12-05-2026, 09:51 PM
Chapter 106 - The Shift
In the noon, during lunch, Gowtham sat alone in the pantry area, staring at his tiffin box. His eyes kept searching for Varsha among the scattered employees, but she was nowhere to be seen. For unknown reasons, his gaze kept drifting toward the door, hoping to catch a glimpse of her.
He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair in frustration. What the hell is wrong with me? he thought. You wanted to throw her out. You humiliated her, sabotaged her tests, and now… after hearing her story, you’re silently sympathizing with her? Last night you saw her breasts and all you could think about was fucking her. Enmity? Love? Lust? What the hell do you really want with her?
He stared at the wall, lost in his own thoughts. She’s not even a desirable woman when it comes to character. She does anything for money, she’s rude, adamant… Why are you becoming soft on her? If you just want to fuck her, then seduce her and get it over with. You seduced Sneha — an older, married woman. This should be easier. And you will get a taste of young Vagina.. Don’t confuse yourself, Gowtham.
He couldn’t eat. The food lost the taste.
He closed the tiffin box with a sigh and decided to head back to his cabin.
As he entered, he saw Varsha stepping out of his cabin, looking calm and composed.
Gowtham’s eyes widened in shock. He quickly blocked the doorway with his body.
“What are you doing here? In my cabin?” he demanded.
Varsha didn’t flinch. She looked straight into his eyes with ferocious intensity.
Before either of them could speak further, Mr. Prakash’s voice came from down the corridor.
“Gowtham? Varsha?”
The boss walked toward them, holding a printed copy of the assessment report.
“I saw the assessment report the peon sent. Good. Impressive. Varsha indeed scored well. I’m proud of her.”
Gowtham’s stomach dropped. He realised exactly what she had done — she had used his system to submit a manipulated, favourable assessment without his knowledge.
Mr. Prakash patted Varsha’s shoulder lightly and moved on, leaving the two of them alone again.
As soon as Mr. Prakash moved away from the cabin, Varsha turned to leave. But before she could take even a step, Gowtham’s hand shot out and grabbed her wrist in a firm grip. He pulled her back inside with surprising force, pushed her into the cabin, and slammed the door shut behind them. The lock clicked loudly in the sudden silence.
His hand was tight on her shoulder as he guided — almost shoved — her toward the chair. “Sit,” he ordered.
Varsha sat down, her heart racing but her face showing no fear.
Gowtham loomed over her, breathing heavily.
“Did you know what you’ve done?” His voice was low and dangerous.
“You used my system to submit a fake assessment without my knowledge? Don’t you think I will report this as fraudulent?”
Varsha looked up at him without flinching. “I will show this clip I recorded last night.
You tell him the truth, and I will use this.”
Gowtham stared at her for a second, then let out a short, bitter laugh.
“Can’t you be honest for at least one day?”
She replied coldly, her voice steady, “That doesn’t bring money.
This is the only way I can get money without selling my dignity.”
The morning’s tender leak news flashed in Gowtham’s mind.
He looked at her for a long moment, then sighed and sat down heavily in front of his computer.
“Even if you show them it’s a manipulation, they will throw you out along with me,” he said.
“Well, that way our scores are settled,” she shot back.
Gowtham smirked, shaking his head. “Okay. I agree. I’m on your side. But still, you will be thrown out.”
Varsha looked stunned. “Why? What happened?”
Gowtham leaned forward, typing rapidly on his keyboard.
“You just took a report from the doc here. What about the internal records? I need to update them on the database. Only then will it reflect properly. Boss will have to check it systematically after a while.”
Varsha was stunned into silence.
Gowtham sighed, logged into the portal, and carefully rectified the assessment, making it legitimate in the official system.
He double-checked everything before saving.
Varsha watched him the entire time. She very well knew he didn’t do this out of blackmail or fear.
He had genuinely helped her. He had given her a chance.
For the first time in a very long time, Varsha felt she had someone she could depend on.
She stood up slowly, her voice softer than before. “Thank you.”
Gowtham didn’t look at her. He simply nodded, still staring at the screen.
The silence between them felt heavier than any argument they had ever had.
