Sunlight hadn't yet fully wrestled control from the shadows when Armaan found himself outside Kaveri's room. A knot of determination tightened in his stomach as he raised his hand and knocked, the sound surprisingly loud in the predawn quiet. Taking a breath, he lowered the latch and stepped inside. "Grandma? May I come in?" His voice, he noted with a flicker of self-consciousness, was pitched low, almost hesitant, despite the resolve hardening his jaw.

Kaveri looked up from the papers on her desk, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. "What brings you here, Armaan sir?" she asked, the added title laced with a new, brittle formality.

"I wanted to ask you something," Armaan began, keeping his voice even. "And I hoped... that you might consider it."

"I'm afraid I have an announcement to make myself." Kaveri cut him off, rising from her chair. "Something rather important, actually. Perhaps your matter can wait?" She moved towards the door before he could respond, leaving him to follow, the unspoken dismissal hanging in the air.

Arrogance dripped from every syllable of her tone. Armaan's jaw tightened almost involuntarily; the muscles in his neck corded with suppressed frustration. He knew this feeling, this familiar devaluation. It was like being a prized possession, admired on display, but instantly forgotten, rendered worthless the moment it was no longer deemed useful.

Kaveri, Sanjay trailing behind her, entered the main hall. A ripple of anticipation went through the gathered family. Ruhi and Rohit descended the stairs together, Rohit looking almost smug, Ruhi's expression unreadable.

"Sanjay, the file, please." Kaveri extended a hand without looking at him, and Sanjay wordlessly placed a black file into it. Kaveri cleared her throat, her gaze sweeping over the room, briefly pausing when she noticed Abhira standing hesitantly near the doorway.

"Actually," Kaveri announced, a slight shift in her tone, a calculated amplification for wider ears, "perhaps we should move to the verandah. So everyone can hear clearly." Of course, Armaan thought, a bitter smile twisting his lips. The grand pronouncement had to be public. He could almost see the imaginary audience Kaveri played to in her head – rivals, envious onlookers, anyone who needed to witness the Poddar family's continued dominance. He glanced at Abhira, a silent question passing between them before he turned back to Kaveri, bracing himself.

Kaveri positioned herself on the raised platform of the verandah, a natural stage. "I've made a decision," she began, her voice ringing out. "Regarding the future of Poddar Associates. After... careful consideration," a pause for emphasis, "I have decided that Rohit will be taking over as lead. He will be handling the firm from now on."

The words landed like a physical blow. Rohit? A wave of disbelief washed over Armaan, quickly followed by a colder surge of disappointment. He glanced at Abhira again; her eyes mirrored his shock, a flicker of worry clouding her expression. Around them, the family murmured, a low hum of surprise and approval.

Kaveri continued, elaborating on Rohit's supposed readiness, but Armaan barely registered her words. A knot of defiance began to tighten in his chest. This couldn't be it. Not after everything. He pushed forward, taking a step away from Abhira, his voice cutting through Kaveri's pronouncements, firm but deliberately measured. "Grandma, if I may... I have something I need to discuss. It's rather important."

Kaveri's head turned, her gaze sharp, a flash of impatience in her eyes. But Armaan held her gaze, willing her to acknowledge him. This was his moment.

"I understand your decision," he began, "but I truly believe... I'm capable of leading the firm. More than capable. Rohit... he's still relatively new. He'll need time." The words felt inadequate, almost pleading, but he forced them out.

Madhav stepped forward, his voice a hesitant but welcome support. "I... I agree with Armaan, Mom. He has years of experience. He's proven himself."

Kaveri's expression hardened, her jawline tightening. "Madhav, you know our traditions. The heir assumes leadership. It's always been this way." Her voice brooked no argument.

"Traditions evolve, Mom," Madhav persisted, a flicker of unusual defiance in his eyes. "And isn't Armaan the eldest in this house?"

Kaveri's gaze snapped to Madhav, then back to Armaan, her eyes narrowing. "He is the eldest, yes. But... not of my own blood, Madhav." The words, though softly spoken, landed with the force of a slap.

A cold wave washed over Armaan, chilling him to the bone. Not of my own blood. The unspoken truth, the constant undercurrent, finally articulated. Something inside him shifted. He walked towards Kaveri, stopping a respectful distance away, his voice quiet, but firm. "Grandma, with respect, traditions should evolve to recognize merit. To recognize... capability."

