The Chosen One

Chapter 29 - Queen to the rescue

Ashwin pushed his luggage inside the house and sat on the sofa completely drained and exhausted.

He looked around the empty house, almost choking. The intensity with which he felt the loneliness now is thousand times more than what he had felt for these four years, especially when that single word "Appa" reverberates in his ears continuously.

He took a deep breath and looked at the time, she would have started to college by now and the kids to school, he has to wait for hours together now before he could hear a single syllable out their mouths.

Unable to bear the emptiness of the house anymore, he called his mother.

"Sollu da kanna, reach aagitiya? " came his mother's soothing voice on the other end relaxing him a bit.

Ashwin had not informed his parents yet about their grand kids, he wanted to do it in person and not via phone.

"Vandhuten ma, neraya pesanum, I am planning to come home now, appa veetla iruppaara? " he asked

"Irukkaru pa, rendu perum veetla dhaan irukkom, enna pa edhavadhu prachanaya? Sivaangi innum kovama irukaala? edhuvume solla maatengaraye?" his mother asked in a concerned tone.

"Adhellam illa ma, we are ok now, I have tell you about us and more, not something that can be discussed via phone, I will come home and talk to you both, vandhu pesaren ma" replied Ashwin before hanging up the call.

Ashwin always found night drives relaxing so he decided to start driving at dusk. Before that he had something to settle in chennai.

Whole of the 3.5 hours journey from SG to chennai, his mind was thinking about a single matter. "How did Akash come to know about the restaurant and especially its location?".

Despite being influential, there is no way in hell he could have obtained such sensitive information from the government. Informing about shoots is one thing, but when it comes to disclosing personal information, the government has strict NDAs and no one would have the guts to break it.

Very few people knew about it, Sakthi and his girl friend, Sivaangi's parents and his manager here in Chennai.

Out of all the suspects, his suspicion is completely on his manager who will have the most to loose in case Ashwin decides to quit acting, besides that he would bet on his life that no way Sakthi or his girl friend Nithya would ever betray him.

He took his mobile and dialed his manager's number.

"Hello Ashwin, good morning, reached safely?" came his manager Badri's voice on the other end

"Yes Badri, can you come home? I am leaving to my home town tonight and have some details to discuss with you before leaving" replied Ashwin in a blank tone not giving away his anger.

"How did Badri know that he is coming today? " Ashwin thought.

"Sure Ashwin, will be there in another half an hour or so" replied Badri before hanging up.

Badri sat in front of Ashwin sipping his coffee looking at him with at most concentration.

"Ennoda business plan in SG had flopped Badri and it has caused me extensive monetary loss, the only way for me to recover from that is to resume acting" said Ashwin looking at Badri with keen eyes.

"I am sorry to hear about it Ashwin, but fret not, I already have two production houses waiting to sign you" replied Badri. trying really hard not to show his pleasure in his voice yet failing miserably to do so, confirming Ashwin's suspicion.

"Hmm, good to know, but don't you want to know why my business proposition failed?" asked Ashwin leaning on the sofa, crossing his legs.

"I am not sure Ashwin, sollunga, what happened?" asked Badri, gulping, looking at the majestic stature of Ashwin, who was sitting like a king.