Today is the Annual Board Meeting of Golden Tulip. I thought everything will be fine after today but now I'm not sure about it. The office is in chaos since two days, because day before yesterday we received the anonymous mail which contains a file of embezzlement occurred in the funds of our hotel. Nearly Rs. 100 crore of cash skimming has occurred two years ago from our various branches and no one was aware of it. I wonder how the audit never noticed it. We didn't know who send the anonymous mail but all the board members are exasperated. Almost all board members have arrived by yesterday evening.

Our phones got no rest after the news broke out. The share holders were furious. We had to work hard to not get the news leak to the media. My father was very much stressed and angry. We all were sacred that he might go into another shock. Mother tried to speak to him but he was in no mood to speak or rest. He never left his office for two days. I tried to talk to him but ordered me to stay out of it and said he will handle it.

I was giving a double check about the arrangements in the conference room before the meeting start. Everything was in order, I sighed and I wish everything go by smooth. That's when my father's secretary came and informed me that the Board members are arriving. I gave an understanding nod and moved to the entrance. One by one all the board members arrived; I greeted them and led the way to their respective seats. When Mr. Aryan walked into the room he stopped in front of me for second; our eyes met and he gave me acknowledging nod. I returned a small smile. My father arrived at last. He looked exhausted. His secretary pushed the wheel chair towards the end of the conference table and positioned the wheel chair at the head seat.

My father greeted everybody, just when the meeting was about to start a person walked into the room, the one person I never want to see in my life, Mr. Karan Kohli. He stopped in front of me and gave me a hungry look. I looked away and turned my head in disgust. With a wild smirk he went and sat down next to my father. Why is he here? He used to attend the meetings some times when we were married. But after our divorce he never came. Now why is he here? I looked at my father with suspicion. "You may leave." My father told while looking at me. I don't know why he never let me attend the meetings. I sighed and turned to leave.

"Just a second Ms. Varma." I heard the husky voice calling me. I turned and saw Mr.Aryan raising from his seat. He looked stunning in his white shirt and navy blue suit with a black tie. He looked at my father and then opened his mouth. "I would like it if Ms. Varma can join us for today's meeting." He said with a smile. What is he up to now? Why does he want me to attend the meeting? I gave him a questioning look.

"Why do you want her to be in this meeting? She is not a board member." My dad asked irritated.

He gave him a tight lipped smile. "Yeah. She might not be a board member but the thing I am about to tell is very important and her presence is required." He said.

Oh yes, it left from my mind. With all the ongoing issues I totally forget that we had an agreement that on the day of board meeting we will inform father about the share transfer. But I didn't want it to be in front of everyone. Father is already in tension and I don't want to escalate it. I sighed and took a deep breath.

"As I know that everyone has received the mail about the embezzlement and all of us are anxious to know the truth." He stopped and looked at my father.

He gritted his teeth and said. "We have started an enquiry about it. And will get a report soon enough. We won't allow anyone who is behind this to walk free."

Mr. Aryan raised an eyebrow at the statement. He scoffed and looked at my father. "Are you sure about it Mr. Varma?" he questioned.

"Yes, I am." My father replied trying to be confident. Everyone's attention was now on two of them. I gulped. I feel like this is not going to be good ending. I looked at Vedant. He slowly took out a file from inside his coat. He looked at my father with an evil smirk. He handed the file to another member sitting next to him. "Mr. Gupta, if you don't mind I would like it if you give look at this file and tell everyone what is it about?" He said with a calm voice.

Mr. Gupta suspiciously took the file from him and opened it. He started to read it and creases started to form on his forehead. After going through the whole file he looked at Mr. Aryan with an unbelievable expression. Then he looked at the other members. "The embezzlement happened in the hotel funds were carried out by Mr. Varma and Mr. Kohli. Here are the proofs. All their account statements are proving that they were cash skimming while Mr. Kohli was married to Ms. Niharika Varma." He said furiously.

My breath caught in my throat. What the hell? Why did he do this? With that moron he did this to his hotel? Unbelievable. Murmurs started to rise in the room. Everyone was checking the documents and talking out their opinions. Karan looks irritated and was giving Vedant death glares. My father looked pale, all the blood was drained out from his face. He wiped his forehead with his sleeves.

"May I have your attention please?" Vedant speak through the mike in front him with an authoritative voice and the room went silent at once. Now everyone was looking at him.

