Tainted Love by Maniah (i love reading TXT) 📖

He accepted the call immediately, "Hello…"

"Hello, Dhigraj.  Granth wants to talk to Mr Sehgal." Mrs Lucy said from the other end.

Dhigraj eyed Mrityunjay whose hands were fisted tightly. His body was stiff in anger. Dhigraj knew that Mrityunjay didn't like when someone disturbs him in this mood. Still, he took the chance. 

"Um! Sir, This call is for you."

Mrityunjay opened his eyes and glared at Dhigraj in anger. "It's your son, he wants to talk to you,"  Dhigraj said hurriedly. 

Mrityunjay frowned, the first thing that came to his mind was if Granth was fine or not? He snatched the phone from Dhigraj's hand "Granth?"

Mrs Lucy handed the phone to Granth, "Daddy…"

Mrityunjay sighed hearing Granth's excited voice. "Are you alright son?"

"Yes Daddy, but I was missing you so I asked Lucy, aunty to call you. When are you coming back?"

Mrityunjay chuckled, his anger evaporating with his son's call. "In an hour Granth."

"Daddy, I want a balloon," Granth whispered. 

"A balloon?" Mrityunjay asked but then he heard Vani's voice from behind. "Gunnu...I told you not to call." 

Mrityunjay frowned when he heard Vani scolding Granth because he called him. He gritted his jaw and continued listening. 

"I am sorry Mumma but I was missing Daddy." 

Vani pulled Granth closer to her, Mrs Lucy took the phone from Granth and stood aside, "I gave you Alphabets to write, did you finish your work or not?" 

"I did Mumma and I called Daddy only after I finished my work. I was missing daddy so I asked aunty to call him."

Vani sighed, "hm! But Gunnu, you should listen to Mumma, I can't be angry with you, my little monster. Now come with me. I have cooked your favourite Biryani for dinner." 

Vani nodded At Mrs Lucy and took Granth to the dinner table. It's already seven in the evening. 

"It's yum! Mumma." 

Vani was having dinner with her when the doorbell rang. Mrs Lucy went to open the door after checking the person outside. It was Indrani Sehgal.

"Good evening Mam," Mrs Lucy greeted her but Indrani Sehgal was so angry that she could hardly control her anger. The whole day she was trying to call Mrityunjay but he didn't receive her call and when she tried calling Dhigraj even he told her that her son was busy and couldn't talk to her. 

"Where Is Mrityunjay?" She asked Mrs Lucy.

"Sir has not arrived from the office yet, Madam."

Indrani Sehgal closed her eyes and left the angry breath she was holding. "Bring me a cup of black coffee, I am going in the living room." 

Indrani Sehgal walked to the living room when she heard an excited voice.

"Dadi. (Grandmother)"

Indrani Sehgal smiled hearing Granth's sweet voice. She looked in the direction of his voice, Granth came running to her "Slow down or you will fall." 

Granth slowed and walked up to her still chewing the Biryani. "What are you eating?" 

Granth swallowed "Biryani." 

Indrani Sehgal pulled out some napkins from her purse and wiped his face, "Hide me, Dadi. Mumma is making me eat vegetables."

"Granth…" Vani called her son who ran towards the living room excitedly when he heard the doorbell ringing, without eating his vegetables, thinking It was Mrityunjay. 

"Granth…" Vani called him again but still, he didn't answer. Vani's eyes went to Indrani Sehgal and a small leg of her son. She shook her head and walked towards them. 

"Good evening, Mrs Sehgal," she greeted Indrani Sehgal who nodded at her. Vani looked at Granth who was sitting with his hands over his eyes. Trying to hide from Vani.

"Granth?" Vani said a little strictly.

Granth removed his hands slowly and looked down, "Mumma…" 

"Enough Granth, what did I tell you about running around without finishing your food."

"That it's a bad habit…"

"You want to be punished…" she said angrily. 

"Why should  he be punished?" Mrityunjay said, entering inside the living room with a bunch of balloons in his hand.  His eyes went to Indrani Sehgal and Mrityunjay frowned. 

"Mother…" he greeted her. 

Indrani Sehgal nodded at him, "good evening son."

"Daddy…" Granth ran and hid behind Mrityunjay, "Mumma is scary." 

"I can see that!" 

"What?" Vani snapped at Mrityunjay. 

Mrityunjay picked Granth in his arms, "How are you doing, Granth? How was your day?" He asked his son, he would deal with his mother later.

Vani pursed her lips, "leave him, Mr Sehgal, he is forgetting his manners. Get down Granth and eat your vegetables." She said strictly that Granth asked Mrityunjay to set him down, with his head down he silently went back to the dining room to finish his food. 

Even Vani felt bad seeing her son's sad face but she knew as a parent she has to be strict sometimes. She was about to follow Granth but Mrityunjay stopped her. 

It was when Mrs Lucy came there with a cup of coffee for Indrani Sehgal. Mrityunjay glanced at her "Mrs Lucy, please look after Granth for some time," he said, handing her the balloons he bought for Granth.

Mrs Lucy left, Mrityunjay turned to Vani, "If he doesn't want to eat something then there is no need to force him. Stop scolding him for small things, he is a child."

Vani scowled, she glanced at Indrani Sehgal for a moment, in dilemma whether to answer Mrityunjay or not but it was he who started this conversation in front of his mother. 

"I can't allow Granth to start taking everything for granted. I am his mother and  I know how to raise my son. I have been doing it for the past four years, Mr Sehgal," Vani told him. 

Indrani Sehgal raised her brows, smiling inwards that the girl was courageous enough to answer Mrityunjay in the same language.

Mrityunjay fisted his hand but before he could speak anything, Indrani Sehgal Interrupted him. 

"We need to talk, Mrityunjay. Now!"