First meeting in Gala

The grand ballroom of The Imperial glowed under cascading chandeliers, each crystal catching light like falling stars. Waiters glided between high-profile guests, offering glasses of champagne and artfully plated hors d’oeuvres. It was the annual Malhotra Foundation Gala—an event where power dressed in velvet, and secrets hid behind polite smiles.

Aaryan Sehgal stood near the edge of the crowd, dressed in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo, sipping whiskey on the rocks. At thirty, he was the enigmatic CEO of Sehgal Corp—India’s leading tech conglomerate. He rarely made public appearances unless they were critical to the company’s image. Tonight was different, but not for business reasons.

He was bored. That is, until she walked in.

Kiara Malhotra.

She didn’t just enter the room—she owned it. Draped in a midnight-blue satin gown that shimmered with every step, she moved with effortless elegance. Her long, dark hair was swept to one side, and her hazel eyes scanned the room—not for attention, but with curiosity, like she was quietly assessing every soul in it.

Aaryan’s breath caught in his chest, an unfamiliar hitch in his usually steady composure.

“That’s Kiara Malhotra,” his assistant, Kabir, whispered beside him. “Only daughter of the Malhotra empire.”

Aaryan didn’t respond. His eyes were fixed on her as she crouched to speak with a small girl standing nervously by the buffet. Kiara knelt, offering the child a warm smile and a tiny silver-wrapped chocolate from her clutch. The girl giggled and hugged her before running off.

She hadn’t even noticed the room watching her. Including him.

“Introduce us,” Aaryan said quietly.

Kabir blinked. “Sir?”

Aaryan was already walking across the ballroom, drink forgotten.

—

Kiara had just turned toward the silent auction table when she noticed him—tall, dark, and undeniably striking. There was something cold and calculated in his gaze, but it wasn’t unkind. Curious. Intense. Dangerous, maybe.

“Miss Malhotra,” he greeted smoothly, offering his hand.

“Mr. Sehgal.” Her tone was polite, but her brow lifted ever so slightly. “I’m surprised you’re here. Charity galas don’t usually scream Sehgal Corp.”

He smirked, impressed. “Neither does midnight-blue and bare shoulders, but you wear it like armor.”

That earned a laugh from her—not loud, but genuine. “Flattery or analysis?”

“Both,” he replied, watching her closely. “You’re not what I expected.”

She tilted her head. “And what did you expect?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “But not someone who makes the entire room feel smaller just by walking in.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The music faded into background noise. Her hazel eyes held his like a puzzle he suddenly wanted to solve.

“Do you always speak in headlines?” she asked, arching a brow.

“Only when the subject demands attention,” he replied.

Before she could respond, Meera Malhotra appeared, graceful and composed. “Kiara, darling. The press is waiting near the sculpture gallery.”

Kiara gave Aaryan one last look, then stepped back. “Maybe next time, Mr. Sehgal. Though you may want to work on your opening lines.”

As she walked away, her perfume lingered in the air—jasmine and something wild.

Aaryan didn’t move. For a man who made billion-dollar decisions in minutes, he was stunned by how one woman had unraveled him with nothing but a look and a smile.

He didn’t believe in love at first sight.

Until now.

---

End of Episode 1.

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