Unconditional Love

36. Struggle

They both came back home only to find Aman in the living room.

Jassi noticed his whole face and eyes were red, indicating that he had cried. Jassi immediately went to his side, to which Aman rested his head on his shoulder. 

Rohit went into the room to find Virat.

"What's wrong, baby?" Jassi asked in a quiet voice.

"Where is Virat?" Rohit asked, a bit worried.

Virat came back just then with dinner. He arranged it for them. "What's the progress?" Virat asked Jassi and Rohit, who had to sit side by side because Aman sat beside Virat.

Virat forwarded a bite to Aman, who had his head resting on his shoulder. "There is no progress?" asked Virat again.

Rohit nodded silently in the negative, and Jassi looked down. Virat just sighed tiredly. Aman held his hand to comfort him.

"What is the problem? Are you guys stuck somewhere?" asked Virat calmly, once they were done with dinner and sat in the living room to discuss it.

"Will you guys speak something? Or is this just not important to you?" asked Virat, observing their silence.

"Jas, what's wrong?" Aman asked softly. "We could not communicate together. It was the first time. I promise, bhai, I will try—I am sorry," said Jassi, immediately feeling guilty.

Virat closed his eyes, not wanting to snap at them. Rohit looked at him silently, not saying anything. "You both couldn't learn to be professional? Keep your feelings aside?" asked Virat.

"Everyone is not you, Virat," Rohit said in a low voice.

Virat looked up. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"It's not easy for us to just keep our feelings aside immediately when something professional comes up," Rohit said, a bit louder than he intended.

Virat rubbed his face with his hands in frustration and tiredness. "I've had really enough of you, Rohit. Do you have any idea what is at stake here? I might lose my position, which I have built over years," he said.

"All you care about is your position and everything else related to the company," Rohit said back.

"That's enough, Rohit!" Aman said, unable to hold it back now. "Do you know how hard he is working to balance everything? He's not vocal, but can't you see it in his actions? Can you see he's trying to be a better person than he already is, just for you? He's been so stressed, he's having withdrawal symptoms because he's trying to cut down on smoking. But no, you cannot see that!" Aman said, breathing hard from all the emotions he was feeling.

Jassi wrapped his arms around him, to which Aman hid his face in his chest, sobbing. Virat just stood there in shock because it was the first time he saw Aman speak so loudly and snap back at someone for him—his baby brother fighting for him.

"Maybe you realize or maybe you don't, this company—I've built it working day and night, and I'm going to do whatever it takes to save it. Because if I don't get those projects and the money back, it's not important whether I stay the CEO or not. What truly matters is the employees who work for me. They might lose their jobs in the name of cutting down resources. I know you're going through a lot, but try to think from all perspectives, Rohit. This is what I taught you. Don't forget it," said Virat, explaining it to him.

Rohit just could not look anyone in the eyes after that. He silently went into the room. 

Virat patted Aman's back in an attempt to console him, to which Aman just hugged him, leaving Jassi.

Jassi gave space to both of them, knowing they had to talk. 

Surprisingly, he didn't know why he went into the other room, where he saw Rohit sitting on the floor with his head buried in his knees.

He sat beside him. "I know you never had anyone after you left the orphanage, and that is the reason now, when Virat bhai and Aman are there, you don't want to lose them. But due to your fear, you are pushing them away, just like you did with me," he said in a low voice.

Jassi's voice, him sitting beside Rohit, just made him cry more. "He will never forgive me, you will never forgive me," Rohit said, sobbing, his face still buried in his knees.

"Why don't you try to earn the forgiveness? You never know," Jassi said in a low voice and then left from there.

Meanwhile, in the living room, Virat had consoled Aman and made him drink water. "Do you feel okay? Feel dizzy or something?" Virat asked, to which Aman shook his head in a no. "Sorry, I shouldn't have spoken to Rohit that way," he said quietly.

"Rohit was wrong, even though I know it's due to his fear and emotions, but he was, and you spoke against it, taking a stand for me. So, never apologize for that," Virat said, patting his head.

Aman just kept his head in Virat's lap. Virat ran his fingers through his hair. Jassi came outside into the living room to be welcomed by that cute sight.

"Are you okay?" Jassi asked both of them, to which they just nodded.

"Bhai, you know, Jas prepares amazing hot chocolate—Jas, prepare it, na—anyway, we have some work to complete," Aman said.

Jassi couldn't help but adore him. Virat cleared his throat, and Jassi smiled sheepishly and went to the kitchen. Aman just giggled like a child seeing that.

Virat couldn't help but smile at the cute exchange. He kissed Aman's forehead, and Aman got up after that, going into the kitchen, while Virat went out onto the balcony for some fresh air.

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