Part 1

AND SO IT BEGINS

_Picture quotes

"Hurry up please!" Kavya Dubey the news director of news lift channel screeched behind the screen of green room that made the makeup artist, working on Mahi's hair, jump in fright.

"It's only fifteen minutes till we go live. Com'on!"

"We do this every single morning in the week and somehow Kavya still manages to freak out and make everyone panic at the last moment." Pallavi muttered, looking over the long list of questions that she has to ask in the interview that they were conducting today.

And Mahi smiled ruefully at her partner. "I think it's the way she works, the pressure and a bit of panic get's her going." And the two women laughed among themselves.

"So, this banker, Kartik Rao we're interviewing today. I have heard a lot about him." Pallavi spoke after her makeup artist put the final finishing touches on her face.

"So have I!" Mahi replied. "The news has been that he's too young to be a president of a bank and their board of directors weren't happy with it either, they wanted someone with more experienced to take over the position, but apparently this Kartik steamrolled over everyone and declared himself the king."

"Boring!" Pallavi sighed. "I wish we were in the evening talk shows and debates - interviewing illustrious politicians and bollywood stars instead of this stupid morning show that nobody really watches, talking same old - same old business men and banker and their stupid prospect of finances."

"We'll get there Pallu, I promise this is just the start!" Mahi winked at her friend and co-host trying to cheer her up. "Come'on it's almost time now."

As the two of them made their way from the green room and reached the main hall studio of the news room, the cameras and the lights had already been set, focused on the centre dais, staging two cozy armchairs for the hosts and a white leather sofa for their guest.

The camera operators and broadcast technicians were doing their last round of sweep, through the system to make sure everything was set for them go live.

The assistant producer Riaan and chief editor Manvi Batra were deep in conversation on the other side of the hall when they finally noticed Mahi and Pallavi approaching, Manvi abruptly stopped talking and came up to them.

"Mahi we made some last minute changes in your questionnaire, please go through them...Here." She handed over a stack of papers that Mahi took and started to look through them When Kavya, their news director returned with someone else.

"Girls, I would like you to meet our guest for this interview - Mr. Kartik Rao, the president of assure Bank as you may know."

Mahi looked up from her papers to find a handsome stranger, looking their way with his deep dark eyes, he was tall, lean and handsome with sharp cheekbones and long lashes that only added to his mystified persona but it wasn't the physical attributes that made him so distinct from all the other males in the room. No, it was something else, something Mahi couldn't put her finger on - the whole studio had suddenly went very still, all eyes were suddenly fixed on this new man in the room as if he exuded some kind of magnetic aura that made everyone else highly aware of him.

Mahi was faintly aware that Pallavi was as awestruck by him as anyone else and had started smiling charmingly at the man - she had just categorized as 'boring banker' a few moments ago.

"Hello Mr. Rao I am Pallavi Khurana and this is my friend Mahi Acharya and we are going to interview you today." But all Pallavi got in return to her elaborate introduction was a cursory nod from the man, before his deep eyes were once again on Mahi. Sweeping from tip to toe with a kind of intensity that sent a tingling sensation right through her.

"Hello." He extended his hand with a rueful smile and Mahi took it for a formal shake but as soon as his large warm hand engulfed her comparatively smaller palm, Mahi realized what kind of mistake it was. Like a bolt of electricity , awareness shot through, her heart fluttered wildly inside as a strange kind of awareness spread through her body as if it was wakening after a long state of sleep.

Jerking her hand away, quite abruptly from him Mahi discreetly rubbed them on her beige silken trousers as she looked at the man from the corner of her eyes.

Pallavi had once again started chattering away like a tweeting blue bird, like she always did as the three of them made their way up to the dais, taking their seats in front of the camera.

One of the men from the camera crew arranged the flowers in the background as the countdown started.

"3.....2....1...Go!"

The blinding white light fell on them as the camera started to roll.

"Good morning to you all and welcome to the morning coffee show on News Lift, I Mahi Acharya."

"And Pallavi Khurana."

"Is here this morning with the illustrious young president of Assure Bank- Mr. Kartik Rao."

