The sharp purr of the Rolls-Royce came to a halt in front of the towering glass building of Mehra Enterprises. A hush seemed to fall over the lobby, as though the walls themselves recognized who was about to walk in.

The heavy car door opened, and out stepped Ananya Mehra.

Her black Louboutins clicked against the pristine marble floor with a rhythm that made heads turn-sharp, commanding, almost like a warning bell.

She didn't need to speak. Her aura spoke for her.

A perfectly black suit, white shirt, a brooch glinting faintly near her collarbone, and long wavy black hair cascading down her shoulders. Her lips, painted in a bold scarlet, curved into a line that was neither a smile nor a frown-just a dangerous calm.

Her eyes were the deadliest of all.

Cold. Sharp. Piercing.

So cold, they could cut through arrogance, strip away excuses, and silence even the bravest.

Behind her, two assistants and her secretary trailed, almost breathless trying to match her pace. She didn't glance back; she didn't need to. They knew their place.

Every employee in the lobby lowered their gaze the moment she walked past. Not a single whisper dared to rise. Ananya didn't just own the company-she owned the atmosphere.

Without a word, she stepped into her private elevator, the doors closing with a quiet metallic sigh. And just like that... the building exhaled again, as though relieved that her presence had moved upstairs.

The private elevator slid open with a muted chime, revealing the topmost floor of Mehra Enterprises. The air itself seemed to stiffen in her presence. Her heels clicked steadily across the polished marble as she entered her glass-walled cabin, every movement precise, controlled, unshaken.

Without even removing her coat, Ananya dropped her bag on the desk and turned, her gaze slicing through her assistants and secretary who had just rushed in behind her.

"Mr. Sinha ki deal ka kya hua?" she asked, her tone clipped and cold-each word like the crack of a whip.

For a moment, no one breathed.

One of the assistants fumbled with the file in her hand, before stammering, "M-Ma'am... negotiations abhi pending hain. Mr. Shyam Sinha ne kuch additional terms-"

Ananya's eyes flicked up sharply, silencing her.

The assistant froze, swallowing hard, as if the temperature of the room had dropped several degrees.

"Pending?" Ananya repeated, her voice dangerously calm. "Mujhe results chahiye, excuses nahi. Agar Mr. Sinha samajhte hain ki Mehra Enterprises unke design house ke bina ruk jayega, toh unhe yaad dilao-hamare contracts unke liye favor nahi, unka future hain."

Her secretary immediately scribbled notes, nodding rapidly. The other assistant lowered her gaze, as if standing too close to her wrath could burn.

Ananya turned away, staring out of the tall glass windows at the city skyline. Her reflection stared back at her in the glass-a woman carved in ice, untouchable, unshakable.

"Make it happen," she said finally, voice steady, final. "And I don't want to hear about pending again."

Ananya sit and leaned back in her leather chair, her cold eyes fixed on the glowing screen. On the map before her was a golden spot - the perfect land, strategically placed in the heart of the city. Exactly where she envisioned Mehra Empire's first luxury mall.

She smirked, almost tasting victory.

"Perfect," she whispered, clicking to see the property details.

But then-her smirk vanished.

Owner: Malhotra Constructions Pvt. Ltd.

CEO: Reyansh Malhotra.

Her perfectly manicured nails froze mid-air.

The name wasn't unfamiliar. The city knew him-his reputation was power, precision, and zero tolerance for nonsense. A man as ruthless in business as she was.

She tilted her head slightly, dark waves falling over her shoulder, and whispered,

"So... the land belongs to the mr. Malhotra."

Her secretary nervously glanced at her. "Ma'am, I... I heard Mr. Malhotra doesn't sell prime estates. He either develops them himself or makes sure no one else gets them."

For a moment, silence. Then Ananya's crimson lips curved.

"Everyone has a price. And if not a price, a weakness."

She clicked her pen shut with finality.

