He was oppressed by everyone around him, 'Love and care' were the terms used, for he inherits billions.
His voice was never heard outside the walls of his mind.
It was all until he realised what was happening around him. He started his game so quiet...
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Adhi's POV
I watched Vikram in front of the mirror, adjusting his collar the way he always did—calm, collected, perfect. I leaned back into the plush couch near the bed, wondering how he managed to look so put together all the time. A part of me envied it, and maybe a small part of me resented it too. I couldn't help myself.
"What's up?" Vikram asked, catching my reflection in the mirror. He half-expected me to throw a teasing jab, as usual.
I studied him for a second, unsure if I should ask what I really wanted to. Instead, I grinned, hoping to mask my own unease. "How do you make your hair look so... perfect?"
He chuckled, surprised by the question. "Perfect? I guess I just don't think about it."
I raised an eyebrow, refusing to let him off so easily. "Is this just your attempt at humility or do you not want to share secrets?"
"I'll go with humble," he shot back, still smiling as he turned to face me. "Now tell me, how do I look?"
I could see the excitement in his eyes, but something held me back from matching his energy. "You look good... wait, are you meeting someone?"
"Saanvi," he replied with a knowing smile. "She wanted to discuss something."
Oh. I nodded, trying to keep my face neutral, but I knew Vikram saw the shift in my expression. I wasn't as good at hiding things as he was.
He noticed, of course, but thankfully didn't press me. Instead, he busied himself with straightening the magazines lying around the room. A heavy silence filled the space between us, one we both pretended didn't exist.
Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I broke the quiet, my voice softer than I intended. "Vikram... are you sure you're ready for this whole marriage thing?"
He froze for a moment, clearly taken aback by the question. He blinked a couple of times, as if he needed a second to process my words. Honestly, I wasn't even sure where that had come from. "I think we'll figure it out," he said, his tone careful. "Saanvi and I... we love each other. That's what matters."
I scoffed, more bitterly than I meant to. My usual dry humor slipped through before I could stop it. "Happily ever after, huh? Do you actually believe in that?"
"I don't know about 'ever after,'" Vikram replied, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "But I won't give up on us. I believe in that."
I shifted uncomfortably, tracing the edge of the fabric on the couch. His optimism was something I'd never understood. "Mom and Dad loved each other too. But it was always Dad who kept their relationship together. Love isn't always enough, Vikram."
