Codename lotus, p.14
Codename Lotus, page 14
She led me down a narrow path I’d missed before, through the trees until we reached a small lake, its deep green holding the low sun like coins underwater. I had no idea this existed so close to the house.
It was breathtaking out here.
The thought came. What if I were someone else? With a simpler life. A life like Lea’s, living in that lovely cottage with her children. “I wonder what it would be like,” I murmured, more to myself than to Naomi.
“What would?” she asked, watching the water fracture light along the stones.
“Not being me. Being someone else.”
“Hm.”
“Haven’t you ever thought about it?” I looked at her profile.
Naomi gave me a contained smile.
“Have you always wanted to be a business mogul?” I asked.
“I remember wanting to do what my father did. I was undoubtedly influenced by him.”
“Always? What about when you were younger? No dreams of becoming a veterinarian or a lawyer. A firefighter?”
“No.”
“You couldn’t always have been this serious? There had to have been something.”
Naomi hesitated, giving me a careful look.
“Well?”
She wrinkled her nose in response, and she looked so adorable.
“There was?” I asked excitedly.
Naomi pursed her lips before finally admitting it. “Magic.”
“Magic? As in…top hats and bunny rabbits?”
“Yes.” She squinted at the lake instead of at me. “I wanted to be a magician.”
“Aww, Naomi.”
She rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips. “I used to perform magic tricks for my parents when I was six or seven. Then I turned twelve. I remember seeing my father making his gin and tonics, squeezing his stress ball as he closed deals over the phone so easily. So much power, so effortlessly. Soon after, magic didn’t matter so much.”
“The powerful Naomi Smith-Chopra pulling coins from behind people’s ears.”
“Careful,” she said. “You could ruin a reputation with that kind of talk.”
“I could so easily blackmail you now.”
“Ah. I still know how to use a vanishing box,” she said mildly. “Don’t force my hand.”
“A threat.” I laughed—really laughed, breathless and bright. It had been so long since I’d laughed like that.
Her expression gentled. “Saanya, what I said that day…when you received the email.”
“It was the truth,” I said.
“No. It wasn’t. I shouldn’t have said that to you. You didn’t deserve to be the bullseye of my bad mood. If anything, I think you are lucky. It’s difficult for you to hang on to grudges. At the end of the day, it is you who wins. Not those who hurt you or try to take advantage of you.”
“Naomi, I know I may seem soft, but I am not a pushover. I am stronger than you think.”
“I know you are.” She glanced down. “And I’m just what I’ve always been. The insensitive bitch always on guard and expecting the worst from everyone.”
“Please don’t say that word. Even less about yourself,” I whispered, my hand lifting before I could stop it. I touched her cheek. The moment took me adrift. Right then, there was nothing more than this. Nothing but her.
She looked up sharply, eyes searching mine. I started to pull back. I can’t believe I just did that. “I-I’m sorry.”
She caught my hand, stopping me. Her touch was warm, and still I noticed goosebumps rising on my skin. She noticed too.
“You’re cold,” she said.
“I’m fine.” I tried for a steady smile. I wasn’t sure if it was the air or something else making me shiver. Even my stomach was fluttering with nerves.
She slid the Valentino blazer from her shoulders and set it around mine. The gesture was simple and devastatingly tender.
I loved it.
I was so done for.
14
SHIFTING TIDES
NAOMI
“Allison, I need a reservation for two at an upscale restaurant here in Geneva,” I said, sifting through folders and crafting my end-of-day pile.
“An upscale place…in Geneva? For two?” She sounded surprised.
I hesitated, remembering the last time I’d dined out with Saanya at the Thai Orchid. Great food, atrocious ambiance.
“Yes. For the 20th. Something intimate. Special. Away from prying eyes and children.”
“Intimate, for two...”
I heard the implication. “It’s not like that. It’s...” God, I hated using that ridiculous codename. “The Lotus’s birthday. And she’ll find out the sex of the baby that same day. I want it to be memorable, that’s all. Besides, security measures, Allison. Remember?”
“Oh, got it. No need to explain yourself, of course.” She reined herself in. “Any preference on the cuisine or atmosphere?”
“Something elegant but not too exotic. Quiet, refined, and with flavorful dishes. Preferably spicy.”
“Understood. Under your name?”
“Yes, under—you know what, Allison, no.” I wasn’t supposed to be in Switzerland at all. Would this give rise to any unwanted trails that could possibly put Saanya in danger? “Use my pseudonym.”
“Want me to buy a present in your name?”
“No need,” I said.
I already had something in mind. Even though it was unfamiliar terrain.
I’d never had a close female friend before—at least, not like this. The dynamics were new, the boundaries untested. Would Saanya find the dinner odd, given that it was her birthday?
Of course not. We were friends, and friends did these sorts of things for each other, didn’t they? I was just being a good friend, celebrating a significant moment in Saanya’s life.
Friends.
“All set,” Allison said. “Ember. Exclusive, private, and known for its exquisite Moroccan and Tunisian fusion cuisine.”
“Perfect, thank you.”
There it was again, that odd flicker in my chest.
