The Secret Wife of the CEO

Distance and Longing

Sanju's feeling of emptiness without Bhargav was deeply felt. Each moment without him seemed to stretch longer, intensifying her longing for his return. After the Deepavali break, she tried to immerse herself in busyness to quell her loneliness. As she approached the entrance of her office, her thoughts were consumed by memories of their last moments together. Vishal's face brightened with unmistakable joy upon seeing Sanju. "Starting the week seeing you, Sanju, feels like a good omen," he remarked, his smile broadening with delight at their unexpected meeting. Sanju, somewhat taken aback by his exuberance, offered a courteous smile in response. "Good morning, Sir," she said, her thoughts still intertwined with Bhargav. Vishal, keen to keep the conversation going, moved a bit closer, his enthusiasm evident. "How was your Deepavali?" he asked eagerly. Sanju's face softened into a shy smile as she recalled the festivities spent with Bhargav. "It was really good. I enjoyed it," she responded, gently edging back a step to maintain a comfortable distance. Vishal, meanwhile, was captivated by her genuine, heartfelt smile — a look of happiness he had never seen on her before. Unnoticed by them, Priya and Jaya watched the exchange from a distance. Their whispers carried a hint of suspicion. "Looks like Sanju is enjoying the attention a bit too much, don't you think?" Priya murmured, her voice laced with insinuation. "Yeah, look at her blushing, she seems quite comfortable around Vishal. Maybe too comfortable," Jaya added, the two nodding in agreement, their misunderstanding painting a different picture of the innocent interaction.

In the conference room, Anitha presided over the monthly team meeting with her usual poise and efficiency as the team members provided updates and outlined their plans for the coming month. Once the business part of the meeting was concluded, Anitha shifted to a more exciting announcement. "The company's annual day is coming up in a month." Anitha began, her eyes scanning the room for reactions. "It's an opportunity for everyone to bring their families and enjoy a day filled with fun and entertainment. Please make sure to RSVP to the event." She continued, "Each department is also given five slots to showcase their talents. Whether it's singing, dancing, magic, comedy, or any other creative act. I want us to use this chance to show off the creativity that makes our team unique. There will be prizes for each category too, so let's think about what we can put together. People who are interested or have ideas feel free to let me know in the next 2 days. We can then discuss later on the ideas for our performances."The team buzzed with excitement, tossing around ideas for their contributions. 

Later that evening, Sanju approached Anitha, a hint of hesitation in her voice. "Ma'am, are there any slots open for singing or dancing?" she inquired. Anitha, curious, responded, "Are you interested in both? Why don't you sing a few lines of your favorite song for me now? We do have a spot for a female singer open and depending on your singing, I can confirm." Sanju took a deep breath and softly sang a few lines of her favorite Ram bhajan. Her voice was clear and melodious, filling the room with a soothing warmth. Anitha listened, visibly impressed. "That was beautiful, Sanju. You've just filled the spot for the female voice. And let's sign you up for the dance slot as well." Thrilled, Sanju agreed. That evening at dinner, she eagerly talked about the company's annual day and her own involvement in the performances. She extended an invitation to everyone to attend. Radha, Krishna, and Raghav agreed to come but made it clear their attendance would depend on their work and surgeries that day. Meanwhile, all three grandparents enthusiastically accepted the invitation, delighted at the prospect of attending.

Post dinner Sanju was excited to facetime Bhargav as she had not seen him in 2 days since he left to US. Sanju bubbled over with enthusiasm as she shared her participation in the song and dance segments. Bhargav smiled, his heart swelling with pride at Sanju's excitement and newfound confidence. Yet knowing Sanju's divine voice, internally, he harbored jealousy about the unwanted fans her performance might draw. Sanju, oblivious to Bhargav's thoughts, continued, "I've invited everyone to come watch. Grandparents are thrilled and can't wait to attend. Amma, Appa, and Raghav Anna also want to come, as long as they don't have emergencies at work that day. I just wish you could be there with me." Bhargav responded with a warm smile, "That's great to hear, sweetheart. I wish I could be there too, believe me."