chapter 49

YOU ARE THE RHYTHM OF MY HEART!Chapter 49 :With everyone returning to their work, only Yeshwanth, Saagarika, Nandu, and Gaurav remained in the meeting room. Nandu's eyes darted toward his mother, anticipating some interaction with her. But to his disappointment, Saagarika simply gathered her belongings, rose to her feet, and bid farewell to Yeshwanth. Without sparing Nandu a glance, she turned on her heels and walked toward the door, her steps steady and confident, as if there was nothing left for her to say.Nandu's heart clenched at her indifference. After weeks apart, he had hoped for even the smallest acknowledgment, but her cold disregard made him feel as if he had been cast into a pit of despair.Noticing the turmoil on Nandu’s face, Yeshwanth stepped closer, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He gave it a gentle squeeze, offering the comfort Nandu so desperately needed in that moment.“Nandu!”, Yeshwanth called out, drawing his son's attention. His voice was laced with empathy as he continued,“Don’t let your mother’s indifference bother you. She will realize her mistakes soon and come to you, begging for forgiveness. You know how strong-headed she is—accepting her faults and apologizing doesn’t come easily to her”.Turning to his father, Nandu's voice wavered with raw emotion. “Dad! Though I am angry at her for what she did to Aadu, the child in me still longs for his mother’s love. After being away for so long, I thought she would at least acknowledge me. But I was wrong. She couldn’t lower her pride for the sake of a mere girl. What she doesn’t understand is that Aadu is not just anyone, she is my pride, my wealth, my everything. I just hope that by the time she realizes it, we haven’t drifted too far apart”. His voice filled with anguish, desperation and pain.Nodding his head, Yeshwanth reassured Nandu that things would be reconciled soon. With that assurance, Nandu left the company after instructing Gaurav on his duties.As he approached the house, he stepped out of the car and entered, only to find Aadhya standing under the front porch, pacing back and forth, her fingers nervously fidgeting.The moment she heard the sound of the gate, Aadhya whirled around. Seeing Nandu approaching, she took a step toward him. As he neared, she wrapped her arms around his torso, resting her face against his chest while gently patting his back—a silent gesture of comfort.“Krish!”, Aadhya called softly, her voice filled with tenderness. “I’m sorry for what happened at the company. Please don’t let your mother’s indifference upset you. She will come back to you—I know she will”, she reassured him, her tone coaxing and warm.Cradling her in his arms, Nandu kissed the top of her head, his voice tinged with amusement as he asked,“Aadu, no matter how much stress I carry from the outside world, you always manage to calm me. How do you do it?”. His curiosity was evident in his tone.Chuckling softly, Aadhya lifted her head and gazed into his eyes, her warmth and fondness shining through. “It’s not me who brings you peace,” she said gently. “It’s your love, your affection, and your admiration for me that make you feel at ease in my presence.”Nandu cupped her chin between his fingers, tilting her face toward him. Leaning in, he placed a soft peck on her lips before murmuring,“You are the one who makes me feel all those emotions, Aadu! No other woman has ever captured me the way you have. You are the most precious gift in my life”. His voice was sincere, every word laced with deep devotion.Aadhya felt a pang of pride in her heart. Trying to push back the tears threatening to spill, she gently pulled Nandu inside the house, urging him to freshen up for lunch.Before heading to his room, Nandu turned back and asked,“Aadu! How do you know what happened at the company? Did Dad call you?”. His voice was laced with curiosity.Aadhya averted her gaze, looking around as she hesitated. “I... that... Gaurav called me. He told me about the situation and mentioned how upset you were after your mother’s reaction”, she admitted, feeling anxious about how Nandu would react to her receiving a call from Gaurav.Observing her nervousness, Nandu chuckled softly and stepped toward her. Ruffling her hair playfully, he reassured her,“Don’t be nervous, Aadu! Gaurav is my PA, and if I’m unavailable, you can always reach out to him for help. I don’t restrict you from socializing with the people around me. Besides, believe this, he respects you the most, maybe even more than he respects me”, he added, his voice filled with warmth.Aadhya’s eyes widened in surprise at his words. Seeing her reaction, Nandu smiled gently and placed a tender kiss on her forehead before heading off to freshen up, instructing her to arrange lunch.-  *KRISH*