POV VIDYA NADAR
The next day, I slowly descended the staircase, the wooden steps creaking under my weight as I moved toward the living area. The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft, golden glow over everything. The room smelled faintly of fresh toast and the lingering scent of breakfast. My eyes caught sight of Sanjay and my mom engaged in an animated conversation. Sanjay, in his usual crisp attire, looked slightly out of place in the otherwise warm, casual setting of our home. My mom sat across from him, her face lit up with the gentle smile she always wore when talking to him, clearly enjoying the chat.
"Hey, Vidya, can you bring mom to Aunt Maliga's house?" said Sanjay, his voice casual but commanding as usual. "I also have some more documents to hand over at Sir Kathir's office."
I scratched my head, feeling a wave of hesitation wash over me. My mind was still tangled in the confusion of Kathir's strange behavior yesterday, and the idea of facing him again stirred up a mix of unease and curiosity. I sheepishly smiled at Sanjay, trying to mask my reluctance as I shifted on my feet.
"How about you bring her, and I'll take care of delivering the documents?" I suggested, my voice strained as I tried to sound casual.
I flashed him a grin, though my teeth were clenched together from the effort of trying to sound convincing. But as soon as the words left my mouth, I saw his expression shift—his brows furrowed, lips curling into a slight sneer as he looked at my face. His reaction was enough to make me feel small, but at the same time, I couldn't shake the opportunity to meet Kathir again and ask him about yesterday's odd behavior. Sighs.
"What? No way! You go with mom," he said sharply, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
I let out a soft groan, knowing he wasn't going to let me off that easy. He always had this way of making everything feel like a demand, like his time was too precious for anything other than his own plans. I crossed my arms, leaning slightly against the wall.
"Come on, Sanjay. Since they already know I'm your assistant, let this assistant fulfill her duty while the boss spends some quality time with his mom, sir," I teased, altering my voice to mimic a boy's, trying to provoke him.
"It's not fair," Sanjay muttered, visibly irritated.
Just as I thought I was getting through to him, my mom, who had been silently observing, chimed in with her usual calm but firm tone.
"She's right, Sanjay," said mom, her voice gentle but firm. "She promised to take care of your company work. For the past month, you've been giving me excuses. Today, you must come with me."
Sanjay's shoulders slumped, and he sighed dramatically, his hands going to his hips in mock defeat. His head dropped slightly as he walked toward the stairs, clearly not thrilled about the change in plans.
"This is so bad," he grumbled.
I couldn't suppress the grin that spread across my face. As he trudged toward the stairs, dragging his feet with every step, I called out to him, my tone light and teasing, a little victory bubbling inside me.
"Don't worry, your project will be handed over safely!" I called after him.
But he didn't respond. He didn't even glance back at me. His shoulders were tense as he made his way up the stairs, clearly not in the mood for my jokes. Despite his silence, I couldn't help but smirk, biting my bottom lip as I felt a small surge of satisfaction. Maybe it was petty, but for once, I wasn't the one being dragged into a situation I didn't want. Victory—even if it was small, felt sweet.