The 12th Floor
Vinodhini didn’t give Suresh any time to think. She simply said, “Come with me,” and started walking toward the private elevator at the far end of the underground parking. Her heels clicked sharply against the concrete floor, the sound echoing like a countdown.
Suresh followed, his mind racing. Every instinct told him to turn around and run, but something deeper — curiosity, fear, and the cold realization that he was already too deep — kept his feet moving.
The elevator doors opened silently. Vinodhini swiped a black access card, and they ascended without a word. The digital display jumped straight from Basement-2 to Floor 12. No stops. No other floors.
When the doors opened, Suresh stepped into a completely different world.
The 12th floor was unlike anything he had seen in the building before. It was luxurious, almost secretive — wide marble corridors, soft ambient lighting, and an open layout that felt more like a high-end private club than an office. There was a full pantry section with gourmet coffee machines, a sleek bar area that looked like a pub, entertainment lounges with large screens, and even a small health-check corner with medical equipment. A few people in sharp formal wear moved quietly, speaking in low voices. Suresh had never seen any of these faces in the main office floors.
What the hell is this place? he thought, completely puzzled.
Vinodhini led him through the corridor without explanation and stopped in front of a large, minimalist lobby. It was almost empty — just a few sleek chairs, a water dispenser, and soft lighting. No windows. No distractions.
“Sit here,” she said. “Wait.”
The door closed behind her with a soft click. Suresh was alone.
He waited.
Ten minutes passed. Then twenty. Then an hour. The silence was oppressive. No one came. No one called. He sat there, hands on his knees, forcing himself to stay calm. The patience he had shown during his long interview wait days ago was being tested again — and he knew Aditya was watching, even if indirectly.
At exactly 1:00 PM, the door opened.
Vinodhini stepped in, composed as ever. She sat opposite him and crossed her legs.
“Suresh,” she began, “we thought you would be a good asset to us — to maintain and work behind the doors for the company’s real management. Your secrecy, your planning, and even your patience seemed to be key qualities we treasure. But today… you got to know more than you should have.”
She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in.
“Normally, if an outsider witnessed what you saw, our approach would be different. But you are not an outsider anymore. You have qualities we value. So we are promoting you… to the 12th floor operations. You will work from here. You will have a different company identity from now on.”
Suresh’s mind reeled. He could barely digest it. Ever since he stepped into this company, everything had been secretive, mysterious, layered. And now this.
“What does this promotion actually mean?” he asked, voice steady despite the fear. “Why me again?”
Vinodhini smiled — a small, calculated smile. “Because now you know the secret. A dark secret of his. In our circle, if you hold a secret, you must become one of us. There is no other way. You should not have entered the restricted area.”
She leaned forward slightly. “If you think this is a punishment, then let it be. But if you truly accept to be one of us… this is the golden opportunity. You will be one of the enablers who can make people operate as you want. A puppet master. Aditya will give you that freedom.”
Suresh’s heart pounded. He wanted to know more — what they really did here, who Aditya truly was, what “behind the doors” meant. But he also knew he had no real choice.
“I want to know more about him and what you all do here,” he said. “Without that, I cannot consent.”
Vinodhini slid a sleek black folder across the table. “Sign this agreement. You will get to see yourself tomorrow. Once you are in… we will guide you through it. From there, there is no turning back.”
Suresh stared at the folder for a long moment. He had nothing to lose anymore. His wife was playing with Gowtham’s cock. His daughter was the only thing he had truly safeguarded. Before making himself an enemy of these people, perhaps it was better to dive into their world.
He decided boldly. Let me be the puppet master too.
He signed the agreement.
Vinodhini took the folder back with a satisfied nod. “Welcome to the new V-Research and Analysis wing.”
She stood up. “You can leave now. You will get lunch at your table when you reach the actual office — the old one. You have to work there until we make proper arrangements.”
As Suresh stood to leave, Vinodhini added casually, “By the way… you asked about your friend Rakesh, right? Here it is. From that old company, there are two Rakeshs — one aged 32, another 50. Here are both their numbers.”
Suresh’s eyes fixed on the paper she handed him. Two contact numbers. Two different men.