It’s just a birthday dinner. Nothing more.
And yet a sliver of unease slid in, as if some part of me knew the world wouldn’t let things stay this simple.
I ended a call with Mark. Thera Corp was almost ours. I could smell the ink drying.
A soft knock pulled me from the heap of documents across my desk. Saanya leaned around the doorframe. “Hey.” She smiled, her long hair spilling over her shoulder.
Her saree flowed around her like a river of purple and gold that brought the room to life. Saanya’s presence was like a warm cup of chai on a cold morning.
How unfair. Someone so kind wouldn’t allow herself to be happy, all for the sake of others. It was her inner calm that struck me most. The lightness that was somehow embedded in her soul.
A restless buzzing started beneath my skin, a low-voltage hum that made my fingertips tingle. I set my Montblanc down.
I cleared my throat. “Hey,” I said.
“You look tired,” she said gently, fingers gliding along the edge of my desk. Brown eyes met mine. “Thera Corp,” she stated, not asked.
I tilted my head. “Yes,” I said, setting the papers aside. “How do you know about Thera Corp?”
“I...overheard you on the phone. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but it caught my attention.”
“What about it?”
“...Victoria Hale. She’s fighting to keep her family’s legacy alive. It’s admirable, isn’t it?”
I leaned back in my chair and studied her. “How do you know all this?”
“That conversation you had with her months ago,” she said, glancing toward the window. Sunlight cut across half her face, catching on her skin. She looked more radiant as the pregnancy progressed.
“You’ve also discussed the topic at length over these past few months. Remember, I’ve got nowhere to go and not much to do.” She smiled. “I’m not deaf, you know. And the fact that I am a primary school teacher doesn’t erase the fact that I was trained for business by one of the best.”
And for all of Saanya’s charm and harmless kindness, the fact remained that she was a principal shareholder of GlobalLink.
I narrowed my eyes slightly. “To answer your previous question—yes, her striving for self-preservation is admirable. But business is about survival, not admiration. Why do you ask?”
“I’ve been reading about her,” Saanya said, stepping closer. “She’s trying so hard to save what her parents built, to preserve their memory. It’s something to understand...deeply.”
When Saanya set her mind on something, her determination was unwavering. This, I had learned over the months. She could have been a powerhouse in the business world.
She was trying to make me see the overlap. Where Victoria’s life and mine coincided.
“Something she hasn’t done very well,” I said, and picked up my pen again.
Then it clicked. “You empathize with her.”
“Honestly, I empathize with the thousands of people she employs and their families. Naomi, I think there’s a way to help Thera Corp without tearing everything down.”
The silvery finish of my Montblanc was smooth as I rolled it between two fingers. My brain was trained to see only the logic in a ruthless takeover, but Saanya’s perspective was aiming at a different part of me. “Business isn’t about personal feelings.”
“Maybe this time it could be both,” she said. “Smart and compassionate.”
What are you getting at?
I watched her, the light behind her pulled my gaze to the garden and the snow-capped mountains. Why did she keep putting others first? She had nothing to gain, helping a complete stranger who wasn’t deserving of her kindness. Victoria Hale might have begged, but she was no less a ruthless shark than I was. But then again, Saanya wasn’t really thinking of her but of the average person affected.
“Saanya,” I said, looking back at her. “You have a way of seeing things, of seeing people, that I am sorry to tell you has no place in business. You’re asking me to consider the human aspect of my decisions. If your father had done that, he’d be flat broke. What would make me any different? I am sorry for her loss, yes. But this is the business.”
“And what if keeping Thera Corp intact isn’t just about compassion? What if it’s about innovation too?”
“Innovation?”
“They’re sitting on patents that could revolutionize care—affordable diagnostics, scalable biotech for low-income markets. Dismantle them and you profit, yes—but you lose something bigger.”
I tilted my head. How in the hell... “Again, how do you know all this?”
She rolled her eyes. “I have been listening, remember? And I may have done some research of my own online.”
“You—”
“Naomi, focus.” Saanya looked around the office. “No extra chair. Really?”
“It’s not like I hold business meetings in here. It’s only me.”
She shook her head with an amused scoff, and I rose to my feet. “Okay. Come on. What is this brilliant plan of yours about?”
“Right. Yes. Okay. So, right now, Thera Corp’s research is stuck in limbo. They’ve been licensing out small-scale patents to keep afloat, but they’re not exploiting their own potential.”
“And you think I should...what? Pour more money into a failing company?”
“Not money. Or at least not as much as you may be thinking. I mean strategy. What if, instead of dismantling Thera Corp, you restructure it? Focus their R&D on the patents with the most immediate commercial viability. Bring in specialists to speed up development. And most importantly…” Her eyes lit up. “Launch a new division dedicated to scalable, low-cost medical solutions targeted at underserved markets.”
Saanya’s smile stretched. “Serve the underserved. That’s my motto,” she said. “The people who’ll benefit from this…most of them won’t encounter this form of generosity again.”
“You mean the same markets pharma avoids because they’re ‘not profitable’?”
