After breakfast, Aarav trudged back upstairs, his sneakers thumping softly against the polished steps. Once inside his sprawling room, he shut the door with a sigh of relief, leaning against it for a moment as if he'd escaped a battlefield. The scolding words of his father still echoed in his ears, but his lips curled into a mischievous grin.
He walked straight to his desk, flipping open his sleek laptop. The screen glowed, lines of codes and interfaces reflecting in his sharp eyes. With swift fingers, Aarav navigated through the mansion's private security network, a system so complex that even seasoned technicians found it intimidating. He didn't even blink as he bypassed firewalls, accessed encrypted files, and began erasing the CCTV footage from the previous night—footage that would have revealed his midnight escape.
Within minutes, the evidence was gone, like smoke vanishing into thin air. Aarav leaned back, stretching his arms with a satisfied smirk. "Perfect."
Raghu, who had silently stepped into the room, leaned against the bookshelf with folded arms, watching the entire act. His brows arched, and finally, he let out a low whistle. "Wow! How the hell did you just do that? Genius."
Aarav spun the chair lazily, flashing a playful smile. "This," he said, tapping the laptop screen, "is the benefit of studying in the IT field. I don't just learn coding for grades—I learn survival."
Raghu chuckled, shaking his head. "Wrong. That's not IT. That's being smart. You're just like your dad."
The smirk on Aarav's lips instantly disappeared. He scoffed, sitting up straighter. "No way. Don't compare me with him. He's too strict, always about rules, discipline, and responsibility. I'm nothing like that."
Raghu walked closer, his tone softer now. "He's strict when it comes to business, yes. But as a father? Aarav, you don't even realize how much he's done for you. Look around—this room, this house, your education, your freedom. He gave you everything you ever wanted without hesitation."
Aarav's smile faltered. For a moment, he looked at his shelf of toy cars, his gadgets, the world of luxury around him. Then he turned back to Raghu, his voice low but firm. "Don't pity yourself, Raghu. If you want all of this, take it. I don't care. I know where I'll end up eventually—sitting in Dad's company, taking over his business whether I like it or not."
Raghu frowned, but before he could reply, Aarav leaned forward, his tone carrying both sarcasm and frustration. "You're right about one thing, though. Dad has never once said 'no' to me. Whatever I asked for, he gave. But there are two things he wants in return from me. Just two."
Raghu tilted his head. "Which are?"
Aarav raised his fingers one by one. "First, that I must take over his company. Be his golden boy, his heir, his little copy. And second…" Aarav's face twisted into a grimace, "…that I drag guards around with me everywhere I go. Guards, Raghu! Like I'm some fragile vase that'll shatter if I step outside alone. It sucks. I hate it."
Raghu crossed his arms, trying not to smile at Aarav's childish frustration. "It's not about you being fragile, Aarav. It's about your father being terrified of losing the only person he cares about. Do you really not see that?"
Aarav groaned, throwing himself onto the bed dramatically, one arm over his face. "I see it. I just don't want it. I want to breathe, Raghu. Not live like a prisoner of my surname."
The room fell into a brief silence, broken only by the hum of Aarav's laptop still running.
Finally, Raghu sat down on the edge of the bed, his tone serious. "You can delete cameras, Aarav. But you can't delete responsibility. Not forever."
Aarav peeked out from under his arm, his lips curling into a mischievous smirk again. "Maybe. But for now… I can still outsmart him. And trust me, Raghu…" he winked playfully, "I will."
Raghu sighed, exasperated yet amused. "God save me from you."
Aarav chuckled, closing his eyes, the weight of his father's expectations pressing against his chest even as his heart craved freedom.