The Navel Queen – Chapter 3 – VadaYakshi
Once Reenu had left for her class, the mood in the room relaxed noticeably. Krishnakumar leaned back in his chair, loosening his posture, and the conversation drifted away from official matters into something far more casual. Tea cups were refilled, and small talk slowly eased into genuine conversation. Over the next few minutes, Krishnakumar learned that Thomas was a successful commercial real estate investor. He nodded appreciatively as Thomas spoke about his work, clearly impressed. He also learned that Reenu was their only child—something that made him glance briefly toward the door she had just exited, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. In turn, Krishnakumar opened up about his own life. He spoke about his current wife, Yamini, and—almost casually—mentioned that he had been divorced once before. That revelation caught both Thomas and Mary off guard. “I was married once earlier,” Krishnakumar said with a small shrug. “An arranged marriage.…