07-06-2026, 11:27 PM
Chapter 9: The New Manager’s Watch
The next morning, Tharun Menon sat in his new glass-walled cabin on the second floor, staring at his laptop screen without really seeing it. The events of yesterday kept replaying in his mind like a looping cutscene he couldn’t pause.
He leaned back in his ergonomic chair, rubbing his trimmed beard, a deep frown etched on his face.
What the fuck was that?
He had seen everything clearly from just a few feet away. Jay boldly walking up to Anjali’s desk, grabbing her wrist in front of the entire floor, and dragging her into the storage room like he owned her. The firm click of the door shutting. The stunned silence that followed. Anjali’s mix of surprise and willingness.
On his very first day.
Tharun’s jaw tightened. In his years at the Calicut branch, he had heard whispers about some place had wilder, more hedonistic office culture, but witnessing such brazen dominance in the middle of office hours — right in front of the new manager — was something else entirely.
This kind of behavior could destroy team morale and my reputation if it spreads, he thought, irritation flaring. If senior employees act like this openly, what message does it send to the juniors?
Yet, a darker, more primal part of him couldn’t help but feel a spark of reluctant respect for Jay’s audacity. The way he publicly claimed Anjali without hesitation was bold. Almost animalistic.
But it was not Anjali who kept occupying his thoughts.
It was Nikitha.
Tharun’s gaze drifted unconsciously toward her desk through the glass partition. Even now, the image from yesterday burned in his mind — the way she had stared at the closed storage room door with wide eyes and slightly parted lips, her chest rising and falling rapidly beneath that elegant peach saree. She had looked stunned. Flushed. Undeniably… aroused.
There was something about her. The graceful way she carried herself, the quiet confidence mixed with hidden fire, the way her curvaceous body filled out her saree so perfectly. She wasn’t loud or obviously flirtatious like Anjali. She was composed. Elegant.
And yet, her reaction to Jay’s public claim on another woman had been far more intense than anyone else’s.
Tharun had also noticed something else yesterday evening — Nikitha getting into Jay’s car. The two of them driving off together.
Coincidence? Or something more?
He leaned forward, elbows on the desk, conflicted.
Should I take immediate action? Call them in for a disciplinary meeting? Reinstate authority on day two?
But he knew the risks. Jay was one of the best Gameplay Engineers on the floor — sharp, dedicated, and crucial for the upcoming deadlines. Punishing him harshly right now could affect project timelines. And without solid proof, any action might backfire.
Tharun made his decision.
For now, I’ll watch. A few days. Observe their patterns. See how deep this goes.
However, he couldn’t let the incident slide completely. He needed to send a strong message to the entire floor that such behavior wouldn’t go unnoticed under his leadership.
He picked up the intercom phone, his deep voice calm but authoritative, deliberately loud enough for nearby employees to hear.
“Jay, this is Tharun. Please come to my cabin immediately.”
The announcement echoed across the open floor through the speakers. Heads turned. Whispers erupted instantly. A few people exchanged nervous glances. The entire office suddenly buzzed with speculation.
Is the new manager calling Jay in for disciplinary action?
After yesterday’s storage room scene?
Finally, someone is doing something about it…
Tharun leaned back in his chair, eyes fixed on the door of his cabin, waiting.
He was curious to see how Jay would react.
The next morning, Tharun Menon sat in his new glass-walled cabin on the second floor, staring at his laptop screen without really seeing it. The events of yesterday kept replaying in his mind like a looping cutscene he couldn’t pause.
He leaned back in his ergonomic chair, rubbing his trimmed beard, a deep frown etched on his face.
What the fuck was that?
He had seen everything clearly from just a few feet away. Jay boldly walking up to Anjali’s desk, grabbing her wrist in front of the entire floor, and dragging her into the storage room like he owned her. The firm click of the door shutting. The stunned silence that followed. Anjali’s mix of surprise and willingness.
On his very first day.
Tharun’s jaw tightened. In his years at the Calicut branch, he had heard whispers about some place had wilder, more hedonistic office culture, but witnessing such brazen dominance in the middle of office hours — right in front of the new manager — was something else entirely.
This kind of behavior could destroy team morale and my reputation if it spreads, he thought, irritation flaring. If senior employees act like this openly, what message does it send to the juniors?
Yet, a darker, more primal part of him couldn’t help but feel a spark of reluctant respect for Jay’s audacity. The way he publicly claimed Anjali without hesitation was bold. Almost animalistic.
But it was not Anjali who kept occupying his thoughts.
It was Nikitha.
Tharun’s gaze drifted unconsciously toward her desk through the glass partition. Even now, the image from yesterday burned in his mind — the way she had stared at the closed storage room door with wide eyes and slightly parted lips, her chest rising and falling rapidly beneath that elegant peach saree. She had looked stunned. Flushed. Undeniably… aroused.
There was something about her. The graceful way she carried herself, the quiet confidence mixed with hidden fire, the way her curvaceous body filled out her saree so perfectly. She wasn’t loud or obviously flirtatious like Anjali. She was composed. Elegant.
And yet, her reaction to Jay’s public claim on another woman had been far more intense than anyone else’s.
Tharun had also noticed something else yesterday evening — Nikitha getting into Jay’s car. The two of them driving off together.
Coincidence? Or something more?
He leaned forward, elbows on the desk, conflicted.
Should I take immediate action? Call them in for a disciplinary meeting? Reinstate authority on day two?
But he knew the risks. Jay was one of the best Gameplay Engineers on the floor — sharp, dedicated, and crucial for the upcoming deadlines. Punishing him harshly right now could affect project timelines. And without solid proof, any action might backfire.
Tharun made his decision.
For now, I’ll watch. A few days. Observe their patterns. See how deep this goes.
However, he couldn’t let the incident slide completely. He needed to send a strong message to the entire floor that such behavior wouldn’t go unnoticed under his leadership.
He picked up the intercom phone, his deep voice calm but authoritative, deliberately loud enough for nearby employees to hear.
“Jay, this is Tharun. Please come to my cabin immediately.”
The announcement echoed across the open floor through the speakers. Heads turned. Whispers erupted instantly. A few people exchanged nervous glances. The entire office suddenly buzzed with speculation.
Is the new manager calling Jay in for disciplinary action?
After yesterday’s storage room scene?
Finally, someone is doing something about it…
Tharun leaned back in his chair, eyes fixed on the door of his cabin, waiting.
He was curious to see how Jay would react.
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