chapter 45

YOU ARE THE RHYTHM OF MY HEART!Chapter 45 :As they entered the front porch, they saw Yeshwanth standing there, holding a mobile to his ear. His voice was sharp with anger as he barked into the phone,“How dare they? I will leave immediately and arrange the meeting tomorrow morning. I don’t want anything to go wrong. I’ll handle everything once I return”.With that, he disconnected the call and let out a frustrated sigh before collapsing onto the bench beside the potted plants, rubbing his temples in agitation.Nandu and Aadhya exchanged glances before walking over and standing beside him. Nandu gently placed his hand on Yeshwanth’s shoulder, startling him. Yeshwanth looked up in surprise to see Nandu.“Dad! What’s wrong? You look so disturbed”, Nandu asked, his voice filled with concern.Darting his eyes between Nandu and Aadhya, Yeshwanth let out a nervous smile before replying,“It’s nothing. Just some issues at the office. I’ll manage”. Rising to his feet, he continued,“Nandu, I need to leave for the city right away. Akhil and Sruthi will stay back with you for a few more days. I hope you don’t have a problem with that?”. His voice carried a hint of hesitation.Standing up, Nandu narrowed his eyes at his father, suspicion evident in his gaze. “Dad! What’s the problem? I’m not a kid you can fool. Tell me what happened,” he demanded, his voice serious.Letting out a sigh of frustration, Yeshwanth glanced at Aadhya before looking back at Nandu. “Nandu! There’s a critical situation at the company. All the directors are demanding your removal from the CEO position”, he admitted, his voice heavy with anxiety.Nandu’s eyes widened momentarily before he arched an eyebrow. “Why?”, he asked, his voice laced with curiosity.Yeshwanth hesitated, his gaze flickering toward Aadhya. Noticing his father’s reluctance, Nandu encouraged him,“Dad! You can tell me anything. I’m not going to keep her away from my affairs. We’ll be open with each other, no matter the circumstances”, he assured firmly.Taking a deep breath, Yeshwanth finally spoke. “Nandu… after Sagarika let you leave the house, Vivek took advantage of the situation. He managed to turn all the directors and shareholders against you, claiming that Sagarika abandoned you. Now, none of them want any conflicts in the business, so they’re pushing to replace you as CEO and they’re proposing Vivek for the position”.Hearing a sharp gasp, Nandu spun his head toward Aadhya, who stood frozen in place. Her eyes turned moist, and her face grew paler upon hearing the words.The rest of the family, drawn by the commotion in the porch, gathered around. As they overheard the conversation, they were left speechless.Wrapping his arm around Aadhya, Nandu gently reassured her,“Aadu! Don’t worry about trivial matters. These are very common in business, and you need to grow stronger to face them. Okay?”. His voice was gentle yet coaxing.Aadhya looked at Nandu, and upon noticing his calm expression, she asked in a quivering voice,“Are you not shaken by the news? What if your mother supports your cousin?”. Her voice trembled with suspicion and fear.Chuckling softly, Nandu ruffled her hair and replied,“My mother is a perfect businesswoman. She knows exactly whom to rely on for the company’s profits. Don’t worry”, he said, his voice unwavering and determined.Turning to his father, Nandu declared,“Dad! I’m coming with you. We’ll all return to the city and face the situation together. Don’t worry—I’ll handle it”, he assured, his voice filled with confidence.Then, turning back to Aadhya, he gently instructed,“Aadu! You and Uncle should stay back for a few more days for his recovery. I’ll return once I’ve handled the situation”, his voice warm and affectionate.Aadhya shook her head as she replied,“No! I can’t stay here in peace, knowing that you’re facing trouble at the company”, she objected. Her gaze then landed on Parasuram, and with teary eyes, she turned to him.“Dad…”, she pleaded.Walking toward them, Parasuram placed his hand on Aadhya’s head and said firmly,“Aadu! I can’t stay in peace either, knowing he’s facing difficulties at the company. We’ll go back too. Go pack the bags”, his voice filled with determination.“But Uncle…”, Nandu started to protest, but Parasuram cut him off.“Nandu! Don’t try to stop us. We may not be able to help you in business, but we can give you our moral support by staying by your side. That’s the least we can do,” he said, his voice steady and resolute.Realizing he couldn’t argue against them, Nandu sighed in frustration before turning to the other family members. Addressing them with sincerity, he said,“I’m truly sorry for this sudden departure. I hope you all understand. I promise to return once everything is settled”. His voice carried both respect and an unspoken plea.Seetharamaiah stepped forward and patted Nandu's shoulder. “You’re truly a remarkable businessman, handling things so smoothly. Though we’re disappointed by your sudden decision, we understand your urgency. But remember—there’s a family here that eagerly awaits your return. Don’t forget that”, he said, his voice filled with warmth and affection.-  *KRISH*