Always Is Not Forever (Breaking Myself - Part II)

1. Adyant's POV

{Five chapters story Adyant's love story because it seemed impossible to make him fall in love}

I was supposed to be happy.

I was supposed to feel anything except the gnawing sadness pooling at the bottom of my heart. I was supposed to congratulate my sister but my stare didn't break as I stared ahead at the man sitting across me.

"This is my last meeting." I gripped the arm of the chair tightly under my grip. "And it is over now." But nobody moved, all the faces reflected the sadness of the situation. All they endeavoured to say something to him and make him stay.

Couldn't he see nobody desired for him to leave the company? Couldn't he look how they didn't picture me and Kiara as their heads yet?

We were too young.

But dad became CEO at the age of twenty-four.

At least, I had Kiara, uncle, Kiyan, and Anya to share my burden with. He had been all alone, and that's what according to everyone, had pushed him to retire early but the real reason was known to the family.

He was doing it for mom, always for mom.

"If this is how you are going to welcome my son and daughter as CEO, I am disappointed." He raised his right brow in question, challenging his-our-employees to question him back about his choices when he had made them clear a month ago.

It was inevitable. He was stubborn. I had tried various situations to make him listen, to knock I was not ready, to convince him to stay but he wouldn't listen any.

All my life I did things for others. My dad, my employees, and my children. This time I am doing it for myself.

I want to spend the time with my wife, I want to wake up next morning with no stress of going to office, I want to do small mundane jobs with her, I want to spend the rest of my breathing life with her.

Blinking back the lost words of his, I noticed people had started cleaning out of the conference room until it was only dad, uncle, Kiara and I were left. I should move but nothing helped as I took a glance at his face, the sadness seeping into his eyes, the grief marking his face.

He was leaving something he loved.

"You can still remain the CEO," I whispered, the hardness of my voice caught his attention. "You don't have to do much work. Kiara and I will handle. You can be with mom."

His eyes softened at my suggestion. "I know both of you will do that but I want to retire. Not just for your mom, but for myself. You both are capable enough to take this responsibility. I am working since the age of eighteen-running in the hotels as a waiter, going to New York to show your grandfather I am capable, and then out of nowhere, I became CEO. It was hard on me and your mother." He paused. "I am doing the right thing."

"No, you are not," I protested, and at my voice, Kiara tried to interrupt but I held her down. "You are leaving us."

"I still live in the house."

"But papa, I cannot take your position. It is too wrong." I shook my head to voice out the absurdity he announced in the meeting, to shook off how he signed away his position to both Kiara and I, and I couldn't protest even if he had told us six months ago. "I am not you. They love you, not me and Kiara. You are the reason we dominate the marketing."

"In that process, I lost time with my bookworm," His voice was calm as if he understood what I was feeling. "I have been there, Adyant. I was much younger than you. My life had changed overnight. I had no one with me but you have Kiara, Rahul, Anya and Kiyan. Soon, Yuvraj and Udisha will join you too." He rose on his feet, treaded to my side on the other end and placed his hand on my shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "I am still here. I am not gone."