Entangled Love (6yr leap)

CHAPTER 23

As the days grew colder, the amount of sunlight slowly diminished. However, one early afternoon, the sun's rays had managed to break through the glass windows, forming beautiful warm patterns on the wooden floor of a familiar home.

The soft strains of music filled Akshara's cosy studio as she sat at her workbench, delicately shaping a piece of gold wire, threading through the sparkling gemstone, creating an intricate pendant. Her fingers moved with practised ease, guided by the love she poured into each design. 

In her journey as a jewellery designer, Akshara has now established herself as a trusted artisan for some of the top jewellery brands.

But during the formative years of her career, Akshara operated as a freelancer, navigating her way in the industry, relying on the raw materials and the expertise of crafting provided by the best local jewellery makers to bring her designs to life, forming a symbiotic partnership.

Despite not having the formal education to validate her artistic abilities, Akshara was determined to learn and master the art of crafting and sought the guidance of skilled and knowledgeable local craftsmen, who generously imparted their expertise and shared valuable insights to help her hone her skills. 

Through their patient and diligent tutelage, she gained a deep understanding of the art, and her passion and dedication to the craft only continued to grow.

However, over time, she had made the decision to exclusively sell her meticulously crafted designs to the most prestigious brands in the industry. As a result, she has limited her personal involvement in the creation process, allowing the brands to utilize their own top-of-the-line raw materials and production methods. 

This move has enabled her to maintain the highest quality standards for her designs and focus on the creative aspects of her work, while still reaching a wider audience through the established brands.

But today was different; it was her day off from her part-time work as a music therapist at the school, and she had decided to spend it crafting a special piece of jewellery for her chaotic babies, Manyasha and Abhir.

With the twins' birthdays just around the corner, she had been racking her brain for weeks, trying to come up with the perfect gift. She wanted to give them something that was both unique and meaningful, something that would show just how much she loved them. 

And after much consideration, she finally came up with an idea that she was sure would be perfect - a gift that would be special and personal to each of them, something that only they could possess and treasure forever.

Her passion for her craft was evident in the focused furrow of her brow and the gentle hum of satisfaction that filled the room.

Lost in her creative reverie, Akshara's peaceful solitude was abruptly interrupted by the jarring ring of her phone. 

Startled, she set down her tools and reached for the device, a smile evident as  Riya's name flashed on the screen. But as soon as she received the phone Riya's frantic voice greeted her making her smile dim and her heart quicken with apprehension.

AK - Riya, first calm down, now tell me what's wrong.

Akshara's voice was tinged with concern now, as she asked her what the matter was. Riya's voice spilt through the receiver, her words tumbling over each other in a rush of urgency. 

R - Akshata, it's the client from our latest project. He's furious. He's claiming that the design we sent him was a plagiarized piece. He wants to meet with you right away.

Akshara's brows furrowed in confusion at the unexpected complaint and replied.

AK - Plagiarized? But that can't be right. We always triple-check everything before sending it out. There must be some misunderstanding.