Hey my lovely readers.
How are you all?
Are you all enjoying the book so far?
Let's begin with the chapter now.
Akash's POV
After my little encounter with Mohit, me and Sid came back to our flat. more so because I didn't have the heart to watch them together.
Mohit has her with him who used to be my life...still is.
I sometimes have an instant urge to yank him away from her and kiss the daylight out of her and claim her, in front of everybody like I did back in college and make everybody realize that she's taken and all mine but alas, I can't do it.
What does Mohit have that I don't? I know I shouldn't compare myself with anyone because everyone is unique, in their own ways but since the day I've seen her in front of me, my urge to claim her as mine is stronger than before but I have to stop this heart from doing so.
My heart and brain have a constant battle among themselves.
My heart says to confront her and my brain says to keep my life less complicated and let everything be as it is.
Suddenly my phone started ringing bringing me out of my thoughts.
"Hey bhai, what's up?" Adarsh said.
"Nothing great. As usual, you know how corporate job is" I said and sat on the couch.
"I told you the quit the job and help me in this company" he said from the other side.
I just chuckled and said "you know I don't want to get into already established business."
Lately Adarsh got to know that I left the CEO position for him so that there's no family drama and he was quite devastated to know about it, saying that I never trusted him and chhote papa which isn't true.
It took me quite some time and pleading to make him, chachi and chhote papa understand that I wanted to establish my own IT business, which if I succeed, will later merge with my family business.
It was quite a family drama I must say, especially my chhote papa and chhotimummy. They love me like their own son and they were very much disheartened when they came to know why I stepped down as the CEO, which was only the partial truth.
I still remember, I was immediately called for an urgent family meeting and the conversation that we had. By far it was the most intimidating encounter that I had with my dad.
It's been almost three years since that family drama.
"How are you son?" my dad asked me once I reached home.
"I am fine dad" I said hugging him.
I broke the hug and went to mom and she kissed my forehead.
When I went to chhote papa and chhotimummy and touched their feet to take blessings, they did caress my forehead but didn't say anything, like everytime they used to shower me with blessings and hugs.
Something was wrong.
Before I could ask them what happened, my eyes went to Adarsh but what surprised me was that he didn't even acknowledge me.
"Hey bud, what's up" I said, going to him.
"Fine" he said and walked away.
I turned to dad and mom and they just gave me a week smile.
"What happened?" I asked them.
"Nothing, you just freshen up, then we'll have dinner" mom said and I went to my room.
After unpacking my luggage I went to the dining table where everybody was present.
"This looks yum mom" I said and took a bite of aloo paratha.
"You should thank your chhotimummy. She was the one who made it" mom said.
"Thank you chhotimummy, it's so long I've had your handmade food" I said, enjoying the paratha made by her.
"You never used to thank me when I used to make food for you. Why are you thanking me now?" she said in a harsh tone.
"It's okay, let him have his dinner in peace" chhotepapa said.
"But" she was saying but he cut her off "not now."
"What happened? Is everything fine?" I asked looking at all of them.
"Yes everything is fine,. It's just that we wanted to discuss something important with you" dad said.
"Okay, go ahead" I said.
"Not now, let's have dinner and then we can discuss it in my study" dad said.
"Okay dad, as you say" I said and after dinner, we all went to dad's study.
"So what is it that you want to talk about?" I asked, once we all got settled on our chairs.
"Why don't you want to share the CEO position with Adarsh?" dad asked me.
I was a little taken aback by his question as we already had this discussion many a times.
Composing myself I said "you already know the reason dad. I am not interested in business".
"Okay so what do you plan in future? I mean will you be continuing your job?" dad asked me.
"Yes" half lied.
"Than what are these files about?" dad said and handed me few files.
One look at it and I knew these were the same files I kept hidden from them, which I prepared for my future company.
I gulped and looked at him, then at chhotepapa then at Adarsh.
They were all glaring at me.
"Care to explain, son? If you aren't interested in taking over my business, which I am totally fine with, why is a complete layout of an IT company doing in these files" dad asked me.
"Dad, where did you get these?" I asked and he said "that's not the answer to my question, son. If you wanted to open up your own company, why didn't you tell me earlier? Why would you torture yourself in a good for nothing 9 to 5 job?"
"Dad, I want to gain some experience before I take up the risk of getting into this venture" I said.
He stared at me for a few seconds and said "fair enough, then why didn't you take up the CEO position?"
"I am not interested" I said blankly.
"Okay so are you sure you didn't want to give up the position because you thought it'd create differences between us?" dad asked.
My eyes became wide in disbelief.
Nobody was supposed to know about it.
"How did you know?" I asked him.
"The last time you came for vacations, I heard you talking to Sid one day" Adarsh said. "Though I wasn't sure myself and contemplating for some days whether to discuss this with dad and tauji but then I decided to tell them and after lot of discussions you've been called here, urgently."
Sighing, looked at mom who had a sad smile on her face and chhotimummy who had some tears in her eyes, all because of me.
I know when she must've some to know about it, she must've been devastated.
I went to her and tried to hug her but she stepped away from me.
"Chhoti maa, I am sorry" I said.
"No, you aren't my son" she said and it broke my heart.
"Please don't say that. I love you a lot chhoti maa" I said and hugged her.
"You don't consider me your maa, then how can I consider you my son? How could you even think that this small issue could rift this family apart?" she asked with tears in her eyes.
