Way Back Home

Heart break

[Double update, since I can't wait🥴, please read the previous chapter, Warmth and Betrayal, and then this chapter.]

Decision Day

Everyone was present at the board meeting.
Arjun raised his plea for a shuffling in CEO position.

"Greetings, everyone. As you all know, I am Arjun Singh, brother of Ranvijay Singh. I want to replace my brother as the CEO of this company. Since, there are some mismanagement issues and a serious downward graph in the success of this company. Here are the proofs from the last three months. These are the data sheets of investment and earnings of the company. As you can see, no such increase in new investors, very few project approvals. This company seriously needs a new spectrum in leadership."

Some agreed to it, saying chances to new talent should be given. Ranvijay was sitting there with a stoic face. He knew this was coming. But he never thought this would come from his own brother. Looking at Arjun's presentation, he was sure, that Arjun had something behind the news leaking case of his company.

"Sorry, to interrupt, I got late due to traffic." Niharika suddenly entered the meeting hall sitting beside Ranvijay.

Ranvijay asked her, "What are you doing here?" "Shh focus."

Arjun though scrunched his eyebrows at her presence, he dismissed it feeling happy about the  voting to commence.

While three trustee member casted vote in lieu of his plea, other five voted for Ranvijay to continue being the CEO.

But since, Arjun had the maximum share, with only three votes, his decision was gaining majority stance.

"Since, majority votes are for Arjun Singh's plea, we shall," Arjun's PA was announcing the result, while Niharika interrupted. "Sorry, I came late so I didn't understand that the voting has already started. I want to say something."

Ranvijay tried to hold her hand, "Niharika, what are you doing?"

She shushed Ranvijay, "I am Niharika Ranvijay, Wife of the current CEO, Ranvijay Singh. This company has been descended to him by his grandfather, and in the will, he has clearly mentioned that 20% of this company's share will belong to Ranvijay Singh's wife, as a wedding gift."

Everybody including Ranvijay gasped. "But you declined.."

Niharika finished Ranvijay's sentence, " I am a simple college professor, so I denied the gift, leaving the 20% to be sold or donated. But, they're neither sold nor donated. Hereby, I claim my wedding gifts, here are the papers of my claiming the shares and approval by the court. Coming to the second point, my husband gifted 20% of the shares of the company, he himself having the rights to 50%, as my birthday gift, leaving him to now own only 30%. I didn't accept the gift back then, but I claimed it a week back and here is the approval from the court. This makes me the owner of 40% shares of the company, and my husband, Mr. Ranvijay Singh, owner of 30% shares. Now, his brother wanted half of his shares in the company, which accounts to 15%, so the said vote in lieu of replacement of CEO, from Ranvijay Singh to Arjun Singh becomes 15+10=25%.
I cast my vote against the plea. That means 75% is against the decision."

Everyone was too stunned to reply. Arjun fumed, "You don't belong to this background right, why should we give heed to your suggestions?"

"Okay, so here is my presentation. Dhara, please connect it to the PowerPoint," she handed over a pendrive. As soon as her presentation was over screen, Niharika started, "These are some side by side stat of how well the company run by Arjun and this company run by Ranvijay are going. As you can see, no transactions have been done by Arjun's company. On the other hand, Ranvijay's company has been growing steadily, yes there isn't a huge leap, but steady progress is there. Some months ago, there was a mole in the company hindering its growth, but that mole is too removed. This only proves the efficacy of Ranvijay as the leader.  You were right Mr. Arjun, the company needs a new spectrum in leadership, but definitely not a leader. This is a survey done among the employees, where they were anonymously asked about their satisfaction with CEO, and trust on CEO, and also on creative Independence given by the CEO, you can pretty much see, each employee has rated Ranvijay's leadership between 7 to 10. Thereby, as a major shareholder, I don't feel removal of CEO is necessary. But I do want to make some permanent decisions, but that will be done with the CEO only. If no other query, I think the meeting should be adjourned."

All the board members left the room congratulating Ranvijay, but he was sour at Niharika. When only Niharika, Ranvijay and Arjun were left, Arjun slammed a fist on the table. "Wow, mom was right. You actually are a gold digger. But bhai. I couldn't believe you. You betrayed me, using her. So all that sweet gestures, they were just acts? I didn't think you will stoop so low for a company, bhai." Arjun spat at the ground, "I regret trusting you, Ranvijay." He stormed out of the room.

Ranvijay too chuckled bitterly. "Why did you do this?"

Niharika stood there motionless, with zero emotions on her face.

"TELL ME!" shouted Ranvijay, "WHY DID YOU DO THIS! I trusted you so much, Niharika, why did you do this to me? You didn't feel the need to discuss with me before creating this scene? How could you? HOW COULD YOU, NIHARIKA?"

"You weren't thinking straight, Ranvijay, I needed to do this to protect you."

"TO HELL WITH MY PROTECTION! How did you protect me? Tell me! TELL ME!" Ranvijay's eyes were bloodshot, he was shaking her by her shoulders, "This is how you protect me, Niharika, separating me from my only family member I want to be with! I should never have opened to you! You are so toxic that you snatched my only family for your greed and selfishness. My brother misunderstood me, disbelieved me only because of you! You ruined everything for your own need. You destroyed my last hope of getting Arjun back only for this wealth! How can you be so selfish Niharika? How can you be such a gold digg.."

A slap resounded in the whole room, Ranvijay's face get tilted to the side at the effect of her slap.

"Enough Ranvijay. I won't tolerate anyone disrespecting me. Atleast not you. I thought you know me better, but your love for your brother has blinded you. You showed me blood is thicker than water. True. I am the bad one here. But get one thing straight in your head Mr. Ranvijay Singh, I know what I am doing, and I don't have a single ounce of regret about what I did. If you don't have trust on me after living for two damn years, then you shouldn't live with me. If just a word of your brother can change your whole perspective about me, then I don't need you as my husband. I never cared for your money, nor I ever will. Don't show me your face, until you feel remorse for what you said to me. GOOD.BYE."

"And yeah, keep this with you. You might like studying this later," she thrusted another document in his hands, storming from there.

Ranvijay was at loss of word. His anger clouded his mind, but the words of Niharika was stinging in his head too. He loves her so much, yet she chose to hide everything from him. This was the first time, he shouted on her. This was the first time she slapped him.

He scrunched the paper in his hand, and threw it in one of his drawers after returning to his cabin. He sat down on his chair grabbing his hair.

The day went by, and he headed home, finding it empty. He wanted to call her, ask about her whereabouts, but his wrath clouded his sanity. His ego didn't let him call her. She could have discussed at least once. She knew, I didn't want to fight family. Is it because of that she stepped into my shoes and fought for me?

Niharika didn't come back the whole night. Ranvijay too didn't contact her. "If she doesn't wanna see my face, then let it be. She too did wrong. I deserve an apology, she slapped me. I didn't." But you called her gold digger, his own inner conscience mocked him.

A whole week passed like this. Ranvijay didn't go back home, since it was her apartment. He stayed back at the office. Niharika too didn't try to contact him. For her, her self respect was important. She cut a lot of slacks to him, but not her dignity. Both were miserable without each other, but too stubborn to mend the disaster.

"Let him come and ask forgiveness for his words, then I will talk"-Niharika.

"Let her understand, that she shouldn't have taken the decision alone, and come to me, then I will talk." - Ranvijay.

Since it was always Niharika taking the first step, Ranvijay thought this time she would take the initiative. But when a week turned two weeks and then three, he was scared from inside. What if she never come back?