[heygiwriter]

Chapter 26: The Angel on Stage


The launch event was a resounding success.


The grand auditorium on the ground floor of MX Century Gaming Company was packed with dignitaries, clients, investors, and the entire Bangalore team. The lights dimmed, the trailer played on the massive screen, and thunderous applause erupted as the final credits rolled. The game had not only launched smoothly — it had exceeded expectations.

Nikitha shone brightest of all.

As the official host, she commanded the stage with grace and confidence. Dbangd in the radiant peach saree, she moved effortlessly — introducing guests, cracking light-hearted jokes, and keeping the energy high. Her warm voice and natural charm won over the entire audience. Jay watched from the side of the stage, a strange mix of pride and ache in his chest.

When it was Jay’s turn to speak, he stepped up and delivered a clear, technical breakdown of the gameplay systems and backend architecture. His presentation was sharp and professional. The crowd applauded respectfully.

Then Tharun was invited to the stage.

He thanked the entire team, giving special credit to Jay for his leadership on the core systems. Then his tone shifted, becoming more personal.

“You know, in game development, our real
“You know, in game development, our real world often becomes the greatest inspiration,” he said with a smile. “Let me show you something.”


He played a short video montage of various characters. 
The audience reacted with appreciation.

“These characters were secretly inspired by some of our own staff,” Tharun revealed. “First and foremost, let’s bring up the talented designer who worked tirelessly overnight on my crazy requests and turned my vague references into these beautiful avatars — please welcome Mr. Arjun!”

Arjun, the designer, walked up to the stage along with Jay and a few other key team members who stood in the background.

He turned toward the audience.

“Nikitha, can you please come up on stage?”

Nikitha looked surprised but walked up confidently. The crowd clapped.

Tharun continued, “Last few weeks were insane with bugs and last-minute changes. But this woman single-handedly helped four different teams fix critical issues.

Without her sharp debugging and calm support, today’s launch would not have been possible. She is not just a team member — she is our shield.”

He turned to the HR head, who handed him a special award.

“Today, we are giving this additional ‘Coordinator of the Year’ award to someone who went above and beyond. I’m sharing this honor with Nikitha. She is the real reason we succeeded.”

The crowd erupted in applause.
Tharun smiled at her. “When nothing seems possible, which avatar saves the day?”

Some said protector, super hero.. god. then after a pause
Someone from the crowd shouted, “Angel!”

Tharun laughed.

 “Exactly. She is our real-life Angel. Not just that — she was the direct inspiration behind the angel avatar you all loved so much.”

he signaled to show the peach colro dress photo and methods they followed to bring in the character. 
The applause grew louder. Nikitha stood there, visibly moved and slightly overwhelmed, drenched in appreciation.

Photographers rushed forward, clicking rapidly as Tharun and Nikitha stood together.

Photographers rushed forward, clicking rapidly. Tharun and Nikitha stood together at the center. Jay and the others remained a few steps behind on the same stage.

In the excitement, Nikitha turned and walked toward Jay. She gently took his hand and pulled him forward. The photographers assumed she wanted a special photo with just the two of them and started clicking.

Nikitha laughed brightly and waved her hand.

“No, no — not just us!” she said cheerfully. “All of us! Everyone who made this possible, please come to the center.”


She quickly ran to the nearest photographer and whispered, “Don’t delete any photo. He is my friend — I felt awkward taking one alone with him. Please keep the previous ones. I’ll give you money later if needed.” She rushed back to the stage.


She smartly dragged Jay, Arjun the designer, and the other team members into the frame along with Tharun. The group photo was taken with everyone together.

Only Jay understood what she had done.
She had used the moment cleverly to include him publicly without raising any suspicion — a quiet way of acknowledging and thanking him.

But as the flashes went off, Jay’s eyes met Tharun’s.
Smart ass, he cursed inside. You really impressed her a lot, didn’t you?