CEO's Cabin Seat
The CEO's Chair
Setting: Madhapur startup office (Hyderabad / Telangana).
In English: The CEO's Chair. A Lighted Tales original Telugu horror story, written in Romanized Telugu (Tenglish) with Telangana dialect.
The CEO's Chair
2023 December 11 Monday roju Hyderabad lo T-Hub Phase 2 building lo Series A funding announcement event jarigindi. Aa event lo 14 startups ki collective announcements, total Rs 380 crore raised. Aame announcements lo InnoFlex Solutions aame Series A — Rs 28 crore — featured ga. Founder Arnav Khanna, age 31, aame product CRM-for-MSME segment lo, aa company 2020 lo started. Naaku aa event ki invite vacchindhi naa friend Karthik nunchi (HR analytics manager DeccanStack lo, kaani aame personal ga T-Hub lo events follow chesthaadu). Naaku aa Monday Karimnagar lo, attend cheyyaledhu. Kaani aa same week Wednesday December 13 ki naaku Hyderabad return ki, oka unexpected coffee meet Arnav tho. Aame story idi.
Naaku Arnav personal ga teliyadhu, kaani Karthik introduction tho aame me coffee ki invite chesaaru. Banjara Hills road number 12 lo aame favorite cafe — Roastery Coffee House. Wednesday afternoon 4 PM, weekday slow ga, aa cafe lo memu corner table.
Arnav age 31, BITS Pilani 2015 graduate, MBA ISB Hyderabad 2018. Aame post-MBA two years McKinsey consulting, tarvatha 2020 lo InnoFlex co-founded oka classmate Vimal tho. Aame ki Hyderabad Jubilee Hills lo flat. Aame appearance professional ga — fitted shirt, trimmed beard, watch oka quality piece. Kaani aame face aa coffee meet roju tired ga, kallu kindha shadows.
Arnav: "Sai garu, mee Karthik ki naa story share ayithe, aame mee tho cheppaali ani recommend chesaaru. Naaku ee story public ga rave ga ledhu, kaani naa internal therapy session ki, plus mee fiction lens ki, ee material naaku release. Mee tho NDA naaku kaadu , naa request, mee names change cheyaali. Plot accuracy keep cheyandi."
Naaku Arnav request ki agree.
Aame story start aa Series A funding event ki rendu years mundu — 2022 lo. December 6, 2022 Tuesday roju aame InnoFlex office lo — aa kshanam lo Hitec City lo Cyber Pearl tower lo small co-working space lo, full office shift mundu — aame employee firing event execution chesaaru.
Employee peru: Praneeth, age 28, aame product manager, InnoFlex first 5 employees lo oka. Aame company joining 2020 December lo, founders friends circle tho recommended. Aame 2 years lo InnoFlex roadmap ki significant contributions, kaani 2022 mid lo product strategy disagreements aame and Arnav madhya escalated ga. Praneeth ki risk-aversion higher ga, slow burn approach — Arnav ki growth-at-all-costs aggressive ga. Investor pitches lo board aame conflicting strategies ki concern raise chesaaru.
Arnav decision: Praneeth ki firing. December 6, 2022 ki, aame final discussion office lo 11:00 AM ki schedule. Aame planning ki office lo conversation private ga, no witnesses (plus co-founder Vimal aa kshanam lo Bangalore investor meeting lo).
Aame conversation Praneeth tho 11:00 ki started. 11 minutes duration. Praneeth defensive ga, aame contributions list chesaadu, severance package adigaadu. Arnav firm ga — performance-based separation, severance minimal (statutory), aame ESOP unvested ga lapse. Praneeth voice break ayyindi, aame personal financial situation share chesaadu — aame mother Vizag lo medical treatment, aame ESOPs aa treatment financing ki critical ga.
Aame final time stamp 11:11 AM ki Arnav final ga aame ki cheppadu — "Praneeth, decision final. ESOP terms aame board agreement prakaaram. Mee separation today effective."
Praneeth office bayata vellipoyaadu silent ga. Aame personal items collect chesi 30 minutes lo office vacate.
Aa rendu rojulu tarvatha — December 8, 2022 Thursday roju — Praneeth Vizag ki return ayyaadu aame mother near. December 12 Monday raathri Vizag lo aame own apartment lo cardiac arrest — aame age 28, no prior cardiac history. Doctors stress-induced suspected. Aame mother aame son death lo grief tho 2 weeks lo own decline, January 2023 ki passed.
Praneeth death news Hyderabad startup community lo December 13 ki spread. Aame InnoFlex colleagues ki shock — aame InnoFlex tarvatha aa specific stress ki immediate cardiac event link ga common conversation lo. Arnav personal ga aame funeral ki attend cheyyaledhu — aame schedule conflict (investor pitch Mumbai lo). Aame oka condolence message family ki sent.
Aame ki guilt incident ga register kaaledhu — aame business decision rationalize chesaaru, aame ki cardiac death ki direct causation kaadu, aame ki ESOP terms standard ga.
Aame story ki next chapter 2023 January nunchi.
