' A Game Of Disguise'

Viraj

"She might not be the real owner..."

"And how did you find that?." I scowled at him, leaning a bit towards him staring deep into his eyes. He visibly gulped and shifted in his seat.

"Well, her name's not listed on the database or register. I feel like she's faking it."

"We need proof for that. I can't blindly accuse her of something so huge." I stated as a matter of fact.
"Although, I can but I will not." I further added, and he shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, for that I already dig around. I just need a yes from you, so that I can contact them on behalf of our company."

I briefly nodded at him.

If it's true then we just have to  persuade the real owner and convince them to accept my deal.

"We could be wrong. What if it's just a technical glitch?" John thought for a second with a deep frown.

"It will be no harm to try...at least. I strongly believe it's not a mere mistake or coincidence."

I nodded satisfied with his answer. He's right, there's no harm in trying. Well, if that one comes true then we might be able to move according to plan.

"Find out more about it. I think we have to end it here. Get my car ready." I said, sighing out loud and glancing at my wristwatch.

"Sure!" John stood up surprised at the sudden change of my regular schedule and walked out calmly in a leisurely manner. I always used to stay late, too late, immersed in work.

I took out my phone and called Mom. After a few rings a soft and calm tone received the line.

"Mom, I am coming home." I announced to which she hummed.

"I made your favourite dinner. Come soon."

I rubbed my hand all over my face and combed my hair a few times.

"You don't have to do that. Tell my father, don't look forward to my stay. I am merely a guest."

I cut the call and threw my phone on the wooden table. Nothing had changed till now, my mother still cooks and cleans after him.

My mother was a brilliant student during her era, she was a Harvard graduate. She even tried to run a business but before she could work on that, she married my father.

All her hard work went down the drain and she ends up as a housewife.

It was devastating. My naive mom accepted it wholeheartedly, but it was thier marriage that made my father a billionaire and a terrible person.

"Let's go, shall we?" A knock and John's loud voice interrupted my train of thoughts.

I put the blazer over my shoulder and walked out, John trailing behind with my bag.

"John, book a table for two at any restaurant."

He looked bewildered but nodded anyway.

________

Midnight clock struck when I walked inside my house. The whole house was bright and shining, two human figures sitting at the couch. I didn't spare them a glance and walked straight to the staircase.

"Wait." My father grumbled. I halt my steps shutting my eyes tightly. I hissed lowly, annoyed.

Now what!?

Mom pushed his wheelchair towards my direction and halted when he reached near me.

"Where were you?"

"Out. Work."

He gritted his teeth at my nonchalant answer.

"Do you know your mother waited for you? She made dinner for you."

"Yeah. At your order."

Father's eyes went wide and didn't even blinked. His eyes blazed as he gave me a deathly glare. My inside twists and churned as I control my anger but I didn't let it show on my face.

His deathly glare used to work when I was a kid. Not anymore.

"Viraj. You don't talk to me that way. Did I say anything wrong? I just wanted to have a peaceful dinner with my family. Is it too much to ask?"

"Why do you care?" I snapped at him, without holding back. "There's too much work, what should I do? I dined out because it was already late. Besides, why did you change suddenly? You didn't care about it last time, you didn't care at all for your whole life." I said in a deadly calm tone.

Silence fell upon us. He thought for a second before opening his mouth again.

"Lie. You didn't want to eat with us." Father snickered, my blood boiled at his words."You are a businessman's son. You should know how to keep your profession out of personal life."

"That's exactly what I am doing." We both paused a bit.

Mom was looking down while trying hard to not weep. Why all of a sudden he wants to know my whereabouts? Why does he care, just today? Is it because he wants to piss me off, cause if it was I bet it's working.

"I regret my choice. If only I had more children."

My father said tilting his head sideways disappointed.It ticked off something inside of me, I clenched my jaws and marched towards him. Mom panicked and strolled the wheelchair further away from him.

I looked straight at his eyes, more like glared at him. For the first time in my life, I saw fear in his eyes dancing that made me smirk.

"Admit it." I started slow and calm. "You would not let me even linger around your whole business empire if you didn't lose your legs in that accident. So, it was fair for you that you pushed me into this shitty business in order to not lose your power." I growled lowly, with clenched jaws by the end.

Mom gasped at my sudden outburst, whereas my  father just watched judging me silently.

"Don't worry mom. I am not like him who uses fists and punchs." I looked dead at both of their eyes,  pulling the bloody tie off of my neck.

"Viraj!" Finally, his voice rumbled, still giving me a death glare "Don't forget I am still above you. I still have the power to dismiss you."

"If you can, then do it."

"I can't even have a child who obeys me. What a misfortune." He slapped his forehead a few times, crocodile tears falling all over his face. Dramatic!

"I do obey you as Raghuveer Malhotra but as my father you lost me, years ago."

I started to climb stairs without paying heed to his shocked face. I got into my room, gathered all my stuff and walked out with my suitcase.

"Where are you going?" Mom intervened on my way to the front door.

"In my penthouse. I still have to work a lot."

"But.. at least stay tonight." Mom said sweetly, I cupped her face with both of my hands and planted a kiss on her forehead.

"I will be safe there. If I stay here, I don't know what will happen. Please, bear with me. I will visit you often."

"At least-"

"Let him go." Father said, all his tears dried up. "I want results on the new project as soon as possible."

"Sure." I curtly said not looking his way.

"You are a grown up man. I prefer nothing but absolute best from your side." He said, a hint of warning residing in his tone. "But as my son, you failed at maintaining your composure."

I knew it.

He might have something up his sleeve. Otherwise he wasn't a person who shows his emotion easily. It took me fifteen years to know his manipulative technique.

"This world will provoke you again and again, frequently. You mustn't lose your cool. Keep that in mind next time."

His loud voice boomed in the empty hall, with a deafening threat in his tone. I find it hard to stand behind him; the need to go against him heightened today.

I walked out without glancing back. My mother was bound to him, not me. I would walk off anytime I feel like.

At least I got that much freedom.

As soon as I reached my penthouse, I went straight to my bedroom. After a hot shower I dozed off pretty quickly, which must be cause of jet lag. But I slept pretty well.

A loud buzz underneath my pillow woke me up. The rays of sunlight from the small gap between the curtains immediately fall upon my face. I squinted my eyes closed and picked up the buzzing phone with eyes half close.

"Hello." Darn! My voice came out hoarse and deep that hurt my throat.

"It's John sir. Good morning."

"Morning. What's the news." I cleared my throat but it still was hurting when I talked. I stood up and walked to the kitchen not caring to wear any t shirt.

"Sir, I found the owner. He's ready to take the deal with only money. He will be meeting you at 11 am."

"He?"

I gulped down the glass of water hungrily. Guess I was thirsty.

"Yes. The real son of Mrs. Leela Bhansali."

I almost got choked on the water.

"Bhansali?" As if sensing my thought,he replied in a monotonous tone.

"She's adopted"

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