Strictly Solo - Chapter 1
BLURB
Naina Bhalla was a perfect single mother to her beloved son, Neil. Determined to provide him with the world, she poured her heart into her career and built a life where the two of them were a cute, unbreakable team. But when her uncle's lavish 25th-anniversary celebration beckons them to Delhi, Naina’s world is shaken to its core by the arrival of Ruhaan Singh—the man whom she had a short history with.
Ruhaan is every bit the charming, infuriatingly handsome playboy he was years ago, his roguish reputation preceding him. Though insistent on keeping her distance, Naina soon finds herself trapped in the tantalizing spell of Ruhaan's presence, their undeniable chemistry sparking long-suppressed desires. Forced into close proximity under the gilded roof of the anniversary venue, even little Neil is swiftly enamored by Ruhaan's charisma, much to Naina's dismay.
With her family coaxing Naina into marriage, Ruhaan's mother vehemently opposing her son's attraction towards a single mother, and with Ruhaan himself unwilling to settle down, how will Naina resist falling for Ruhaan's reckless charm?
Brimming with family drama, cultural nuances, and an irresistible enemies-to-lovers romance, Strictly Solo is a tale of second chances, sizzling passion, and the courage to embrace one's desires against all odds.
Chapter 1 …..
Naina's heart pounded as she stared at the blank screen of her laptop in disbelief. She was utterly screwed. In just an hour, she was supposed to give the most crucial presentation of her career to an important new client. But now, her laptop had inexplicably crashed. No blinking cursor, no reassuring hum from the hard drive—just a blank, unresponsive screen. This was catastrophic.
“No, no, no! This cannot be happening!” she muttered, frantically pressing keys, desperate to revive the unresponsive machine. But her efforts were in vain.
The cabin door burst open and her boss, Deborah, a stylish English woman in her late forties, strode in.
“Naina, I hope you're prepared for the presentation. The clients will arrive any minute. Oh, and am I looking good? I mean, is my gloss too shiny?”
Naina looked up at Deborah whom she fondly called Deby, with worried eyes.
“Deby, I've lost the presentation file. My laptop crashed, and I don't have a backup copy either.”
Deborah's expression morphed from concern to utter disbelief. “You can't be serious, Naina. This is no time for pranks!”
“I'm not playing a prank, Deby. I'm dead serious. Look!” Naina turned the laptop to show the blackness that filled the screen—the root of her worries.
Deborah exhaled sharply. “Okay, call the IT guy and get this fixed immediately.”
“It's a hardware failure. There's no way IT can resolve this within an hour. I should have taken a backup,” Naina lamented, admonishing herself for her carelessness.
“This is ridiculous, Naina!” Deborah's voice rose with frustration. “You knew how crucial these clients are. How could you be so reckless as to not save a backup? I expected better from you.”