Varun came out of the bathroom. The water was gliding from his veiny chest and droplets of water was dripping from his hairs.
Suddenly, his phone rang. He picked up the phone.
The man on the phone said, "Sir, koi lagataar koshish kar raha hai ke woh hamari confidential information tak pahunch sake."
("Sir, someon is making every effort to obtain the confidential information.")
Varun, "what happened?"
The man, "Sir, hamari company ka server hack hone wala tha, lekin shukr hai ki humne usse sambhal liya. Lekin lagta hai zyada der tak manage nahi kar paayenge 😞. Jab aap yahan the, sab kuch kaafi easy lagta tha... par ab sab kuch thoda mushkil ho gaya hai 😔."
("Sir, our company’s server was about to be hacked, but thankfully, we managed to stop it. However, we might not be able to hold on for long 😞. Things felt a lot easier when you were here… but now, it’s getting tough 😔.")
Varun, "I will see those bastards. Don't worry."
Then Varun ended the call and opened his laptop. It was easy for him to identify the person behind the attack.
Varun accessed the Wi-Fi network and successfully traced the hacker’s location. He promptly sent the location details to the man.
In a firm voice, Varun commanded,
“Now you take charge. Ruin him!”
The man, "Yes boss."
Varun got up, opened the curtains, and got lost in his thoughts.
“Bahut samay ho gaya, koi accha hacker palle nahi pada. Pata nahi kab aap se mulaqat hogi, Mrs. Shadow.”
("It’s been a long time since a skilled hacker crossed my path. I wonder when I will meet you, Mrs. Shadow.")
{One more thing he is fond of games.}
Vikrant was sitting in his room, staring at the papers with a cold glare and talking about it with his secretary.
"I don’t like these designs. Who made this sh!t? 💢"
Vikrant said in an aggressive tone.
The person on the other side stammered, "Sorry, sir."
Vikrant cut him off sharply,
"I need work, not your sorry."
Then he slammed the phone down in anger.
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
"Malik, khana ban gaya hai, neeche aa jaaye."
("Malik, the food is ready. Please come downstairs.")
After eating, Vikrant became busy with his work, and days passed like the leaves in autumn 🍁.
It was 3 pm ~
Saraswati ji, "Vikrant kaha hai?"
("Where is Vikrant?")
Yashvardhan ji, "Aa raha hai, kyu? Kya baat hai?"
("He’s coming. Why? What’s the matter?")
Saraswati ji, "Yash ji, aaj to hume usse baat kar hi leni chahiye. Kya kehte hain aap?"
("Yash ji, today we must talk to him. What do you say?")
Yashvardhan, "Kis bare mein?"
("About what?")
Saraswati ji, "Arre... aap bhi na, sab bhool jaate hain official work ke alawa. Uski shaadi ke baare mein!"
("Oh, come on! You always forget such important things except your official work. About his marriage!")
Yashvardhan ji, "Bilkul sahi keh rahi ho, Saraswati. Aane do usse, andar baith ke baat karte hai."
("You’re absolutely right, Saraswati. Let him come in then we’ll talk about it.")
Vikrant came home 🏠 after completing his work. He saw his father sitting on the couch, very tense. He went near him.
Vikrant, "Kya baat hai, Papa? Koi dikkat hai?"
("What’s wrong, Papa? Is something bothering you?")
Yashvardhan ji, "Beta, jaise gulab murjhaata hai, usi tarah aadmi bhi murjha jaata hai."
("Son, just like a rose withers away… a man does too, one day.")
(Trying his best to make his son feel pity for him 😂.)
Vikrant, "Kya baat hai, Papa? Aap aise kyun bol rahe ho?"
("What’s going on, Papa? Why are you saying things like this?")
Yashvardhan ji, "Beta, mera matlab yeh hai ki samay nikalta ja raha hai, aur main bhi budha ho raha hoon 🥀. Main chahta hoon ki apni saari zimmedariyaan ab tujhe saup doon."
("Son, what I mean is... time is slipping away, and I’m getting old 🥀. I want to hand over all my responsibilities to you now.")
Vikrant, "Papa, achanak aap aisi baatein kyun kar rahe hai?"
("Papa, why are you suddenly talking like this?")
{He already knew what his father was about to say next.}
Yashvardhan ji, "Main tumhari shaadi ke baare mein soch raha hoon."
("I’ve been thinking about your marriage.")
Vikrant, "Main bina shaadi ke bhi aapka kaam sambhal sakta hoon, Papa."
("Even without getting married, I can take care of your responsibilities, Father.")
Just then, Saraswati ji walked in from behind.
"Aur tujhe kaun sambhalega?
("And who will take care of you?")
Yashvardhan ji, "Beta, bhoolon mat ki hum apni company aane wale vaarison ko aise hi nahi saup dete. Isliye shaadi karna zaroori hai. Tumhe toh pata hi hai ki contract ke hisaab se, hum apni company kisi aise waris ko transfer nahi kar sakte jo shaadi-shuda na ho."
("Son, don’t forget that we don’t just hand over the company to the next generation like that. That’s why marriage is important. You already know, as per the contract, we can’t pass the company to a child who isn’t married yet.")
Vikrant, "Main bilkul interested nahi hoon shaadi karne mein. Aap log Varun ki shaadi kara dijiye aur company usko pass kar dijiye. Main kaam sambhal lunga."
