25-05-2026, 08:45 AM
Chapter 26: Lokesh nightmare
After what Shruthi had revealed about the confrontation at the office, Lokesh’s thoughts unwillingly wandered back to his earlier encounter with Karthick.
The memory returned in fragments at first — the tense silence, the forced calm in Karthick’s voice, the way his eyes avoided direct contact for just a second too long.
At the time, Lokesh had brushed it aside, convincing himself he was overthinking. But now, every word from that meeting seemed to carry a different meaning.
The more he replayed it in his head, the more uneasy he felt. Karthick hadn’t looked guilty exactly — that would have been easier to deal with. Instead, he had looked conflicted, like someone trying desperately to hold together a version of events that was slowly slipping apart. And that disturbed Lokesh far more.
Sitting alone, Lokesh clenched his jaw as the pieces began connecting themselves without his permission.
His mind drifted again to the past events
Lokesh was pouring himself into his work, desperately seeking a distraction. His logistics firm was bidding for a massive supply-chain contract with a major multinational infrastructure company—a deal that would secure his company’s financial future for the next decade.
"We made the short list," Lokesh announced one evening, a genuine spark of excitement in his eyes as he sat down at the dinner table. "The final presentation is next Thursday.
If we land this, Shruthi, we can finally breathe. We can sell this house, move across the city, and genuinely start fresh."
Shruthi smiled, reaching across the table to squeeze his hand. For the first time in months, the air felt light. "You’ve worked so hard for this, Lokesh. You deserve it."
The Boardroom
On Thursday morning, Lokesh stood in the sleek, glass-walled conference room on the 24th floor of the tech park. His presentation was flawless. He laid out the data, the pricing structures, and the contingency plans. The senior vice president of the multinational firm, an imposing man named Mr. Raghavan, nodded in quiet approval.
"Impressive work, Lokesh," Raghavan said, closing the folder. "Your metrics are exactly what we’re looking for. However, as per our corporate policy, all final vendor approvals have to clear our digital security and compliance audit team. If they greenlight your data protocols, the contract is yours."
Lokesh beamed, shaking the man's hand. "We are completely transparent, sir. Our systems are ready for review."
Ten minutes later, Lokesh was led down the hall to the compliance wing. The assistant opened the door to a private office overlooking the city.
"Mr. Lokesh is here for the vendor audit," the assistant announced.
The high-backed leather chair behind the desk rotated slowly.
Lokesh’s smile instantly froze. The blood drained from his face so fast his vision blurred.
Sitting behind the desk, wearing a tailored navy suit that perfectly concealed any lingering tension, was Karthik. His nose was slightly crooked, a permanent souvenir of Lokesh’s fist, but his eyes were bright, sharp, and dripping with an icy, triumphant amusement.
"Hello, Lokesh," Karthik said, his voice smooth, professional, and entirely devoid of the fear he had shown on his apartment floor. "It’s been a while."
Lokesh’s fists clenched so hard his healing knuckles went white. He took a predatory step forward, but Karthik didn't flinch. Instead, Karthik casually tapped a neatly printed placard on his desk that read: Head of Vendor.
Compliance & Risk Assessment.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Karthik whispered, leaning forward, his voice dropping into a low, venomous purr. "There are security cameras in every corner of this room. You lay a finger on me here, and you don't just go to jail for assault—you watch your entire company, your career, and your financial future vanish before the sun goes down."
"You..." Lokesh choked out, his voice shaking with a volatile mix of rage and disbelief. "How the hell are you here?"
"My uncle sits on the board of this parent company, Lokesh. Did you really think a petty voyeurism charge—a first-time misdemeanor that my lawyers are already burying in appeals—would ruin me?" Karthik smiled, a sickeningly confident expression that made Lokesh's stomach turn. "I lost my friends. I lost my reputation in your little middle-class neighborhood. But I kept my job. In fact, I got promoted."
Karthik slid Lokesh’s contract proposal across the desk, tapping the front page with a manicured finger.
"Mr. Raghavan loves your pitch. But unfortunately, the compliance department has ultimate veto power. If I find a single 'discrepancy' in your data security—and trust me, I can always find one—this deal dies today. And with it, your company's credit line."
Lokesh stared at him, realizing the absolute horror of the trap. He had beaten Karthik with his fists, and Shruthi had beaten him with the law, but Karthik had found a leverage point that could completely destroy their survival.
"What do you want, Karthik?" Lokesh hissed.
Karthik leaned back in his chair, folding his hands over his chest. The crooked tilt of his nose made his grin look deeply twisted.
