Veiled Secrets

00.

Shivaay watched the man sign the deal to him before he was handed the file. He scanned the contents for the one last time before he handed over the file to Mishra who will take care of the legal formalities and the transactions, that were concerned with the project.

He looked around, the place was full of people. Talking, drinking, laughing, gossiping. His eyes didn't stray at any particular spot.

He took the offered glass of wine from the tray that was being carried around. He took a sip, and his eyes zeroed on the emerald curtains that resembled the green gardens that he and his bade papa used to stroll in the evenings.

Tej finished his explanation, he looked up the sky silently estimating the time as his hold tightened on his nephew's hands. It will get dark soon, and he didn't want kids out of the safety of the mansion after the sun has set even if they are in their company. It simply wasn't safe.

He glanced at the little boy who was listening to the every word that he had said very attentively. The little nods that he gave to indicate that he was listening was too endearing for him.

"But this is not right." The seven year old Shivaay piped up as he clutched on his bade papa's hand when they walked along the sidewalk of the park. Tej was telling him about the deal he had signed a few days ago. Shivaay had seen it on the news channel and was curious to know why everyone was talking so much about it.

Tej looked at him with a smile. The innocent eyes were staring at him in confusion. "I know, but if I hadn't done that we would have jeopardized our employees' careers and that isn't fair to them as well." He chuckled when Shivaay frowned at the word.

"That big long word, what does it mean?" He asked innocently.

"Jeopardize?" Tej asked, Shivaay nodded eagerly, excited to learn a new word. He chuckled and explained the meaning. He didn't hear anything from his nephew after that but he could see gears turning in his head. The boy was full of curiosity.

"Bade papa." Tej looked at him with a gentle smile. "Yes, my child." He spoke gently. "Why can't you do both?" He frowned at the question.

"Both?" He was interested to know what the seven year old was thinking. "Why can't you help the other team too? Why can't they both win?" The question was innocent.

Tej's smile dulled, "Our teacher had told us even if they are from another team, we should help them if they are in need of one. It's called, sports-sports--"

"Sportsmanship?" Tej asked when he saw Shivaay struggling to pronounce the word.

"Yes!" Shivaay sighed frustrated, "Sports--sportsmanship." And his frustration turned into joy of accomplishment after he pronounced the word accurately.

"But we are talking about business, no?" Tej asked softly. Shivaay looked at him. "But you only said in the interview, that business is a game for you?" He was confused, he thought that business was a game that adults played after he had heard Tej's speech, and he assumed the rest.

"Yes, and you see how only one side can win the game?"

The child pouted.

"B-but-"

The smile fell from his lips, suddenly he couldn't bring himself to answer the child. Shivaay kept looking at him expectantly, hoping to get his answer.

"Shivaay" the said boy frowned at the use of his name. His bade papa always used terms of endearment for him. Unless it was something serious or he had done something wrong. But he didn't know the reason for its use now.

"You are very young to know the business world, my child. Even if I try to explain to you, you wouldn't." Shivaay pouted but the stern tone in his bade papa's voice kept him quiet. Tej felt bad as he glanced at his nephew, he was huffing and actively avoiding looking at him. He chuckled spotting an ice-cream cart ahead of them.

Usually he would have avoided the route but at this moment he picked Shivaay up in his hold and walked over to the seller. "Alright, which one do you want?" Tej asked, Shivaay stubbornly looked over his shoulder not bothering to turn to look at the ice cream options.

"Alright, sir. He doesn't want any ice cream today." Shivaay gasped when he heard the sentence, he whirled around at the speed of light. "No I want one." He argued making the shopkeeper as well as Tej chuckle.

"Which one?" Tej enquired as he pushed away a few strands away from his head. His arms were getting tired but it was worth it. Because the peace and tranquility that a parent gets when they hold their child close, no happiness is akin to that.

"--and then she made me do more sums because I didn't remember the table of eight." Shivaay spoke as he scooped up the ice cream from the plastic cup. The chocolate melted on his tongue as he gave a toothy grin to Tej.

"I thought I had already taught you that?" Tej asked arching his eyebrows in question. "But I forgot." Shivaay replied as a matter of fact. He handed the empty cup to Tej and let him wipe the chocolate from his mouth. He slid down from his hold and rushed into the house with a chuckling Tej holding the empty ice cream cup in his hands, following behind.

"--congratulations for the deal. Mr. Oberoi, it will be a pleasure working with you." The aged man said as he extended his hand for a shake. The words and the hustle around, brought him back from his thoughts. They were in the function hall of their office celebrating their yet another victory. They just have sanctioned another deal, and this time it was solely under his name as he has been working on this independently.

Shivaay reciprocated the gesture with a polite smile. The words echoed in his mind. Why can't both sides win? He remembered his question clearly, at that moment he may not have understood what his bade papa wanted to say but he understood now. Now, when he himself was in his position. He now understood what his bade papa was trying to explain to him when he was a child. It wasn't right, but it was necessary. He had to put his company first. Because it was just not him, it was several other families that were depending upon the company for their livelihood and at times like this, he had to be selfish. Not only for his family, but for the employees too.

"Congratulations and all the best for the new project." Shivaay turned to the speaker of the words. He nodded in acknowledgement, Siddharth Rana was smiling at him tightly. He knew he was after that deal as much as he was. But it was him who ended up scoring it.

"Thank you." His voice was soft and polite. Despite the rivalry they tried to be civil to each other. Because Shivaay would choose a healthy rivalry over backstabbers without any question. And such rivalry in the market was profitable to both sides, so there were no complaints from his sides.

Rana passed him a last nod of farewell before he walked away to talk to other delegates.

His eyes scanned the room.

It was full of influential people. Some of them ready to stab him in the back if he lets his guard down.

Those people were the ones that you would see in papers. Or newspapers, with a whole column dedicated to them. The people who control the economy of the country in some ways.

His eyes stopped short when they met familiar ebony ones. The ones that he had longed to see any positive emotion for himself. The eyes that used to hold all the warmth and love for him. They now hold indifference. He didn't know what to feel.

He stood at his spot. His fingers curled around the wine glass as he anticipated what the man had to say.

Tej looked at him, there was no smile on his face nor any pride in his eyes. They were blank but Shivaay felt relief, nothing was better than any negative emotion that he had grown used to seeing in them.

"Well done." For a second he couldn't comprehend the words. He felt his lips twitching up in a smile before he controlled them and settled for a curt thank you. He didn't know what boundaries they now shared and he didn't want to trespass.

It was a truce from both their sides and he had no intention to disrespect that. Nor he had any purpose to.

It was another mystery to him, as he had seen or rather witnessed, a father turning a stranger to his own son.