"Then, why didn't you win it?" Vir asked, amusement lacing in his eyes, his voice soft and mellow like honey. There was no trace of anger or regret in his voice.
" Because, I couldn't do it. My conscience didn't let me." Sophia confessed.
"Hm. Is it because of their exploitation tactics that they were planning to use against the Mathurs?"Vir asked gently to which Sophia nodded.
"But now that we have backed out. Won't they actually do what your conscience is against? "Vir asked next. Making Sophia widen her eyes in realization, as it dawn upon her.
She lowered her eyes, the guilt crawling up on her skin.
"Well, I know you are a person with morals and ethics. I also know that the reason you are like this is because you are young.
Now,if you think I am insulting then hear me out, because I am not. Instead, I am praising you. You see Sophia, when a person is young, she is mostly pure, she mostly has strong morals and ethics.
She isn't afraid to voice out her opinions and thoughts, she isn't afraid to call right as right and wrong. She is strong. She isn't afraid to leave the toxicity and start fresh anew.
But Sophia as the person grows up, she starts adapting, she starts adjusting, the longer she is exposed to the cruel, corrupt world, the more her faith and confidence shakes, the more her trust in herself breaks.
These ethics and morals that once defined her, they end up becoming mere words in the dictionary with no real meaning. Sophia, this world and the time tests every individual on this planet. Be it good or bad, rich or poor, healthy or sick, smart or dumb.
It's easy to be led astray. It's easy to forget your path, your journey, your goals, your dreams, even yourself on the way.
If you don't believe me, try to record a five minute message to your future self once in a month. After a year, go through all twelve messages and you will realize that the you of yesterday was different from you of today and the same way, the you of tomorrow would be different from the you of today.
I don't know what the future holds, but I hope you can stick with your morals, your ethics, your personality, your dreams and your ambitious self till the end of time.
This world is a creepy, soiled, corrupt, cold, dark place, it can rot even the freshest of fruits with time. But you.. please, don't change Sophia, no matter what."Vir expressed, making Sophia stare at him seriously.
"But everything aside, business is business, Sophia. We only count the profits here, while losses are seen as a stain, as the sign of failure, in our industry.
So, tell me how you will fix this." Vir asked, making Sophia finally snap out of her train of thoughts.
"I don't know, but I am not apologising to those jerks." Sophia announced.
" As if, I would let you. Over my drop dead gorgeous, rich, hot, smart-ass dead body. The Shrikants chapter is close. I will inform Ms.Lee that we are not associating ourselves with the likes of them.
What I meant when I asked that question is, should I arrange a meeting between the Mathurs and you? If you can poach them, then maybe then won't get exploited."Vir suggested.
"Ha! Poach them with what?" Sophia asked in a mocking tone. They don't need cardboards, not when they have the best option available.
" Well, we may not be needing the cardboards but we can use the notebooks, the paper, made up of recycled plastic.
We can donate it in schools,colleges, universities and send the batches of the products in our departmental store chains across the country to sell. What do you think?" Vir couldn't help but propose his eyes brimming with excitement, like a five year old.
"But we already made the stationary with our patented bamboo paper." Sophia reminded him.
"Indeed, we do that.But we can always bring competition to our own brands with our own brands. This way, people will get options and they can choose which one they wish to buy.
Whether they choose quality or quantity.
Not to mention, even if they can heal and grow again, doesn't mean they don't get hurt, they are living beings too, just like you and me."Vir added sympathetically.
"Who are we talking about? "Sophia asked in confusion, who is getting hurt here.
"The bamboos." Vir exclaimed, as if he can't fathom considering them just plants.
Sophia just sighed deeply.
"Well, take your time. It's a long ride anyways." Vir added before staring outside the window. Damn the traffic, damn,the peak hours. Only if everyone could be as rich as him, he would love to use helicopters as the general mode of transportation over the car.
This overpopulated country and its overly out of control traffic. He needs to talk with the president, to get the vip siren for his car.
"Wait a minute, why are you helping me? How can you arrange the meeting between the Mathurs and I? " The quick witted Sophia finally asked.
"Ah! You caught me. Well,I am doing it for my personal gains. You see, I can arrange the meeting right away, but I need a favor in return."Vir was quick to admit.
"What favour?" Sophia asked, barely controlling her anger. This shrew…
"Cappuccino. I need a cup of…" Vir excitedly explained his favour, but he was cut off mid sentence.
"Nope, not happening. " Sophia rejected mercilessly.
"What! But why not?" Vir exclaimed, his soul feeling the weight of getting crushed by a mere no from a stubborn girl.
"Because Mrs. Singhania said so." Sophia quickly brought Vir's mother into the equation.
"Are you for real? She won't even know." Vir said exasperatedly.
"Not happening."Sophia strictly refused.
"Ah!" Vir groaned, after his request got squashed mercilessly by the girl, sitting best him.
Did he mention that he is not allowed to drink cappuccino? Well now, he did. Cappuccino, his favorite drink, and he is not allowed.
Reason, food poisoning which happened six months before, during which time Sophia was either directly or indirectly involved in this incident.
Ah! The epic Tom and Jerry duo of the V International.