Chapter 6: The Transfer
Delhi had slowly learned Suhani’s footsteps.
In the six months since she had joined Seafigure Essence, the city no longer felt like a backdrop—it felt like a witness. Each morning, as sunlight filtered through the neem tree outside her window, Suhani rose with a quiet discipline that surprised even her. She dressed carefully, packed her lunch, touched her mother’s feet, and left home with the same steady thought:
*I am building something of my own.*
At the office, she grew into her role with patience rather than urgency. Strategy meetings no longer intimidated her; spreadsheets felt like stories waiting to be understood. Kabir Malhotra trusted her with independent research. Ananya debated with her openly. Ritvik challenged her ideas with excitement rather than ego. Meera became her safe space—the one who noticed when Suhani skipped lunch or stared too long at her screen.
Seafigure Essence did not feel like a corporate cage. It felt like a place where thought mattered.
And then, on an ordinary Tuesday afternoon, the extraordinary arrived without drama.
Suhani was revising a market-entry recommendation when an email notification appeared.
**Subject: Internal Transfer – Mumbai Branch**
Her fingers froze mid-keystroke.
She stared at the screen, heart suddenly loud in her ears. Around her, the office hummed—phones rang, chairs moved, coffee machines sighed—but for Suhani, everything narrowed to those three words.
Mumbai Branch.
She opened the email slowly, as if speed might change its meaning.
*Dear Ms. Suhani Singh,*
*In recognition of your performance, adaptability, and contribution to strategic research, the management has decided to transfer you to the Mumbai Branch of Seafigure Essence Private Limited, effective next month…*
Her breath caught.
Transfer.
Opportunity.
Separation.
She leaned back, absorbing the reality. Mumbai was not just another city. It was distance. Independence. A life beyond familiar walls.
Ananya noticed her expression first. “Suhani? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I… I got transferred,” Suhani said softly.
Ritvik spun around in his chair. “Transferred where?”
“Mumbai.”
There was a beat of silence—then smiles.
“That’s huge,” Meera said warmly.
“You deserve it,” Kabir added, nodding once.
“Promise you won’t forget us when you become important,” Ritvik teased.
Suhani smiled, but her eyes glistened. Growth always demanded a price.
---
That evening, Delhi looked different.
The streets she had walked all her life suddenly felt tender. The gate of her home creaked the same way it always had, yet something inside her knew—it would not sound the same when she returned.
At dinner, she told her parents.
Her mother placed her spoon down carefully. “Mumbai?”
Suhani nodded. “Next month.”
Her father remained quiet for a moment, then said, “You’ve earned it.”
Her mother reached for Suhani’s hand. “I knew this day would come,” she said softly. “A daughter like you cannot stay in one place forever.”
Suhani swallowed. “Will you be okay?”
Her mother smiled—the smile of a woman who had raised strength alongside tenderness. “A mother is never left behind. She just learns to wait differently.”
That night, Suhani lay awake, staring at the ceiling, listening to the sounds of her home—the ticking clock, the distant train horn, her parents’ muffled conversation. She pressed her palm to her chest.
*I am ready,* she told herself again.
*I have to be.*
---
Thousands of kilometers away, another home prepared for Mumbai.
Dhruv Khanna stood at the balcony of his New York apartment, city lights stretching endlessly below. His life was a series of departures—countries changed, projects evolved, hotels rose from ground to skyline under his quiet authority.
Born in **Amritsar**, Dhruv carried Punjab in his bones—the warmth, the pride, the unspoken loyalty to family. His father, **Baldev Singh Khanna**, was a name spoken with reverence across hospitality circles: founder and chairman of **Khanna Crown Hotels**, luxury properties spread across India, China, and Singapore.
Baldev Khanna believed in empires.
Dhruv believed in purpose.
His elder brother, **Karanveer Singh Khanna**, was everything the family legacy demanded—strategic, charismatic, deeply rooted in tradition. Karan had taken the family business forward with precision, expanding franchises, managing boards, carrying the surname with pride.
Karan’s wife, **Simran Kaur Khanna**, was London-returned, elegant, and fiercely artistic. A celebrated contemporary artist, she moved through high-class galleries and elite social circles with effortless grace. Yet beneath the glamour, she remained unmistakably Punjabi—warm laughter, bold honesty, and deep respect for family.
And then there was **Niddhi**.
Dhruv’s younger sister. His quiet responsibility.
Niddhi Khanna was softness with intelligence. A final-year bachelor’s student in Mumbai, she possessed an emotional wisdom beyond her years. Where Dhruv was controlled silence, Niddhi was gentle warmth. Where he analyzed, she understood.
She had chosen Mumbai early—not because of the city, but because of her brother.
“I trust you more than comfort,” she had once told him simply.
Dhruv carried that sentence everywhere.
Mumbai awaited him too—branch inspections, strategic oversight, unresolved thoughts.
And something else.
Something unfinished.
---
The day Suhani left Delhi arrived wrapped in emotion.
Suitcases lined the hallway. Her room looked unfamiliar stripped of everyday clutter. She touched the doorframe lightly, memorizing the feel.
Her mother helped her pack the last bag. “Don’t rush your meals,” she advised gently. “And don’t forget who you are trying to become.”
Her father walked her to the gate. “Remember,” he said quietly, “success is not louder cities—it’s calmer hearts.”
At the airport, friends hugged her tightly. Ananya whispered, “You’re going to do beautifully.” Ritvik promised visits. Meera slipped a handwritten note into her bag.
As Suhani stood at security, she turned one last time.
Her mother raised her hand in blessing. Her eyes were wet—but steady.
Suhani nodded, holding back tears, and walked forward.
Delhi released her.
---
The flight lifted smoothly. As clouds swallowed the city below, Suhani closed her eyes.
Fear fluttered. Excitement followed.
Mumbai waited.
And somewhere within that vast city, two journeys—unknown to each other—were aligning with quiet inevitability.
Not yet.
But soon.
