Page 48 of Every Move You Make
“I’m sorry, Shauna,” Janak sighed. “None of us meant to hurt you.”
She nodded, offering no reply.
Janak didn’t waste time. “The board has concerns.”
Shauna’s mouth twisted. “About what?” And then she looked at Akash. “About him? Why? He’s just taken over.”
Of course she missed nothing. She was sharp and intelligent, as always.
Janak’s expression remained calm. “They don’t trust his age. Suveer Malhotra has been stoking that distrust.”
Shauna’s eyes flicked briefly to Akash before returning to Janak. “I don’t understand what Suveer Malhotra gains by destabilizing the company. Akash has barely begun. The least they can do is give him time to prove himself.”
Akash stiffened. He hadn’t expected her to defend him the way she had, and he didn’t know what to make of it.
Janak continued, his tone steady. “They’re threatening to put safeguards in place to control him.”
“That’s absurd,” Shauna said without hesitation. “It signals a complete lack of faith in his leadership. That kind of doubt trickles down fast, and once it does, it will hurt the company far more than it protects it.”
Akash’s stomach tightened. He still couldn’t believe she was siding with him, when she never had before. But of course, she loved Sehgal Media as much as he did. And despite her misgivings about him, it would always come first for her.
“They’re using the near disaster in the newsroom last week to force this issue,” Akash said.
“That’s ridiculous,” Shauna said. “We handled it.”
“Nonetheless, it has led to this,” Janak countered.
“So, what’s your solution?” Shauna asked him. “And how does it involve me? Because I’m sure that’s why you called me here.”
Akash shook his head. “Trust me. You don’t want to know.”
She gave him a hard look. “Let me be the judge of that.”
Janak’s voice remained level. “My solution is marriage.”
The silence that followed was brutal.
Shauna blinked at last. “Excuse me?”
Janak didn’t flinch. “You and Akash marry. It ties him to the Sehgal name. It gives the board the reassurance it needs and the faith that I will stand firmly behind both of you. That the whole family is standing behind you. And it protects the company from internal sabotage.”
Shauna let out a short, skeptical laugh. “This is a joke, right? Tell me this is a joke.”
Akash’s voice was flat. “Do I look like I’m laughing? I told you—you didn’t want to know.”
Shauna’s gaze landed on Janak. “You want me to marryhimso the board feels comfortable.”
“Yes,” Janak said simply.
“Absolutely not,” she replied. She turned to Akash. “I won’t marry you. Never.”
“Does it look like I want to marry you?” Heat rose in his chest. “This is the worst idea ever.”
“Enough, both of you,” Janak cut in “This is not a romantic proposal. It’s a practical one. A contract. One that will benefit both of you.”
Shauna’s eyes narrowed. “A contract marriage?”
Akash looked at Janak in disbelief. “You can’t be serious.”