"Set a meeting. Tomorrow. I want Malhotra in my office-or I'll be in his."

The midday sun reflected off the glass towers surrounding the construction site, but all eyes were fixed on the man standing at its center.

Reyansh Malhotra.

Dressed in a tailored silver suit, layered with a long overcoat that cut sharp lines against his tall frame, he stood as if he owned not just this land-but the city itself. His polished black shoes gleamed like diamonds against the dust, an odd contrast that somehow suited him.

His presence was commanding, quiet yet undeniable. The kind that didn't need raised voices to demand respect-his very silence carried weight.

Around him, his team of male assistants and secretaries waited with files, tablets, and documents in hand. Everyone else kept at a professional distance.

Across from him, Mr. Akshay Sharma, another titan of real estate, adjusted his cufflinks nervously before speaking.

"This land could change the game for both of us, Malhotra. If we collaborate, profits will double. But if you refuse..."

Reyansh's eyes-sharp, calculating, yet calm-met his without a flinch. His tone was measured, steady, and impossibly mature.

"Mr. Sharma, I don't collaborate to double my profits. I collaborate only when I see unmatched value. If you want this deal, bring me something I can't build myself."

His assistants exchanged glances. His words weren't arrogant-they were simply facts.

Reyansh turned his gaze back to the land stretching out before him, hands tucked neatly in his pockets."This land isn't just soil and stone. It's power. And power never goes cheap

The discussion with Mr. Sharma was mid-way when Reyansh's assistant, Arjun, stepped forward with a respectful nod.

"Sir, I apologize for the interruption... but we've received an urgent proposal."

Reyansh's brows lifted slightly, though his posture remained composed. "From whom?"

Arjun inhaled once before answering, "Ananya Mehra. CEO, Mehra Enterprises."

The moment her name left his lips, a sudden gust rolled across the ground. Dust lifted in circles, his coat-tail sweeping behind him like a dark banner in motion. For the first time, Reyansh's gaze shifted from the soil-sharp eyes narrowing, as if that name alone carried weight.

"Ananya... Mehra," he repeated under his breath, low and deliberate, as if testing how it fit against his world.

Mr. Sharma, who had been standing beside him, let out a small chuckle. "Another dreamer trying to play on your level."

But Reyansh didn't smile. His stare lingered on the horizon, unreadable yet intent. Finally, he spoke, voice calm but cutting through the noise of the site.

"Set the meeting," he ordered, coat still restless in the wind. "If she wants this land... I'll decide if she deserves it."

The words fell heavy, and for a moment, even the workers nearby slowed-caught in the tension hanging between the heat, the earth, and the name that had just changed everything.

A soft knock echoed in the silence before her assistant stepped in, his tone careful.

"Ma'am... Mr. Reyansh Malhotra has agreed for the meeting."

For a heartbeat, nothing moved. Ananya's pen stilled mid-page, then she leaned back into her chair with deliberate grace. The high-back leather chair seemed like a throne beneath her, her aura wrapping the entire room in command.

Her gaze drifted to the skyline beyond the glass walls, eyes sharp as blades yet unreadable, as though calculating a thousand moves ahead. The red curve of her lips shifted-neither a smile nor disdain-just a dangerous calm that unsettled anyone who dared to look too long.

Hmm..

The only word left her mouth, but the room could feel it. The deal wasn't just about land anymore; this was the beginning of something larger, something inevitable.

The ticking clock filled the silence, each second heavier than the last, as if the city itself held its breath for what was coming next.

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✨ Author's Note ✨

What happens when two storms collide? Will Ananya's ruthless determination clash head-on with Reyansh's unshakable empire-or will something far more dangerous spark between them? 🤔🔥

Will their first meeting be war... or the beginning of something deeper?

Who will claim the land-and who will lose more than just a deal?

And most importantly... what happens when cold eyes finally meet for the first time?

Drop your guesses before we step into the next chapter 😉

Stay tuned for Chapter 2💫