→ Idey theme lo inka oka katha: Server Room Camera 4
Arnav aame office lo aame personal cabin — aame founder office, 12x14 sq ft, aame ergonomic chair (Steelcase Gesture, premium ga). Aame chair aame favorite — back support customizable, recline angle precise.
January 14, 2023 Saturday raathri 11:11 PM ki — aame office alone work cheyyadame, weekend prep ki — aame chair behind aame desk lo, aame standing ga laptop charger plug cheyali ani moved ga. Aame chair aame lekapote, aame surprise ki, slow ga reclined ayyindi. Mechanical recline action aame manual without aame body weight. Aame chair stationary ga lekapothe, aame tilt back position ki pure ga settle.
Arnav skeptical mind — chair mechanism faulty emo. Aame chair manufacturer service request submitted next Monday. Service team inspection — chair mechanism perfect ga, no defect, no malfunction. Reset to default position, no further action recommended.
Subsequent Saturday — January 21, 2023 — same time 11:11 PM ki, aame chair recline event repeat. Same Saturday-only pattern. February, March, April 2023 — every Saturday 11:11 PM ki, aame chair behind aame desk lo, aame chair recline action without aame body weight. Aame office camera in aame cabin (founder cabin standard CCTV), feed review.
Camera feed lo aame chair recline ga, kaani frame lo no person visible. Aame chair self-actuating ga.
Arnav aame doubt rationalize cheyali ani try chesaadu. Aame chair replace chesaadu — Q2 2023 lo new Herman Miller Aeron purchase. New chair, same Saturday-night recline pattern. Aame replacement chair model dependent ga kaadu — aa cabin space lo, aa kshanam lo, aa specific time lo phenomenon.
Arnav ki ee phenomenon dismiss cheyaali ani impulse. Aame busy ga — Series A pitch preparation, fundraising calls. Aame ki ee chair ki active attention ki bandwidth ledhu.
Kaani aame ki sleep disruption start ayyindhi 2023 mid nunchi. Aame nightmares — recurring ga, oka man chair lo silent koorchuni, aame back-facing aame, slow ga turning chair ki face Arnav, aame face Praneeth identical. Aame nightmares May, June, July ki frequency increase. Aame therapist consultation, anti-anxiety prescription, sleep medication.
October 2023 ki — Series A closing rendu months mundu — aame physical health decline. Weight loss 6 kg, blood pressure elevated, ECG monitoring recommended. Aame primary doctor cheppaadu, "Mr. Khanna, mee stress level critical ga. Mee body cardiac risk display chesthundhi mee age ki uncommon ga. Mee underlying psychological factor identify cheyaali."
Arnav therapist ki escalated session ki book chesaadu. Aame therapist Dr. Anuja Reddy, aame age 45, T-Hub startup founders ki mental health specialist. Aame practice Banjara Hills lo. Aame Arnav tho 6 sessions deep ga aame stressors mapped.
Session 4 lo Arnav Praneeth firing event share chesaadu — first time formally articulated. Aame chair phenomenon kuda mentioned ga. Dr. Anuja silent ga listen chesindhi.
[DR. ANUJA] "Mr. Khanna, mee firing decision business standpoint nunchi rationalized ga, mee ki pratyaksha guilt feel kaaledhu. Kaani mee subconscious mee actions ki accountability hold chesthundhi. Praneeth death stress-induced cardiac, aame mother subsequent decline — ee outcomes mee firing decision ki aame causal chain lo links. Mee chair phenomenon — physical metaphor ga, mee subconscious mee firing chair (mee CEO chair) ki Praneeth ki invisible occupier project chestondhi. Saturday 11:11 PM — naaku ee specific timing curious ga."
Arnav ki aame firing exact time gurthu vacchindhi — December 6, 2022 Tuesday 11:11 AM ki aame final words Praneeth ki. Saturday 11:11 PM aame chair pattern ki AM-to-PM 12-hour shift, plus Tuesday-to-Saturday 4-day shift, kaani 11:11 timestamp identical ga. Aame subconscious aa specific minute marker carry chesthundhi.
[DR. ANUJA] "Mee ki release pathway — Praneeth family ki direct accountability acceptance, plus aame memory ki active acknowledgment. Mee ESOP terms revisit cheyandi posthumous ga, aame family ki retroactive consideration. Mee actions ki truthful ownership."
Arnav ki aa session tarvatha decision. Aame Vimal tho coordination — Vimal aa firing event ki direct involvement ledhu, kaani aame partner ga responsibility shared. Vimal supportive ga.
→ Pakkana ee story kuda chadavandi: Office Lift Passcode
Arnav board ki proposal — Praneeth ESOPs retroactive ga family ki vesting, aame original 2020 grant ki backdated. Series A funding event mundu November 2023 ki board approved. Total compensation Rs 47 lakh family ki — Praneeth mother already deceased, kaani aame younger brother Sashidhar (age 25, Vizag lo IT engineer) ki transfer.
