In modern society, we tend to run for pleasure while we forget to cope with our own feelings. We don't even think about what we actually need and what we want in life. But I have never wasted my life on anything except studying during all my childhood days. After completing my education, my full concentration was shifted to my family business and taking it to the next level. I, Rudra Singh, age 35 years returning from France on my private jet after having a successful collaboration with an International company. I still live with my parents and my nine years younger sister. My father, Sikhandar Singh and my mother, Pratibha Singh. Even after having one successful collaboration after another, my parents are not happy for me. Their minds are stuck on getting me married. But I am not interested in getting married until I find my soulmate.
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Days passed by, followed by years, but Rudra never showed interest in marriage. His parents were now sure that their son had no attraction towards girls. The moment Rudra stepped into the house, his parents went after him to insist on giving them a grandchild. They are now doubt Rudra's likings.
Rudra: Mom, Dad, why are you worried I am straight and like girls?
Pratibha: I don't think so, son. You are already thirty-five years old. When are you planning to settle?
Rudra: I am not planning yet.
Sikhander was watching the mother and son duo arguing, but he had to interrupt when Pratibha went far off.
"Son, you go and take a rest. You must be tired."
Rudra: Yes, Father.
He glanced at his mother and went to his room.
Pratibha was annoyed with Sikhander for letting Rudra go. Sikhander understood her grievances. He stood up from his massage chair and walked towards Pratibha. He sat beside her on the couch. "Listen, honey. Our son is old enough to decide things for himself. If you continue to nag after he might take a new place and shift."
Pratibha went anxious, "So what do you want me to do? Is he not normal?"
"I can't say that, I have never seen him getting close to any girls and nor heard that he did anything with anyone in his office." He replied.
"See, you are also doubting him." Pratibha was getting worried thinking about Rudra's personal life.
At the dinner table, four of them were together when the subject came up. This time, Rudra took a stand for himself and cleared their doubts, "See, Mother, I am normal and I like girls, but that doesn't mean I keep hitting on anyone I meet."
Pratibha sighed with relief on hearing her son's choice. "Okay, then get married?"
Rudra: What do you want, a grandchild or daughter-in-law?
I don't think you can adjust to an outsider, nor could I. So tell me the truth?
Pratibha was embarrassed and replied, "I want both."
Rudra is a hardcore businessman who knows how to manipulate the other side. "We can't guarantee that my wife will be able to bear a child or not nor will we be able to have kids. So there is no use in getting through this long process, Mother."
Sikhander stopped Pratibha from discussing this matter further.
From the next day, Rudra went busy in his software department. His new app was having frequent glitches. All the developers were busy solving it. More time passed by to solve it, and the more losses he was facing. His assistant informed him that their senior developer is out of town; once she comes back, everything will be solved.
Rudra: Why did she go out of town?
Assistant: Due to our project, she had gone there with our junior developers.
Rudra: Call her back here immediately.
The assistant called her in front of him while Rudra kept staring at him.
Saumya, the senior developer of the company, receives the call. She informed them that she can't come back as they were stuck in the middle of the project. It will take more time. "Sir, try to understand we are mid of the project, we can't leave it like this. If we aren't able to complete it by the given time period, we will have equal loss, and it will hamper our company's reputation too."
Rudra felt something unusual upon hearing this. This is the first time any employee has thought about his company like he does. The assistant kept on convincing her when Rudra took the phone from his hand. "Hey, it's Rudra here."
Saumya was flabbergasted on hearing his voice for the first time over the phone. She had seen him at the office launch parties but never spoke to each other directly. Rudra never does that either. His assistant could convey his words to the other employees, but today is different.
Rudra: See, this is also important. I am sending you a flight ticket.
Saumya replied hesitantly: CEO sir, please, I can understand your problem.
She paused for a moment before coming up with an idea, "Okay, please call Sukhesh, the junior developer and network officer. They will send me the code through a remote desktop application. I will see if it can be solved in this way."
Rudra liked the way she came up with the solution. He found her similar to his own way of problem-solving skills. He informed his assistant to call them to his cabin and do it in front of him. Within a few minutes, the junior developer and network officer came to Rudra's cabin and started having a conference call with Saumya on the other side. Rudra stood in front of his table watching them work. He was getting impressed with Saumya's intelligence and efficiency as he heard her giving guidance to the team. He liked everything she was doing or saying. He could only hear her voice as she turned off the video camera. But he couldn't stop himself from being forbearing. Saumya quickly studied the app carefully before giving them instructions while they followed her. Three of them solved the glitch within twenty minutes. Rudra was happy to see the problem solved. He felt like he won this. His belief has won today. His belief towards Saumya has won. After two days, he went back home.
Pratibha was happy to see her son coming after two days of hard work. Rudra was surprised to see his mother's changed behaviour.
Rudra: What happened, Mother? Sudden behaviour change.
Pratibha smiled and went near him. Her head could barely reach his sternum. While she blinked frequently, looking at her son.
"Mother, you are cute in every way. You don't have to act more."
Sikandar was at the entrance door of the house when he noticed the mother and son duo standing together, and he immediately turned back towards the entrance from which he had come in.
Rudra noticed his father and called back. He understood that his father is also involved sometimes.
"Guys, tell me clearly." He asked with furrowed brows.
Pratibha kept smiling while Sikandar slowly walked towards them. "We were thinking of a scientific method," his mother said.
Rudra: Scientific? Like what, mother?
Pratibha: By someone for getting our heir. If you don't want to marry.
Rudra: That thing.
Pratibha: What were you thinking? Have you met someone whom you liked? Like someone from the computer department.
Rudra nods yes.
