The Weight of Decisions

June 10, 1980 – A Quiet Morning in the Mehta Household

The early morning sun filtered through the thin cotton curtains of the Mehta household, casting long shadows on the cool, red-tiled floor. Outside, the faint sounds of Mumbai waking up filled the air—vendors shouting, cycles ringing their bells, and distant honks from black-and-yellow Premier Padmini taxis.

Inside the small kitchen, Madhavi Mehta stood at the stove, carefully rolling hot parathas, their golden-brown surfaces crisping under the weight of her spatula. The smell of ghee filled the air, mixing with the scent of fresh coriander from the bowl of chutney on the table.

Seated at the dining table, Dinesh Mehta stirred his tea absentmindedly. His gaze flickered toward his son, Arjun, who was absorbed in the newspaper, specifically the business section—something he had never seen him read before.

Arjun's brow furrowed slightly as he scanned the market news. The Bombay Stock Exchange had closed with a slight dip in shares—nothing drastic, but it reminded him that even with future knowledge, the market was unpredictable in the short term.

He needed to tread carefully.

"Arjun, eat your paratha before it gets cold," Madhavi said, placing another on his plate.

He looked up and smiled. "Thanks, Maa."

Dinesh cleared his throat, setting his teacup down with a soft clink. "Where were you yesterday morning?"

Arjun wiped his hands with a napkin, choosing his words carefully. "I went to meet a stockbroker with Vinod Chacha. We made our first investment."

Dinesh's fingers tightened around his cup. "Investment?" His tone was neutral, but there was an underlying edge to it.

Madhavi paused, looking between father and son.

Arjun met his father's gaze steadily. "Yes, Baba. ₹10,000 in Reliance and Infosys."

His father exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "Reliance is still new. And Infosys? No one even knows about it yet!"

Arjun expected this reaction. He had spent the entire night rehearsing possible responses.

"Baba," he said patiently, "every big company was once unknown. If we invest early, we'll be ahead of everyone else."

Dinesh sighed, rubbing his forehead. "You sound too sure of yourself, beta. As if you already know what will happen."

Arjun's heartbeat quickened, but he kept his expression calm. "I've studied the market trends, Baba. I'm not gambling—I'm making informed decisions."

A heavy silence followed.

Madhavi, sensing the tension, tried to ease it. "Dinesh, at least let him try. He's not wasting money, he's planning for the future."

Dinesh leaned back, crossing his arms. "We'll see." His voice was softer now, but the doubt in his eyes remained.

Arjun knew his father wouldn't be convinced overnight.

He had to prove it.

A Meeting with Nisha – The Growing Suspicion

Later that afternoon, Arjun walked through the familiar tree-lined paths of his college campus, his mind racing with thoughts of the stock market.

The world around him seemed unchanged—students chatting in groups, professors strolling past, cycle rickshaws lined outside the gate. But for him, everything had shifted.

He wasn't just an 18-year-old college student anymore.

He was a man with knowledge that no one else had. A man with a plan.

"Arjun!"

He turned to see Nisha, her white salwar fluttering as she hurried toward him. Her dark eyes studied him with curiosity.

"You've been avoiding me," she said, crossing her arms.

Arjun smiled slightly. "I've been busy."

Nisha scoffed. "Too busy to even say hello?"

"Too busy changing the future," he muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing," he said quickly. "Just thinking about something."

She narrowed her eyes. "No, you said something about the future."

Arjun exhaled. She was too sharp for her own good.

"You've been acting strange," she continued. "One minute you're just another student, the next you're talking about investments, business strategies, and things most people our age don't even think about."

Arjun forced a chuckle. "Is it so wrong to think ahead?"

"No," she admitted. "But you talk as if you already know what's going to happen."

Arjun felt a flicker of danger in her words. He needed to deflect.

"I just read a lot," he said casually. "That's all."

She studied him for a moment before shaking her head. "I don't believe you."

Arjun's stomach clenched.

"What do you mean?" he asked carefully.

"You're different, Arjun," she said softly. "And I'm going to figure out why."

Her words hung in the air as she turned and walked away.

Arjun ran a hand through his hair, exhaling.

Nisha was getting too close to the truth.

He needed to be more careful.

Nightfall – A Father's Silent Worry

That evening, Dinesh sat alone in the dimly lit living room, staring at the ceiling fan as it spun lazily.

He had seen many things in life—struggles, financial ups and downs, people making and losing fortunes.

But he had never seen his son like this.

There was a confidence in Arjun that wasn't normal for an 18-year-old. As if he knew things no one else did.

Dinesh had always believed in hard work and patience, but Arjun… Arjun was talking about playing the market, predicting trends, investing in companies before they were even known.

Was it just youthful arrogance? Or was something deeper at play?

He sighed, rubbing his temple.

"I need to keep an eye on him."

He didn't want to crush his son's dreams.

But he also didn't want him to fall into something dangerous.