She began mentally making a list as she ate.
Fruits.
Vegetables.
Herbs.
Maybe some leafy greens.
Perhaps a few plants she had never tried growing before.
The possibilities were almost endless.
The magical space already had an environment unlike anything available in the ordinary world. There was no pollution, and the magical elements within it made plants grow exceptionally well.
That meant she could cultivate food in an environment she could completely control.
No worrying about city pollution.
No wondering how fresh something really was.
No depending entirely on whatever was available at the store.
She could simply grow it herself.
And because she was beginning a demanding life in New York—balancing modelling work, travel and education—having a reliable supply of fresh food would be incredibly useful.
She wanted her meals to be simple, nutritious and as fresh as possible.
Akshatha took another bite of her breakfast and smiled.
This was one advantage of the magical space she had barely been able to explore before.
Now she finally had the freedom to make the most of it.
She finished her breakfast and began thinking about what she needed to buy.
"Seeds first," she murmured to herself.
Then she would prepare the magical space.
If everything went according to plan, she would soon have her own little source of fruits, vegetables and other fresh produce.
It would not just save her money in the long run.
More importantly, she would know exactly where her food came from.
For someone trying to take complete control of her new life, that mattered.
Her career was hers.
Her education was hers.
Her apartment was hers.
And now, perhaps, she could even grow much of the food she ate herself.
Akshatha felt a quiet satisfaction at the thought.
Akshatha began putting her magical space to good use.
Akshatha began putting her magical space to good use.
She planted several fruit plants and varieties she genuinely enjoyed eating. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, avocados and other fruits she liked were carefully added to her growing collection. She knew that, with the magical environment inside the space, the plants would thrive far better than they normally would.
It gave her a quiet sense of satisfaction.
After turned eighteen.
That number meant more than simply another birthday.
Her fashion career also began changing rapidly.
Until then, there had been limits on the kind of work she could accept. Now those restrictions were no longer holding her back in the same way.
The opportunities became bigger.
And so did the competition.
The fashion industry could be ruthless.
Hundreds of models might want the same opportunity, while only a handful would actually be selected. Getting onto a major runway was not simply about looking good. There were countless talented models competing for the same casting, the same designer and the same few places.
It felt almost like a war.
Everyone wanted to be chosen.
Only a few could be.
Akshatha knew that being young and attractive was not enough. If she wanted to remain at that level, she had to work harder than the people around her.
So she gave her work everything she had.
Every fitting, casting, rehearsal, runway.
She treated each opportunity as though it could determine what came next.
When she was travelling for work in the UK, her schedule became increasingly demanding. Between fittings, rehearsals, shoots and runway appearances, there was hardly any time to waste.
After completing one of the runway shows, however, she received an unexpected opportunity.
There was an audition taking place for an Indian story.
She did not know much about it.
She did not even know which film it was for.
All she knew was that a British production team was conducting auditions for a film based around an Indian story, and they were looking for suitable actors.
Akshatha was curious.
She had no idea whether anything would come of it, but she had learned not to reject an opportunity simply because it was outside her usual field.
So she gave the audition a try.
She walked into the room without expecting much.
She performed her audition and left it behind her, returning her attention to her fashion work.
Then, some time later, she received a call.
They wanted her to attend another audition.
This time, it would take place in Mumbai.
That immediately caught her attention.
She agreed to attend.
At first, she still did not know exactly which production she was being considered for.
Then she received more information about the project.
And suddenly, everything clicked.
It was the same British film —the one based on an Indian story that had been attracting enormous attention.
She was stunned when she realized which film it was.
This was not an ordinary production.
It was the film that would go on to receive extraordinary international recognition and win multiple Academy Awards.
Akshatha sat quietly for a moment after realising she had walked into the first audition simply because she thought, Why not give it a try?
She had never imagined that a casual opportunity after a runway show could lead her toward a film that would become one of the most celebrated Indian-themed films in international cinema.
The second audition was to be held in Mumbai.
Akshatha arranged her travel and returned from the UK, still trying to understand how seriously she should take the opportunity.
It was unusual.
She had gone for the first audition almost casually, without even knowing which film it was for. Now the production team had specifically asked her to travel to Mumbai for another audition.
That alone told her that they were genuinely interested.
When her family learned that she was back in Mumbai for an audition, they were naturally curious.
"You're here for an audition?" her father asked.
Akshatha nodded.
"Yes. They called me for another round. The first one was in the UK, and now they want me to attend the next one here."
Her family listened carefully as she explained what little she knew about the project.
At first, even Akshatha did not have the complete picture.
But once they understood that it was a British production based on an Indian story and that she had already cleared one round of auditions, their attitude changed.
They encouraged her to take it seriously.
"At least give it your best," her father told her. "You don't have to decide anything before you know exactly what they are offering."
Her family was supportive.
They knew she had already built herself a strong position in the fashion industry, and they also knew she was careful about the opportunities she accepted.
"If they have called you again, there must be something they liked," one of her father told her. "Go and see what happens."
Akshatha smiled.
"That's what I'm planning to do."
She did not want to build expectations before anything was confirmed.
Still, somewhere inside, she was curious.
She did not know whether it would actually lead anywhere.
But she had learned one thing from her career already:
An opportunity was worth exploring before deciding whether it was worth accepting.
So she prepared herself for the Mumbai audition.