I furrow my eyebrows, glancing at his iPad. The screen shows a woman in a nurse's attire lying on a bed, while another woman sits stiffly in a wheelchair, motionless—like a robot. Kathir's mom? My eyes widen.
Before I can process anything, Kathir abruptly gets up from his chair. I flinch, turning to him just as he storms toward the door.
"What the—"
Without another word, he rushes out of his office.
Uncertain about what to do, I hesitate for a moment before my legs move on their own. "Kathir, wait!" I call out, but he doesn't stop. He doesn't even look back.
He gets into his car, and I quickly hail a taxi, instructing the driver to follow him. My heart pounds as his car speeds through the streets, reckless and fast. The enormous black gate of his house opens automatically, letting his car in. The moment my taxi halts, I pay the fare hastily and jump out, running toward the entrance before the gates close.
But just as I reach, a security guard steps in front of me.
"Stop. Who are you?" he asks sternly.
"I know him! I'm his friend!" I try to explain, but he doesn't budge.
Just when I'm about to argue, Raj appears. He's about to enter when his eyes land on me. Seizing the chance, I add, "I have something important to discuss with him."
Raj frowns but eventually tells the guard, "Let her in. I know her."
The security guard doesn't say another word and steps aside. I exhale in relief and follow Raj inside.
The house is massive, eerily quiet. The white walls are accented with sleek black lines, giving off an intimidating yet sophisticated aura. Raj takes the stairs, and I follow him up.
We enter a room where the nurse from the video is lying on the bed. Kathir stands beside her, his voice sharp and cold as he calls her name.
"Zia, wake up!"
She doesn't respond. Frustrated, Kathir grabs a vase, and my eyes widen in horror as he suddenly pours the water on her face.
She gasps awake, jolting up in shock. Fear flashes in her eyes as she scrambles off the bed, trembling.
Kathir grabs her wrist and shoves her against the wall. "What the hell did you do to my mom?" he thunders.
"S-Sir, I-I was—" she stammers, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I'll kill you right here, right now." His voice drips with menace as he raises his fist.
My breath hitches. But instead of hitting her, his punch lands on the wall beside her head. She flinches violently, tears welling in her eyes.
I turn to his mother, and that's when I notice—her dress is wet. But she remains still, unable to move, unable to react. A pang of sorrow hits me.
Kathir and Raj are too occupied with the terrified nurse to notice me. Seizing the moment, I grip the wheelchair handles and quietly push Kathir's mother out of the room. My heart races as I spot a lift near the stairs. Without a second thought, I press the button and step inside with her.
Once downstairs, I wheel her through a long hallway, searching desperately until I find a bathroom. I push her in and shut the door behind us.
A few minutes later, I emerge with her, now dressed in dry clothes. I even applied light makeup from my kit, hoping to make her feel better.
But the moment I step into the hallway, I freeze.
Kathir and Raj are standing there, both looking tense. Their eyes scan the room frantically until they spot me.
"How dare you—" Kathir starts, but his words trail off. His forehead creases in confusion as his gaze flickers to his mother. Raj looks equally stunned.
I simply smile. "Your mom had a slight fever. She needs rest now."
Kathir doesn't say anything.
Raj steps forward, gripping the wheelchair handles. "I'll take her to her room."
I nod as he wheels her toward the lift.
A heavy silence follows.
Kathir stands there, staring at the floor as if it's whispering something to him. I roll my eyes and walk past him, deciding I've had enough for the day.
But before I can take another step, a strong grip yanks me back.
I gasp, my eyes widening as I turn to face him.
"I'm appointing you as my mother's caretaker," he declares, his voice low and dangerous.
My breath catches. "Wait, what?"
His grip tightens. "You will be my mother's caretaker."
No. No way. Not this time. I shake my head. "I want to be a nutritionist. Get someone else. You can hire a professional nurse—I can't do this!"
I rip my arm free and take a step back, but his next words make my blood run cold.
"You came to my office to request your brother's project, didn't you?" His voice turns even more lethal. He pulls out his phone, his expression unreadable. "Now tell me—should I cancel it permanently or let it continue?"
My heart stops.
What?
Did he just say he'd cancel it? Just like that?
"One call is enough to shut it down in seconds," he adds casually, as if he's talking about canceling a dinner reservation.
I feel sick.
We need that project. Without it, we'll lose our home.
"But—" My voice falters.
He dials the number.
My heart pounds against my ribs, my mind spinning in pure panic.
If I say yes, I have to sacrifice my dream job… but I can save my family.
If I say no, I can pursue my dream… but we'll be homeless.
"You have five seconds," he warns. "One, two—"
"Four, fi—"
"Fine! Fine, I'll do it!" The words rush out of me in a breathless panic.
My body trembles as I process what I've just agreed to.
Kathir smirks. "Good." He lifts his phone to his ear. "Hello? Deal the Sanjay project immediately. Everything should be done by tomorrow morning."
He hangs up, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes.
I let out a small, shaky sigh of relief. At least we can make the payment in time.
But the relief is short-lived when I remember the monster standing before me.
"Starting tomorrow, 8 AM to 8 PM," he instructs coldly. "I'll give you more details later."
I grit my teeth. "Why twelve hours?"
"You have to take care of her. That's it."
Before I can protest, he turns on his heel and heads upstairs, leaving me standing there—frustrated, defeated, and heartbroken.