14-05-2026, 07:23 PM
Chapter 110 - Friends? - II
The hand was still hanging in the air.
Varsha looked at it for a long second, then slowly shook her head.
“I still have a long way to go in my life,” she said quietly. “I’m not into any of these.”
Gowtham dropped his hand, a mocking smile curling his lips.
“This is exactly why you don’t have friends.”
He mocked her openly.
They ate in heavy silence for a few moments, the clink of spoons the only sound between them.
Then Gowtham broke the silence.
“Tomorrow and Sunday are not holidays. You need to accompany us me and Rahul.
Tomorrow everyone will work till 3 PM. You’ll have to stay till 7 PM with me.”
Varsha looked up, surprised. “Is it about the tender work?”
Gowtham nodded. “Yes. Boss, I mean your uncle, wants a working demo.
You need to work on the program modules under my guidance.”
Varsha asked worriedly, “Is the tender that important? Uncle said all the trainee salaries depend on it…”
“Yes,” Gowtham replied curtly.
As the topic deviates to tender.. He couldn’t stop the doubt creeping in.
What if Varsha had stolen and sold the previous quotes? She’s always in desperate need of money…
Varsha continued asking questions.
“Who do you think could be the reason behind the leaks?
Do you think someone stole it, or is it just coincidence?”
Gowtham’s eyes narrowed. “For sure someone stole it for money.”
Varsha leaned in. “How could one person do it? Did you suspect anyone?”
Gowtham grew alarmed.
Is she trying to cover her own tracks by questioning me like if i or anyone suspect her?
he asked suspiciously.
“Why are you asking all these things?”
Varsha replied quickly, “Our futures depend on this… that’s why!”
Gowtham nodded, but his suspicion only grew.
Varsha pressed further. “Who all are involved in the quotation process?
I heard it was only 2 lakhs difference when uncle lost both bids. I don’t think it’s random — it has to be an internal leak.”
Gowtham nodded again. “Yes. Internal. We never know the real faces behind it…”
Varsha said thoughtfully, “But I believe it’s easily traceable if we look for patterns.”
Gowtham asked, “What kind of pattern?”
“Before that, just tell me — who are all involved in the bidding?”
Gowtham listed them. “It’s usually Boss himself, myself, and a few more team members who send ideas and inputs.
Rahul takes the final quote and goes to bid.”
Varsha asked, “Does this happen both times?
Same team?”
Gowtham shook his head. “No. First bid, almost everyone knew the quote amount. After we lost, it was narrowed down, Boss, Rahul, myself, and one person from another team. Now it’s only Rahul, me, and Boss. We never let you trainees know the final amount.”
Varsha looked at him sharply. “Then who has the possibility if it leaks again?
The person who went out last time?”
Gowtham argued, “Not at all. He is my friend and very genuine.
He doesn’t even know the final quote.
Only Boss and Rahul knew, apart from me.”
Varsha said calmly, “Uncle is ruled out. Next could be Rahul?”
Gowtham almost laughed. “No way. He is a gentleman. He has a big reputation.
You know he drives fancy cars. He is rich by himself.
Why would he cheat the company?”
Varsha looked at him for a long moment.
“Then you are the only one left who knows the quote amount.”
Rage flared inside Gowtham. “I’m not some lowlife who would do such activities.
Maybe you sold it secretly by spying on Rahul or your uncle’s desk.
That’s why you’re cross-checking if I anyone suspecting. Am i right?”
Varsha smirked, her eyes turned cold.
She is usually not a person who would feel hurt like if someone thinks bad about her, but today it did for her.
She was just confused, she almost got her first friend, but it didn't pass through a lunch..
After a pause, she asked
“Do you realise why I hesitated to shake your hand?”
She stood up, taking the lunch tray with her..
“We can’t be friends anymore. Not anytime soon.”
“Goodbye.”
Varsha turned and walked away without looking back, leaving Gowtham sitting alone with his half-eaten lunch and a storm of confusion, suspicion, and unexpected hurt swirling inside him.
He just said what he had truly felt about her. He know it would pain her, still he carelessly chosen this word.
