The grandest floor of India's most luxurious hotel, "The Grand Orchid," was hosting the largest business awards ceremony in the world. This ceremony had been held here for the past decade. The hall was filled with only those whose presence was worth millions. There were no millionaires; everyone there was a billionaire.
Cameras flashed, classic background music played softly, and elegantly dressed people adorned with expensive brands shimmered everywhere. Major news channel journalists from India were also present. Such a grand awards show naturally attracted them.
The hall was relatively quiet until suddenly, a commotion started brewing inside. The large door of the hall opened slowly, and all the lights inside were subtly dimmed. Security guards immediately took their positions. For a moment, it felt as if the whole world had paused. Then, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed in the room. Tick... tick... tick.
All eyes turned towards the door as Rajveer Rathore entered. Dressed in a dark black three-piece suit that fit him perfectly, his personality seemed no less than that of a royal king. With a height of six feet two inches, broad shoulders, and deep brown hair shining under the soft light, his eyes held a unique sparkle. It was a sparkle that could captivate anyone in an instant.
He paused to look at the platinum watch strapped to his wrist, then proceeded forward with a slight smile. The whole world knew that this smile of his could either kill out of love or out of fear. All men looked at him with envy, while the women... one woman couldn't take her eyes off him for a moment.
Rajveer walked straight towards the stage. As he advanced, people instinctively moved aside, clearing his path. No one dared to come in his way. His assistant Nakul followed beside him.
As soon as Rajveer reached the stage, the award host looked at him and, in nervousness, fumbled a few words. Rajveer's personality was such that even the most confident people trembled in his presence. His face held that same cold smile as always — a smile that could shake someone to the core.
The entire hall echoed with applause, but for Rajveer, this was nothing new. Every year, it was he who won this award. He slowly walked up to the mic, took the award in his hand, and leaned forward toward the microphone.
"I've gotten used to receiving this award every year… but it seems the others still haven't gotten used to accepting it."
His taunt made the entire hall fall silent for a moment. Then a few people chuckled — those few who actually admired Rajveer for his bold attitude.
Rajveer glanced at them briefly, then took his award and stepped off the stage. He walked slowly, like a king who had the world at his feet. And truthfully, that's exactly how it was. In Rajveer Rathore's world, there were only two kinds of people: those who followed him, and those who feared him.
As he descended from the stage, Rajveer's subtle smile deepened. Watching the envy on people's faces gave him a certain pleasure. Sitting in the hall were seasoned businessmen — people with more years of experience than Rajveer's own age — and yet, they just clenched their fists and watched him in silence. Jealousy, anger, helplessness — everyone's eyes carried different emotions, but Rajveer's face remained calm, as if he was used to all of it. As if none of it affected him in the slightest.
He walked slowly back to his table, where a few well-known businessmen were already seated. He glanced at his platinum watch, then looked at a famous industrialist whose company had been unsuccessfully trying to rival him for the past two years.
"I used to think maybe someone else would win this time… but I guess you need more brains than just hard work. If you focus more on your own business instead of mine, it'll probably serve you better," Rajveer said with a crooked smile.
Hearing this, the middle-aged businessman's face turned red with anger, but he remained silent. Others tried to diffuse the tension, swirling drinks in their glasses, pretending to keep the mood light. No one dared to go against Rajveer, even if they didn't like him. He was far too powerful — and then there was his father and his brother.
Just then, a low murmur came from another group, "It's the same every year... No one else can ever win. Sometimes it feels like we're just wasting our time coming here."
"Keep your anger in check, the media's here too. Our image is already bad enough, don't ruin it further."
Hearing that, the man went completely silent.
Rajveer tapped his fingers lightly on the table and, with that same smirk, said, "Don't know why people keep hoping every year. Watching this same drama over and over is starting to bore me," he added dramatically.
As the celebration carried on, Nakul leaned in from behind and said, "Boss, now let it go… poor guys are already burned, why sprinkle salt on their wounds?"
Rajveer just smiled, saying nothing.
He gestured to a waiter, picked up a cocktail glass, and said, "Come on, let's celebrate the victory."
Nakul also grabbed a drink along with him.
Rajveer was chatting with a few familiar faces when a man approached him.
"Hello, Mr. Rajveer."
Rajveer turned around. "Oh, hello, Mr. Khurana."
Khurana smiled and said, "How are you?"
Rajveer smirked. "What do you think seeing me?"
"You look quite happy," Khurana replied.
"Of course! I never get sad. Sadness and I have no connection — not even by mistake."
"Of course, how could sadness exist in your life? You have things people can't even dream of — a supportive dad, a politician and advocate brother… you've got everything," Khurana said with a wide smile, but inside he was burning with envy. And Rajveer could clearly see that. He had a knack for spotting such double-faced people.
Rajveer smiled. "You're right. My dad and brother are indeed very supportive. But I do feel bad for you… no siblings, huh? Guess your dad wasn't very romantic," he said with a smirk.
Khurana looked confused. "I'm sorry, I didn't get that."
"Well, since your dad wasn't romantic, you didn't get siblings. My dad was extremely romantic — he was scared of my mom, or else we'd have had enough brothers to form a whole cricket team," Rajveer said, grinning crookedly.
Khurana choked in shock, and the wine bottle slipped from his hand.
"Excuse me!" he muttered and rushed away.
Rajveer sipped his drink and said with mock annoyance, "Ugh, these people never get my humor. Major lack of a sense of humor."
Nakul, standing behind him, showed no reaction — his face was always expressionless, no matter the situation.
Looking at him, Rajveer got annoyed. "Nakul, we're at an award ceremony, not a funeral. Try smiling once in a while, man. Do you have to wear the same deadpan face everywhere?"
"I don't know how to smile," Nakul replied softly.
"Then what do you know?!" Rajveer snapped.
"I can shoot from a hundred meters without missing, fight ten men at once, slice through people or fruits — makes no difference — watch horror movies alone at night… I can't cook, but I can cook the cook, without using spices," Nakul said seriously.
"Okay, okay! Stop it now. That's not what I meant. I meant normal human things," Rajveer groaned.
Just then, a handsome male reporter walked up to them. As soon as Rajveer saw him, he scanned him from head to toe.
"Ooh… good-looking reporter," Rajveer muttered under his breath.
Nakul, standing behind, heard it clearly but didn't react. He was used to his boss liking someone new every day. But the sad part — whoever Rajveer found hot always ended up being married.
"Hello, Mr. Rajveer."
"Hi, Mr. Unknown Reporter," Rajveer replied, overly sweet.
"Can I ask you a question?" the reporter asked.
"Oh, not just one — ask a thousand," Rajveer replied flirtatiously.
"Why only a thousand? Ask ten thousand. It's not like he has anything else to do," Nakul muttered sarcastically.
"Oh, so you do change expressions when you're being sarcastic!" Rajveer snapped, glaring at him.
Turning back to the reporter, Rajveer said with an intense stare, "Yes, you were saying?"
"Yes."
"Not just 'yes', go ahead and ask." Rajveer said with a smile.
"You've been winning this award for several years now. Will anyone else ever get the chance? Can anyone else win this title someday?"
"Look, nothing is impossible in this world. If a person really wants something, they can achieve it.
Even this title can be claimed by someone else, but on one condition… if I quit the business."
As soon as Rajveer said this, the entire hall fell silent for a moment.
Everyone knew this wasn't just a joke—it was the truth.
A truth everyone had already accepted.
As long as Rajveer Rathore was in the business world, no other name would shine.