Tainted Love by Maniah (i love reading TXT) 📖

Writer's POV:-

"Thank you, Mrs Lucy," Vani said, taking the cup of tea from her. Mrs Lucy smiled at Vani and left. 

Vani was going through her Emails as she received many interview mails from multiple schools where she had applied for the job. She liked the two schools. One The Heritage Foundation school, the reason was she was a teacher in its Shimla branch. Second, Angel's International. But in Heritage, she had a plus point that she could easily get a job there based on her previous job. And Granth too could study there like he used to do in Shimla. 

She went to the School website and looked for the admission process. 

Vani sighed when she saw the word parent counselling before Admission but that was another thing. She prayed that Granth's admission and her Job would happen in the same school.

Vani went in search of Granth. "Granth…" She called her son but he didn't answer. She went to his room, he was not there but then her eyes went outside the window. Granth was playing football with Mrityunjay's PA. 

Vani walked to the terrace garden. "Catch me Dhig bro," Granth giggled running around while Dhigraj tried to catch Granth but failed deliberately. 

Vani smiled when she saw Mrityunjay's robotic assistant running behind her son wearing a three-piece suit. 

"Mumma see, Dhig bro couldn't catch me." 

Vani laughed seeing Granth's proud smile. "Is that so, little sir…" Dhigraj said and caught Granth. Granth pouted, " I lost."

Vani went to her son,  sat to her level "So what! If You drink milk daily then you will grow up strong. And you will win next time." 

Granth scowled, "Milk." His nose scrunched in disgust "Ewww!" 

"Ewww! I'll tell you Ewww!" Vani smiled and tickled him. Granth burst out laughing. 

Dhigraj smiled seeing Granth and Vani. "Thank you for playing with him," Vani said standing up. 

Dhigraj nodded, "My pleasure madam." 

"Granth!" Vani sighed, closed her eyes for a second and turned around to see Mrityunjay Sehgal standing at the end of the garden with a frown on his face.

"Daddy…" Granth ran to him. Mrityunjay took him in his arms. "What were you doing with Dhigraj?" 

Granth giggled. "We were playing Catch Me with Dhig bro. He couldn't catch me but then Mumma came and I lost."

"So You lost because of your Mumma?"

"Yes."

Vani's eyes widened. "Gunnu? You lost because of me?" Vani asked Granth. 

Granth bit his lip and hid his face in Mrityunjay's neck. Mrityunjay patted his son's back. His eyes went to Dhigraj who straightened his tie's knot and greeted him. 

Mrityunjay nodded at him. "Granth, why don't you go inside and play with your Mumma now?  He said to his son.

Vani took Granth from Mrityunjay. " Let's play the video game dadi bought for me yesterday, Mumma."

"No. You will Study now. C'mon." 

Vani said to Granth and took him inside. Mrityunjay saw them walking inside. "Sir, The papers you asked for."

Mrityunjay turned his gaze to Dhigraj, he took the papers from him. "Any news from Jay?" Mrityunjay asked while reading the file.

"Mr Kapoor met Mr Veer Sehgal last night. Sahil Sehgal was present at the meeting. As you expected he is trying to see which side will benefit him more."

Mrityunjay chuckled, "Good, Have you bought the shares from the market?"

Dhigraj nodded. "I did, sir."

"Continue doing that and see the list of all the equity shareholders in Y&S petrochemicals. Start the talk with them but discreetly, I want a seat on the Board of Directors." 

Dhigraj memorised every order Mrityunjay gave him. He nodded and left.

Mrityunjay walked inside, heard Vani scolding Granth. "Granth, behave yourself. You can't ignore your studies. If you want to play then recite counting up to 50. 

Granth glanced at the Video game his grandmother bought for him greedily and then at his mother's angry face. He swallowed and started reciting countings. "One, two, three…"

"Fifteen not fiveteen Granth," Vani corrected her son. 

Mrityunjay was looking at Vani with admiration for her parenting skills. In this last week, he had noticed how different she was from the girl who used to be his mistress. It was as if she had completely changed herself.

He smiled when he saw Granth reciting Countings. Vani adored Granth but she could be a strict mother when the situation demanded of her. What she did in the past was another thing but now she presented herself as a different person.

"Sir, Mrs Sehgal is here." Mrs Lucy informed Mrityunjay.

Mrityunjay sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, he walked to the living area where his mother was sitting with some shopping bags. "What are you doing here again mother and what is all this?"

"I bought some new games and clothes for Granth. And Yesterday, Vani told me that she was looking for Granth's admission to the school. I talked with your grandfather. He wants Granth to study at The Heritage Foundation only…"

"Why are you doing all this mother? Why this much interest in my son's life?"

Indrani Sehgal stood up from the sofa abruptly. "What do you mean, why? Are you forgetting I am your mother Mrityunjay? Granth is my grandson."

Mrityunjay chuckled. Indrani Sehgal gulped the heaviness in her throat. She knew what Mritunjay thought of her. She could hear the unspoken accusation.

 "Of course, whatever I would say wouldn't matter to you," She sighed deeply, to forget everything in the past but couldn't because Mrityunjay never let her forget it. He was fighting her battle but still, he had not forgiven her. Even after 25 years.

"Whatever I did was wrong, I agree. But You were my last hope, I gave up my humanity for my revenge. I agree but son," Indrani Sehgal swallowed, clasped Mrityunjay's shoulder "please try to understand me."

Mrityunjay let out a laugh. "I understand your intentions too well, mother. I understand that you are trying to get rid of your guilt. Am I wrong?" He said, removing her hand from his shoulder and gazing into her eyes without any emotion.