NRI, Wanted

The modern quest for a life partner, especially within the intricate, high-stakes web of Indian matrimony, is rarely a fairytale. More often, it's a corporate merger negotiated by well-meaning but frantic parents, a cosmic audit conducted by astrologers, and a financial vetting process that would make a tax inspector blush. For the Non-Resident Indian, or NRI, this process is amplified, broadcast across continents via the unforgiving blue light of a smartphone screen.
The NRI is a peculiar brand of commodity in this market: a desirable asset whose foreign gloss is meticulously inspected for any underlying flaws. This was the world Nitin Desai, a 32-year-old software engineer, was about to enter. His own world in Singapore was one of clean lines, logical code, and predictable outcomes. It was the serene hum of servers, the stunning, geometric silhouette of the Marina Bay Sands against a twilight sky, and the comforting, solitary scent of freshly brewed coffee in his minimalist apartment.
His life ran on a flawless algorithm of work, routine, and quiet contentment.