June 16–June 30, 2018
1. Homecoming
The plane descended over Lucknow's hazy monsoon skies. After weeks of secrecy on the island and controlled appearances in Delhi, Deepak had returned home — not as the quiet man who once lived in shadows, but as someone whose life was about to become the subject of public spectacle.
The first person waiting at the airport was his mother, Shanti Devi. Her saree was simple cotton, her hair graying at the temples, but her presence radiated command.
She folded her hands, but her eyes brimmed with pride and worry.
> "So it's true then? The whole country is saying you are to be engaged. I wanted to hear it from you, not from television anchors shouting like mad people."
Deepak smiled softly, putting an arm around her shoulders.
"Yes, Ma. It's true. And before you ask — she's the one I want. Ananya is…" He paused, searching for the right words. "She's the balance in my chaos."
Shanti's lips curved into a small smile, but her eyes darted with calculation.
"Balance or not, the one you love, we also love.
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2. The Household Erupts
By evening, word of his arrival spread through their extended family like wildfire. Cousins, uncles, and aunts crowded the ancestral home in Unnao, each armed with curiosity, advice, and uninvited opinions.
An uncle slapped Deepak's back with too much force.
"So, when did you become such a king, haan? Buying islands, meeting prime ministers, and now marrying like a film hero. What will you give in dowry, eh?"
The remark made Shanti stiffen. Deepak answered evenly:
"Respect, stability, and a future where none of our daughters will ever be asked that question again."
The room fell silent. Some of the younger cousins snickered, impressed by his sharp tongue. Others looked embarrassed.
In another corner, two elderly aunts argued over rituals: one insisted the engagement must follow strict village traditions, while the other declared that with a man of his stature, the ceremony should be fit for kings and broadcast on television.
Deepak stayed quiet, watching. He had built empires, created machines that defied physics, and stared down global monopolies — but here, in this house, his mother's voice was final.
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3. Shanti Devi's Burden
Late at night, Shanti sat in her prayer room, surrounded by flickering diyas. She prayed not just for her son's happiness, but for his survival.
The whispers of assassination attempts and foreign threats had reached her ears in fragments. She did not fully understand the scale of his inventions or enemies, but she understood one thing: power attracts storms.
She pressed her palms together, whispering:
"Bhagwan, give me the strength to see my son married before shadows try to swallow him."
Her heart ached with both pride and dread. Pride that her son was no longer the boy who once brought her buckets of water on hot summer afternoons. Dread because she knew the greater the light, the darker the enemies it cast.
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4. Staff Perspective – The Seamstresses
Meanwhile, at a workshop in Lucknow, seamstresses worked overnight on Ananya's lehenga. The order had come with almost impossible deadlines, but unlimited budget.
One young tailor whispered to another:
"Who is this man? Everyone says he is richer than Ambani, but nobody has ever seen him at a party."
Her friend replied, threading a needle carefully:
"Doesn't matter who he is. Look at this fabric — real Banarasi silk, threads of gold. Whoever she is marrying, she will look like a queen."
Even those with no knowledge of reactors, medicines, or AI felt the ripples of Deepak's hidden empire. To them, it was just another fairy-tale wedding — the kind India loved to dream about.
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5. Mother and Son
One evening, Shanti confronted her son directly. They sat in the courtyard as monsoon rain pattered softly on tiled roofs.
> "Beta, tell me honestly — is this marriage safe? I see the guards, the secrecy, the whispers. I feel as though I'm losing you to a world I don't recognize."
Deepak took her hand gently.
"You're not losing me, Ma. You're gaining a daughter. Everything else… the noise, the politics, the danger… let me carry it. That is my burden, not yours."
Tears filled her eyes, but she nodded. "Then promise me one thing. On that day, when the rituals are read, and the fire burns, promise me you will be simply my son — not a tycoon, not a scientist, not a man at war with the world. Just my son."
Deepak smiled, and for the first time that week, she felt peace.
"I promise."
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6. Cousins and Chaos
Preparations grew chaotic. Cousins argued over DJ playlists, a younger brother demanded drones for aerial shots, and one mischievous nephew suggested hiring Bollywood stars for the sangeet.
Shanti scolded them, but Deepak only laughed. In the midst of threats, corporate wars, and assassination attempts, this chaos felt strangely comforting.
It reminded him of who he had once been before the machines, before Saraswati, before Prithvi Energy and Sanjeevani Pharma. Just a boy from Uttar Pradesh, surrounded by loud relatives, preparing for the most human of milestones.
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7. Closing Scene
On the last night of June, Deepak stood on the terrace, staring at the dark sky. His empire stretched across energy, medicine, AI, and infrastructure. His enemies were powerful, cunning, and relentless.
But here, with the sounds of relatives bickering over ladoos drifting up from below, he felt a rare warmth.
The storm was coming — he knew that. But for now, the house in Unnao was alive with laughter, music, and love.
And for the first time in months, Deepak allowed himself to breathe.
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