The lens of the camera slid from Mahi's confident smiling face to the brooding masculine wonder sitting opposite to them with his legs crossed and completely as ease as if this was his life and he did it everyday.

"So, you have take the position of the president of one of the largest commercial banks in India, just a year ago. How had been the experience?" Mahi started by easing into the role, starting with innocent introductions.

"Wonderful! Our staff and members have been very supportive and of course as hard working as ever to help me take our bank to new heights." His smile was dazzling with his perfectly set gleaming white tooth but it somehow unnerved Mahi even more.

"So Mr. Rao any new projects or special schemes that your bank is going to offer in this new regime that you would like to share with our viewers?" Pallavi spoke in her exceedingly sweet, charming voice.

"Yes, we are currently working on a pension scheme for the elderly citizen that would benefit the investors who are above 60 years of age, currently the scheme is under review process but we are planning to launch it by Diwali this year."

"Amazing!" Pallavi exclaimed and now the baton was back to Mahi. "So, Mr. Rao you are one of the youngest president of a world renowned bank at the age of 29, care to share your secret of success with the world?"

Suddenly, his deep dark eyes were on her once again, assessing and reassessing her, through his mysterious piercing gaze. And under that scorching scrutiny Mahi felt unversed and vulnerable as if he had just laid open her soul and all her secrets along with it, for the whole world to see.

"It's no secret, the only thing behind success is hard work. Despite of your profession, if you work hard, you are bound to reach at the top."

'I see. A very inspiring message for the young generation. But I think not everyone agrees with your view about success." Mahi felt triumphant after laying this first blow, she had had enough of this man, trying to unsettle her with his penetrating gazes and intimidating approaches. Now it was time to reestablish her upper hand. Here, she was the boss and she was going to make him acknowledge that.

But the man in front of her barely showed and changing sign at the jibe.

"There had been news that the board of directors of your bank didn't approve of your being the president. That they wanted someone more mature and experienced person on that post but you overruled their decision by taking over the post. Tell me Mr. Rao is this not true?" Mahi didn't know where all this anger was coming out of, but she did knew one thing that she was going to put this arrogant man in his place.

"But that's old news Miss Mahi. Yes, some members of the board were concerned about my lack of experience but they soon realized that I am good at what I do and accepted it in stride." Kartik replied with nonchalance and gave her a patronizing look.

'Arrogant bastard!' Mahi muttered under her breath and offered the man a chilling smile instead.

"Bu the customer's of your bank are very concerned you see Mr. Rao you own one of the largest bank in India where millions of people had invested their money, their whole life savings under your care and it's not very comforting thought for them that you a rather young and inexperienced as you are, going to take control of the whole system despite protests from others.

In fact by the standards of the market, your bank's share had fallen by 2.3% this year. Is it not Mr. Rao?"

Mahi was fully aware that she had shifted 180 degrees straight from the traditional script that had been written for her and that there were several loud gasps in the studio, behind the camera but she didn't care anymore.

"Yes, true the shares cost have fallen by 2.3% but it's comparatively nothing to how the whole share market have fallen. If I must remind you - the shares of the government bank have fallen by almost 5% ours is less than half compared to that and nothing compared to how your standards of questions have fallen Ms. Mahi." He spoke, his expression showing clear signs of suppressed anger.

Mahi was aware of several people gasping in the background including Pallavi who tried saying something to interrupt but went unnoticed as the show took the nasty turn and she was acutely aware of how blood rushed to her head, her hands itching to slap the arrogant bastard in the face, for insulting her on live Tv.

"Anyhow, I would like to assure our bank's customer through your channel that- your money is in safe hands, our 10,00 branches in 600 cities all over the country and all the staff are doing their best to provide you with better services. Thank you for believing in us."

"Nice little speech Mr. Rao." Mahi scathingly looked at him. "But the concern is however a bit more than that." She kept her face expressionless but her heart was beating aloud like a drum with the adrenaline rush.

"As the story goes, your own mother Mrs. Kalpana Rao and your younger brother who are also major shareholders in the bank were against your becoming the president, weren't they? It's just that what's making people speculate about your right to be the president, you see."

"Stop it!" His rough voice boomed loud through the studio. "Stop this nonsense right this instant or I shall sue you."