In the noon, during lunch, Gowtham sat alone in the pantry area, staring at his tiffin box. His eyes kept searching for Varsha among the scattered employees, but she was nowhere to be seen. For unknown reasons, his gaze kept drifting toward the door, hoping to catch a glimpse of her.
He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair in frustration. What the hell is wrong with me? he thought. You wanted to throw her out. You humiliated her, sabotaged her tests, and now… after hearing her story, you’re silently sympathizing with her? Last night you saw her breasts and all you could think about was fucking her. Enmity? Love? Lust? What the hell do you really want with her?
He stared at the wall, lost in his own thoughts. She’s not even a desirable woman when it comes to character. She does anything for money, she’s rude, adamant… Why are you becoming soft on her? If you just want to fuck her, then seduce her and get it over with. You seduced Sneha — an older, married woman. This should be easier. And you will get a taste of young Vagina.. Don’t confuse yourself, Gowtham.
He couldn’t eat. The food lost the taste.
He closed the tiffin box with a sigh and decided to head back to his cabin.
As he entered, he saw Varsha stepping out of his cabin, looking calm and composed.
Gowtham’s eyes widened in shock. He quickly blocked the doorway with his body.
“What are you doing here? In my cabin?” he demanded.
Varsha didn’t flinch. She looked straight into his eyes with ferocious intensity.
Before either of them could speak further, Mr. Prakash’s voice came from down the corridor.
“Gowtham? Varsha?”
The boss walked toward them, holding a printed copy of the assessment report.
“I saw the assessment report the peon sent. Good. Impressive. Varsha indeed scored well. I’m proud of her.”
Gowtham’s stomach dropped. He realised exactly what she had done — she had used his system to submit a manipulated, favourable assessment without his knowledge.
Mr. Prakash patted Varsha’s shoulder lightly and moved on, leaving the two of them alone again.
As soon as Mr. Prakash moved away from the cabin, Varsha turned to leave. But before she could take even a step, Gowtham’s hand shot out and grabbed her wrist in a firm grip. He pulled her back inside with surprising force, pushed her into the cabin, and slammed the door shut behind them. The lock clicked loudly in the sudden silence.
His hand was tight on her shoulder as he guided — almost shoved — her toward the chair. “Sit,” he ordered.
Varsha sat down, her heart racing but her face showing no fear.
Gowtham loomed over her, breathing heavily.
“Did you know what you’ve done?” His voice was low and dangerous.
“You used my system to submit a fake assessment without my knowledge? Don’t you think I will report this as fraudulent?”
Varsha looked up at him without flinching. “I will show this clip I recorded last night.
You tell him the truth, and I will use this.”
Gowtham stared at her for a second, then let out a short, bitter laugh.
“Can’t you be honest for at least one day?”
She replied coldly, her voice steady, “That doesn’t bring money.
This is the only way I can get money without selling my dignity.”
The morning’s tender leak news flashed in Gowtham’s mind.
He looked at her for a long moment, then sighed and sat down heavily in front of his computer.
“Even if you show them it’s a manipulation, they will throw you out along with me,” he said.
“Well, that way our scores are settled,” she shot back.
Gowtham smirked, shaking his head. “Okay. I agree. I’m on your side. But still, you will be thrown out.”
Varsha looked stunned. “Why? What happened?”
Gowtham leaned forward, typing rapidly on his keyboard.
“You just took a report from the doc here. What about the internal records? I need to update them on the database. Only then will it reflect properly. Boss will have to check it systematically after a while.”
Varsha was stunned into silence.
Gowtham sighed, logged into the portal, and carefully rectified the assessment, making it legitimate in the official system.
He double-checked everything before saving.
Varsha watched him the entire time. She very well knew he didn’t do this out of blackmail or fear.
He had genuinely helped her. He had given her a chance.
For the first time in a very long time, Varsha felt she had someone she could depend on.
She stood up slowly, her voice softer than before. “Thank you.”
Gowtham didn’t look at her. He simply nodded, still staring at the screen.
The silence between them felt heavier than any argument they had ever had.