“That’s exactly why it’s an opportunity. Most biotech companies overlook these markets because the margins aren’t as high. But Thera Corp has the patents, the resources, and the expertise to deliver real solutions. And with your backing, they could carve out a niche that no one else is touching. I know you can see the potential, can’t you?”
I studied her carefully, weighing her words. “You think Thera Corp could become the leader in accessible medical technology?”
“With the right strategy, yes. Affordable diagnostics and kits for rural clinics. Real lives saved, you know? Tie that to long-term government contracts…public health initiatives, global aid, even defense. That’s the exponential lane. Think about it.”
Serve the underserved. No concept had ever felt more alien to me—and yet...
Saanya reached out, and seconds later I felt the warmth of her touch.
I looked at our joined hands, then up into her eyes.
“I’m asking you to consider that sometimes, the right decision can be both compassionate and strategic,” she said softly. “If not, then what will the world look like in a few years?”
For some reason, my jaw felt locked. I couldn’t muster a word. “I...”
“Please, just think about it.”
I nodded, clearing my throat, already missing her warmth as I let go. “I’ll think about it. Though I make no promises. This deal is as good as signed.”
Saanya’s smile grew slowly, reaching her eyes. “Thank you, Naomi. That’s all I ask.”
She left. The room suddenly felt too large, too silent.
I sat in my chair, the leather creaking softly under my weight as I leaned back. My hands were slick with sweat, and my mind was…reconsidering.
What the hell are you doing, Naomi?
I stared at the view she’d just contemplated. “Think about it.” The very notion was unsettling. It wasn’t like me to second-guess a business decision, especially one this close to completion.
I rubbed my temples. This was not just about business anymore. It brushed against values and ethics I’d always held at arm’s length in my corporate takeovers. The idea that I could be swayed by something as intangible as compassion was ridiculous.
My phone buzzed. It was Mark again. I hesitated for a moment before picking it up.
“Mark,” I answered, returning to my professional cadence.
As he spoke, my mind returned to Saanya. Her sincerity, her empathy, her ability to see beyond the cutthroat world we lived in—it was both refreshing and perplexing. The fact that she still believed in such a world.
Mark’s voice faded into the background.
Yes. Saanya was a beautiful human being, but how could that kind of genuine softness survive in the cesspool of today’s business world? Someone with Saanya’s ideals would be eaten alive and torn to shreds by the sharks I knew.
Or would she?
My pen hovered over the documents as Mark’s voice filtered through the phone, blending with my thoughts.
“We’re almost there, Naomi. Just a few more i’s to dot, and Thera Corp is ours, well, yours. Maybe Drew is rubbing off on me, but this is exhilarating. Victoria Hale’s head is almost rolling off the chopping block. She’s as good as a deer caught in the headlights—utterly trapped and petrified. We’ve got her cornered, and there’s nowhere left for her to run.”
Drew’s crude ways had rubbed off, indeed.
Mark’s graphic commentary felt so out of character for him. He had always been the voice of reason and caution, the one to temper my more ruthless impulses. But now, he sounded consumed by the particular bloodlust that only surfaced when a deal promised obscene returns, a fatter bonus, and board praise.
It was unsettling—how easily someone so grounded could be swayed by greed. I had seen that shift in others before—the moment they discarded all morals, salivating at the prospect of more. But hearing it from Mark made it all the more jarring. How different was I from him, really? From Drew.
I glanced at the door, half-hoping Saanya might reappear, as if her presence could anchor me to something more solid, more real.
“Naomi? Are you still there?”
I shook off the thought. I was a businesswoman first. My decisions were driven by logic and numbers—by cold, hard facts. And yet, Saanya’s words had planted a seed of doubt, a whisper of possibility that maybe, just maybe, there was more to consider than the dotted line.
“Naomi?”
“Yes, Mark, I am here.”
“Great! So, should I proceed with the final push? We can have this wrapped up by the end of the day. Have Victoria Hale sign over her life’s work. And celebrate it over dinner!”
There was a pause. A silence filled with hesitation.
My hesitation.
“Hold on, Mark,” I finally said. “Don’t finalize anything yet. I need to think.”
“What? Think about what? Damn it, Naomi, we’re so close. We’ve played this perfectly.”
Damn it?
“I said hold, Mark. That’s an order.”
“Uh—of course. Understood, Naomi. But I hope you realize—”
“Goodbye, Mark.”
Another call buzzed in immediately. My IT and security manager.
“Arjun, talk to me.”
“Naomi, I’ve been digging into some leads. Found massive transactions. We’re talking millions, funneling through a network of offshore accounts. Looks like our man is laundering money, and not just small change. You were right. He is deep into cryptocurrency, among other things.”
I leaned forward. “And? Do you have a name?”
“Not his real one, I’m afraid. The trail is complex. He’s smart. Covers his tracks with shell companies and ghost entities. But we’ve got a bead on one of his lieutenants, codename ‘The Hawk’—a seriously dangerous individual, wanted for everything from embezzlement to violent crimes.”
My shoulders straightened. “What kind of violent crimes?”
“Uh…sexual assault. Murder.”
The line went quiet. My throat locked. The idea of such a person targeting Saanya made my stomach turn.
