Siddharth 

Did you ever feel like your mind will be blown off your body and you will remain standing clueless to your surroundings? 

I know this is no way to start off but that was exactly what I felt when I saw my mother emerging out of nowhere. Did I know she came back from her trip? No. Did I expect to see her here? Of course not.

I scurried away in the pit of time, dragging Abhiraj along with me to hide in the corner made by the wide pillars in front of some stranger's door. 

"Wasn't that your mother?" His voice was full of doubt, contemplating his thoughts, ideas and his life too, maybe.

"Yes, don't tell me you don't remember?" 

"Of course… I do," he said, almost acting defensive. "I guess I do. I mean it's been so long so…" His voice trailed off as if he was trying to remember the useless details of his last meeting with my mother.

I sighed and shook him up from his deep dive into memory lane. "Snap out. It doesn't matter. She is here now. Try to find a way."

Abhiraj nodded. He was about to go out when I pulled him back. "What? Do you have a plan already?" 

"I have." I listened intently as desperation took over me. I will do anything to get out of this. "I am going to tell her that I don't know you and leave the country." 

I was left in splits at his answer. I didn't know what I was expecting from this man. "Are you fucking crazy?" I nearly shouted out loud.

"I am going." 

"No, wait." I pulled on his arm. "I will do anything you say. Just help me out, please. Please." I begged him, bowing my head like never before. I could hear Payal calling out for me. I was falling into a deep pit. Only he could save me now. 

"Will you do anything?" He looked amused more than anything. "Sounds great. I have a plan. Play along," he said, patting my back before walking away leisurely. 

I couldn't help but whisper under my breath. "He better not ask me to do anything weird. But can I even trust this guy?" 

In the next moment we were standing in front of all of them. My attempts in hiding clearly failed as my mother's mouth opened wide. "Sid, why are you here?" 

Under the pressure of eyes just constantly focusing on me, I pretend to be as shocked as her. "I was just— but mom, when did you come from Nainital? Wow! I didn't expect that." I was sure that I excelled in that act except my mother didn't really pay any appreciation to my effort. 

She bluntly asserted, "You were skipping work right? And you were trying to run because you were caught." She held her eyebrows up as if telling me to indicate to her that her theory was right. 

I smiled nervously as I turned to Abhiraj. I could only wait to hear from him now. 

"Excuse me, madam. As an employee, I want to say this. Siddharth sir wasn't skipping work. He just wanted to help me and my wife move in." My eyes threatened to bulge out of their sockets and my arms itched to catch him by the collar and hang him onto a cloth hanger because he clearly lost his marbles. 

"What are you—" Payal interrupted when she was cut off abruptly by the self-acclaimed husband that she got mere seconds ago. 

"Siddharth sir is so kind that my wife can't stop praising him. He is an idol." His smiling idiot face turned to smile at me only to creep me out of my mind and give me the chills behind my neck.

I clenched my teeth and punched him in the back, just enough to give him a reality check. Maybe, he seriously lost it. 

"Oh, so you are her husband. Let me show you your room." The middle-aged lady walked ahead of us but not before scanning him up and down. 

My mother stayed back, pulling me aside with her. I looked at Payal who turned back for a moment before walking ahead with a visibly confused look plastered on her face.

"So, did you really just come to help?" She looked at me suspiciously. 

"Of course." I tugged at my collar. "So hot." Uncomfort crept up on me while I felt the constant stare from my mom. 

"Can we go inside?" I chose to break the silence and walked straight into the room. 

I felt so welcome in the cosy little room and the small cute dining table was cleaned tidily. Abhiraj opened the door beside the dining area and there it was. The double bed is in the middle of the bedroom. The room was so tiny that one could sit on the bed and reach the closet with your feet but I wonder why would anyone even do that?

"It must be very small, right?" My mother's warm voice resonated in that little room. 

"This is good. I like it." Payal sounded excited. At least she tried to. 

Abhiraj walked around, scrutinizing every bit of the room before walking towards the curtains of the living room. "Nice one."

In a few minutes, when we were all about to go out to discuss the next thing to do, I whispered to Payal, asking her to stay behind for a while. And she was more than ready to get things straight.

I saw the rest of them leaving when I debated on what I should be saying at this point and all I was able to spit out was, "Thank you for keeping the act." 

She fought a scoff and replied, "What? Is that all? Explain this to me."

"I don't have the time… I…", he trails off and sighs before continuing, "You saw that lady with specs, yellow dress— she is my mother. But I think it's managed well." 

Her eyes were wide as shock seemed to almost paralyse her. "What… What did you just say?" 

★★★

Author's POV 

Pegasus Market was the mess Anvish never wanted to work in. Can you imagine the humiliation of one of the most respected team leaders in the Ahuja Company, degraded from his position to end up managing a shop with annoying kids, customer complaints and a hell load of manual work?

"Where is your manager?" A customer burst in, holding in the big microwave as she was heaving with anger.

"What's the problem, madam?" Anvish came forward to handle the customer, knowing very well that she didn't seem like the type to stop there. 

"Are you the manager? No, right? So call him!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, throwing him away quite literally. 

He never signed up to work in this environment. In fact, he didn't like it at all but as the days passed, he started to realize that he wasn't the only one struggling. The people here, most of them, were deported to work here for a lesser paycheck. 

And that's how it all started. Seeing how easily the management disposed of them like some commodities that they didn't need anymore, Anvish went on full-on spy mode. Revenge is best served on paper documents. 

The scam led by the selected few directors ruined their juniors, this odd supermarket and the supposedly dedicated leaders. He was determined to expose them to the CEO. I am going to expose you all, he thought every single day.

"Please calm down, ma'am. You can complain in customer care." Anvish tried once again before failing terribly as he fell face down on the floor while the lady stormed towards the manager's desk.

"Sir, are you okay?" The new girl, Akshara leaned over to pull him back up.

He didn't plan on falling like this. He shouldn't be here like this. He should now be searching for the fraud files that should be hidden somewhere in this place. 

As the air in the market got better again after they were done with the customer, he went back to his desk, pulling out his pen. This was the most important thing for him. 

He is putting his everything on this one thing. And now, he also knows that he should beware of that woman, Payal. She looks like someone who is hiding something. 

But the question is what? What is she even hiding?

~•~

Here's a late night update.

So, now you all have a idea about Anvish and his suspicious acting. This guy is hilarious for no reason.

Abhiraj is dead, isn't he? What do you think?

Hope you are doing well!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

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