💓TIDES OF HIS HEART-CHAPTER-7

Third pov :

As dawn painted the sky with soft hues, Aaradhya was already up and about, her morning routine in full swing. She had just finished drawing an intricate kolam at the front gate, her delicate hands moving with practiced grace. Quickly, she prepared Rudhran's protein shake and placed it neatly on the dining table A secret flutter danced in her chest as she thought of Rudhran. Two meetings, yet both had sent her heart into a frenzy, and she headed to the small Murugan shrine in the corner of the garden for her daily puja.

Her light blue saree hugged her slender frame, and her long hair was loosely tied with a simple clutch, her calm smile lighting up her face as she adorned the shrine with fresh flowers. she closed her eyes, her lips moving softly in prayer, completely unaware of the watchful eyes fixed on her.

Rudhran leaned against the doorway, his black hoodie clinging to his broad chest, damp from his morning workout. His ruggedly handsome face bore a slight smirk, his sharp jawline accentuated in the soft light. She had managed to avoid him for two days, nervous as a doe, and he had let it slide. But not today. He had finished his workout early just to catch her—and there she was, lost in her prayers, clueless to the effect she had on him.

His dark eyes roamed over her, taking in the way the soft fabric of her saree swayed as she moved, how her unpolished beauty seemed to radiate a charm he couldn't resist. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, and as if sensing his presence, Aaradhya opened her eyes—only to find herself face-to-face with a wall of hard muscle encased in black.

Her heart skipped a beat, her gaze darting up to meet his. Rudhran stood there, his smirk deepening as he noted her wide, startled eyes.

"Hi," he said casually, his voice rich and deep.

Aaradhya's lips parted, but no words came out. Her eyes flitted nervously to the ground, to the shrine, anywhere but his intense gaze.

Rudhran's smirk softened into a teasing smile. "Oii," his tone was a mix of sternness and playfulness. "Don't even think about running away like last time. That day, I got it—you didn't know me. But today?" He cocked an eyebrow. "Not happening."

Her cheeks flushed "I—I wasn't—"

a teasing smirk tugging at his lips as he stepped closer, making Aaradhya feel even smaller under his intense gaze. "You weren't what?" he interrupted smoothly, the kind of tone that could make anyone's heart race.

Before she could stammer out a response, he arched a brow, "What is it, Aaradhya? Do I look like a devil to you? Hmm? Some cruel, scary face you need to run away from?

Her eyes widened, and she frantically shook her head. "No, no, sir! Not at all!" the way she said it—earnest, shy, and so sweetly flustered—made Rudhran chuckle softly.

"Good," he drawled, folding his arms as he looked at her with mock seriousness. "Because last I checked, this face doesn't have horns or sharp teeth. Unless," lowering his voice as if sharing a secret, "you think I do, and I just haven't noticed."

Aaradhya's cheeks flamed at his teasing, her gaze darting to the ground as if it might swallow her whole. She shook her head again, her hands clutching the edge of her saree nervously. "No, sir... you—you don't."

Rudhran's expression softened as he gave her a small, rare smile. His voice carried an unexpected gentleness as he spoke.

"Relax, okay? I just came here to thank you," he said earnestly.

Aaradhya blinked, her brows furrowing in confusion. "Th-thank me, sir? For what?" she stammered.

Rudhran let out a quiet chuckle, his lips curving into a smile that could make anyone's heart skip a beat. "For taking care of this temple," his tone unwavering. "This place is very close to my heart. It meant everything to my mother... and it still means everything to my patti." His gaze softened further "And also... for your amazing cooking. Truly, you've spoiled everyone here."

He smiled again, and though his words were simple,The truth was, Rudhran had been looking for a reason—any reason—to talk to her.

Aaradhya's fingers nervously twisting the end of her saree. "It's my responsibility, sir," she replied shyly, "You don't have to thank me for that."

Her devotion to her work shone through her words, and Rudhran found himself drawn to her humility and quiet grace.