Pratibha winks at Sikandar. They had already known this even before Rudra left office. They get all the updates from the office. How one girl joined the company one year back, but she has helped Rudra solve many critical problems. This time, she has saved him from getting a loss of twenty million rupees.
Rudra also kept thinking about Saumya all the way while coming back home.
"I was thinking of getting in consideration of marriage to her." He confessed.
"Son, that is a very wise decision. Then get more information about her at the earliest." Pratibha advised.
"Okay, mother." Rudra felt light-hearted.
"Now go to your room and take some rest."
Rudra nodded and left. He didn't go to the office the next day and was working in his study room when his assistant called him.
"Sir, Saumya, our senior developer and her team have completed the project. Our client is very impressed with our company. They want to hold a big party for us."
Rudra: What is the problem? Let them do it.
Assistant hesitates a bit, "Boss, they want you to be present at the occasion along with Saumya."
Rudra: Okay, book my ticket then.
The assistant was surprised that he agreed to attend the party for the first time. Rudra never attends parties, whether it is an office party or a client party. But strangely, he agreed to attend this party. Saumya was already in Coimbatore; now he needs to go there. The party will be held in one day. He asked to get his flight tickets.
Assistant: Saumya will stay there to help you out, Boss.
Rudra: What about the junior employees?
Assistant: They will be back tomorrow morning.
Rudra: Why don't they attend it?
Assistant: No, boss, it is a Government project. PM will be there. So there will be no extra people who can join them except the VIPs.
Rudra: Where are you now?
Assistant: In the office, boss.
Rudra: Okay, please send me the details of Saumya.
Assistant: Sure, boss.
He went busy doing what his boss asked him to do.
Rudra was also busy with his new project study when his assistant called back. "Boss, I have sent Saumya Madam's details about her work record to your email ID. Please check it."
Rudra opened his email, and he was amazed by her achievement in such a short tenure. She held the highest project success record. Whatever project she does, it has 100 per cent success.
Rudra was excited thinking of meeting Saumya for the first time. He was already impressed with her talent.
Assistant: Boss, your ticket has been booked for tomorrow at 9 AM and is to be returned by 6 PM.
Rudra: Okay, then get two return tickets.
Assistant: Another person of?
Rudra: Saumya's.
Assistant: Sure, sir.
The next morning, Rudra left the house early in the morning for the airport to attend Coimbatore for the grand inauguration. Where the PM and other VVIP people are supposed to be. He received a VVIP guest card. His assistant was also with him. On reaching there, Rudra felt nervous. For the first time, he felt nervous. Why am I feeling nervous? For what? His eyes were looking for Saumya, even when he was meeting influential people in the meeting. He felt no interest in the party. But to his surprise, the assistant informs him that Saumya has already returned to Kolkata. "But why did she leave?"
Assistant: Boss, a new project came up. I think she went to do that.
Rudra was frustrated by her behaviour. He went a long way just to meet her in person, while she left without informing them. He returned to the city with a grumpy face. His family was suspicious of his behaviour and wanted to know his condition. They waited till he came out of his room. Pratibha and Sikander waited for him to come out. After he comes out, he notices his parents are sitting on the couch giving him a gaze.
Pratibha breaks the ice and asks him directly, "How was the program, son?"
Rudra was sitting on his favourite massaging chair and reading a book. "As usual."
Pratibha: Have you given a thought to the idea of scientific procedure?
Sikander kept sitting beside his wife and didn't interrupt them.
Rudra: Okay.
Pratibha and Sikander stared at each other in confusion. They didn't expect to hear this.
Pratibha: Okay then.
Rudra: But.
Sikander: But what, son?
Rudra: Now surrogacy is illegal, Mom.
Pratibha: Yeah, we know that.
Rudra: Then how will you get it? I don't want my baby to have the genes of any random person.
Pratibha: Yes, we know. Our grandchild should be someone who will be able to take over our legacy and business empire.
Rudra made a face without saying a word to his mother, while she continued.
Pratibha: We will get it from your most efficient employee who is interested in carrying your baby.
Rudra: Mom, you are watching too many movies nowadays. Why would someone even agree to this kind of proposal?
Rudra was confident that no woman would agree to do such a thing, and his mother would at last lose hope.
Pratibha: Leave it to me.
The next morning, Pratibha went to Rudra's office and discussed things with the assistant. After Rudra was free from his office work, his mother appeared in his cabin.
Rudra: What happened, Mom? You haven't left the office till now? Did you have your lunch?
Pratibha: Yes, I did, son. Did you?
Rudra: Yes, Mom, I did have my lunch after my meeting. Why are you still here?
Pratibha: I had to stay here, son. I got the list of the most efficient female employees of your company.
Rudra: For what, Mom?
Pratibha: For what? You forgot. To make her bear your child.
Rudra: Mom, this is an insane idea. Why would anyone accept this kind of unbefitting proposal?
Pratibha: How could I know? I can only try.
Rudra: If that person tries to tarnish our image in future, what will you do?
Pratibha: Hmm, true. What should I do?
Rudra: Then make that person sign an agreement to keep confidentiality. Before giving your proposal.
Pratibha hands over a few papers in front of her son, "Like this?"
He leans towards his mother to take the papers from the table. To his surprise, "What, you have already made this agreement?"
Pratibha: Yes, of course. Once I have got your approval, I am not going to leave any stones unturned.
Rudra: It is okay, but how much are you going to offer that person?
Pratibha: First THIRTY lakhs after delivery TWENTY FIVE LAKHS.
Rudra claps his hands in agony.
Pratibha: What?
Rudra: Nice to see your negotiating power.
Pratibha: Honey, my father is the founder of this company.
Rudra: I can never forget that, Mom.
Pratibha gets up from the chair. "She must be waiting for me in the restaurant."
Rudra: Who?
Pratibha: Your child's mother.