Beyond the Beats

Chapter 48. Payback

I thanked my stars as the weather was clear for the day, and I started my week-long break without any issues.

Mom had gotten sick again, so I forced her to rest at home only. Since Dad had gone for his long duty, Srishti needed someone at home to look after her. It didn't seem right to always trouble Akshay's family for that.

And, I had gotten a very good opportunity thanks to Eknath Uncle and Viraje Aunty. Hriaan's mother had organised a two-day charity event for the underprivileged kids, and Eknath Uncle had himself asked me to join the workforce.

The pay was even better. I was going to get paid ₹1500 per day; the work hours were longer than usual, but I was okay with it. And, the most important thing was that I did not see Jaiswal aunty at all when the event started.

Hriaan, like always, was busy saving himself from the guests trying to give him the best marriage proposals. I got curious as he totally looked pitiful but was still hosting his guests with smile. Unlike earlier, Eknath Uncle had totally refused to let him work and told me to inform him if Hriaan disturbed me.

Why is Hriaan always at these events when he is almost on the verge of crying every time? And is he really that free? Isn't he handling The Emperors in Tejas's absence? How is he able to juggle everything?

I controlled myself from laughing at Hriaan when I went to serve the guests he was conversing with. I totally ignored his signals of help because I couldn't do anything as it is. A lot of times, I caught him trying to run away, but his mother's stare was always on him.

My batch of workers got a fifteen-minute break, and I was sipping chai (tea) when Hriaan stumbled upon the cart of unwashed utensils. I didn't say anything, and once he spotted me, he charged towards me.

"I can't help you," I announced.

He huffed. "I didn't know you were a traitor, Shorty."

I shrugged. "What can I do anyways? Eknath Uncle is very serious this time, and he has told me to call him if I see you anywhere near the pantry or trying to bribe the employees to let you hide."

"Are you Eknath Uncle's friend or mine?" he argued.

"Since he is the one paying me, I will side with him this time. But, I want to ask you something. Why do you come to these events if you hate mingling with your guests so much?"

Hriaan sighed. "I don't hate my guests. There are a few that I totally want to avoid but can't because of our business relations. And I can't even make any excuses because my mother knows everything about my schedule, and thanks to me being her only son, I have to be present in every stuff. I so wish I had a sibling."

I was surprised. "You are a single child?"

Hriaan nodded sadly. "I guess my parents hated their first product so much that they completely stopped the next production."

I burst out laughing. Hriaan shot me a fake glare and mumbled how he hated not having a sibling. He said he would have loved to have a sister as she would have totally inherited his mother's social skills and he wouldn't have to suffer alone.

I listened to him ramble about his family and excused myself when my break got over. Hriaan also reluctantly left to again receive lectures from the old businessmen under his mother's watchful gaze.

After the event was over, I left for my home, and relaxed as much as I could as the second day of the charity event was going to be more hectic. The first day was reserved for the most important clients and business partners of Viraje family, and the second day was going to be open for various educational institutions, media, celebrities, NGOs, government officials, and much more.