“Nia, you have really talk to him regarding this. This is going out of hand. If he can’t understand your dilemma now, then how do you think he will behave in the future.” Rekha conveyed her thoughts to her bestie.

Sonia just sulked down with a frown. She knew her bestie was right about her boyfriend. Then why was she finding it difficult to talk some sense into him? Why was she holding back?

She was totally confused with her thoughts. She didn’t want him to dislike her. Was he so important than her self-respect?

She was getting more and more tangled in her situation. When...

“Sonia?” a voice called her out.

Sonia looked up to find her bestie gawking at something. More likely at someone.

She followed her bestie’s vision to find Vinay standing right beside her with a confused look.

“Oh. Mr. Vinay!” Sonia got up from her seat to greet him.

“What are you doing here?” Vinay enquired.

“Uh... I came here to have my lunch.” She said with a fake smile.

Vinay gave a nod and looked over to the person who was gaping at the whole scene.

“Um?” Vinay pointed at Rekha with a raised eyebrow as in asking about the person to Sonia.

Sonia looked at Rekha realising that she missed to introduce her bestie.

“Oh. She is Rekha. Rekha, this is Mr. Vinay.” Sonia did the formal introduction among them.

“Hi” Rekha sang with her best smile.

“Hm.” Vinay gave a cold nod.

Rekha raised her eyebrows at his response.

Vinay diverted his attention to Sonia bidding his goodbye with nod.

“Who was he?!” Rekha asked about Vinay to Sonia.

“Oh...Um…. He is Mr. Vinay, my dad’s best friend’s son.” Sonia cleared her bestie’s doubts.

“He is handsome!” Rekha just loving stared at Vinay’s figure from afar, who was busy talking to presumably his client.

His chiseled jawline, masculine eyebrow, perfect hairline – accentuated his formal look. The blue Armani suit with a white shirt fitted like a second skin to him sculpting his fitted athletic body. 

Whereas the said person was least bothered about the crazy glance he was getting from his current fan.

“Whatever. Just tell me what should I do about Ronny.” Sonia shrugged Rekha’s weirdness with her question.

“Dump him.” Rekha answered while looking at her idol – Vinay.

“Reh!!” Sonia jolted her shoulders.

“What!! Am I not saying the truth? He doesn’t deserve you. You are wasting your energy and patience with him.” Rekha tried to reason with her.

“Listen to yourself! You are sounding like a desperate child! Nia, if at all he loves you, respects you, he will give you time to disclose your relationship in front of uncle and aunty. But what is he doing, huh? Pestering you to marry him asap! Why can’t he wait for your relationship to develop to be more understanding and stronger? Why is he so adamant to get engaged? Doesn’t he trust you? hm...? Tell me?” Rekha asked Sonia looking in her eyes for viable answers.

“It’s not that! He is…Ugh! I don’t know!” Sonia answered confusingly.

“That’s not the answer.” Rekha glared at her.

“Nia. If he really likes you, he will wait for you. People wait a decade to commit to a relationship. It’s only been what... 2 years?” Rekha said.

“2&1/2 years.” Sonia said with a weak smile. 

“Then. As you said to him. Tell your parents after Sameer Anna’s wedding. That will be the apt time. Everyone will be happy and moreover your family loves you!” Rekha tried to console her.

(Anna – endearment honorofics for brother)

“Hm... I think you are right. I will talk to him.” Sonia gave her an assurance.

At Nair’s residence

“Dad, when is the XXX conference?” Vinod enquired with Mr. Nair at the dinner table.

“This Thursday. I hope you are coming. My friends and clients were asking about you the last we met. They want to meet the Nair family’s elder son.” Said Mr. Nair.

“Dad, I will try to leave early from office. As you know it’s the year end. We are quite busy with our documentations and filing work. Its hectic!” Vinod gave a reasonable answer.

“Don’t overstress child! Just take some time off for family too.” Mrs. Nair worried about her son.

“Mom, don’t worry. I will try to reach their directly. By the time you take Reena and baby with you.” Vinod said looking at Reena who gave him a ‘I know you’ look.

Reena was aware of her husband’s hectic schedule. There were times when he used reach home late at midnight totally exhausted. But he would never listen to her. The reason was basically he was trying hard to prove to his family that he was capable to succeed without being in the family business.

So, when Vinod expressed his desire to join as a senior accountant of a reputed company, his dad was furious and disheartened. It was only after he explained his will to succeed without the backup of his family support, his father was all tears and was still regretting his elder son’s decision to not join their family business. But, regardless, he gave his full support to his elder son.

But he loved his son and respected his decision with only one condition that he will not live apart from them.

That he will always take part in all the family business functions whether small or big.

Being the doting son, he agreed for his father’s demand.

Which also gained him a beautiful, caring and smart wife, Reena.

She was more like the daughter of the Nair family.

A good wife, daughter, and a caring mother to their beautiful daughter, Veena.

At the XXX conference

The conference hall was filled with many industrialists from various fields mingling among their kind.

The Menon family arrived the hall which did not go unnoticed by the people present there. The Menons’ had made a name for themselves in the industry for a long time. They were aware of the ups and downs of the industry and were hence cautious of their decisive behaviour.

“Hello Mr. Menon. Welcome to the conference! It has been a long time since we last met. Um… was it New York or Paris? The XXX Seminar?” Mr. Raj, the Event main host said with a smile on his face.

“It was New York…in 2018. Yes, it was good experience for our company. We could get many potential clients there.” Mr. Sandip Menon said with a smile.

“Yeah, it was. But this one is going to be much more profitable for you. Coz, we have invited the most influential and prized industrialist from all over the globe for our clients!” Mr. Raj said.

“That’s really good.” Mr. Sandip Menon mentioned his enthusiasm.

“Please be seated. We will start with the conference shortly.” Saying so Mr. Raj made the Menons seat in their respective seats which were among the prominent VIP seatings and left from there.

Just then the Nair family arrived lead by Mr. Vasudevan Nair. He was greeted by Mr. Raj who led them to their VIP seatings beside the Menons’

“Mr. Nair. Welcome to the conference! It has been a long time since we last met. How are you? We are so delighted to have you and your family here.” Mr. Raj explained his joy for seeing him.

“Thank you, Mr. Raj. It is really great seeing the arrangements made this year for the conference. Your team did a real good job!” Mr. Nair expressed his view while glancing around the venue.

“It’s my pleasure, Mr. Nair. Please be seated. We will start with the conference shortly.” Saying so Mr. Raj left from there to proceed with his hosting.

“Menon, how are you, my friend?” Saying so, Mr. Nair hugged his best friend.

The other members of the Menon and Nair family also greeted each other in a friendly manner.

While Reena was busing herself talking with Mrs. Menon, Mrs. Nair and Sonia, Vinay couldn’t help catch hold the gloomy expression of Sonia’s face which she was trying hard to hide.

“So, Aunty, when are we going for the wedding shopping? I am dying to shop! It’s been a long time since I last shopped!” Reena expressed her views.

“You went shopping just last week!” Mrs. Nair laughed at her daughter-in-law’s depressing face.

“Mom, exactly that was last week! I really need to go shopping!” Reena whined like a small kid clutching her Mother-in-law’s arm in cute manner.

Mrs. Nair just ruffled her hair and agreed to her antics.

Reena was babied a lot by her in-laws, which was admired by Mrs. Menon.