The Bachelor

Chapter 1: Lights, Camera, Explosion!

21st February, 7:00 pm, Galaxy Villa, Madh Island, Mumbai.

I stared distractedly at my own reflection in the mirror that was attached to an elaborate dressing table.

My hair and makeup looked decent enough. The hair stylists wanted me to apply a little more gel on my hair to make the spikes protrude further. I immediately refused...because nobody touched my hair without my permission!

Besides, I wasn't going to change my look for this stupid roadshow that I had unwillingly chosen to be a part of!

My publicist and manager-Amir-had already called me a million times to enquire about my whereabouts, until I'd finally showed up at the venue some time ago-an entire hour late!

On paper, Amir was my manager, but in reality he was my father's eyes and ears to keep track of my movements. Honestly, it was a little flattering that Mr. Malhotra had hired someone to spy on me-it meant he saw me as a potential threat to his plans! I definitely considered that as a compliment!

That didn't make Amir any less annoying though! However, he would soon realize that nagging me was of no use!

Nobody could tell Manik Malhotra what to do!

I had agreed to be the suitor for this season of 'The Bachelor' only because of the deal I had made with Mr. Malhotra.

In the last two years, I'd had only one goal-and that was to expand the Malhotra business to start a music label in my name.

Music had always been an integral part of my life, and although I had stopped performing at live shows, I still wanted to be connected to it somehow.

A music label seemed like the perfect option to do so since I knew that I would inherit Malhotra industries in the future.

But my father had thrown a wrench in my plans! Even though I was the heir to the Malhotra fortune, my father still had exceptional control over the board members of the company. There was no way I could fulfil my wish as long as he used his veto power against my proposal!

That's why I had given my consent to do this silly reality show-my father needed me to choose a wife who would fit in well with the faux high society crowd that my parents loved to mix with, and in exchange he would let me start my own label.

I laughed as I thought of his naivety! Did he really think I would quietly follow his instructions and get married without any objection?!

Fuck, no!

My plan was simple-all I had to do was find a contestant who was a gold digger! Then I'd offer her a business deal that she wouldn't be able to refuse!

I'd simply put on an act of falling for her as the episodes of the show progressed, and expect her to do the same. I'd keep her on the show till the finale episode, and propose to her as well! Then according to the deal, she'd pretend to be my fiancée for a period of two months until, my father would formally start a music label in my name! Then we'd have a publicized breakup so that I could get my old life back!

I knew that the plan was flimsy but I was almost sure that an incentive of one crore that I'd pay from my personal trust fund would be enough to tempt at least one contestant to take up my offer!

Besides, how many self-respecting girls would even agree to be a part of this comical farce of a show?! The girls had to be pretty desperate to take part, right?

And when it came to revamping my Casanova image-let's just say that I wouldn't deprive myself of having some casual fun...especially since I'd be surrounded by attractive women!