The hand was still hanging in the air.
Varsha looked at it for a long second, then slowly shook her head.
“I still have a long way to go in my life,” she said quietly. “I’m not into any of these.”
Gowtham dropped his hand, a mocking smile curling his lips.
“This is exactly why you don’t have friends.”
He mocked her openly.
They ate in heavy silence for a few moments, the clink of spoons the only sound between them.
Then Gowtham broke the silence.
“Tomorrow and Sunday are not holidays. You need to accompany us me and Rahul.
Tomorrow everyone will work till 3 PM. You’ll have to stay till 7 PM with me.”
Varsha looked up, surprised. “Is it about the tender work?”
Gowtham nodded. “Yes. Boss, I mean your uncle, wants a working demo.
You need to work on the program modules under my guidance.”
Varsha asked worriedly, “Is the tender that important? Uncle said all the trainee salaries depend on it…”
“Yes,” Gowtham replied curtly.
As the topic deviates to tender.. He couldn’t stop the doubt creeping in.
What if Varsha had stolen and sold the previous quotes? She’s always in desperate need of money…
Varsha continued asking questions.
“Who do you think could be the reason behind the leaks?
Do you think someone stole it, or is it just coincidence?”
Gowtham’s eyes narrowed. “For sure someone stole it for money.”
Varsha leaned in. “How could one person do it? Did you suspect anyone?”
Gowtham grew alarmed.
Is she trying to cover her own tracks by questioning me like if i or anyone suspect her?
he asked suspiciously.
“Why are you asking all these things?”
Varsha replied quickly, “Our futures depend on this… that’s why!”
Gowtham nodded, but his suspicion only grew.
Varsha pressed further. “Who all are involved in the quotation process?
I heard it was only 2 lakhs difference when uncle lost both bids. I don’t think it’s random — it has to be an internal leak.”
Gowtham nodded again. “Yes. Internal. We never know the real faces behind it…”
Varsha said thoughtfully, “But I believe it’s easily traceable if we look for patterns.”
Gowtham asked, “What kind of pattern?”
“Before that, just tell me — who are all involved in the bidding?”
Gowtham listed them. “It’s usually Boss himself, myself, and a few more team members who send ideas and inputs.
Rahul takes the final quote and goes to bid.”
Varsha asked, “Does this happen both times?
Same team?”
Gowtham shook his head. “No. First bid, almost everyone knew the quote amount. After we lost, it was narrowed down, Boss, Rahul, myself, and one person from another team. Now it’s only Rahul, me, and Boss. We never let you trainees know the final amount.”
Varsha looked at him sharply. “Then who has the possibility if it leaks again?
The person who went out last time?”
Gowtham argued, “Not at all. He is my friend and very genuine.
He doesn’t even know the final quote.
Only Boss and Rahul knew, apart from me.”
Varsha said calmly, “Uncle is ruled out. Next could be Rahul?”
Gowtham almost laughed. “No way. He is a gentleman. He has a big reputation.
You know he drives fancy cars. He is rich by himself.
Why would he cheat the company?”
Varsha looked at him for a long moment.
“Then you are the only one left who knows the quote amount.”
Rage flared inside Gowtham. “I’m not some lowlife who would do such activities.
Maybe you sold it secretly by spying on Rahul or your uncle’s desk.
That’s why you’re cross-checking if I anyone suspecting. Am i right?”
Varsha smirked, her eyes turned cold.
She is usually not a person who would feel hurt like if someone thinks bad about her, but today it did for her.
She was just confused, she almost got her first friend, but it didn't pass through a lunch..
After a pause, she asked
“Do you realise why I hesitated to shake your hand?”
She stood up, taking the lunch tray with her..
“We can’t be friends anymore. Not anytime soon.”
“Goodbye.”
Varsha turned and walked away without looking back, leaving Gowtham sitting alone with his half-eaten lunch and a storm of confusion, suspicion, and unexpected hurt swirling inside him.
He just said what he had truly felt about her. He know it would pain her, still he carelessly chosen this word.
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