"Adarsh is the younger son of this family, even then you stepped down thinking that it might affect our relations? You are the elder son of this family. It should be you should take over the company, not only because you are elder to him but also because you deserve it" chhoti maa said.
I just looked down and then my eyes landed at chhotepapa.
I went to him and said "please don't misunderstand me. I really live you all a lot, I can't see you all sad."
"Then leave your job and take up the CEO position" he said.
"No. I won't do it" I said.
"Why?" dad asked.
"Dad, you always had a vision to get your company to great heights which you did and Adarsh is continuing very well. The only sector in which we haven't stepped is IT. I always had a vision to have my own company and once it gets established, I'll merge it with our family business" I said.
"So yo mean to say that once the business is established well, you'll merge it with us and step up as CEO" Adarsh said.
"Not the overall CEO, only for my company. I'll be the one handling it and for rest you can handle, as you're doing now" I said.
I turned to chhoti maa and said "you wanted me to be the CEO right? Wouldn't you be proud of me if I establish my own company and become the CEO?"
"I've always been proud of you son, the only thing that made me sad was the fact that you thought we could fight over such a trivial issue" she said and kissed my forehead.
"I am sorry chhoti maa, please forgive me" I said and hugged her.
"It's okay beta but anytime you feel that you want to step up as the CEO, Adarsh will immediately step down. We love you a lot, please never ever doubt our love for you" she said.
"Yes bhai. You're more important than this position for me" he said and I hugged him.
"I know" I said wiping my tears.
Breaking the hug I said "I just need all of your support. It might take me some years to establish my own company. I want you all to be patient with me."
"How long do you think it'll take son?" dad asked me.
"Probably five years dad" I said.
"Okay" he said.
"I might need your help Adarsh to arrange some financers in future" I said.
"Anytime bhai" he said.
"You there bhai" I was immediately brought back to reality when I heard his voice on the phone.
"Yes...I am here. I was just a little zoned out" I said and he chuckled.
"Of course" he scoffed.
"So how's business?" I asked him.
"Nothing new, just came out of a meeting that I had during lunch" he said sighing.
I chuckled and said "it's almost seven dude. What took you so long?"
"Nothing, just legal discussions regarding a new contract was pending which I sorted out today" he said.
"Is this the same deal you were talking about a few weeks back? Aren't you taking over the company?" I asked.
"Yes, it's the same deal. It was pending since four months and I was so keen on taking over the company, although dad an tauji at one point of time gave up but I didn't and I am glad they didn't stop me from going ahead. I must say Sophia did a very great job as well, following up with the company's management and preparing a good deal which they couldn't refuse. This deal will give us billions of turnover" he said.
"See, I told you, you are better than me" I said.
"Not today please. I know if you would've handled the meeting, we would've closed the deal much earlier" he said.
"That's all your imagination" I said.
"Nopes, it's not" he said and I heard a female voice in the background "Adarsh sir, can I leave?"
I immediately recognized the voice "is it Sophia?" I asked him.
"Yes she is" he said.
"I want to talk to her" I said.
"Okay" he said.
After few seconds I heard a sweet voice from the other end.
"Hello" she said.
"Hi Sophia, how are you?" I asked her.
"I am fine Akash sir, how are you?" she said.
"How many times do I've to inform you not to call me sir? You work for my brother, not for me" I said to her sternly.
She chuckled and said "of course Akash" she said.
"Okay then many many congratulations for cracking the deal" I said.
"Thank you Akash" she said.
I went to balcony and said "so what are you planning to do to celebrate this deal?" I asked her.
"Nothing much Akash. I am planning spend my time with my mom once I go home" she said.
"How's your mother by the way?" I asked.
"She's doing great, all thanks to you and Aman sir, she's recovering quite well after the heart surgery she went through few months ago" she said.
"It's not because of us Sophia, you've been nothing but proven to be an asset for our company. I know how hard you work with Adarsh to keep this company on top. The least we could do for you is to get your mother treated in a renowned hospital" I said to her.
"Even then Akash, you offered me job and have done a lot for me" she said.
"I haven't done anything Sophia. As I promised I only recommended your name to Adarsh for the posy of his assistant. Rest was his decision to give you the job or not. It's all your hard work" I said.
"Even then Akash, if you wouldn't have recommended me to him..." she was saying but I heard a voice "enough Sophia, just don't bore him with your stupid talks. Give the phone back to me".
I heard a shuffling sound from the other end and Adarsh was on call again "yes bhai tell me."
"I was talking to Sophia" I said.
"Yes I know and she was getting you bored with her talks so I took the phone back" he said.
"Why do you bully her when clearly you appreciate her work a lot?" I asked him.
"I don't bully her" he said, innocently.
"Oh really?" I asked him.
"Yes really. I just like to irritate her" he said, probably grinning.
"What are you? five?" I asked him.
"No. I am soon to turn twenty six" he said.
"But you don't behave like you're twenty six" I said chuckling "especially around her"
"What do you man?" he asked.
"You very well know what I mean" I said.
"Hold your horses bhai, there's nothing like what you're thinking" he said.
"Oh yeah? But I didn't say anything" I said smirking.
"Oh you did" he said.
"No I..." I trailed off when my eyes got stuck to a scene in front of me.
What the hell?
Hey my lovely readers.
Well Adarsh and Sophia are back and finally Akash fulfilled his promise of getting her a job.
Isn't Akash a sweetheart?
Well Adarsh and Sophia will play a major role for Akash and Siya, not now but in later part of the story.
How did the chapter come out?
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Till next chapter, tk cr bbyee
Tadas