Chapter 1

“Welcome back babe…” Arjun made to hug Meera who had just walked into the living room, but she pushed him back slightly and walked past him.

Arjun turned to rush after her, surprised at her reaction. Anytime Meera comes back from work, she would always want him to hold her in his arms for like ten minutes. She would always tell him it was her way of re-energizing because of how stressful work was.

“Babe?” Arjun moved close to her as she handed him a Manila file, a stern expression on her face.

“Sign it,” she gestured to the file and raised her gaze to meet Arjun’s who collected the file slowly and opened it.

The file fell from his hands the moment he read the caption. “Divorce?” His jaw almost dropped as he had a bewildered expression.

Meera picked up the file and stretched it towards Arjun again. “Sign it while I am being nice, Arjun. This marriage is a sham,” she said again.

“Our marriage? A sham? Why do you say so Meera? We are madly in love with each other and I…”

Meera raised up her hand to stop him from speaking further. “That is the past. Do you know what my status entails? I am the chairman of the biggest AI company in Castle City. Not some ordinary woman. You are not fit to be my side again, Arjun.”

“Is that supposed to be a joke?” Arjun immediately scoffed. “I made your company, Astra, what it is today, Meera. I made you who you are! I worked my ass to build every leading technology in that company! You have no right to call me a nobody,” Arjun let out in rage not because he hates Meera for spitting hurtful words. But because he was damn scared. He couldn’t live without this woman. How could she casually dispose of him after all he has done for her? He was stunned.

“Well, nobody cares,” she shrugged and dropped the file on the table. “No one knows you, you are always stuck in your lab room creating the technology that Astra boasts of today. But nobody knows you, Arjun. They know me. Meera of Astra Robotics. So don’t give me bullshit about making me who I am!”

The truth was that Arjun has a phobia for crowds which had resulted from a childhood trauma. This made him stay behind the scene while being the genius robotic engineer of Astra group. But it has never mattered to him to introduce himself to the world. He was happy to see Meera at the top. He was glad his talent could make her powerful.

Not until now, when his regret washed deep down to his stomach.

“You know my situation Meera,” he started with a calm pleading tone. “It will be hard for me if I reveal my identity. I can’t cope with the attention. Please, don’t do this.” He immediately rushed to hold her hand which she bluntly flung off his grip, as she threw her face to the other side. “I will create a world-leading robot for Astra Robotics. It will make Astra the world-leading…”

“Shut the hell up, Arjun!” Before he could finish, she attacked him as his heart dropped. “What difference will it make if you reveal your identity? Ugh? No matter what you do, you just won’t fit into the upper-class society.”

“Meera!” Arjun called in that frustrated way whenever Meera does things that are wrong, in a bid to bring her back to her senses.

“What?! I’m not wrong. You are a nobody!”

“Astra will be nothing without me. Are you sure you can cope?” He asked with a low calm tone.

“That’s for me to decide,” she hissed. Meera knew well that Arjun’s future plan has been laid out by him. His ideas for future projects were in her custody. With those brilliant ideas and layout, she could get any engineer to do what Arjun can do. So in summary, she had planned it well from the start.

“There’s another man, is it?” Arjun asked when it seemed like he was losing the battle against Meera.

“And if it is true? What will you do, Arjun? He is ten times better than you. He is richer and more powerful. That’s the kind of man that befits my status,” she rolled her eyes and started to walk away then stopped halfway and turned to him again.

“Sign those papers, Arjun. It’s a curse to be with you. I’m sick of it,” she said with disdain and she made to leave again, Arjun spoke up.

“I won’t sign,” he said with a firm tone as Meera chuckled softly.

“You won’t dare, I will make your life miserable. You are under my roof, spending my money…”

“Which I have equal rights to,” Arjun cut in.

Meera laughed out loud. “You are just too hilarious, Arjun. Sigh those papers. The two of us were never meant to be in the past.” She mocked as Arjun’s hands formed into a fist beside him.

This was too much. The insults. The divorce. He felt like going crazy.

That moment, his phone rang as he picked it up while Meera shot him angry stares.

“Arjun here,” he said as he placed the device on his ear.

“Good day, Mr. Arjun. This is Bandav Hospital. There is a woman who claims to be your mother. She was rushed in a while ago. She will be needing a surgery for a kidney transplant as soon as possible. Please come to the hospital to make an initial deposit in order for the surgery to start," a feminine voice said as Arjun’s heart skipped a beat.

"What? My mother?" His shaky voice sounded on the other side.

"Yes. And a deposit of $5 million has to be made first. We will be waiting for you, Mr. Arjun," she said and hung up as Arjun’s hand fell by his side. The only woman whom he has known as his dear mother was in danger.

He immediately turned to look at Meera who has been eyeing him throughout the duration of the call.

"Help me, Meera." He closed the distance between them. "I need some funds. Please. It’s urgent."

"I don’t have money to give you, Arjun," she said in a cocky drawl.

"What the hell do you mean?! You have more than enough, Meera! Those money are as a result of my sweat and hard work. Please I beg you, my mother’s life is in danger." He was on the verge of breaking down but Meera still had an inconsiderate look.

"I don’t care."

"She is my mother!" Arjun countered as she scoffed. "Does that make her invincible?" She hissed and walked away but Arjun blocked her path.

"She will die, Meera." He pleaded desperately.

"Then sign the documents," she said again as his heart sank one more time. "Sign the paper and you get funds for your mother’s surgery." She gave her options as he stared at her in utter disbelief.

He couldn’t believe Meera would one day stoop this low.