Warrior

40

You would think that after two nights of interesting conversations - one being massively informative - that I would have had enough.

But nope! Not for this girl! No fucking way!

So I waited for the following night, hardly giving a crap of my family's foolishness towards Arnav. I'm sure even Gomez looks at then like they're monkeys that belong at the zoo. As for the man I'm married to, I'm sure he'd love to go into the witness protection program and steer clear of them, as well as the massive trays full of food that they would try to feed him.

It's a good thing he enjoys the wine and charcuterie board.

"So," Arnav said once he settled down to the floor, "what should we talk about tonight in your lavish closet?"

"I'd like to keep the focus on you."

"Okay, sure."

Oh? Well I was expecting a bit of resistance but... well, okay then.

"So... from what I gather, you and your parents lived separately for 12 years in a tiny apartment, your mom had her tiny tailoring business that you would help with when you were old enough, and your family would get bullied by the world any time you guys stepped out, yes?"

"That's correct."

"And it went this way for quite some time. What I don't understand is why after 12 years did your grandfather decide it was time to bring you all back into the fold."

"Hmm. ...Well, if I'm not mistaken, Ma did mention to you that Dad worked for a rival company?"

"She did; she said how it was hard for him to get a job at first since people refused to give him one due to your grandfather. But then he started working for a rival company, and she said that while it hurt her to see him battling against his father, your father didn't care."

"That's right," Arnav nodded. "The family business has its feet dipped in a variety of things - agriculture, energy, mining - all sorts of things. AR has been at the top for many decades now, so it's no wonder we have a few jealous competitors."

No kidding.

"When these people started to learn that my dad could barely keep a job for long because of my grandfather, they started to look towards my father greedily. One of them finally stepped forward and made their offer, to which at first Dad laughed. After all, he knew how angry the old demon would get once he found out."

Notice how he said once and not if he found out.

The old geezer was truly something else.

"But Pops had a bone to pick with the old demon, so he agreed and took the job. When Dadaji found out, he was furious, but he tried to play it down that Dad wouldn't be able to do anything, that he wouldn't be successful. The way Dadaji saw it, he didn't think Dad was smart enough because in his mind, Dad was too busy trying to take care of us and not getting his education."

"But he did."

"He did and so did Mom. Though Mom did graduate later, Pops was able to finish high school just fine, having gone to summer school to make up for stuff. Mom took time with college, going part-time before she was finally able to finish, and Dad started part-time as well, but then thanks to his new job, went full-time."

"Wait, they actually allowed that? When did he work if he was going to class full-time?"

"He didn't work that many hours. What mattered to them was that they had him and that they were going to use him to their advantage. Pops wasn't dumb, he knew that, so he used them to his advantage as well. But all Dadaji saw was him succeeding, and he couldn't stand it."