When You Are With Me

Chapter-40


When Jai woke up the next day he found that Priya has just come back from workout.

‘Good Morning. You look bright.’ He smiled.


‘Rise and Shine.’ She smiled. ‘I have ordered coffee for us.’. Jai freshened up himself and they sat in balcony which had a view of the pool.


Jai’s mobile rang on cue.


‘What happened? Any bad news..’ Priya asked after call watching Jai’s face reaction.


‘No. It seems the Chairman of Client Company wants to meet me as well. They have asked me to join for lunch with him. Just wondering what is this for.’ He appeared tensed.


‘You know what Jai. You should relax in next few hours and forget about all the nonsense. Come let’s go for a swim and then have a relaxed breakfast.’ Jai hesitated for a minute and then said


‘Come. Let’s go.’ He switched off his phone and tossed it in the bed and Priya did the same as well.


‘Hmmm..I don’t have my swimming dress with me.’ Jai said after searching his suitcase.


‘Same here. I saw a shop inside the hotel where they were selling swimming dresses. Let’s get one.’


Jai was completely relaxed when he was about to start for meeting the client.


‘No calls Priya. I’ll come back and talk about how it went. What’s your plan for next few hours?’


‘I need to check on the bakery post which I’m meeting my ex- colleague for lunch. Good luck Jai.’ Jai hugged her and started to the client office.


**

Jai was welcomed at client office by chairman’s secretary and that surprised him. If they knew why I’m here he thought. He was led to the chairman’s cabin first.


Chairman Mr. Gautam must be around sixty years of age whom Jai had interacted earlier at few occasions.


‘How do you do Jaishankar?’ he shook hands warmly. ‘You are a coffee addict right?’Gautam ordered coffee for Jai and made Jai sit comfortably.


‘You are wondering what this fuss is about right? I was asking my guys to fix up a meeting with you wherein you fixed an appointment with our CEO. So I thought why don’t we combine both?’ he told.’ We will finish your agenda first and then cover mine. Tell me Jai , what are you here for?’ Gautam smiled.


‘Shouldn’t your CEO be here as well? This is something related to head of IT Project.’ Jai responded.


The CEO joined them in few minutes where Jai explained about his relationship with Mithun till the video shared by Shruthi.


Gautam looked at the CEO and asked ‘Did Mithun discuss with you on this?’


CEO responded ‘No.I was not aware and it was not discussed with me.’


Gautam said ‘ But Jaishankar, let this be a gentleman’s agreement between us. We will not invoke penalty clause or leak any information to media and in turn you don’t do anything like that on Mithun.’ He offered his hand to Jai.


Jai felt relived almost after a month and shook hands with him ‘ Thanks.We will renegotiate on the timeline. We are almost close to delivering it.’


CEO said ‘What were you thinking Jai. We won’t stoop to such levels because of personal enmity. I will talk to Mithun immediately on this.’


Gautam smiled’ I have high regard for you and your company Jai. Be assured it’s reputation will not be harmed by our employee.


Once CEO left Jai and Gautam together ‘Now Jaishankar let’s discuss my agenda post lunch.’ Gautam said as he led Jai to the executive dining room.


**

Priya got in touch with Vivaan who was starting for his summer camp. Her bakery was being managed by the manager and as far as she could see all was well. Neither Sriram nor Srkanth picked her call that morning which worried her.


She had a leisurely lunch with her ex-colleague and then waited for Jai in hotel. Anticipation killed her as the clock showed almost four pm.


Vivaan called her that moment and said ‘ Mummy. Police is here. They are taking Srikanth and Sriram anna to police station.’

 

Mm yes yes

 

Chapter -41


‘What??’ shouted Priya. ‘Vivaan can you give the phone to Srikanth?’ she desperately wanted to speak to one of them.


‘Priya.. ‘Came a voice after minutes of argument with police. ‘We are being taken away for questioning not sure what it’s related to. Send a lawyer. Importantly check your mail.’ Said Srikanth. His calm nature despite the situation was astounding.


She contacted the family lawyer and simultaneously checked her mail. There was a mail from Sriram stating video recording of our meeting with Mithun.


Lawyer understood the urgency and promised to be in station with a criminal lawyer as soon as possible. She tried Jai’s number which was switched off. She panicked whether meeting Mithun is somehow related to be questioned by polic. In the video she could see Mithun opening the hotel room and welcoming the boys with a hug. After a brief social talk, Mithun led the conversation towards Aarthi. He said that both him and Aarthi wished to welcome boys in their life, which was turned down immediately by Srkanth.


He shot back in the video ,’I don’t wish to be part of your or Aarthi life. I don’t even want to call her my mother. I agreed to meet you just to convey this.’


Mithun was seen mumbling something in the lines of ‘I know you have a bad picture of me. But I’m not a villain your dad painted me as.’


Srikanth was saying ‘We know what you are capable of doing just for personal revenge even up to the fact that you allied with a politician on this.’


When Sriram was caught looking sharply at Srikanth , Mithun glared at them and asked ‘How do you..I mean what are you saying? Which politician?’


Srikanth got up said ‘You perfectly know who I mean and if in case you don’t ,keep guessing. Good Bye.’ Mithun’s face ashened up in the video and Srikanth was seen walking out of the room.


Did Mithun launch a false police complaint? Priya wondered. Despite sending a lawyer to police station she felt powerless. She wanted to get in touch with Jai. She called his secretary and asked her to reach Jai.


Meanwhile she received another call.’ Priya. Meera here. I’m at your house. Vivaan is saying Sriram is taken by police. What happened?’ Meera’s voice was trembling in fear.


‘I’m not sure why they have taken him for questioning. I’ll call you back Meera. I’m receiving another call.’


She took the other call to realize it was from Sagar asking whether Jai is back.


She heard the room bell ring and breathed with relief when she opened the door. Jai was standing with all smiles. He detected something was wrong on seeing her face and she explained to him without wasting time. Jai himself spoke to lawyer and ensured his boys are safe. Jai and Priya made it to airport quickly to catch the next flight.


Jai’s mobile rang and it was from chairman. ‘Jai. I heard from Meera about Srikanth and Sriram. What happened?’ Jai explained what he knew about boys.


‘I also had a meeting in Mithun’s- I mean client office this noon.’ Jai added


Chairman immediately cut him ‘Let’s speak official things later. Jai, I’ll speak to the authorities here to know why your boys have been taken for questioning. Call me back once you have landed in Chennai.’


Priya heard the boarding announcement and when they were about to board her mobile rang with a call from their lawyer.


‘I have a bad news Mrs. Jaishankar. Your boy’s were the last one to see Mithun alive and that’s why they have been taken for questioning.’


Priya’s hand’s trembled. ‘You mean Mithun is dead?’


‘Yes. ..’ came the lawyer’s voice sounding loud and clear

 

Thanks Adharv. Just posted the next chapter.

 

Thank you Peddadas..Happy you like the story pace