It was a busy day in "Petals 'N' Frostings," a floral bouquet and cake delivery shop on LB Road in Chennai's Adyar area. It's a little shop that sells personalized gifts, cakes, and flowers for various occasions. They're known for their beautiful flower arrangements, which include everything from carnation roses to Gerberas. Their fantastic team was well-known for making deliveries at all hours of the night. Their personalized gifts were like a crowning glory for them. The person behind all of these creative ventures was none other than Riya Thomas.
Riya Thomas, who used to be a bubbly, chirpy young lady, had evolved to be the owner of "Petals n Frostings," a noticeable entrepreneur in Chennai. Riya worked as a personal secretary for the CEO of the Dev group of companies for a while, but the work environment brought up some painful memories that she was trying to forget. She quit that job and started "Petals N Frostings" herself. Since she was a child, Riya has loved cakes and gifts. Her mother was an excellent baker, and she learnt from her.
Riya was busy arranging purple orchids with white roses and green fillers when her friend Aarthi, who also happened to be her employee, clapped her hands and exclaimed,
"Wow, you are wonderful at flower arrangement."
Aarthi's remark caught Riya off guard. Her first meeting with Mugil, which was still fresh in her mind, flashed before her eyes.
Flashback
"Excuse me, do you have an appointment?" questioned Riya, the CEO's secretary, to the person attempting to enter Dev's cabin.
After Riya's interrogation, Mugil grinned with amusement.
"Isn't it enough that you're unaware of who I am?"
"I don't mind who you are; I'm the CEO's secretary; you must ask me before meeting him," Riya said flatly, her voice a little louder this time.
"Even if I'm the Vice Secretary of the company."
Riya dropped her head in embarrassment and said politely "Sir, please accept my apologies."
Mugil chuckled at her instant change in body language. When he was about to walk away, he got stunned at the beautiful flowers.
"Wow, what a gorgeous vase, is it new?" Mugil inquired with excitement evident in his eyes.
"I merely combined the flowers from the two old vases and rearranged a bit," Riya explained humbly.
While entering Dev's cabin, Mugil remarked with a glint in his eyes, "You're good at flower arrangement."
Flashback ends
Aarthi's voice pulled Riya back from her thoughts. "What were you saying," she asked bluntly.
"Oh, God, you spaced out again. This is the nth time you've did anything like this today. I was telling you that you were becoming better with flowers every day." With a fake tear, Aarthi exclaimed.
Riya had been nervous recently, and her old memories were frequently flashing in her mind. She had a gut feeling that something was about to happen.
Aarthi had become a right hand for Riya in her business. Though she came from a rich family, Aarthi was working with Riya out of interest. Aarthi, like Riya, was a flower and cake hobbyist. Riya never regarded Aarthi like an employee and treated her equally in her business ventures. They were not, however, close enough to discuss their private lives.
Taking the absent look on Riya's face Aarthi waved her hand in front of her. Her gesture brought Riya back to her senses.
"It's nothing like that," Riya pretended to be normal. "Wait, we have a delivery to complete."
But, Aarthi understood that Riya can't open up to her easily. Besides Aarthi, Raj was also in their team. His duty was to look after the delivery. The three of them worked together in a friendly manner, almost like a family.
Riya cannot forget her first job. On the basis of her merit and internship, Riya joined Dev Enterprises and was assigned as the CEO's secretary. Dev was impressed with her work. Riya was a true professional in her work, unlike his previous assistants, who wore makeup to impress Dev.
Quick Recap
Mathan, Dev's father, was once the best in the hotel industry. He was the owner of multiple businesses all around the world. He got fed up with the accounts when his reign was at its peak. He transferred several of his assets to the names of some of his close relatives and designated them as partners, based on his accountant's suggestion. They were sham partners, and Mathan was reliant on them for his financial wellbeing. But fate had a hand in it. Mathan suffered a heart attack and passed out quickly.
Dev was in his first year of college at the time. Faced with their deceitful so-called relations, his mother was likewise naive. The dummy partners claimed their share after Mathan's death, leaving Dev and his mother in the lurch. Dev was too young to operate a business, yet he matured and accepted responsibilities. He shifted to evening college and began learning about the business.
They were left with only one business, which was registered in his father's name. But that, too, had to be pledged in order to run the business. Mugil was the person who helped Dev the most at the moment. During his school years, Mugil was his only friend. They enrolled at the same business school. Despite the fact that his family was not well-known, they had a good reputation.
During the initial stages, Dev worked hard, and some of the senior-loyal staff assisted him in recovering from the calamity. After finishing his education, he focused solely on business growth and worked his tail off to see it through. In the due process Dev became a cruel, egotistical, and self-centered businessman. In his dictionary, there was no such thing as sympathy or empathy. Mugil was the only person Dev could be friendly with. Mugil was Dev's unnamed brother, and he entrusted him with all of his personal tasks. Mugil, on the other hand, was not happy with this and developed a hatred towards Dev as a matter of fact. He began to believe that his dignity was being put to the test, and that Dev was exploiting him for his own purposes. In his heart, his anger towards Dev and his family became stronger, and he began to despise them.
Mugil kidnapped Dev's wife, Anu, and threatened Dev with his property, igniting a bitter rivalry between the two friends. When Mugil misunderstood Dev, he felt terrible. He can't even think of Mugil as an enemy. Mugil, too, later repents of his mistakes and lives with a guilty conscience. He was angry with himself for losing the precious people in his life, his precious Riya.
Dev's wife, Anu, considered Riya to be a close friend. Anu was a college junior for Anu and Riya was the one who helped Anu to secure a job at Dev Enterprises. Anu kept in touch with Riya even after being fired from his job. Mugil, who felt a sisterly bond with Anu, was drawn to Riya. He never passed up an opportunity to interact with Riya. His interest grew into love over time. His dislike for Dev, however, blinded him and overshadowed his feelings for Riya. Mugil afterwards grew wealthy and successful in business, but his personal life was nothing but a dark misery.
Mugil's regret for betraying Dev never allowed him to live a guilt-free life. After years, he learned that it wasn't just the absence of Dev that he craved, but also the presence of Riya, who is the only one who can mend his shattered heart. Mugil and Riya had a lovely relationship that was like a time lapse of a budding flower. However, it died before blossoming. Mugil used to create situations for Riya to interact with. When they were both attempting to open up, a series of events occurred, and they drifted apart.
(A/N: This is a sequel, please read, "You Are My Sunshine", to better understand this story)
Recap ends
Flower arrangement and baking were something Riya learnt from her mother. She went on to take some courses and became an expert in the field. Mugil's disappearance left a significant emptiness in her life. Her heart refused to follow her brain, despite her attempts to console herself by recalling Mugil's betrayal. Dev, who was aware of their unspoken love, did not deny when Riya wanted to leave her work. He even helped her with the start-up of her company. Dev was furious with himself for failing to comprehend his friend, and he blamed himself for their separation.
Riya's parents had to relocate from Kuttam, their native village, due to her studies and profession. They considered marrying Riya to a perfect man and returning to their village after a few years. Riya, on the other hand, avoided the subject like a plague. Her parents reluctantly returned to their village. On special occasions, Riya used to pay a visit to her parents and remain with them for a time. Riya, like Mugil, had become a workaholic and was living an empty life.