Chapter 2

Arjun rushed into the hospital and made his way straight to the room his mom was admitted after he was directed by the receptionist. He met the attending doctor coming out of the room.

“Doc, how is my mum doing?” He asked impatiently as the doctor raised a confused brow at Arjun.

“I am Prinu’s son. The woman in need of a kidney transplant.” He clarified.

“Oh, Mr. Arjun. Have you paid the bills? The surgery needs to be conducted before 12 midnight. It’s very urgent as her condition has deteriorated.”

Arjun immediately checked his phone to see any sign of alert from Meera. She had promised if he signed the document, she would wire the money. After he had signed it after being out under pressure, She said he would see an alert before he got to the hospital. He just realized that he hasn’t seen anything yet.

“Mr. Arjun?” The doctor said as Arjun raised his head from his phone to meet the curious doctor’s gaze.

“Is everything fine?”

“Yes. I mean I am expecting some cash. I will definitely pay up now.” Arjun replied immediately as if scared the doctor will lose interest in his mother’s case.

“Okay, then. I will be attending to another patient. This is 10 p.m. You should do whatever you can to pay the money as soon as you can, Mr. Arjun.” The doctor advised and walked away as Arjun pressed his lips nervously as he watched him walk away. Immediately he was alone, he dialed Meera.

“I haven’t seen the funds Meera. I signed the damn papers! What the hell do you want again?” He asked, impatience tinged his voice as his whole body shuddered.

“Aren’t you so easy to fool?” She replied after a moment of silence which only irritated Arjun.

“What?” Arjun didn’t want to imagine the worst as he asked.

“Did you really think I will spend my hard earned money on that worthless mother of yours?”

“Meera don’t do this.” Arjun tried to steady his voice as he spoke.

“I will do whatever I want. It’s my money.” She said sarcastically.

“Meera…I beg you. $5 million is just a drop in the ocean for you. Look at it as a compensation for asking me to divorce you, for breaking my heart….” One could sense his hurt but not Meera. Her mind was made up.

“Find other ways to pay your mother’s bill. We are done Arjun. Nothing connects the both of us any longer.” The phone beeped to signify that she had hung up.

“Meera…Meera….”Arjun quickly called but she has long disconnected.

Arjun’s saw his world crashing before his eyes as his heartbeat increased. This was his reality. He had lost the love of his life and would lose the only woman he knew as family soon. How did everything turn against him all of a sudden?

“Isn’t he the man on the news?” Two nurses passed by the hallway as one of them whispered loud enough for Arjun to hear while looking at him.

“Yes, he is. I can’t believe him. Poor Miss Meera must have been suffering all these years.” The second nurse replied as Arjun's brow furrowed in confusion.

What are they talking about? He immediately checked the latest news to see his name on the most searched word.

“Arjun, who is the husband of the chairwoman of Astra Robotics has been divorced by Meera because of his infidelity.” The headline read. The picture of him and Meera’s househelp was plastered on the screen as Arjun's body shook.

Infidelity? Why would Meera…?

He stared at the screen and read the headline over and over again, wanting to be sure. How could Meera defame him? His phone rang as he immediately placed it on his ear when he saw Meera’s name displayed on the caller’s ID.

“It hasn’t even been up to an hour after we have divorced and the whole world now knows? And the infidelity part, what nonsense is that Meera? I never cheated on you and you know that!”

“Nope. I don’t know. If you checked the news carefully, you would have seen pictures of you and Ashmi Frolicking around in my absence.”

“That’s a lie, Meera! And you know it. Those pictures were edited! Why would you want to ruin my image like this? I gave you what you wanted!” He blurted.

“Well, you did give me what I wanted. But I had to secure my future. Astra Robotics. Who knows, you might come one day and ask for ownership of Astra Robotics. I need your image ruined Arjun. I need the public to sympathize with me so you won’t even have a chance to try anything funny in the future.” Meera spoke with relish which was quite evident to Arjun’s ear.

“And….” She interrupted when he made to speak. “I needed to make sure your image is so ruined that no robotics company will hire you. I can’t have you going to work for another company and disposing Astra Robotics off the top chart.” She said proudly as Arjun’s heart sank.

“You will pay for this, Meera. You will regret this. I promise you.” Arjun threatened even though he knew he couldn’t do anything. But he wanted Meera to feel a bit of the pain he was feeling.

“Ah….” She scoffed. “You should worry about yourself. I can’t imagine how you will lead your life from now on. Good luck, dear ex-husband!” She laughed happily and hung up as Arjun hurled his phone at the wall in rage as his whole body shuddered in deep hatred for Meera.

He rested his back on the wall as he slumped down, cupping his face with his hands, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill when a hand touched him.

“Mr. Arjun Maratha?”

Arjun wasn’t sure why his surname was suddenly changed when the unknown person called him. He has always borne Meera’s surname, per her request, which was Prashant. As he raised his head to meet the older man’s gaze, his confusion deepened.

“Who are you? And I am not Arjun Maratha.” Arjun was in a haste to tell him off as he stood up, preparing to walk away.

“Yes, you are.” The man, who seemed to be in his early fifties, dressed in a well-fitted suit which spelled wealth. Arjun tried to grasp what he was being told.

“What do you want from me?” Arjun thought that was the better question to ask.

“Your presence, Mr. Maratha. The Maratha Industries needs your presence in the company. We will crumble without you.” The man said as Arjun stood dumbfounded. Everyone knew the Maratha Industries.

Even if Astra led in AI technology, the Maratha Industries excelled in all sectors as they were global.

Why would he suddenly be affiliated with Maratha Industries? And his surname suddenly changed to Maratha?