Rudra was thrown out from his house but not for the reasons he deserves. Cast away from his royal family and stripped of his title for a crime he didn't commit, Rudra is forced to live a life far removed from the riches and power he once knew. Hidin...
Yamini stepped into the house after a long, hectic day at work, the weight of the upcoming trip to New York and the pressure of managing her rapidly growing business hanging over her. The moment she entered, she was greeted by the familiar scent of spices wafting from the kitchen. It was a comforting, if bittersweet, reminder of her mother's presence in the house.
She found Vasuki sitting on the couch in the living room, staring out of the window as if lost in thought. Her posture was a little slumped, and for a brief moment, Yamini felt an unfamiliar pang of concern for her mother. It had been a strange few days since Vasuki had been discharged from the hospital, and while she was physically recovering, it seemed like there was something else on her mind, something Yamini couldn't quite put her finger on.
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Yamini : Hi, Ma !
Yamini said, her voice is softer than usual. She walked over and sat beside her mother, trying to mask the exhaustion in her tone.
Vasuki looked up slowly, her eyes momentarily distant, as if she had been somewhere else entirely before snapping back to the present.
Vasuki : How's Rudransh ?
She asked and her voice is steady but laced with an unusual curiosity.
Yamini blinked, a bit taken aback by the directness of the question. It wasn't like her mother to inquire about her colleagues, especially someone like Rudransh, who was still relatively new in her life. Yamini's brow furrowed in mild confusion. Why was her mother suddenly so interested in Rudransh ?
Yamini : Rudransh ?
Yamini repeated, unsure whether to be curious or dismissive.
Yamini : He's alright. Busy with work, like always. Why do you ask ?
Vasuki didn't respond right away. Her eyes seemed to drift off again, her gaze distant, as if she were thinking about something far beyond the question. After a pause, she simply nodded.
Yamini watched her mother closely. Something about her demeanor felt off, there was an edge to her quietness, something Yamini couldn't quite place. She decided not to push the subject too much.
Yamini : I'm actually taking him to the US with me next week.
Yamini added, trying to shift the conversation.
Yamini : I've got this project in New York, and I need him to help with the meetings. The deal's a huge one for the company, so I'll need him there with me.
Vasuki's eyes flickered slightly at the mention of the trip, but she said nothing about it. Yamini watched her mother's face for any hint of reaction, but Vasuki remained as unreadable as ever.
Vasuki : That sounds like a good opportunity.
Vasuki said and her tone is neutral.
Vasuki : Are you sure you need someone else there ? What about the team here ?
Yamini hesitated for a moment, but then shrugged.
Yamini : It's just... well, the kind of client we're dealing with needs someone with experience. I trust Rudransh. He's been a big help in the past few weeks.
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Vasuki, still lost in her thoughts, nodded again but didn't comment further. After a brief silence, she spoke, her voice soft but firm.
Vasuki : I'm feeling much better now, Yamini. I think it's time I go back to my place. I don't want to be a burden on you anymore.
Yamini blinked, her thoughts momentarily stalling.
Yamini : What ? Ma, no... I....
But Vasuki interrupted her, waving her hand in dismissal.
Vasuki : I'm fine. Really. I've been cooped up in this house for long enough. It's just a few days, and I can manage on my own.
Yamini's mouth opened, but the words didn't come out immediately. She didn't want her mother to leave, not yet, not when she was ill, not when things between them still felt unresolved. She didn't want her mother to retreat back into her isolation again, back to her apartment in the city where she would be alone.
But Vasuki was insistent, and her tone left no room for argument.
Vasuki : I'll be alright, Yamini. It's better this way. You've got a lot to focus on with your work. I don't want to be in your way.
Yamini bit her lip, feeling the stirrings of frustration rising inside her. Why was her mother so determined to push her away, even now ? Was this some kind of self-imposed punishment, a way to keep everyone at arm's length ? It frustrated Yamini to no end, especially after everything they'd been through. She wanted to argue, to make her mother stay, but she knew it wouldn't work. When Vasuki had made up her mind, there was little anyone could do to change it.
Reluctantly, Yamini let out a breath, her shoulders slumping in defeat.
Yamini : Fine !
She said quietly, more to herself than to her mother.
Yamini : But Priya will come by to stay with you while I'm gone. You don't need to be alone.
Vasuki gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.
Vasuki : I'm fine, Yamini. Don't worry about me.
There was a heaviness in the air, an unspoken tension that neither of them addressed. Yamini wasn't sure whether it was the remnants of their difficult past or the weight of the present situation, but she felt something linger between them something unresolved.
Yamini : Alright, if you're sure...
Yamini said, though she wasn't entirely convinced. She leaned back against the couch, feeling a tiredness she hadn't quite acknowledged until now.
Yamini : But I'm still not happy about it.
Vasuki offered a faint smile, but it was tinged with something sad, something that Yamini couldn't quite understand.
Vasuki : You don't have to be happy about it. But you'll understand eventually.
Yamini didn't press her further. She simply nodded, feeling a mix of frustration, concern, and something else, something she hadn't quite identified yet swirling in her chest.
As the evening wore on, the two of them settled into a quiet routine, each lost in their own thoughts. But as Yamini sat in silence, she couldn't help but wonder what was really going on in her mother's mind. Why was she so insistent on going back to her home. What was the true reason behind her distance ?
And as her phone buzzed with a reminder about her upcoming trip to New York, she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that this was only the beginning of something bigger, something that would unfold in ways she wasn't prepared for.
............
How's the chapter ?
Why vasuki is extremely considered about Rudransh ?
