Soul mate

chapter 1

My name is Jiya Kapadia.

I'm the daughter of Rajat Kapadia—one of the top businessmen in the country. People idolize him, admire his success, and speak of him like he’s some kind of legend.

But I don’t.

It’s not that I hate him—he’s my father, and that still means something to me. But I’ve never admired him. Not the way the world does.

Our relationship is... strained. He barely looks at me. Maybe he tolerates me, maybe he even likes me in some quiet way—but love? That’s something he reserves for my twin brother, Jay.

And it hurts.

I feel invisible most of the time, like a background character in my own home. I’ve spent my whole life trying to prove myself, to show him that I’m just as capable—if not more—than Jay. I’ve dreamed of stepping into the boardroom, leading Kapadia Industries into the future.

But my dreams don’t matter to him.

No matter how many awards I win, how high my grades are, or how determined I am, he never sees it. All he sees is a girl. A pretty face to marry off, not a leader to guide his empire.

He says it’s for my own good.

He says I should focus on my appearance, prepare for marriage, learn to cook, be gentle, be quiet.

He’s arranged my engagement to some wealthy businessman—one I’ve barely even met. Meanwhile, Jay, who’s never shown any interest in the company, is now the heir apparent to the Kapadia legacy.

It’s like my dreams were discarded the moment I was born a girl.

Sometimes, in the quiet hours of the night, I wonder—if I had been born a boy, would he have loved me more?

Would he have seen me at all?

---

I’m Jay Kapadia. The golden boy. The chosen one.

The one who never asked for any of this.

My mother may not be a business tycoon, but she’s my role model. A brilliant cook with dreams of becoming a chef—dreams she gave up the moment she married my father. He never supported her ambition. To him, cooking was a hobby. A woman’s duty. Something to serve the family, not to build a future on.

But to me? Her cooking was art. It still is.

I’ve always wanted to follow in her footsteps, to open my own restaurant, to cook the way she does—with heart, passion, and soul. I know I’m good. I know I could make something of myself in that world.

But my father doesn’t care about what I want.

He’s made it clear: I’m the future of Kapadia Industries. His legacy. His perfect successor.

He recently made it official—announced that I’d be the next CEO. The press loved it. The board clapped. My father smiled.

And I died a little inside.

This life isn’t mine. These responsibilities, this image... it’s a cage.

Sometimes, I look at Jiya and envy her. At least she has the freedom to dream—even if no one lets her chase those dreams. At least no one is forcing her into a suit she doesn’t want to wear.

I wonder if being born a girl would’ve spared me from all this.

I wonder why fathers never ask their children what they want—why they only see us as extensions of themselves.

Why can’t we just live for ourselves?

---

If you don’t know who I am, that’s your loss.

I’m Veer Raichand.

Yes, that Veer Raichand.

Cold-hearted. Arrogant. CEO of Vante Corporation. The name you hear whispered in boardrooms and blared across media headlines.

But save your assumptions. I’m not your typical romance drama CEO who gets “tamed” by some girl’s charm. I’m not here to play nice.

I care about three things:

My business. My time. My image.

The rest can go to hell.

I have everything people crave—money, power, looks—and none of it came from my so-called father. The man’s a parasite. I built everything I have on my own. No inheritance. No support. Just grit and blood.

My father? A walking disgrace. A relic clinging to his mistresses and outdated ways. I don’t respect him, and I sure as hell don’t owe him anything.

My mother? Practically a stranger. After she divorced him, she vanished from my life. Shows up once a year, smiles like we’re family, then disappears again. I don’t blame her. At least she leaves me alone.

Relationships? Disgusting.

Thanks to that man, I have zero interest in romance unless it benefits my business. s*x, love, affection—it’s all transactional in my world.

I recently announced my engagement to Jaehna D’Souza. She’s wealthy, beautiful, and her father’s influence is a perfect fit for my expansion plans.

A power couple, made of strategy and ambition. That’s all I need.

Stay out of my personal space. Stay out of my way.

Because in my world, weakness is a luxury I can’t afford.