Page 128 of No Boss
He remained just beyond sight.
“And then…” Rajan flung his arms wide, nearly knocking over a vase as he turned toward an unseen opponent. “Hukum just… BAM!”
His fist cut through the air in an exaggerated slow motion.
“One punch! Just one! And Lakshya ji went…” He staggered backward, limbs loose, before dropping with a theatrical splash.
Sarita’s laughter rang out, full and free.
“And the mithai?” Naina leaned forward, perched at the edge of the sofa. “What happened to the mithai?”
Rajan’s face lit up. “Flying everywhere! Orange ladoos rolling across the floor, like little suns in the rain!”
“And what exactly did my brother say?” Naina pressed, unable to contain herself.
Rajan straightened at once, slipping into a dramatic version of Abhinav. Chin lifted. Shoulders squared.
In a deepened voice, he declared, “What you just witnessed is what happens when someone disrespects the future Thakurain of Anand Mahal.”
He held the pose.
Abhinav pressed his lips together.
Naina let out a delighted sound, hands flying to her cheeks. “He actually said that? Exactly that?”
“Exact words, Bai Sa!” Rajan nodded with enthusiasm, leaning deeper into his act. “Meera Chauhan is the woman I love.”
Sarita’s hands tightened in her lap. Her eyes shone.
“And everyone just watched?” Naina asked, breathless.
“Everyone!” Rajan swept an arm across the room. “Guards, staff, Babuji, Gauri Maa Sa, all frozen! Rain pouring down! And Hukum standing there.”
He struck another pose.
Abhinav stepped inside, a faint smile tugging at his mouth. “Rajan.”
The room froze.
Rajan’s pose collapsed instantly. “H… Hukum…” His voice faltered, color draining from his face. “I was just…”
“Hmm.”
That was enough.
Rajan retreated at once, nearly tripping in his rush to leave. “Sorry, Hukum. Sorry for acting…”
He disappeared.
“Bhai!” Naina squealed, rushing at him.
Abhinav caught her on instinct, a laugh escaping him. She wrapped herself around him as if he had been gone for years, then pulled back to look at him.
“You absolute hero!” she declared. “In the rain! With the punch! This is cinematic!”
He guided her back in, his arm settling around her shoulders. “I see the news travels fast.”
“Fast?” She scoffed. “This has already become folklore.”
