Intensely Twisted Fate

Chapter : 6

Shravan's POV

After a great night out with Lara yesterday, I After a great night out with Lara yesterday, I returned to the office feeling light and content. There was only one task left before I could call it a day—editing my latest project. Once that was done, I’d be free for the day, which meant I might even get the chance to help Lara with her article. My fingers were flying over the keyboard, my focus intense, when my phone vibrated, snapping me out of the workflow.

Ramesh Uncle: Hello, son. I want to meet you urgently. Don't tell Laranya that I texted you. It's something private.

A cold feeling settled in my stomach. Why did Uncle want to meet me in secret?

Me: Sure, sir. Time?

Ramesh Uncle: Around six. I'll call you.

Me: Okay, sir. Take care.

He went offline almost immediately. I stared at the screen, wondering what was so important. What could Uncle possibly want to talk to me about—alone? I knew I needed to wrap up my work as soon as possible and take an early leave. With that determined thought, I refocused, digging my head into the laptop and tapping away at the keyboard with renewed urgency.

I was so immersed in my task that I barely registered the moment a familiar tiffin box landed on my laptop, blocking my view. My hands froze over the keyboard, irritation flashing up my spine. Who dared interrupt me like that? My initial anger melted, however, when I looked up and saw the culprit: Laranya. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. Great.

“Thank you, for you know—” she hesitated, clearly unsure of her words. I gave her a reassuring nod and rose from my chair, gently taking her hand. Without a word, I led her into my secret room—the only place in the office where we could talk without being overheard.

“Now speak,” I urged. “There are far too many listeners out there.”

She took a deep breath, her eyes clouded with a mix of pain and frustration. “I just wanted to say thank you. Yesterday, I found out that those pictures were real—Sumit and that girl, they’re together. And I saw him with a hickey on his neck. They’ve only been dating for a month, and it started right after Sumit and I began dating. I can’t believe he moved on so quickly...”

Anger flared inside me at her words. The image of Sumit smirking and flaunting that mark flashed in my mind, and all I wanted was to break his nose and rearrange his face. How could he do this to Lara? But before I could speak, my phone rang, cutting through the tension. I pulled it out and saw Ramesh Uncle’s name on the caller ID.

“Lara, I have some work. We can talk later. Wait for me—no matter how long it takes, I’ll be back. I’ll listen to whatever you need to say, I promise,” I said, feeling torn between comforting her and answering Uncle's call.

She gave me a reluctant nod, and I stepped out of the room, answering the call as I closed the door behind me. “Hello, Uncle. I was with Lara, so I couldn’t pick up immediately. I’m really sorry—”

“Leave all the apologies,” he interrupted, his voice sounding strangely urgent. “I’m at Starbucks, the one just a lane down from your office. Come now. I’m in the corner seat. And don’t keep me waiting.”

He hung up abruptly, leaving me no time to ask any questions. Heart pounding with a mix of anxiety and curiosity, I hurried out of the office, leaving my belongings scattered on my desk. I knew I’d be back soon. A few minutes later, I found myself seated across from Uncle in the cozy, dim-lit Starbucks. Silence hung between us, tense and expectant.