Hello reader friends, the prologue is here. WON ME OVER is coming to your kindle this week. Wait for it.
Prologue
Prithvi Goenka was seeing the same scene again. Tanisha Raichand, his secret love, was yet again gearing up for a random one-night stand. They were in Australia for a business meeting that benefitted both the Goenkas and the Raichands. They were heading back tomorrow, and Prithvi had plans to propose to Tanisha. But she did not get the hint and stood steadfast on no commitments in the relationships she sought, like tonight. Tonight it was the cricket sensation Dhruv Sethi that had caught her eye, breaking Prithvi’s heart yet again.
“Nope,” a deep female voice resonated behind him. “You ain’t landing that girl.”
He turned to the source of the voice and saw a beautiful woman dressed to kill in a black bodycon dress. She was oozing a sensual aura and had an easy smile on her lips.
“Amrita,” she introduced herself with a handshake.
“Prithvi Goenka,” Prithvi revealed his full identity, unlike Amrita.
“Would you like some company?” She leaned in as she continued, “Because I could do with some.”
Prithvi smiled as he said, “Sure.”
“Okay, now tell me what’s the story,” Amrita drawled with a knowing smile.
Prithvi stirred his drink in his hand as he asked, “Why should I regale a stranger with my tale?”
“Because I’m willing to listen and you clearly want someone to talk to right now, for the interaction we saw there between the witty cricketer and your flame was not just borderline flirting. They could get serious given a chance and you know it,” Amrita said with a cocky air.
Prithvi’s hand stilled on his glass. “How did you pick on that? You know nothing about her,” said Prithvi in surprise.
“It’s the vibe you get.” Amrita shrugged.
Prithvi went silent.
Amrita angled her head sideways as she asked, “Will you be able to forget her, if she indeed chooses someone that’s not you?”
“Never, it is Tanisha or no one else for me,” Prithvi replied instantly.
“Then why don’t you let her know your feelings? That’s the smartest thing to do, given your situation,” Amrita opined wisely.
“I tried,” Prithvi said with exasperation. “But she never picks on the hint and is commitment-phobic. It’s complicated.”
“Hmm, then let’s drink away the night in the hope of a better tomorrow. That’s all we can do now,” Amrita said with her raised glass.
Prithvi inhaled deeply, clinking his glass with hers.
“What’s your story? Why do you need my company in this sea of faces?” Prithvi asked, observing her.
“A lost soul finding a peaceful harbour for a night. You don’t need to read more meaning to it. Let’s just drink and make merry for the few hours we have,” she said, thwarting his suspicions with a straight answer.
Amrita Goel was on one of her vacations and loneliness, which had been suffocating off late, had compelled her to seek some semblance of human presence. Prithvi seemed a safe option considering he had eyes only for Tanisha. They both needed some downtime and Prithvi had a great night with Amrita discussing business, politics, and many other subjects in common. They stayed away from cricket though, for obvious reasons.
***
At the same time in India, a Bollywood wedding was underway. The who’s who of the industry were present for the spectacle. The Malhotras were getting a new bride today. Actor Rajeev Malhotra was getting married to actress Nitya Singh. Rajeev was barely three films old and was just starting, though he was the scion of the legendary Malhotra family that was a part of Hindi cinema’s legacy. Nitya, however, had begun her journey as an actor in her teens and now, almost a decade later, she reigned in the hearts of Indians.
Nitya was a glowing bride in her crimson wedding lehenga. Though the alliance was arranged, Nitya was over the moon. She trusted her mother’s choice implicitly and took to Rajeev immediately. She always dreamt of a happy marriage and with some sour relationships in the past, she felt there would be a promising future with Rajeev. He was soft-spoken, calm, and collected most of the time and had an air of simplicity that struck the right chord with Nitya.
Nitya was beautiful, with a successful career trajectory to her credit, and blessed with a tender heart. In Rajeev’s opinion, there was nothing to not like about her. Though he was unsure how to factor love into their relationship, he decided friendship could be a starting point. For the rest, he left it to the universe to figure out the way for them.
Prithvi Goenka and Nitya Singh led distant lives and were strangers to each other, yet, unknown to them, they were tied together by a thread of destiny. Prithvi would only love Tanisha Raichand and Nitya was getting married, hoping for a romantic journey ahead. One turn of fate and everything was going to go for a toss. And then when the dust settled, what would remain, or rather, which relationships would sustain?
Coming this week on your Amazon Kindle.
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