YOU AND ME

Ayush

I rushed through the doors of my family home in Delhi, my heart pounding with worry. The familiar smell of my mother’s cooking filled the air, a blend of spices that should have felt comforting but instead felt suffocating. I stopped, taking a moment to collect myself. The house was bustling, the sounds of laughter and chatter echoing through the halls, but I felt a heavy weight in my chest.

"Ayush!" my mother’s voice called out, cutting through my thoughts. "Come here and help me with this!"

I glanced at my brother Raj, who was lounging on the sofa, a bottle of whiskey in hand, his eyes half-closed. “You heard her,” I said, knowing he wouldn’t budge. The truth was, in our family, no man was allowed in the kitchen; it was a rule strictly enforced by our mother, Aisha.

"Why don’t you ask one of the helpers?" he mumbled, taking another swig. I rolled my eyes; that was typical Raj, always drunk and dodging responsibility.

As I made my way to the kitchen, I caught a glimpse of my grandmother sitting silently at the table. She was cool and fun, but her voice was often drowned out by my mother’s commanding presence. A part of me wished I could have a conversation with her, but in this house, silence was often the safest choice.

“What’s taking so long?” my mother snapped as I entered the kitchen. Her eyes were sharp, scanning the room for any imperfections. “We need to set the table for dinner. I don’t have time to babysit you.”

I nodded, accustomed to her controlling nature. Everyone in the family was like puppets, following her commands without question. It was exhausting, but I had learned to navigate her demands with care.

Later that night, after dinner, I retreated to my room, trying to escape the suffocating atmosphere. I pulled out my phone, thinking of Amina. She was thousands of miles away in Malawi, yet my heart raced at the thought of her. Memories flooded back to the time we had spent together, her laughter echoing in my mind, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Remember when you pretended to be my tour guide?” I could almost hear her teasing voice, the playful banter we had shared.

“And I couldn’t believe you were actually a big shot businessman,” she had laughed, her eyes wide with disbelief. I had kept that part of my life hidden, not wanting to overwhelm her with the reality of my world.

“Well, I wanted to show you around without the pressure of my identity,” I had replied, trying to sound casual. But there was something thrilling about being just Ayush, the boy who admired her from afar, rather than the heir to Sharma Industries.

But now, as I sat alone, I felt the weight of the company on my shoulders. The recent losses were alarming—60% of our shares gone, and still no clear explanation. A looming investigation hovered over us, and my uncle Vishal had taken on more responsibilities at the office. I needed to find a way to stabilize the company before it crumbled completely.

“How am I going to fix this?” I muttered to myself, staring out at the stars from my window. It was a stark reminder of how far I felt from Amina, who seemed to shine like the brightest star in my sky.

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Chapter Two: Behind the Scenes at Sharma Industries

The next day, I found myself at the office, surrounded by the chaos of numbers and charts that represented the dwindling empire my family had built. Vishal was pacing the room, a worried look etched on his face.

“Ayush, we need to talk about the financial reports,” he said, his voice tense.

I took a deep breath, preparing for the deluge of bad news. “I know we’re losing shares, but do we have any leads on what’s causing the losses?”