"How did you get this information?" my father asked angrily. He scoffed again. "I have my ways Mr. Varma. Anyhow no one can cover the truth for a long time. It will reveal itself. Did you think that you can keep everyone in dark for as long as you want? Sorry to break your bubble of dream like this. Everyone here is wondering why did you out of all people do this? Would you like to explain yourself or should I do that for you?" He asked with a mocking tone.

My father lowered his head with shame. He didn't dare to look at him. "Well I guess I should do it then."

Karan got up from his seat and was about to walk out. "Not so fast Mr. Kohli. I think everyone should know your part in this play." He said with a serious tone. Karan gave him a death glare and sat back.

"So, where do I start? Hmm." He asked looking at me. I was still stunned.

"Do you know what your grandfather wrote in his will before his death?" He asked. I shook my head in a no. "He prepared a will when he found out that he has only little time left. In that he mentioned that he is living half of his properties to his granddaughter Ms. Ananti Varma, daughter of Mr. Nakul Varma. And the other half is under the charitable trust; which was formed as his late wife's memorial." He said looking at me. I know about the charitable trust under my grandma's name but I didn't know anything about his will. And how did he come to know about all these? I looked at him confused but he continued his description.

"And the 50% shares he owned in the Golden Tulip group of hotels as the major share holder was entrusted under a trust whose beneficiary is Ms. Niharika Varma. And he mentioned that the man who marries her will be the trustee. But they can't transfer the shares to anyone else. And if Niharika is died unexpectedly or without an heir the shares will automatically transfer to the Subhadra charitable trust." He stopped for a second and then continued.

"So basically Mr. Govind Varma left nothing for his son Mr. Nakul Varma. Not even a single share of the hotel he dreamed of. So he made his daughter marry to Mr. Karan Kohli, one of his associate and made a power of attorney claiming that Mr. Karan is willingly giving the authority to manage the shares to Mr. Varma. And the embezzled money was his payment. Am I correct Mr. Kohli?" he gave a victorious smile to him. Karan looked away in anger.

I was in utter shock. I was unable to register all of it in my mind. My breathing was becoming heavy. He sold me to a monster to get the hotel? Why? Am I that unworthy? I heard Vedant speaking again.

"So when Ms. Varma and Mr. Kohli got divorced the power of attorney automatically nullified and he lost the shares again. But he kept it as a secret and continued to act as a CEO. He just covered the mouth of those who knew with money." He gave a furious glare to my father. I felt difficult to breath. My legs were becoming jelly. I sat on the nearby chair before I lose my balance.

This was a lot to digest. What am I to him? A rag doll, so that he can play with my life as he wish. Which father does this to his daughter? And again he asked me to marry him again so that he can get the shares back. Tears were threatening to fall from my eyes. My ears were deaf to the shouting's and yelling happening in the room.

"You are not the CEO anymore Mr. Varma. You are not fit for this position physically or professionally. We are passing an immediate removal of the current CEO from the position and demand an election for the new CEO." Mr. Kundra one of the members told. I turned to see my father's face. He was not looking at anyone. Karan's seat was now empty. My father looked defeated. He sighed heavily and came forward to the mike. "I accept the removal." He said with a weak voice.

"So whom and all are going to get nominate for the election of the new CEO position?" One of the members asked. They named few members. And they prepared for a show of hand voting.

"I would like to nominate myself." A sharp husky voice sounded among the crowd and received all the attention.

Vedant looked very calm and determined. "Mr. Aryan. You are just a new board member and just because you cleared the things about the embezzlement, don't mean that everyone will support you. And the now there is no trustee the shares belonged to Mr. Govind Varma can't be counted in the voting." Mr. Kundra said mockingly.

What is he doing now? He was about to transfer the shares to my name right. He told it will ready within a month and but now what game is he playing? I was getting curious.

A smirk appeared on Vedant's face. "Well I would like see how many of you are willing to support me?"

Only two of the members raised their hand. "And I too vote for myself." He said smiling.

"That only makes 15 % of shares. And that's not enough for you to become the CEO Mr. Aryan. I am just telling for your information" Mr. Kundra teased.

Now his smile widened even more. "Oh. I know that very well Mr. Kundra. But the information you gave me was incorrect." He said looking at to the confused Kundra.

"The total percentage of shares in my favour is not just 15%. It is now 65%." He said with full of confident.