("I’m not at all interested in getting married. You can get Varun married and hand the company over to him. I’ll manage the work.")
Saying this, he stood up from the sofa and walked towards his room.
Saraswati, "Beta ruk! Arre beta, khana toh kha le!"
("Beta, wait! At least eat something!")
Vikrant, "Bhukh nahi hai, Ma."
("I’m not hungry, Ma.")
Saraswati ji, "Ab dusra tareeka apnana padega. Jab seedhi ungli se ghi na nikle, to ungli tedhi karni padti hai."
("Now, we’ll have to try another method. When things don’t work straightforward, you have to take a crooked path.")
Yashvardhan ji, "To Kya socha hai aapkne?"
("So, what’s your plan?")
Then Saraswati explained her plan to him and asked him to do exactly as she said.
The next morning ~
Vikrant came downstairs and called out,
“Ma! Ma!”
Thinking his mother would be in her room, he went towards it. He knocked on the door, but surprisingly, no one answered. Then he went inside and saw his father.
Vikrant, "Good morning, Papa. Ma kaha hain?
("Good morning, Papa. Where is my mother?")
Yashvardhan ji, "Good morning. Kitchen mein hongi. Waise woh kal ki baat ko lekar kaafi gussa hai toh... thoda sambhal kar.
("Good morning. She must be in the kitchen. But she’s quite upset about what happened yesterday so... be a little careful, okay?")
Vikrant nodded and walked downstairs. He saw his mother was organizing the plates and meals on the dining table.
As he approached her and was about to bend down to touch her feet, she quietly stepped aside.
{Both Vikrant and Varun have a habit of touching their mother’s feet before leaving for work.}
Vikrant in serious tone, "Ma, aap abhi bhi gussa ho kya?"
("Ma, are you still angry with me?")
Saraswati ji turned her face away and walked back into the kitchen.
Vikrant followed her into the kitchen and told the servants to step out.
Once they left, he softened his tone and said,
"Thik hai, main aapki sari baatein maan loonga. Ab aap aise mujhse gussa mat rahiye.."
("Okay, I will agree to everything you say. Now please don’t stay angry with me like this.")
Saraswati ji is aware that her son cannot go long without speaking to her.
"Toh shaadi kar lo phir."
("Then get married.")
Vikrant in frustrated tone, "Ma, main interested nahi hoon."
("Ma, I’m not interested.")
Saraswati ji started her emotional drama.
"Meri sabhi dost dadi ban gayi hain… par mere toh naseeb mein hi nahi likha hai jaise. Lagta hai bina dadi bane hi chali jaungi."
("All my friends are grandmothers now… but it seems I’m just not meant to be one. I feel like I might never become a grandmother.")
Vikrant, "Aap aise mat kaheye, ma."
Then he took a sign and continued,
"Thik hai jaisa aap thik samjh he ye. Per sab kuch jaldi ho Jana chahiye. I don't have time to waste."
("Please don’t say that, mother. Fine, as you wish. But I want everything to be done quickly. I don't have time to waste.")
Saraswati ji was overwhelmed with happiness.
Saraswati ji, "Oh! My sweet child!"
She said softly pinching his cheek, and went to tell her husband about it.
Vikrant walked out of the kitchen and broke his parents’ joy.
"Ma, Papa ... mujhe zaroori kaam se aaj raat ko Hyderabad wapas jaana hoga."
("Ma, Papa… I have some urgent work. I’ll have to return to Hyderabad tonight.")
His mother, "Beta, abhi toh kuch he din hue hain tujhe aaye hue!"
(“Son, it’s only been a few days since you arrived!”)
Vikrant walked up to her and touched her feet.
"Ma, zaroori kaam hai, ab main chalta hu."
("Ma, I have urgent work. I have to go.")
His mother, "Beta khana..."
("Beta, food...")
Vikrant while leaving said in serious tone,
"Office mein kha lunga."
("I’ll eat at the office.")
Yashvardhan ji, "Ye maan toh gaya, par jab use pata chalega ki..."
("This is done, but when he finds out that...")
Saraswati, "ki uski hone wali wife bol nahi sakti?"
("That his future wife can’t speak?")
Yahavardhan, "Hmm.."
"Mere bete mein sanskaron ki kami nahi hai, vo meri baat zaroor mane ga, aur hume Ishita ke mummy-papa se jo wada kiya tha vo bhi toh pura karna hai. Bure waqt mein, aakhir jab kisi ne madad nahi ki, tab unhone haath thama tha. Aur ab mera beta unki beti ka haath thamne ja raha hai. Main zyada der nahi karna chahti, shaadi toh is saal hokar rahegi, chahe jo ho jaye."
("My son has no shortage of values, he will definitely listen to me, and we also have to fulfill the promise that we did with Ishita’s parents. In difficult times, when no one else offered help, they held our hand (helped us). And now, my son is going to hold their daughter’s hand (going to marry). I don’t want to delay any further, the wedding will happen this year, no matter what.")
She said with determination.
Yashvardhan ji, "Okay, Now I have to leave for work."
Saraswati, "Ji, Yash ji, aapna dhyaan rakhiye ga."
(“Yes, Yash ji, do take care of yourself.”)
After a hug 🤗, he got into his car and told the driver,
“Drive to the company.”
As he reached the office and stepped out of the car, a person wearing a hoodie tried to shoot him.
Thanks for reading ✨~
Naina.writz ~
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