Malik was stunned.
The mention of "RW30,000" and James Brown's name in Dhiviya's confident speech shook him to the core. That was supposed to be a secret deal—buried under back channels and untraceable favors. Yet here she was, naming him outright.
Jennifer, too, sat frozen.
Does she know about me as well? she wondered in panic.
But deep inside, she felt relieved. She had made the right call—choosing to stand with AD Tech's integrity rather than bending to James Brown's money-driven agenda to sabotage D.A Studio.
"What nonsense are you spewing?" Malik blurted, trying to mask his fear with arrogance.
Dhiviya remained calm.
"You know very well what I'm referring to, Mr. Malik.
Would you prefer I display your payment transaction receipt on the projector…
or shall I proceed with my presentation?"
Her voice was measured. Her threat—calculated.
Panic exploded inside Malik.
If he allowed the presentation, he'd be indirectly admitting guilt.
If he refused, she'd expose him publicly.
He was cornered. And visibly unraveling.
From the side, Raghavan smiled at Suruthi, his voice low.
"Damn, I love how Queen handle annoying people.
Time for the general to step in."
He walked forward stepping out of the shadows and entered the room.
The sudden emergence caught everyone off guard.
He hadn't been seen earlier. No one knew how long he'd been watching.
Malik and Jennifer stiffened in shock. Malcolm straightened, visibly relieved.
"Finally," Malcolm murmured.
"This Malik clearly took the cash, just like the girl said."
Raghavan's voice cut through the room like command steel.
"Mrs. Dhiviya, you may begin your presentation.
And the juries—take your positions.
We'll talk after the presentation."
Dhiviya nodded and began.
Her presentation unfolded with brilliance.
She laid out her design concept centered around Rig-Vedaa—a fusion of ancient science with futuristic architecture. Every slide blended classical aesthetics with technological innovation. The room went silent.
Malcolm leaned forward, mesmerized.
Jennifer couldn't blink.
Raghavan himself was caught off guard.
Majestic. Timeless. Groundbreaking.
Exactly five minutes later, Dhiviya ended her pitch with grace.
Without even realizing it, Raghavan clapped.
"This is excellent.
Not many understand the brief when we say 'conceptual fusion of ancient science and modern technology.'
You've nailed it. Now I see why our Chairman approved two entries from D.A Studio."
Then—he smiled.
"Good job… Madam."
For the first time, he used the word "Madam" instead of Dhiviya's name.
She bowed slightly.
"Thank you, Mr. Raghavan.
Would the juries like to ask any questions?"
The juries exchanged nervous glances.
News of the Chairman's involvement had shifted the dynamic.
They realized this wasn't just a startup making noise. This was an endorsed name from within the system.
Jennifer recovered first.
"Mrs. Dhiviya…
I'll admit, the Rig-Vedaa concept is new to me.
I don't know much about ancient sciences—
but your explanation of origin energy was fascinating.
It's more advanced than feng shui or Vastu.
I want to learn more."
She turned to Raghavan.
"Mr. Raghavan, if it's alright—I'd like to submit my final review after conducting some research on this concept."
"Of course," Raghavan nodded.
He glanced at Malik—but chose to ignore him entirely.
Instead, he turned to Malcolm.
"Mr. Malcolm, your thoughts?"
Malcolm nodded enthusiastically.
"If I'm not mistaken, Rig-Vedaa is one of the four Vedas in Hindu scripture, correct?"
Dhiviya responded smoothly.
"Yes. It's the oldest of the four.
Rig-Vedaa dates back over 3,500 years.
Science and technology have always grown from ancient human practices—this concept showcases that progression."
She continued:
"Asia has a rich scientific heritage—much older than most Western systems.
But we've lost touch with it.
This presentation isn't about religion. It's about roots."
Her tone wasn't defensive—it was full of quiet authority.
Malcolm nodded again, visibly impressed.
Finally, Raghavan turned toward Malik.
His expression sharpened.
"Mr. Malik.
Your verdict?"
Malik was already fragmented inside. He knew he'd been exposed.
But he couldn't admit guilt.
Not here. Not now.
"…I have no comment," he muttered, after a long, cold pause.
"No comment!" Raghavan snapped.
Raghavan stepped forward, eyes blazing.
"Oh, I heard you earlier. You were hell-bent on throwing her out without hearing a single word of her presentation. What do you think this is—your grandfather's company? You think you can chase people out just because you say so!"
He pointed sharply at Malik.
"The submission guidelines never said only 'experienced' companies can pitch. You're here to evaluate the design, not play judge on who's worthy. And yet—you took under-the-table payments to favor your side, and tried to sabotage one of the most outstanding submissions today."
He gestured toward Dhiviya.
"Do you even know who she is? How dare you stir trouble in her own turf?"
"If she wanted, she could take every project in this room with one word. But she chose to earn it genuinely. Competing like everyone else. That's integrity. That's strength."
Dhiviya stepped in gently.
"Mr. Raghavan… please," she reminded him. "No need to reveal anything."
Raghavan shook his head.
"It's alright, Madam. Boss said he deserves to know exactly who he messed with."
Dhiviya understood. This was the moment things changed for good. She nodded knowing life wouldn't return to normal after this. Very soon her relationship with AD Tech and Athavan will come to light.
Raghavan turned toward the panel.
"She is the wife of the AD Tech Chairman."
There was silence. Jennifer's hand trembled slightly. Malik's eyes widened in horror.
"The boss wanted to give everyone a second chance when we discovered bribery had occurred. I messaged each jury, asking for honest reviews. You, Mr. Malik, ignored my warning."
Raghavan raised his voice.
"Guards!"
Two security officers who had been waiting quietly beside Suruthi stepped forward.
"Escort Mr. Malik to Custody Room. He'll join Mr. Sham another gentleman who ignored our warning."
He looked toward the Malik.
"Drona Singh's team is ready for full legal action. We're not sweeping this under the rug."
Malik tried to protest—but the guards grabbed him and led him out through the back door.
Malcolm and Jennifer sat frozen, stunned by the revelation of Dhiviya's identity.
Raghavan turned to Jennifer.
"You made the right choice, Miss Jennifer. Don't repeat the same mistake again. I have high expectations from both of you."
He smiled, then turned to Dhiviya with playful pride.
"Madam, I'll take my leave. Apologies for the mess caused by our selection panel.
James Architectural Design has been banned. But… for now, we won't say anything."
He grinned mischievously.
"Let them wait. Let them wonder. We'll hold their presentation till the very end then drop the news.
God… I love playing the villain sometimes."
He chuckled, and with a dramatic flair, exited the room.
Dhiviya shook her head with a small smile.
That man… always so theatrical.
But deep down, she felt it was justified. They had crossed the line, now they were facing the consequences.
She turned toward Jennifer and Malcolm.
"Thank you, Miss Jennifer for standing your ground. Shankar told me you didn't buckle under Mr. Malik's threats. And you too, Mr. Malcolm. I'm truly grateful."
She paused.
"But I have one sincere request. Please don't give D.A Studio special treatment just because I'm the Chairman's wife."
"We've all worked hard to prove ourselves. So have many other firms here. I hope you'll give honest reviews to every presenter. Let the best ideas win. If another firm deserves the top rating, give it to them."
She looked at them sincerely.
"At the end of the day, AD Tech deserves the best design. Don't count personal relationships. My husband's vision deserves integrity and so does this country."
With that, Dhiviya turned and left the presentation room.
Malcolm and Jennifer remained seated still processing.
It all felt surreal.