TANGLED TRADITIONS

brewing troubles

                       Chapter 7

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The sky still bore the remnants of the earlier rain as Vihaan Oberoi sat in his corner office, high above the city. The view was breathtaking, but his mind was far from the picturesque skyline. Just that morning, his Rolls-Royce had bumped into a scooter, causing an unexpected confrontation with a fiery woman. The incident, though minor, had set a tone of frustration for his day.

Now, Vihaan was engrossed in his laptop, his expression grim. The quarterly reports were showing minor but troubling anomalies, and the chatter among his trusted executives hinted at something even more alarming: a potential data leak.

Vihaan leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled under his chin. “This is unacceptable,” he muttered to himself. “Find the source and fix it. Immediately.”

As he immersed himself deeper into the reports, the tension in the room grew palpable. His assistant, Arjun, knocked lightly and entered, his face reflecting the seriousness of the situation. “Sir, we’ve traced some irregular activity to the marketing department. A few files have been accessed without proper authorization.”

Vihaan’s eyes narrowed. “Marketing, you say? Who’s in charge of data security there?”

Arjun shifted uncomfortably. “Mr. Kapoor, sir. He’s on it, but it’s taking time.”

Vihaan’s voice was icy. “Tell Kapoor I want a report on my desk by the end of the day. No excuses.”

Arjun nodded and left the room, the door closing softly behind him. Vihaan returned his gaze to the screen, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts. The company couldn’t afford any breaches, no matter how small. His reputation was on the line, and he wouldn’t let it crumble.

---

Meanwhile, in the cozy kitchen of the Sharma household, Aradhaya was having a very different kind of crisis. After the debacle with the Rolls-Royce that morning, she was still fuming. Her mother, Jyoti, had asked her to make chai for the family, a task she usually enjoyed. But today, her mind was elsewhere, replaying the events of the disastrous interview day and the infuriating encounter with the car monster.

Muttering under her breath about rich men and fancy cars, Aradhaya grabbed the jar of what she thought was sugar and spooned a generous amount into the boiling water. She added tea leaves and let it simmer, still fuming over her missed opportunity.

“Aradhaya, how’s the chai coming?” Jyoti called from the living room.

“Almost done, Ma!” she replied, stirring the pot with extra vigor.

She poured the chai into three cups and carried them out, placing them in front of her parents and herself. They each took a sip, and within seconds, the room erupted in a chorus of disgusted exclamations.

“Aradhaya! What have you done?” Jyoti spluttered, her face contorted with confusion.

Vikram coughed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Beta, this tastes…odd.”

Aradhaya took a sip herself, her face instantly scrunching up in horror. “Huh? My taste buds died! What is this?”

She grabbed the jar from the kitchen and realized her mistake. “Oh no, I put salt instead of sugar!”

Jyoti burst into laughter, shaking her head. “Aradhaya, only you could turn making chai into a comedy show.”

Aradhaya joined in the laughter, her frustration melting away. “Well, at least we’re awake now, right?”

Vikram chuckled, patting her hand. “Beta, you always manage to keep things interesting. Just make sure to double-check next time.”

Aradhaya nodded, a smile playing on her lips. “I will, Papa. I promise. No more salty chai.”

---

Back at Oberoi Enterprises, the atmosphere was anything but humorous. Vihaan’s phone buzzed with an incoming call from Kapoor. He answered briskly. “Speak.”

“Sir, we’ve identified the source of the leak. It’s one of our junior analysts. It seems he was bribed by a competitor.”

Vihaan’s grip tightened on the phone. “Handle it discreetly. I want him out by the end of the day. And make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

As he hung up, Vihaan’s mind raced with contingency plans. Damage control was critical now. The company’s integrity had to be restored, and he would stop at nothing to ensure it.

---

The buzz of activity in the Oberoi Enterprises office had an edge of urgency to it. The junior analyst, Ravi Mehta, sat in a small, glass-walled conference room, his hands trembling slightly. He knew he was in deep trouble, and the waiting was only making it worse.

The door swung open, and Vihaan Oberoi strode in, his presence commanding the room. His expression was stern, his eyes cold. Ravi felt a chill run down his spine as Vihaan took a seat across from him.

"Mr. Mehta," Vihaan began, his voice icy and controlled, "do you know why you're here?"

Ravi swallowed hard. "Yes, sir. I—I'm really sorry. I didn't mean for it to go this far."

Vihaan leaned forward, his gaze piercing. "Sorry? Do you think 'sorry' can undo the damage you've done? Do you have any idea what your actions have cost this company?"

Ravi's eyes darted around the room, looking for an escape that wasn't there. "I—I was desperate, sir. My family needed money, and I... I made a mistake."

Vihaan's voice remained cold, unyielding. "A mistake? This isn't just a mistake, Mr. Mehta. This is betrayal. You sold confidential information to our competitors. You compromised the integrity of this entire organization."

Ravi's face paled. "Please, sir. Give me another chance. I can make it right. I swear."

Vihaan's expression hardened even further. "There are no second chances here. Your actions have consequences, and you will face them. Effective immediately, you are terminated from Oberoi Enterprises. Security will escort you out."

Ravi's eyes filled with tears. "Please, sir, my family—"

Vihaan cut him off with a sharp gesture. "Your family should have been your priority before you decided to betray this company. Now, leave."

As security entered the room to escort Ravi out, Vihaan stood up and straightened his suit. He watched impassively as Ravi was led away, the door closing with a definitive click behind him.

Vihaan took a deep breath, trying to push away the lingering frustration. This was just another crisis to manage, another problem to solve. He couldn't afford to dwell on it; there was too much at stake.

---

Vihaan returned to his office, his mind racing with thoughts of the recent data leaks. He glanced at the reports spread across his desk, each one detailing minor yet unsettling discrepancies that had begun to surface. The leaks were small but consistent, and they were starting to make a noticeable impact on the company's performance.

He picked up his phone and dialed his head of security. "I want a full investigation. I need to know how deep this goes and who else is involved," he said, his voice firm.

"Yes, sir. We're already on it. I'll update you as soon as we have more information," the head of security replied.

Vihaan hung up, leaning back in his chair. His thoughts were consumed by the implications of the leaks. The company's reputation, client trust, and financial stability were all at risk. He couldn't allow this to continue.

Shaking off the lingering frustration, he refocused on the task at hand. Every moment counted, and he was determined to get to the bottom of the security breach and restore order within Oberoi Enterprises.

As he prepared for his next meeting, Vihaan's resolve hardened. He would uncover the truth and ensure that his company emerged stronger from this ordeal. Failure was not an option.