Morning at Singhania Neev.Sunlight poured into the open-plan living room, falling over a long breakfast table where Ranveer and Swadamini Singhania, Rajeev and Swarna Khanna, Trisha, Reeva, Monty, and Saanvi were gathered.
Croissants. Chai. Chaos brewing quietly.
Rajeev (clearing his throat dramatically): "Kids…"
Trisha (looking up from her phone, calm): "Yes, uncle."
Reeva (half-asleep, sipping coffee): "Yes, Dad?"
Ranveer (holding up the newspaper, eyebrows raised): "You both have to see this."
Swarna (smirking slightly): "It's… quite the picture. And quite the headline."
Trisha (groaning as she reaches for the newspaper): "Okay, let's see what spicy nonsense the media cooked up this time."
She opens the paper. Front page.Headline:"JUST BUSINESS OR QUEER ROMANCE?"Photo:Trisha standing beside Reeva, casually holding Reeva's right hand while Reeva bent down to adjust her heels.
Trisha & Reeva (in perfect sync, eyes wide): "OH MY GOD."
Trisha: "I hate them."
Reeva: "True, man. We don't even act like that in public."
Monty (raising an eyebrow): "Wait. In public? What does that mean?"
Saanvi (narrowing eyes): "Yeah… are you two hiding something?"
Swadamini Dadi (innocently stirring chai): "They do have... chemistry."
Trisha (calmly, with a confident smile): "Okay. Can I just clarify something?"
She stands up, holding the newspaper like a lawyer in court.
Trisha: "Firstly, this photo was taken during the Toast of Royals inauguration — I was helping Reeva. She had a wardrobe malfunction."
Reeva (nodding quickly): "Yup. My heel strap broke. Trisha grabbed my hand so I didn't fall on my face in front of 400 people."
Trisha: "Exactly. Do we look like we're falling in love? No. We look like we're surviving a fashion crisis."
Monty: "Hmm…"
Trisha (continuing without a pause): "And let's not forget how media works. Two successful women co-founding a luxury restaurant? Obviously they can't just be business partners — they must be in bed. Because God forbid we breathe in the same direction without sparking a headline."
Saanvi: "So nothing's going on?"
Reeva (with a dry laugh): "Other than running a million-rupee venture and sharing brain cells at 3 a.m. during design calls? Nope."
Rajeev (still skeptical): "So… you two aren't dating?"
Trisha (grinning): "Uncle, please. If I were dating Reeva Khanna, you'd know. I'd make damn sure it trended before the media caught up."
Reeva (smirking, playing along): "I'd need a full PR roll-out and a palace-wide press release."
Swarna (laughing): "You two are unbelievable."
Swadamini Dadi (chuckling into her chai): "Or very believable, depending on how you look at it."
Trisha (pointing at her Dadi): "That's profiling, Dadi. Business partners are being profiled."
Ranveer (half-grinning): "Well, if it ever turns into something more — not that we're assuming — just know, you have our blessing."
Trisha (mock bowing): "Appreciate that, Dad. I'll make sure to pass that along to my next HR meeting."
Monty: "Still not convinced. But fine. You win this round."
Saanvi (leaning back, whispering to Monty): "We'll catch them someday."
Reeva (under her breath to Trisha): "We're so getting caught someday."
Trisha (whispering back, smug): "Not today, babe."
Everyone went back to breakfast. But underneath the table, Reeva's foot bumped gently against Trisha's knee — a silent reminder that the media may not know the full truth… but it's definitely not "just business."