For a brief moment, their gazes locked, the world around them fading as an unspoken connection lingered in the air. Rudhran's eyes softened, betraying a hint of the admiration he felt but hadn't yet voiced. Aaradhya, on the other hand, felt her heart race uncontrollably, the intensity of his gaze making her both nervous and inexplicably warm inside.

Before either could say more, the spell was broken by the sound of another maid calling out to Aaradhya from the hallway. Aaradhya turned quickly.

"Excuse me, sir," she said softly, her voice steady despite the lingering flutter in her chest. She walked away, her steps hurried but graceful, leaving Rudhran standing there with his hands casually tucked into his pockets. There was something undeniably captivating about her, something that pulled at him in a way he hadn't expected.

As Rudhran stood there, his gaze lingered for a moment longer on the empty doorway Aaradhya had disappeared through. He straightened up, brushing a hand through his hair, that rare soft expression quickly replaced by his usual composed and unreadable demeanor.

Before he could take another step, a familiar voice rang out.

"Ah-ha! What's this? Rudhran, standing all dreamy-eyed in a temple? Now, this is a sight worth noting," Vishnu's teasing tone echoed as he strolled in, arms crossed and an exaggerated smirk plastered on his face.

Rudhran turned his head slowly, his eyes narrowing slightly at the interruption. "What do you want, da?" he asked in his usual calm but clipped tone.

But Vishnu wasn't one to back down, his grin widening as he pointed toward the direction Aaradhya had gone. " You were talking with Aaradhya, weren't you?"

Rudhran's jaw tightened, but instead of denying it or brushing it off, he met Vishnu's gaze directly, his voice dropping to a cold, no-nonsense tone. "And if I was?"

The teasing grin on Vishnu's face faltered for a split second, taken aback by Rudhran's blunt response. He quickly recovered, though, leaning in with mock curiosity. "So, the mighty Rudhran finally has a soft spot, huh? Interesting. Very interesting."

Rudhran's lips twitched into the faintest hint of a smirk, "If you're expecting me to deny it, don't waste your breath. I like her. So what?"

The casual, straightforward admission left Vishnu momentarily stunned, blinking in disbelief. "Wow. Okay. That's... bold. Not even trying to play it cool, huh?"

Rudhran shrugged, "What's the point? I don't waste time pretending or playing games."his voice carried out a confidence, making it clear he didn't care about anyone's opinion.

Vishnu let out a low whistle, shaking his head in mock disbelief. "Man, I gotta hand it to you. Only you can say something like that and make it sound like a business deal."

Rudhran smirked faintly, "Glad you're entertained. Now, if you're done wasting time, go find someone else to annoy."

Vishnu huffed and asked "I just wanted to ask you yesterday itself, "you avoid drama like the plague, you've stepped right into the middle of it by taking up that CEO position," His tone was lighter, but there was a genuine curiosity behind it. "You're not exactly the type who needs a title to prove anything. So, why'd you agree to it?"

Rudhran glanced at him, his expression calm and unaffected as usual. "You think I wanted it?" he asked flatly.

Vishnu raised an eyebrow. "Then why? You're not the guy who jumps into the spotlight for fun. There's gotta be a reason."

Rudhran exhaled sharply, crossing his arms over his chest as his dark eyes took on a steely edge. "Ajay," the name laced with quiet disdain.

Vishnu's brows knit together in confusion. "What about Ajay? I thought he was managing things... decently, at least?"

Rudhran let out a dry laugh, devoid of humor. "Decently? If you call funneling company assets into gambling and shady deals decent, then sure, he was doing an amazing job."

Vishnu straightened, his expression shifting into one of shock. "Wait, what? Gambling? Are you serious?"

Rudhran gave a curt nod, his voice as calm as ever, though there was a sharpness beneath it. "Discovered it during a routine audit. The idiot thought he was untouchable, using company money like it was his personal bank account. He even tried to cover it up with fake accounts."