The 12th Floor
Vinodhini didn’t give Suresh any time to think. She simply said, “Come with me,” and started walking toward the private elevator at the far end of the underground parking. Her heels clicked sharply against the concrete floor, the sound echoing like a countdown.
Suresh followed, his mind racing. Every instinct told him to turn around and run, but something deeper — curiosity, fear, and the cold realization that he was already too deep — kept his feet moving.
The elevator doors opened silently. Vinodhini swiped a black access card, and they ascended without a word. The digital display jumped straight from Basement-2 to Floor 12. No stops. No other floors.
When the doors opened, Suresh stepped into a completely different world.
The 12th floor was unlike anything he had seen in the building before. It was luxurious, almost secretive — wide marble corridors, soft ambient lighting, and an open layout that felt more like a high-end private club than an office. There was a full pantry section with gourmet coffee machines, a sleek bar area that looked like a pub, entertainment lounges with large screens, and even a small health-check corner with medical equipment. A few people in sharp formal wear moved quietly, speaking in low voices. Suresh had never seen any of these faces in the main office floors.
What the hell is this place? he thought, completely puzzled.
Vinodhini led him through the corridor without explanation and stopped in front of a large, minimalist lobby. It was almost empty — just a few sleek chairs, a water dispenser, and soft lighting. No windows. No distractions.
“Sit here,” she said. “Wait.”
The door closed behind her with a soft click. Suresh was alone.
He waited.
Ten minutes passed. Then twenty. Then an hour. The silence was oppressive. No one came. No one called. He sat there, hands on his knees, forcing himself to stay calm. The patience he had shown during his long interview wait days ago was being tested again — and he knew Aditya was watching, even if indirectly.
At exactly 1:00 PM, the door opened.
Vinodhini stepped in, composed as ever. She sat opposite him and crossed her legs.
“Suresh,” she began, “we thought you would be a good asset to us — to maintain and work behind the doors for the company’s real management. Your secrecy, your planning, and even your patience seemed to be key qualities we treasure. But today… you got to know more than you should have.”
She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in.
“Normally, if an outsider witnessed what you saw, our approach would be different. But you are not an outsider anymore. You have qualities we value. So we are promoting you… to the 12th floor operations. You will work from here. You will have a different company identity from now on.”
Suresh’s mind reeled. He could barely digest it. Ever since he stepped into this company, everything had been secretive, mysterious, layered. And now this.
“What does this promotion actually mean?” he asked, voice steady despite the fear. “Why me again?”
Vinodhini smiled — a small, calculated smile. “Because now you know the secret. A dark secret of his. In our circle, if you hold a secret, you must become one of us. There is no other way. You should not have entered the restricted area.”
She leaned forward slightly. “If you think this is a punishment, then let it be. But if you truly accept to be one of us… this is the golden opportunity. You will be one of the enablers who can make people operate as you want. A puppet master. Aditya will give you that freedom.”
Suresh’s heart pounded. He wanted to know more — what they really did here, who Aditya truly was, what “behind the doors” meant. But he also knew he had no real choice.
“I want to know more about him and what you all do here,” he said. “Without that, I cannot consent.”
Vinodhini slid a sleek black folder across the table. “Sign this agreement. You will get to see yourself tomorrow. Once you are in… we will guide you through it. From there, there is no turning back.”
Suresh stared at the folder for a long moment. He had nothing to lose anymore. His wife was playing with Gowtham’s cock. His daughter was the only thing he had truly safeguarded. Before making himself an enemy of these people, perhaps it was better to dive into their world.
He decided boldly. Let me be the puppet master too.
He signed the agreement.
Vinodhini took the folder back with a satisfied nod. “Welcome to the new V-Research and Analysis wing.”
She stood up. “You can leave now. You will get lunch at your table when you reach the actual office — the old one. You have to work there until we make proper arrangements.”
As Suresh stood to leave, Vinodhini added casually, “By the way… you asked about your friend Rakesh, right? Here it is. From that old company, there are two Rakeshs — one aged 32, another 50. Here are both their numbers.”
Suresh’s eyes fixed on the paper she handed him. Two contact numbers. Two different men.
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