Everyone was looking at him confused. He gave his usual smirk to everyone and looked at me. "Because the 50% shares mentioned in Mr. Govind Varma's will, now belongs to me."

The confusion in the room increased. His eyes were on me now. I saw them holding regret and sorry. Creases were forming on my forehead. No. No. It can't be. I looked at him suspiciously. He walked around the table and stood in front of me. He slowly took my hands in his and lifted me up from the chair and faced the confused people staring at us.

"Sorry for not letting you know before. Meet MRS. NIHARIKA VEDANT ARYAN." He said to the small crowd in front of us, keeping a hand around my shoulder. Panic hit me. I looked at him with scared eyes. What is he saying? How dare he play with me like this? I was about to question him, suddenly I heard my father roaring from other end of the table. "What the hell are you saying? When did you marry my daughter without my concern?"

My breath was getting heavy. Black dots started to appear in my eyes. This is too much. I can't take it anymore. My legs were going to give up. I feel myself loosing balance. But a strong hand holds me tight by my waist. I looked at the concern filled eyes. they were saying sorry. Tears started following down my cheeks. I wanted to shout at him. I wanted to tell everyone that he is lying but I couldn't find my voice.

He slowly made me sit back on the chair and wiped the tears with his thumb. Then he stand straight and turned to face my furious father.

"According to the law of the country a man and woman who is of or above age 21 and 18 respectively can get married legally without parents concern Mr. Varma. Our marriage is legally registered and it's been one month." He said with a smile. And he took out a file from inside his suit pocket and set it on the table. "If anyone has doubts they can check the documents. You can see both of our signatures." He said with confident.

My father's secretary came forward and checked the file. He nodded a yes to my father. He gave me a furious glare. "Is that your sign in that?" He growled. I am startled now.

I slowly got up from the chair and walked to his secretary who is holding the file. I looked at Vedant he didn't meet my glare this time. He looked away when he saw me looking at him. With shaking hands I took the file in my hands and looked at the documents. It was indeed my sign. How did this happen? That's when I remember him asking me to sign the documents for the share transfer. But I read and confirmed it before signing it. Then how could this happen?

I gasped. It was all a part of his game to get to my father. And I fell for it. I was so desperate to escape from Karan I didn't think properly. They swapped the documents before I sign it. Yes, that's what happened. And the fool I am fell directly into his trap.

I looked at my father. He was glaring at me like he wants to kill me then and there. I nodded my head in yes at him. He hit the table in anger and the glass of water in front of him fell and broke. I flinched. He hurriedly turned his wheelchair towards the door his secretary ran behind him. Slowly everyone in the room started to go out. Some were giving us a scowl.

I was still standing there with the file in my hands. I don't know what to do. I felt someone's hand on my shoulder. I looked at him. All emotions that I was holding started to fire up in me. I felt sad, anger, betrayed, furious. My fingers formed into a fist on my side. "I. I am..." he opened his mouth but was cut off when my fist made contact with his jaw. His face turned to the side and he stumbled back. He maintained his balance and looked at me in shock.

I throw the file at his face. And with two strides I was right in front of him. I was furious. I got a hold on his collars. "How could you do this? What did I do to you? What the hell I did that everyone I trust betrays me? Everyone take me as a plaything so that they use whenever they want and the throw away when I am useless." I screamed at him.

"Niharika.." He again opened his mouth. I pushed him hard and pointed my index finger at him. "Not a single word Mr. Aryan. I knew that you are a selfish person. You would do anything to get your goal. But never have I ever thought that you will stoop this low. You played with a woman's life? Are you even human? Why all the men in my life treat me like shit?" I wanted to say more but I was losing it. My voice was trumbling. I can't keep my barve posture anymore. I need to leave from here. I can't let him see me vulnerable. I took a heavy breath. Then I turned and ran towards the door.

"Niharika." I heard him shouting behind me but I didn't stop. I ran as fast as I could. I saw him running towards me with a worried look before the elevator door closes and blocked my view. I walked as fast as I could through the busy lobby. It was dark when I got out of the hotel. I walked aimlessly through the street. I heard the thunder roaring and soon it was raining. I was grateful that no one notices me crying in the rain. Why did grandfather write such a will? What should I do now? How am I going to face everyone? I had no answers. I just walked in the pouring rain without knowing what to do.