Abhi tapped his foot anxiously as he stood outside his father's office room in their house. He has never been close to his father. They barely talk. When Abhi was a child, he used to crave his father's attention. His father was always busy. Always. And slowly his craze for his attention vanished. Now he doesn't want to talk to him. Or maybe he doesn't know what to talk to him. His father has tried to start a conversation with him many times. Maybe he wanted to make up for the past but it's too late now. At least, that's what Abhi thinks.
But Abhi's big brother, Abhimaan was always present for him. He never complained about their father's absence from their life to make money. Instead, he made Abhi understand its importance.
Abhimaan was a successful lawyer now. Everyone was proud of him. Everyone except his father. None of his sons were interested in business. He wanted Abhimaan to take responsibility for the business after him. And guess what, the cons of being the eldest child is you have to be responsible. And so Abhimaan has decided to give up on his career to help his father in business. He just wanted to live his dream for a few years before joining him. So two years from now, he will give up on law and join his father's office.
And Abhi hated this. He can never think of giving up on his dream just to fulfil his father's wish. But his brother won't listen. Once he made up his mind for anything, it's almost impossible to change it. But he still has two years, maybe he would change his mind. Maybe.
Coming out of his thoughts, he finally knocked on the door and entered after getting permission.
"Abhi? What did I do to deserve your presence here?" his father asked surprised.
"Can't I come here to talk to you?" Abhi asked.
"Of course, you can. Come, sit," his father smiled.
"Uh... So... So.. How are you?" Abhi asked awkwardly. He cannot just ask about work directly. He just wants to get out of this room. He never thought it would be so awkward talking to his father. But it's because of Aaradhya. He can do this much for her.
"I am good. You? How are your studies going on?" he asked.
"Fine," he answered.
"So anything new?" his father asked after two minutes of uncomfortable silence.
"No nothing new. So how's work going on? Anything new with business?" Abhi asked finally.
"You are asking about business? Wow! I am pleasantly surprised," he smiled.
"Yeah, I just thought...."
"Well, everything is fantastic. We are even thinking of entering construction now. The profit there is incomparable," he told his son.
"Construction? What's the need? Aren't we earning enough profit in textiles?" Abhi asked. He had an idea that the Arvind Singh Rathod, Aaradhya was talking about his father but after confirming it a different type of feeling was consuming his heart.
"There is nothing like 'enough profit' in business, son. We can always make more," his father smiled.
"What's the need? Bhaiya doesn't even want to join you in the future. Why are you burdening him and yourself," Abhi argued.
"Let Abhimaan speak for himself. You don't need to speak on his behalf. We already had enough discussion on that topic. He is ready. What's your problem?" his father said irritated now.
"OK! Then enter the construction industry. But honestly. Without your wicked and cruel ways. Without destroying others livelihood," Abhi said finally.
"What are you talking about?" his father asked.
"I know what you are doing, Dad. I know. Why can't you just leave the Raghuvansh Industry as it is? Focus on yours. It will beat the Raghuvansh one day. There is no need for planning and plotting to destroy them," Abhi said.
"Who is telling you all these things? And boy, you may be grown up but you are not so grown up that you can advise me about my work. Now if you are done then leave. I have other important things to deal with," he said.
"You always have other things to deal with except for your family. I like Aaradhya, Aditya Raghuvanshi's daughter. Don't ruin our relationship with your greed," Abhi said in a pleading voice.
"Oh so now that man is using his daughter to get back at me. Fucking coward!"
"Enough Dad. Enough. I respect him. Mind your words," Abhi said, anger evident in his voice.
"You are taking his side in front of your father. He is our rival, Abhi!" his father exclaimed.
"He worked hard to build his empire, Dad. He was not born with a silver spoon like you! And he never used the wicked and cruel ways like you" Abhi answered.
"And I did not work hard? I did not sacrifice my sleep, my time, or my family's comfort to make our empire reach new heights. So what if I was born with a silver spoon? Aren't you too? Just look at your clothes. You would ever be able to afford that without my cruel and wicked ways?" his father screamed.
"I did not mean that. You have sacrificed a lot. I understand. But..."
"No, you don't. You don't understand. Back to your room, now!" he ordered.
"Dad... I..."
"Now!" Arvind screamed with finality in his voice.
Abhi gritted his teeth but exited the room. It was suffocating standing there anyway.
He has to talk to Aaradhya. Only she can calm him now. But how would she react? It's not his fault that his father is a cruel man. He is not like his father. Aaradhya knows him. She knows he will leave his father, his wealth, and his name in a second to be with her. She knows, right?
But she is so sensitive towards her family. Her taking a step forward in their relationship was itself a big thing for her. Will she still hold his hand knowing his father was the one behind her father's downfall?
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Arvind paced in his office furiously. His son came to talk to him after so long. And that too because of that Raghuvnshi. That girl is not in his house yet but is still capable of causing a rift between them. He is not gonna sit and watch this. No chance he is gonna let a third person ruin the already cracked bond between him and his son.
"It was business until now. But from now onwards, it's personal, Aditya. Very personal," he murmured sitting on his chair.
Half of Raghuvansh's employees are already on his side. He paid them a lot. Money can make anything possible. Anything. He is worried about the other half of the fools, who are loyal. That's the one thing money can't buy. But he has been working on this for the last two years, taking care that no one comes to know about this. Raghuvanshi's are powerful too. But it's too late for them to take care of things now.
One last blow and it would all be finished. Just one last blow.
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"Why were you not picking up my calls," Aaradhya said as soon as Abhi picked up his phone. He has been avoiding her calls for the last two days. But he cannot avoid her forever, can he?
"I was busy," he answered.
"Busy? With what?" she asked.
"Busy avoiding you," he told her.
"Why? Why were you avoiding me?" she asked.
"He is my father, Aaradhya. He is my father," he said finally.
"Oh!" she said.
"So do you hate me?" he asked.
"Are you mad? Why would I hate you, idiot? I am just.... I don't know Abhi. Everything is so complicated," she said.
"I know. What do we do now?" he asked.
"Papa said that things are slowly coming under his control. He has some good friends who are ready to help. But many others are on your father's side. You know the power of money," she said.
"I know. Let's hope for the best," he mumbled.
"Yeah," she said.
"So did you complete the remaining chapters?" she asked after a few minutes of silence.
No answer.
"Abhi? Don't tell me you did not study at all because of all these!"
"I was kinda worried that you'll hate me," he whispered.
"You are really dumb. I could never hate you, Abhi. Never. You did nothing wrong. Tomorrow till nine in the morning, complete the remaining chapters, then we will start neurology," she instructed.
"Ok, ma'am!" he smiled.
A few more minutes passed with light conversations.
"If things turn for worse, you will not leave me, right? You will not leave my side," he asked before hanging up.
Silence followed for a few minutes.
"Aaradhya?" he called her name.
"Don't say such things, Abhi. Please," she said in a small voice.
"I am just asking. You'll stand with me, right?" he asked again.
"Ye... Yeah. I will. Bye," she said before hanging up.
She hesitated before answering. Is she not sure about them? He just wished everything to become normal again. He doesn't want some business rivalry to cause a problem in their relationship.
He will talk to his brother. Maybe he can help.
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Double update! Enjoyyy!
Do vote and comment guys.
And I have a plot in mind for Abhiman. I may write another story for him.