not, otherwise I will come to make it stop. You have not eaten anything, your mother is worried and there you are playing."

"My sweet innocent ma, the game is finished and I am going to the office and I promise for sure I will eat something there."

"You better or else, it will not take me more than fifteen minutes to come and find you and drag you back home."

Rudra laughed listening to his mother's threat, "Ok ma as you say, for now let me go and have something." He cut the call and set out to go to his office. His mother is a typical Indian mother, always worrying about her sons but is also a very fun going person.

He entered his office which is twenty minutes away from his home, half an hour from the stadium and wished everyone good morning. Each and every employee loved him because he is so approachable and patient. Girls of his office swoon over him and men of his office are skeptical about how he does, whatever he does.

But our Rudra is a one man woman. Nobody knows this but he already has a permanent place for a girl in his life and in his heart. He entered his cabin and his secretary following him, Neil said "Sir you have a meeting with the financial department in fifteen minutes and after that lunch with a client." Rudra nodded his head. One thing about Rudra is that his persona changes from fun loving to serious very quickly in terms of business which is one of the reasons for Regal Ventures success.

"Anything else?"

"There is one more thing sir. Actually Pearl's Designing company CEO is putting her best efforts to have a meeting with you, but our executive assistant has denied having any collaboration with them as they are still new in this set out." Neil asked, slightly shifting from one leg to another.

"What? And you let that happen. Don't forget, once we were also in their position, and tell our executive assistant that if he doesn't like to take challenges or try something new, then there is no need to continue to work here. "

"Ye-yes sir, I will make sure of it."

"Also, arrange the meeting as soon as possible."

Nodding Neil went outside wiping the sweat from his forehead seeing Rudra in anger and here Rudra started to work but his mind wandered onto the thoughts of his girl. The girl is none other than Gauri Anand. Yes, he has been in love with her ever since he knew her, that is from his childhood. He is just eagerly waiting for this meeting. Finally he will meet her again after eighteen years. Though he knows that she might not remember her, he will try his best.

Till now he has never seen a woman like her. From the first time he saw her, he decided that she is the girl who will rule his heart and it is. It is not because of how she looks, or how she speaks, it is that she is so selfless and always sacrifices her needs because of someone else. And it is not like now she is, from the beginning it has been like this.

He remembers the first memory of his when he was 5 years old and she was ten. She was helping in putting the band-aid over his knee where he was hurt when he was running to catch the ball. He was crying very loudly when she was putting the medicine on it, but she was telling him jokes to distract him and make sure he was comfortable. He was looking at her with doe eyes, tears surrounding it and a pout on his face. He said the first thought he had in mind loudly in his baby voice, "Ri, when I get older, I will marry you.", even though he doesn't know the meaning of that word.

She just laughed listening to him and Rudra thought that she was laughing because he is small. Tears started flowing from his eyes and before his crying came out into sound she said to pacify him while wiping his tears from his eyes, "Ok, ok don't cry. We will definitely get married but for that to happen you have to grow up first and for that you have to stop crying, hmm."

Rudra nodded fast and from that day onwards he had only one thing in his mind, to grow up fast so he could marry his Ri.

Rudra came to present when he heard the knock where his assistant was calling him for the meeting. He nodded and got ready for it and proceeded to go there.

All day he was busy with office work and it was eight in the night when he reached his home. As soon as he entered, his mother's voice loudly echoed in the house asking him to freshen up fast and come down to eat the dinner. He made his way to his room and it took him exactly thirty minutes to freshen up and get changed.

When he came down, he saw his father, his mother, his elder brother Kabir and his fiancee Rashmi waiting for him in the dining room while talking. He was grinning and everybody resumed talking as he is always late at the time of dinners. His father asked him about work and its progress, to which he replied that it is going well.

"I heard that you are considering working with Pearl's designing company?" His father again asked.

"Yes dad, though they are new but the work they have done till now, I have seen it and it will be worth working with them." From outside it seemed as if he was just talking about business but from inside he was jumping at the thought of seeing his goddess if all works out well.

"You know the CEO of that company?"

"Yes dad, how can I not know it?"

"Then you must also know that you have to make her comfortable and also introduce yourself. She might not remember you, but we do, right. Also make sure to invite her to the party."

"Dad, first let the work begin, after that I will make progress. You can't expect me to just go and invite her to the party. First I will make sure to become her friend after that other things will happen."

"Poor her, she has lost so much at such a young age. Vikram you know she is living all alone in this big city and thank god now you are finally taking actions which you should have taken years before." His mother said, scolding her husband.

"Amu, you know that our condition was also not good, and it's not like I didn't try but the people she was living with simply denied me to see her let alone meet her." His father said to his wife.

"Forget all things, now she is here and we will give all that she wants. But first we have to meet her and tell who we are and for that to happen she has to come to the party. Rudra this will be your task.

"Yes mom, I got it, now I am going to my room. After all, preparations should begin to welcome her."

As he went inside his room, he directly went to the balcony where he was just admiring the moon which was full and clear tonight. Rudra was thinking of ways to introduce himself and invite her to his parent's anniversary party. Will she still remember him? Will this time his love surpass all the struggles? Will he be able to mend what has been shattered? Every kind of thought was messing up his mind.

He doesn't know anything except for the years they lived together, but he has heard in the market about how strict and stone hearted kind of a person she is. He is just hoping that when he meets her, he will be able to see his old Ri. Ri, that's what he has called her since he can think of the first time. His mother told him about how it was difficult for him to pronounce her name when he was small so he stuck to calling her Ri.

He is just hoping that this time God will listen to his prayers and will grant his love also to be complete.

So, what do you think of Rudra? Let me know who you imagined him as?🤔

As always vote to get new chapter soon, comments your thoughts about what will happen next and share it with your friends.🥰🥹

Until next time! xoxo.💌

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