Contractually Yours - A Maaneet SS

**Prologue**

Maan leaned back in his chair as he fixed the woman at the other end of the table with a stern look.

She shot that look right back at him.

He should have known when his secretary had told him that she was coming to meet him.

She never came into the office.

He should have known when she had dropped a dozen hints over the last few weeks - hints that he felt were weird but still chose to overlook. Irritated with himself that he had not seen the warning signs, he pushed the papers she had laid out before him back at her.

"No" he said with finality.

If he thought that ended it, he was grossly mistaken.

"I am not asking for your opinion, Maan. Sign it"

If this woman hadn't raised him. If he didn't love her dearly, things would have been very different now.

It wouldn't have taken him 2 seconds to file a suit on her, but he couldn't do that. Not to his dadi ma.

Willing his temper under control, he closed his eyes shut, taking deep breaths.

"Maan, hum aapke dadi hai. So don't think you can try the same attitude that you got from me, on me. That's not going to work"

"Then you should know, dadi ma, that I don't need Khurana Constructions. Khurana Constructions needs me. It'll take me a second to tear that damned contract and walk out" he made no effort to even hide the irritation and annoyance.

Aaah, but you would never do that, beta, because you love this place and you gave up so much to bring KC to the heights it is - if you don't agree, KC goes to Dev" his grandmother wasn't mincing her words as she got straight to the point.

"Are you blackmailing your own grandson that you will throw him out of the family property and will If he doesn't agree to some crazy contract of getting married?"

"Within a month, yes"

"Impossible" he bit out, his temper flaring again, "and besides, you wouldn't give KC to Dev - you know he's not fit for this. And you love this company as much as I do"

"More than you do - I started it" she put her hand up as Maan opened his mouth to argue, "and besides don't forget that I was the one who taught you about business and investing -if you have money and businesses elsewhere, so do I. If you don't need KC, neither do I - Might as well go to Dev who we both know needs it to survive"

Maan rolled his eyes, " don't be dramatic, Dadi. Dev doesn't care about KC and sure as hell doesn't need it to survive. He is a successful model in his own right, and -"

"And you should know I can get him to agree to what I say. Now sign it" his grandmother pushed the papers back at him again.

Maan sighed, realising he was losing this stupid deal - and he hated losing deals.

"Look Dadi, you know I don't love -"

"Since when did you care about love?"

"Touche" he conceded, "so you want me to marry some girl who could just marry into the Khurana family for the money, name & fame"

His Dadi fixed him with a look, "oh please Maan, no woman will ever try that on you - you didn't get to where you are without keeping your legalities tight - Now sign the damn thing"

"How long do I need to be married for?"

"1 year"

"1 year?" he said in disbelief, "and what is that going to achieve?"

His Dadi just shot him a knowing smile and he shook his head, "Dadi if you think some girl is going to walk into my life on contract and is going to capture my heart , that's not happening"

"If you say so"

"If I say so? Dadi, I am 32 - no woman has been able to do that till now and 1 year is going to change that?"

There was no answer from his grandmother, but just an all knowing smile.

And that irritated the hell out of him.

"FINE" he almost yelled, grabbing the papers his grandmother had given him, "I'll sign the damn thing - but everything is on my terms - you have no say in who I am going to marry"

"But I chose -"

"NO Dadi. I will choose the girl"

They were locked in a battle of will for a few seconds before the older woman sighed, " I guess I can agree to that. But I need to - "

"My terms, Dadi ma - you will not even meet her before the wedding"

At that his grandmother's eyes went round, "but what if she is unfit to marry into - "

Maan smiled, "oh dadi, you do know I didn't get to where I am without keeping my legalities tight" he repeated what she had said to him, back at her.

His grandmother glared at him, then realising that she was losing this, she threw her hands up, " ok, your terms. But you are getting married in a month -and you stay married for a year. No changes to that"

"Fine"

"So sign it"

"Not before my lawyers vet this"

"Maan!" His grandmother exclaimed indignantly, "you are going to have a document prepared by your grandmother vetted by your lawyers?" She asked in disbelief

"Absolutely Dadi. You were the one to teach me that - never sign anything without - "

"Having It checked by your lawyers " his grandmother said with him, eyes twinkling in agreement and appreciation.

"I knew there was a reason you're my favourite grandson" she said, as she got up.

He smiled back at her, "nice try, Dadi" he doled out, as she was leaving.

"Try? I don't do anything to try, Maan" she turned to look at him from the door. "I do it to win it"

Damn it!

He knew there was a reason he loved and respected this woman more than anyone else in this world.

But he wasn't her grandson for nothing.

"We'll see about that" he shot back at her.

" We will" she said, turning around with a flourish and walking out of his office, leaving him wondering what the hell he had gotten himself into. 

***** To be Continued *****