23-04-2026, 09:31 PM
Chapter 1: The Phone Call
The rings had barely settled on their fingers when Sharma’s phone vibrated harshly on the table. He glanced at the screen, frowning, then stepped away from the small gathering to take the call.
His face drained of colour within seconds.
“What?” His voice came out hoarse. “Shekar… met with an accident? When? How bad is it?”
The entire room fell silent. Adhini’s hand flew to her mouth. Bhaskar’s sharp eyes narrowed. Malavika felt a chill run down her spine even though she barely knew the man.
Sharma ended the call and turned back to them, looking suddenly older.
“Shekar is in the ICU. Serious head injury. They’re saying it might have been a hit-and-run… the car was completely smashed.”
A heavy silence blanketed the luxurious hall. What should have been a quiet celebration now felt tainted.
Sharma sank into the plush sofa, loosening his tie. VeeR Group had always looked flawless from the outside — a multi-crore semiconductor giant exporting to the world. But inside, cracks had been widening for years: power struggles, hidden debts, suspicious contracts, and whispers of underworld money. Sharma had known this marriage was his best chance to secure his family’s future before everything collapsed. Now, with Shekar suddenly out of the picture, the question hung in the air like smoke:
Who would become the next CEO?
Ten years ago, a similar leadership crisis had nearly torn the company apart. Only when Dharmendra and Shekar stepped in, calming investors and promising stability, had peace returned. Shekar was made CEO and Dharmendra the Chairman. For a decade, no one challenged the arrangement — as long as the profits kept flowing, everyone stayed happy.
But the moment someone tried to tilt the balance…
Sharma rubbed his temples, a dark thought creeping in. World will blame me. Sharma’s accident… convenient timing right after pushing for more shares through this marriage. He didn’t care about the whispers, but he had wanted to play fair.
Who benefits from this?
Rana? No — that boy only cared about cashing out his 25% and had never shown interest in running the company and he dont even ask it directly he speaks through Andrew his Assitant every time.
Malavika? She had just returned and knew almost nothing about the internal politics.
Bhaskar? Sharma immediately dismissed it. His own son was too ambitious, yes, but pulling something like this would put him directly under suspicion.
Then only one name remained… Dharmendra.
But Dharmendra had always been the calm guru of the group — harmless, respected, almost fatherly.
It must be just an accident… Sharma told himself, though doubt gnawed at him.
Meanwhile, at VeeR Group Headquarters, Chennai
From the first floor to the eighth, the sleek glass-and-steel building buzzed with anxious whispers. Employees huddled in corridors. Board members paced in glass-walled rooms. Small investors were already calling frantically, worried about the company’s future.
But in a quiet corner office on the seventh floor, one man sat calm and calculative.
He dialled a number. The call was answered on the second ring.
“Vikram?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You heard? Shekar met with an accident tonight.”
“I did.”
Dharmendra leaned back in his leather chair, a cold smile touching his lips.
“Good. We should move ahead. I’ve already shared your profile with key investors on the board. There’s no time to waste. I’ll convince them to appoint you immediately as Project CFO — the special role Shekar had been talking about for the past few weeks. From there, I’ll gradually make you the permanent CFO of the entire group. But you must play very, very careful.”
Dharmendra’s voice dropped, turning sharp and warning.
“And Vikram… don’t bring any of your mafia antics here. You should sound and behave like a complete professional. No slips. Not even a hint.”
There was a short, confident pause on the other end.
Vikram replied smoothly, “I know my role. And I know the seriousness of the situation. You don’t have to worry.”
Dharmendra ended the call and stared out at the glittering Chennai night skyline, his eyes cold with calculation.
The game had just begun.
The rings had barely settled on their fingers when Sharma’s phone vibrated harshly on the table. He glanced at the screen, frowning, then stepped away from the small gathering to take the call.
His face drained of colour within seconds.
“What?” His voice came out hoarse. “Shekar… met with an accident? When? How bad is it?”
The entire room fell silent. Adhini’s hand flew to her mouth. Bhaskar’s sharp eyes narrowed. Malavika felt a chill run down her spine even though she barely knew the man.
Sharma ended the call and turned back to them, looking suddenly older.
“Shekar is in the ICU. Serious head injury. They’re saying it might have been a hit-and-run… the car was completely smashed.”
A heavy silence blanketed the luxurious hall. What should have been a quiet celebration now felt tainted.
Sharma sank into the plush sofa, loosening his tie. VeeR Group had always looked flawless from the outside — a multi-crore semiconductor giant exporting to the world. But inside, cracks had been widening for years: power struggles, hidden debts, suspicious contracts, and whispers of underworld money. Sharma had known this marriage was his best chance to secure his family’s future before everything collapsed. Now, with Shekar suddenly out of the picture, the question hung in the air like smoke:
Who would become the next CEO?
Ten years ago, a similar leadership crisis had nearly torn the company apart. Only when Dharmendra and Shekar stepped in, calming investors and promising stability, had peace returned. Shekar was made CEO and Dharmendra the Chairman. For a decade, no one challenged the arrangement — as long as the profits kept flowing, everyone stayed happy.
But the moment someone tried to tilt the balance…
Sharma rubbed his temples, a dark thought creeping in. World will blame me. Sharma’s accident… convenient timing right after pushing for more shares through this marriage. He didn’t care about the whispers, but he had wanted to play fair.
Who benefits from this?
Rana? No — that boy only cared about cashing out his 25% and had never shown interest in running the company and he dont even ask it directly he speaks through Andrew his Assitant every time.
Malavika? She had just returned and knew almost nothing about the internal politics.
Bhaskar? Sharma immediately dismissed it. His own son was too ambitious, yes, but pulling something like this would put him directly under suspicion.
Then only one name remained… Dharmendra.
But Dharmendra had always been the calm guru of the group — harmless, respected, almost fatherly.
It must be just an accident… Sharma told himself, though doubt gnawed at him.
Meanwhile, at VeeR Group Headquarters, Chennai
From the first floor to the eighth, the sleek glass-and-steel building buzzed with anxious whispers. Employees huddled in corridors. Board members paced in glass-walled rooms. Small investors were already calling frantically, worried about the company’s future.
But in a quiet corner office on the seventh floor, one man sat calm and calculative.
He dialled a number. The call was answered on the second ring.
“Vikram?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You heard? Shekar met with an accident tonight.”
“I did.”
Dharmendra leaned back in his leather chair, a cold smile touching his lips.
“Good. We should move ahead. I’ve already shared your profile with key investors on the board. There’s no time to waste. I’ll convince them to appoint you immediately as Project CFO — the special role Shekar had been talking about for the past few weeks. From there, I’ll gradually make you the permanent CFO of the entire group. But you must play very, very careful.”
Dharmendra’s voice dropped, turning sharp and warning.
“And Vikram… don’t bring any of your mafia antics here. You should sound and behave like a complete professional. No slips. Not even a hint.”
There was a short, confident pause on the other end.
Vikram replied smoothly, “I know my role. And I know the seriousness of the situation. You don’t have to worry.”
Dharmendra ended the call and stared out at the glittering Chennai night skyline, his eyes cold with calculation.
The game had just begun.
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