After what Shruthi had revealed about the confrontation at the office, Lokesh’s thoughts unwillingly wandered back to his earlier encounter with Karthick.
The memory returned in fragments at first — the tense silence, the forced calm in Karthick’s voice, the way his eyes avoided direct contact for just a second too long.
At the time, Lokesh had brushed it aside, convincing himself he was overthinking. But now, every word from that meeting seemed to carry a different meaning.
The more he replayed it in his head, the more uneasy he felt. Karthick hadn’t looked guilty exactly — that would have been easier to deal with. Instead, he had looked conflicted, like someone trying desperately to hold together a version of events that was slowly slipping apart. And that disturbed Lokesh far more.
Sitting alone, Lokesh clenched his jaw as the pieces began connecting themselves without his permission.
His mind drifted again to the past events
Lokesh was pouring himself into his work, desperately seeking a distraction. His logistics firm was bidding for a massive supply-chain contract with a major multinational infrastructure company—a deal that would secure his company’s financial future for the next decade.
"We made the short list," Lokesh announced one evening, a genuine spark of excitement in his eyes as he sat down at the dinner table. "The final presentation is next Thursday.
If we land this, Shruthi, we can finally breathe. We can sell this house, move across the city, and genuinely start fresh."
Shruthi smiled, reaching across the table to squeeze his hand. For the first time in months, the air felt light. "You’ve worked so hard for this, Lokesh. You deserve it."
The Boardroom
On Thursday morning, Lokesh stood in the sleek, glass-walled conference room on the 24th floor of the tech park. His presentation was flawless. He laid out the data, the pricing structures, and the contingency plans. The senior vice president of the multinational firm, an imposing man named Mr. Raghavan, nodded in quiet approval.
"Impressive work, Lokesh," Raghavan said, closing the folder. "Your metrics are exactly what we’re looking for. However, as per our corporate policy, all final vendor approvals have to clear our digital security and compliance audit team. If they greenlight your data protocols, the contract is yours."
Lokesh beamed, shaking the man's hand. "We are completely transparent, sir. Our systems are ready for review."
Ten minutes later, Lokesh was led down the hall to the compliance wing. The assistant opened the door to a private office overlooking the city.
"Mr. Lokesh is here for the vendor audit," the assistant announced.
The high-backed leather chair behind the desk rotated slowly.
Lokesh’s smile instantly froze. The blood drained from his face so fast his vision blurred.
Sitting behind the desk, wearing a tailored navy suit that perfectly concealed any lingering tension, was Karthik. His nose was slightly crooked, a permanent souvenir of Lokesh’s fist, but his eyes were bright, sharp, and dripping with an icy, triumphant amusement.
"Hello, Lokesh," Karthik said, his voice smooth, professional, and entirely devoid of the fear he had shown on his apartment floor. "It’s been a while."
Lokesh’s fists clenched so hard his healing knuckles went white. He took a predatory step forward, but Karthik didn't flinch. Instead, Karthik casually tapped a neatly printed placard on his desk that read: Head of Vendor.
Compliance & Risk Assessment.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Karthik whispered, leaning forward, his voice dropping into a low, venomous purr. "There are security cameras in every corner of this room. You lay a finger on me here, and you don't just go to jail for assault—you watch your entire company, your career, and your financial future vanish before the sun goes down."
"You..." Lokesh choked out, his voice shaking with a volatile mix of rage and disbelief. "How the hell are you here?"
"My uncle sits on the board of this parent company, Lokesh. Did you really think a petty voyeurism charge—a first-time misdemeanor that my lawyers are already burying in appeals—would ruin me?" Karthik smiled, a sickeningly confident expression that made Lokesh's stomach turn. "I lost my friends. I lost my reputation in your little middle-class neighborhood. But I kept my job. In fact, I got promoted."
Karthik slid Lokesh’s contract proposal across the desk, tapping the front page with a manicured finger.
"Mr. Raghavan loves your pitch. But unfortunately, the compliance department has ultimate veto power. If I find a single 'discrepancy' in your data security—and trust me, I can always find one—this deal dies today. And with it, your company's credit line."
Lokesh stared at him, realizing the absolute horror of the trap. He had beaten Karthik with his fists, and Shruthi had beaten him with the law, but Karthik had found a leverage point that could completely destroy their survival.
"What do you want, Karthik?" Lokesh hissed.
Karthik leaned back in his chair, folding his hands over his chest. The crooked tilt of his nose made his grin look deeply twisted.
-Pickup, drop, escape.
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