Maheswari Silks stood tall and elegant in the heart of the Mumbai city, the city glowing under the afternoon sun. Inside, the air smelled faintly of new silk and sandalwood. Since this was their store, the entire Agnihotri–Maheswari clan had been ushered into an exclusive VIP lounge upstairs—plush sofas, warm lighting, private mannequins dressed in the latest collections, and racks upon racks of silk waiting to be admired.

“Okay,” Siddhu announced dramatically, clapping his hands together, “this is dangerous territory. Give rich people silk, privacy, and opinions—and chaos follows.”