Rudhran's jaw tightened as he continued, "Ajay's been neck-deep in illegal activities. Half the time, he's not even in the office. And don't even get me started on the complaints. That pervert has multiple allegations from female employees." His teeth clenched as his thoughts took a darker turn. The thought of Ajay anywhere near Aaradhya sent a sharp pang through him. Did that creep ever look at her? Speak to her? Behave badly? The very possibility made his blood boil, his possessiveness over Aaradhya rising like a tidal wave.

Vishnu, sensing the shift in Rudhran's mood, asked cautiously, "Then why are you still letting him roam around the office? Shouldn't he be out the door by now?"

Rudhran's lips curled into a bitter smirk. "Simple. Let him think he's safe. It's easier to track his moves when he's within the circle. If I kick him out now, he'll go underground, and cleaning up this mess will take twice as long."

Vishnu let out a low whistle, "Dei, Rudhu, you're playing chess while the rest of us are stuck in ludo. Smart move."

"I promised Thatha," Rudhran continued, his voice steady and full of determination. "I told him I'd take care of this family and keep his company's reputation untarnished. I'll make sure we handle the 50th-anniversary celebrations without a hitch. But for that, I need someone I can trust completely. That's why I want you as CFO. No one else here has earned it."

Vishnu blinked, the weight of Rudhran's words settling over him. "Seri, seri(ok ok). I'm in. But only because I don't want you to carry all this crap alone. And maybe because I enjoy the free coffee in the office."

Rudhran spat with bitterness "If that man had handled things better, none of this would've happened." His words were laced with anger and disgust towards his father.

Vishnu could see the fire in his brother's eyes, but he wasn't sure how to ease the tension. He'd seen Rudhran get this way before,

Rudhran rolled his eyes and asked "When's Sathyan Chitapa coming?"

Vishnu checked his phone, his casual tone returning. "They're on the way. Probably stuck in traffic. You know how it is." Rudhran nodded, but his mind was elsewhere now. He was already thinking ahead, formulating his next move. The anniversary event. Ajay. The employees. And, of course, Aaradhya. His possessiveness over her was something he couldn't ignore, especially after seeing how gentle and sincere she was in her work. The thought of someone, anyone, looking at her the wrong way made his blood boil.

Inside their room.

"You've let this happen, Raj!" Yamuna's voice was sharp and venomous. "our son, Ajay, humiliated and discarded like trash—all because of that arrogant Rudhran!"

Rajendhran rubbed his temples, exhaustion in his eyes. "Yamuna, it's not that simple. Rudhran is protecting the company. I've tried to reason with him—"

"Protect? You call this protection? Ajay should be CEO, and now look at him—drunk and heartbroken!" Her voice trembled with rage supporting her useless son. "Sudharshan, my brother, one of the major shareholders, deserves respect! Yet, what does he get? Nothing!"

Rajendhran's jaw tightened at the mention of Sudharshan. He knew the stakes. Rudhran's position was a promise he'd made to his grandfather—a promise he couldn't break.

"I know this is hard, but—"

"But nothing, Raj! our son is drowning in bitterness, and you stand by, playing peacemaker with Rudhran!" She raised her arms, rings clinking with her anger.

"Enough, Yamuna. Ajay's actions were his own. The blame isn't only on Rudhran. Don't forget who neglected the company when it needed direction."

Yamuna's eyes flickered with fury. "Don't forget who stood by you when no one else would!" Yamuna stormed out of the room, Rajendhran stood still, his face a mask of regret. He ran a hand through his hair, a deep sigh escaping him as he watched her leave. Her words echoed in his mind, but there was something else lingering—something darker.

Rajendhran's gaze drifted to the photo on his purse. It was of his late Wife Sumathy, her smile frozen in time, a reminder of the price he had paid for his past mistakes. He had betrayed her trust, made choices that had cost more than he was willing to admit.

The regret gnawed at him. If only he had been a better brother, a better husband. If only he had chosen the right path back then. But now, the damage was done, and he could never undo it.

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