Arnav direct ga Vizag travel — November 25, 2023 Saturday roju — aame Sashidhar tho meet ki. Aame Praneeth mother grave site visit, Sashidhar accompanied. Aame silent ga aa grave dheggara, aame Praneeth photo Sashidhar ichindhi, aame father memory wallet ga.
Arnav: "Sashidhar garu, mee anna ki naa firing decision rushed ga. Naaku aame mother medical situation listen cheyyaledhu fully. Naa decision aame stress factor ga active ga. Naaku ESOP terms revisit chesi mee ki transfer chesaanu , Rs 47 lakh, aame anna 2020 grant retroactive vesting."
Sashidhar silent ga listen chesaadu, aame eyes lo grief carry, kaani aame mature ga.
Sashidhar: "Arnav garu, naaku aa decision appreciate. Naa anna ki mee company prathi 2 years dedication. Mee ki forgiveness naa side nunchi. Naaku ee transfer accept chesthaa , aame mother memory ki, plus naa parents memory tho personal trust fund setup cheyaali."
Arnav silent ga acknowledge chesaadu. Aame Vizag lo aa weekend lo overnight, aame Sashidhar tho extended conversation. Aame Praneeth specific memories share chesaadu — aame work ethic, aame strategic insights, aame quiet humor.
Arnav Hyderabad ki December 1 ki return chesaadu. Saturday December 2 ki 11:11 PM ki aame office cabin lo deliberately present. Aame chair behind aame desk lo. Aame cabin lights low ga, aame standing ga oka 30 seconds aame chair vaipu chusi.
Arnav: "Praneeth, naaku mee ki direct apology ivvaali. Naaku rushed firing chesaanu, naaku mee personal situation listen cheyyaledhu. Mee ki ESOP family ki transfer chesaanu , late delivery, kaani aame complete. Naaku mee chair attachment ki release ivvali. Aa chair mee dignity tho honor cheyaali ani naa commitment. Mee ki rest, mee family ki memu peace tho support istaamu."
11:11 PM. Aame chair stationary ga. No recline. No movement. Silent ga.
11:12, 11:15, 11:30 — chair untouched ga. Aame chair pattern broken.
Real-world context: Wikipedia — Hyderabad
December 9 Saturday, December 16 Saturday — same observation, no recline event. Pattern broken sustained ga.
Series A announcement event December 11, 2023 ki — Arnav health partial ga recovered ga, aame face still tired kaani peace ga. Aame announcement speech lo aame founding team ki credit, aame "Praneeth Vizag, our former product lead, whose foundational contributions in 2020-2022 helped shape this product" ani public ga acknowledged. Sashidhar audience lo, Vizag nunchi vacchaadu Arnav invitation ki.
Naaku Arnav coffee meet aa Wednesday December 13 ki. Aame me cheppaadu, "Sai garu, naaku ee phenomenon physical kaadu, naa subconscious physical manifestation. Therapist explanation rational ga, kaani naa experience real ga felt. Naaku mee fiction lens ki story share cheyaali ani — aame names change ga, kaani plot core nijam ga."
Truth — Arnav ki release oka difficult lesson. Aame business decision rationalization aame initial defense, kaani aame subconscious aa rationalization accept chesaledhu fully. Aame physical health symptoms aame body honest signal ga. Aame final acknowledgment — Sashidhar ki direct, Series A speech lo public — aame truth ki active commitment. Aa truth aame ki release ichindhi.
Naaku ee story rasinappudu naa own past unaddressed honesty incidents review chesthaa. 2018 lo oka colleague ki feedback rushed ga ichaanu, aame quit chesaadu 3 months tarvatha. Naaku 2024 January lo aame ki LinkedIn message reach cheyaali ani decision. Late delivery, kaani delivered cheyali.
Author's note
T-Hub Hyderabad lo 2015 lo establish ayyindhi state government initiative ga, India ki first dedicated startup incubator ga. Phase 2 building Raidurgam lo 2022 lo open ayyindhi, IIIT Hyderabad campus pakkana. Naaku T-Hub lo 2019 lo oka pitch event attendee ga, plus 2022 lo oka product launch lo speaker ga participate. Hyderabad startup ecosystem 2020-2024 lo significant maturity — Series A funding events frequency monthly ga, founder mental health conversations active ga. Founder firing decisions ki accountability — aame topic founders forums lo serious ga discussed. Naa friends circle lo three startup founders, andariki ee pressures direct experience. Mental health therapy normalize aithundhi Indian startup community lo, kaani inka stigma. Dr. Anuja Reddy lanti specialists demand high. Arnav lanti founders ki public accountability — Series A speeches lo former employees acknowledgment — oka emerging ethical practice. Mee ki pending past decisions ki acknowledgment — comments lo cheppandi. Naaku ee personal review process beneficial ga.
— Sai Kiran · Lighted Tales
© 2026 Sai Kiran Pandrala / Lighted Tales · https://teluguhorrorstories.blogspot.com
Original Telugu horror fiction. Folk-source material where referenced is public domain.
Modern characters, apartments, companies, and phone numbers are fictional.
Any resemblance to real persons, businesses, or events is coincidental.
Audio version: youtube.com/@Lightedtales
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