He was a ruthless business man.
Meet Arjun Venkatraman CEO of AV Tech, one of India's biggest tech companies. He is a cold blooded boss who would stop at nothing to keep his company in the ranks. He is the only son of Murali Venketraman who has hig...
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I had no appetite but after avoiding home like a plague for two weeks and not eating properly, I was sure I was gonna get a huge lecture for that. Just like I thought once I sat down at the table Ma started. However not on the topic I expected.
"Arjun what the hell is going on between you and Shruthi?", Ma asked right off the bat without hesitation.
The question hung in the air, and I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. My eyes darted around the room, searching for a way to evade the impending conversation, but Ma's penetrating gaze left no room for escape.
She continued, her tone a mix of concern and frustration, "I've been hearing things, Arjun. Your sister says she saw you two arguing in the park that day and you've been not coming come properly for a couple weeks now. What's happening?"
I sighed, the weight of unspoken tensions filling the room. The anticipated lecture about my erratic eating habits had taken an unexpected turn.
She smacked me with the rolled up magazine that she was holding and said, "Ennaku vayasu thaan aachu, kurudu aagala! Enakku ethuvum theriyathunu nenekiriya? Therinjum ethuvum sollama irukken! " (I might be old but I'm not blind yet! You think I don't know anything is it? I know but I don't say anything!)
I looked up at her in surprise, "Amma please ma ithu ennakum Shruthikum naduvula neenga thalaiyidathinga" (Mom please, this is between me and Shruthi. You don't interfere.)
Ma looked at me fuming, "Mairule, en veetla ethachun prechanena kandipa thalayiduven. Unga rendu perukkum enna prechaneyo atha seekiram mudika paarunga. " (The hell I don't interfere! This is my house and if there is a problem I will confirm address it. Whatever issue that is going on between both of you, you better fix it quickly)
I looked at Ma in shock. I've never heard her curse like that ever. She always kept a good composure no matter what.
"It's complicated, Ma. We've been going through a rough patch, and things have been tense between us. I didn't want to burden you with it."
Ma's expression shifted from frustration to a maternal concern that tugged at my heart. "Arjun, you're not burdening me. I'm your mother. If there's something troubling you, I want to know."
I just nodded at her and resumed eating. After a few minutes, Shruthi came down and sat beside me. Ma asked her about her day and she replied pretty normally. If it weren't for me not coming home I don't think anyone would have noticed the rift between us. I watched in awe as Shruthi talked to Ma very freely and happily about her day at work with her patients. She seemed happy but I knew she was just putting on a facade for Ma.
The whole time at the table she didn't even look at me once. I tried to catch her gaze a few times but she deliberately avoided it. After dinner she went to the living room with her phone and was watching some video on it.
