The Chairman's Son
Sonal and Jay, accompanied by their families, arrived at the address they had painstakingly acquired. They rang the doorbell, hearts pounding with anticipation.
The door was opened by a young man who greeted them with a simple, relaxed demeanor. They explained their mission, inquiring about the mystery speaker from the social media show.
The man smiled, a hint of irony in his eyes. "Yes, I am the host. And yes, I know the person who gave that speech. Your guesses are correct; it was Mr. Aryan. But," he added, a slightly sarcastic smile playing on his lips, "I truly don't know where he is currently living either."
Sonal, suspicions rising, pressed him. "How did you know Aryan would attend that show and speak?"
"A message arrived one day," the host replied. "It contained an address and a brief note about the urgency of a meeting. I followed the instructions. The person I met was Mr. Aryan. The rest is public record."
Jay looked skeptical. "How could Aryan, who has been completely off the grid, know about your show and you?"
The host's smile faded, replaced by pride mixed with melancholy. "You forget, gentlemen, who Mr. Aryan is. He is the former Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Techinnov Group. That show was authorized by Techinnov. And I," he introduced himself, "am Rahul Mittal, the son of the Chairman of Techinnov, Mr. Vishwath Mittal."
Rahul stepped back, gesturing them inside. "I may be living simply now, but once, I desperately aspired to be Mr. Aryan. He inspired me more than anyone. Even though my father is the Chairman, Aryan was the true visionary behind the formation and rapid growth of this company. He only left Techinnov because he was left with no options."
The Three Shades of the Story
Sonal, Jay, and their wives exchanged bewildered glances. "No options?" they exclaimed in unison.
"Yes," Rahul confirmed. "For Aryan, his soulmate was always more important than his status, his wealth, his friends, and everything outside his immediate family. The accident you mentioned wasn't just an accident; it was far more than that."
Rahul continued, confirming their earlier suspicions. "Still, my father's unwavering support, and Aryan's sheer worth, elevated him to the boss of our company—the CTO. He seems cool and calm, but something dark frightened him, something that forced him to resign and vanish. He wasn't worried about the company; he simply wanted to be happy with his soulmate and family, and he is."
Rahul explained the real purpose of the epilogue speech. "I wasn't the only one who recognized him. My father and I knew before the show, and the board members who attended realized it the moment he finished speaking. The story he told was not just motivational; it was a targeted message."
"The story has three distinct shades:
To inspire the public with a message of hope.
To challenge and warn the Techinnov board members with his words about the unpredictable 'ocean.'
To let the board members know that he was happy and could not be broken."
"I was close to him for years, so I understand this much. But there might be something even more conveyed in that story," Rahul admitted.
The Planned Event
Jay's voice was strained. "If he was so important, where is he now? And what was your dad's plan?"
"My father and I are trying to find him to make him the CTO again," Rahul replied. "But every attempt has failed. My father planned to meet him after the show, but Aryan just came, spoke, and disappeared."
Sonal leaned forward, his voice low with dread. "You said the accident... if it was something more than that, what was it?"
Rahul spoke the terrifying truth calmly. "That was a planned event."
Sonal and Jay recoiled in shock. "A planned event! Who would do that? What would they gain by trying to kill Aryan?"
Rahul looked them squarely in the eye. "It wasn't about killing Aryan, Sonal. It was about letting him know that they could kill him. It was a warning shot."
"They?" Jay pressed. "Who are they?"
Rahul delivered the ultimate betrayal. "The Board."
Sonal stared blankly. "But why, Rahul? He was their genius! Their CTO!"