The air crackled with unspoken tension. Abhira stood still, a silent pillar of support at his side. The rest of the family watched, a mixture of discomfort and morbid curiosity in their eyes.

Kaveri's expression remained unmoved, her gaze unwavering. "Are you... unhappy for Rohit, Armaan?" she asked, a thin edge to her voice.

Unhappy for Rohit? The question was absurd. Rohit wasn't the enemy. But from the corner of his eye, he saw Rohit bristle, his face tightening with resentment.

"What do you want now?" Rohit interjected, his voice rising, laced with a familiar, wounded petulance. "After taking... after snatching everything—" he cut himself off, his eyes flickering towards Ruhi, then back to Armaan, anger contorting his features. "First, you... you took what was rightfully mine. And now you're trying to undermine me professionally too?"

"Rohit!" Armaan exclaimed, a sharp warning note in his voice.

"Don't... don't shout at me, Armaan," Rohit retorted, his voice trembling slightly despite the forced bravado. "Things have changed. You don't get to order me around anymore."

A fresh wave of hurt washed over Armaan, sharper than the professional slight. But he fought to maintain his composure. "I am happy for you, Rohit," he said, his voice steady despite the inner turmoil. "Truly. But Grandma," he turned back to Kaveri, "I need a cabin. Just... a cabin of my own. For my work. For me."

Kaveri's eyebrow arched, her gaze steely. "There are no cabins available, Armaan. You can use the conference room."

Armaan's jaw clenched again. "Why? Grandma, why?"

"I don't understand why you're making such a fuss," Kaveri replied coolly, dismissing his concern with a wave of her hand.

"Because I'm also part of this firm," Armaan insisted, his voice rising despite himself. "I can't work effectively in a conference room. And... and all my cases have been reassigned to Rohit. Your decision, I know, but he's still... he's still learning."

Kaveri's eyes narrowed. "Who are you to judge Rohit's abilities? Or... is this about something else entirely? Are you... resentful? That Rohit is receiving more attention than you? Because you're not... because you're not truly one of us, Armaan. Is that it? You can't accept that Rohit has stepped into his rightful place?"

"Grandma," Armaan's voice strained with rising frustration, "this is becoming... personal."

"Personal?" Kaveri scoffed, her voice sharp as glass. "You made it personal, Armaan. Ever since you started... associating with that girl. Abhira has twisted your thinking, manipulated you completely."

A cold fury, sharp and immediate, flared in Armaan's chest. "Don't you dare speak about Abhira like that." His voice, though still controlled, had dropped to a dangerous low, vibrating with suppressed anger. "Not one more word."

"Don't you threaten me, Armaan!" Kaveri shot back, her own temper finally surfacing. "You crossed a line long ago!"

"Did I?" Armaan's voice was dangerously soft now. "Perhaps you're right, Grandma. If that's the case... then let me make it absolutely clear. I resign. I am resigning from Poddar Associates. Effective immediately." The words hung heavy in the air, a shocking declaration that silenced the entire verandah.

"Are you... are you sure?" Kaveri asked, her voice suddenly losing some of its steel, a flicker of something unreadable in her eyes.

"Damn sure," Armaan affirmed, his voice ringing with conviction.

A stunned silence descended. Abhira reached for his hand, her fingers tightening around his. He met her gaze, a silent understanding passing between them. He felt her unspoken support, her quiet strength.

"Very well," Kaveri finally said, her voice regaining its customary firmness, though perhaps with a tremor beneath the surface. "Do as you wish. I won't stop you. You've chosen this path, Armaan. Disobedience... all because of that girl." She gestured dismissively towards Abhira. "Go then. Go and see how far you get without this family. You'll learn, Armaan, you'll learn you are nothing... nothing without the Poddars."

"I will remember your words, Grandma," Armaan replied, his voice resonant with a quiet, steely promise. He tightened his grip on Abhira's hand and turned, walking away, his heart a heavy weight in his chest, yet strangely, exhilaratingly, resolute. For the first time, he had truly stood his ground against Kaveri, against tradition, against the very foundation of his life. As he walked out of the verandah, out of the house, into the uncertain expanse of the future, he knew, with a certainty that resonated deep within his bones, that he was finally free to discover who Armaan Poddar truly was, beyond the confines of Poddar Associates, beyond the expectations of his family – a man forging his own path, on his own terms.

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How does this revised Chapter Two feel to you? Does it feel more realistic and impactful?