Fateful Contract

Battle Unleashed

Tejasswi and Karan stepped out of the elevator onto the 52nd floor of the Royman Hotel that evening, ready to meet Rohan. Thanks to Vicky's setup, the ball was in Rohan's court.

"Sunny, any hunch on why Rohan opted for our hotel meet-up instead of his office digs?" Tejasswi queried as they strolled in.

"The thief thinks everybody steals. I reckon Rohan Kapoor's a bit wary, fearing we might have some tricks up our sleeves for this meeting. So, he's strategically set it in our territory to clear his name if anything fishy happens," Karan mused with a touch of suspicion.

He read Rohan's cunning mind like an open book.

"Hmm, you are right."

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Kundrra."
Rohan awaited them in Karan's exclusive waiting lounge; spotting their entry, he rose, extending his hand for a shake. Karan, a bit iffy, eventually gave it the nod.

"So spill it, Tejasswi, what's the rush for this impromptu meeting? Worried that the verdict tomorrow will swing my way and your little angel, oops, I mean my darling daughter, will be back in daddy's arms, leaving you with a taste of defeat?" Rohan quipped with a smug and self-assured grin.

"Wanna head to my turf and hash things out?" Karan suggested, motioning towards the door of his office.

"No, let's chat in the restaurant area; I grabbed a spot at the Italian joint. Royman's got top-notch Italian cuisine," Rohan declared firmly, striding ahead.

Karan and Tejasswi exchanged glances, sharing an ironic chuckle at Rohan's eagerness, then they headed towards the restaurant area.

Karan's security detail led them to Royman Hotel's bustling Italian restaurant, which was crowded as always. Rohan patted himself on the back for scoring an advance booking in this packed joint.

"So, Tejasswi, speed it up; time's not my buddy. Are you genuinely freaked about losing tomorrow, thinking you'll have to come crawling for your precious daughter? If that's the case, spill it, but my stance won't budge."

Rohan continued his arrogant blabber, prompting Karan to shake his head. 'This guy's got a mouthful of garbage,' he thought.

"Oh, pipe down, Rohan. Rein in those runaway thoughts of yours," Tejasswi scolded, putting a halt to his rambling. "Let me take the floor."

"Fine, let's savor the pleasure of your pearls of wisdom first," Rohan replied with the same air of arrogance.

"No surprise, he's the biggest numbskull I've ever encountered," Karan muttered under his breath, thoroughly irritated.

Tejasswi sighed, pulled an envelope from her bag, slid it toward Rohan, and gave it a tap. "Rohan, consider this my final wake-up call. Drop the case and take this. Let's handle it out of court—better for you in the long run."

Karan glanced at Tejasswi in shock, caught off guard by her unexpected move, while Rohan doubled down on his overconfidence, thinking victory was in the bag.

"What's in there?" Rohan feigned excitement, ripping open the envelope, only to be momentarily gobsmacked by its contents.

"A blank check?" he said, briefly frowning, but the next moment he wore a proud grin, reveling in the notion that he'd cornered Tejasswi into a position where she had no choice but to exhaust all her financial resources to keep her beloved child with her.

"Name your price, and if you require anything else, just ask. But step back from the case for your own good. Otherwise, mark my words; you'll rue the day you decided to mess with me. I guarantee you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

Tejasswi's words cut through the air with a slow and razor-sharp precision, a composed threat that left Rohan stunned, while Karan beamed with pride at Tejasswi's assertiveness.

"Are you out of your mind, Tejasswi? You're no business mogul, so stop playing the part. That's a lousy deal. Do you honestly believe I'd sacrifice my daughter for a pile of cash? Dream on."

"Rohan, even you're not an actor, spare me the theatrics. We both know the extent of your concern for Saanjh and your true intentions. Cut out the third-rate acting; it's painfully pathetic," Tejasswi countered, dishing out a taste of his own medicine and making her doe eyes bigger.

"Whatever, I couldn't care less about your thoughts. I'm getting my daughter back, and no one can stand in my way. Tejasswi, don't even think about pulling your cheap tricks on me; did you get it?" Rohan declared, his face burning with anger as he tossed the check toward her.

"The loss is entirely yours, Rohan Kapoor. This was the golden opportunity, but unfortunately, you let it slip through your fingers," Tejasswi retorted, tearing the check into pieces before letting them flutter through the air.

Rohan was convinced that Tejasswi had no other option, hence attempting to strike a deal, but her confident words and the act of tearing the check shook him to the core.

"Tejasswi, why did you want this meeting? Please level with me. Don't play these games." Rohan said it with a visibly tensed frown.

"I'm cutting you some slack; even though you're my adversary, this is your final shot to save your own skin. Otherwise, don't come crying to me later," she declared with a touch of slang.

"Are you attempting to throw shade at me? You're nothing more than a sly fox. You're well aware that tomorrow is your downfall, hence trying to bait me with a hefty sum. But I'm not a cheapskate like you," Rohan shouted, purposefully slamming his hand on the table to stir up a theatrical scene and grab others' attention.

"I attempted to show some decency, Rohan, but, ah, never mind. In the past, crossing paths with me cost you your business and career. However, this time, by casting your vile gaze upon my daughter, you've made a grave mistake. You can't fathom the price I'll make you pay. See you in court tomorrow," Tejasswi declared with disdain, rising from her seat and striding out.

"Mr. Kapoor, consider that your final lifeline just ran out," Karan declared, trailing behind Tejasswi.

Tejasswi's threats loomed large over Rohan, but a bone-chilling shiver ran down his spine as he caught the stern gaze of Karan, who issued a warning that spoke volumes.

He promptly dialed his lawyer, laying out the entire sequence of events from the meeting. Chowdhary assured him that he had everything under control. The scheming reporters and Director Dixit had already made a swift exit out of the country, and Mr. Kundrra wouldn't track them down anytime soon.
The DNA reports are set to come out positive, and the verdict will swing in their favor.

Rohan urged him to keep a hawk's eye on the DNA reports, cautioning that their adversaries might attempt to monkey around with the results.

Chowdhury assured him he'd handle everything, prompting Rohan to breathe a sigh of relief as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

"Tejasswi, you're bluffing because you've got no cards that can tilt the case in your favor. You tried to spook me, thinking I'd back down, but that's a no-go. I won't let you win. I'll get that baby, one way or another," Rohan muttered to himself as he marched out of the restaurant.

The next day in court, the judge dished out a verdict backed by both rock-solid DNA evidence and ironclad legal adoption papers; the results were unequivocally positive.

"Well, the DNA reports check out, and the adoption papers are legit. Baby Saanjh is indeed biologically the plaintiff's daughter, but she's been under the care of the defendant, Miss Sharma, and her husband since the adoption," the statement declared by the judge

"The verdict is in a tight spot at the moment, relying solely on some documents. Hence, the court is granting one last opportunity to both parties to present their case and demonstrate who would be the better parent for the child."

The judge's announcement threw Rohan and his lawyer for a loop, anticipating a final verdict. On the flip side, Tejasswi, Karan, and Vicky couldn't conceal their smiles; they were prepared for the second proceeding and relished the opportunity.