The conference was being held at the Grand Hyatt in Delhi, a gathering of the country’s top construction and engineering firms to discuss major infrastructure projects. I was there representing my company, prepared to network and learn about new opportunities in our rapidly expanding industry. I had always been confident in professional settings, comfortable discussing complex financial structures and project management strategies with senior executives who were impressed by my expertise despite my age.

Raghav Mehta stood out from the crowd immediately, not just because of his striking good looks but because of the way he carried himself. At twenty-nine, he possessed the kind of effortless confidence that comes from never having to worry about money or social status. As the CEO of Mehta Construction and the sole heir to one of Lucknow’s most prominent business families, he moved through the world with an ease that I found both attractive and slightly intimidating.