Enjoy Reading (:

--------------------------------------------------------------

Flashback:

Fifteen Years Old Kabir:

Kabir entered the room and saw his grandfather; another man whom he hated because he can't find it in him to forgive his daughter for one mistake. Had only he forgiven his daughter, may be just may be his mother would have been alive.

He didn't want to meet him ever but was notified by Mr. Malik's manager that the man was extremely ill and on his death bed. He somehow found where Kabir was staying and contacted Mr. Malik to send his grandson to see him for one time.

So here he was standing inside the hospital room, watching his grandfather who was having so many tubes attached to him. The wrinkles on his face were obvious indication of his long age and the tubes attached to him told him that the man doesn't had much time left. He could feel his grandfather's man waking him up and the man finally opened his eyes and the first thing Kabir noticed was Blue eyes.

Similar to his mother's.

So it runs in the family. He realized.

He went and sat on the stool near him and gave the older man a chance to observe him fully.

"You look like your mother," Was the first thing Mr. Aazam Shah said. He looked good now but Kabir knew that his time was near.

"I know. I have seen her." Kabir replied not wanting to listen to this man talk about her mother.

He didn't have any right to talk about her especially when he left her alone. Only if he stood with her then the situation would have been so different today and no one has to suffer as much as they did and in Kabir's case he still was.

"You seem to be angry with me son." Mr. Shah said in slow voice.

"Should I not be?" Kabir asked instead of replying.

"You should be. You have all the right. I did wrong with her and with you." The man in question replied with a guilty look in his eyes which meant nothing to Kabir.

"Don't tell me you called me here to have a heart to heart conversation with me." Kabir asked in an irritated voice. 

He hated this thing.

The conversation dying people had with their family. His mother had this conversation with him in which she told him about his father and asked him to be strong. These conversations make the dying person feel lighter but become a lifelong burden on other person.

"No son. I called you here to ask forgiveness from you." He said and Kabir wanted to stop him but he didn't want to deny this man's last wish.

Mr. Shah took a deep breath and poured his entire strength in the probably last and most important conversation of his life.

"I didn't know about your mother's death until last few days. Years ago, after that man left her, she called me to apologise but my pride and stubbornness stopped me from doing that.

After my wife's death my daughter was the only thing that was keeping me steady. We were close to each other. I warned your mother about your father, even tried to stop her but she didn't listen to me and ran away just to be with that man who left her later.

My daughter... she was amazing. Her only weakness was that she had a kind heart. She grew up being sheltered and wasn't aware about real world. I take blame for that. She didn't know how to judge people. Her friend took advantage of her weakness and that girl introduced your father to your mother, even after knowing he was searching for a prey.

That man... He ruined my daughter. He made her fall in love with him. She was under his spell and one day they came to me declaring their love and wanting to get married. I did the research about him and he didn't feel the right guy, so I refused to her strictly. Next day I found that she ran away with that man. May be that man thought that it will leave me with no choice but to accept them.

My only daughter left me for that man. My daughter was everything I wanted her to be. She was my pride. The only heiress to the business empire I created. But my money became the reason for her downfall, the reason because of which that man came after her.

I didn't know what happened after that but that day I decided that I will never forgive her ever. She hurt my honour son and I can't let it go lightly. That was the reason I didn't accept her forgiveness after that man left her. I was right and she realised that but after that man left her and not because of my words. My pride didn't allow me to bend down." Mr. Shah spoke and drank a glass of water.

Kabir kept quiet for a while absorbing his words. He knew the story. His mother told him everything and accepted her mistake of running away from her father. He didn't disagree with his grandfather for being angry with her about it.

The thing that angered him was his inability to forgive her even after she accepted her mistake. How can a father be that heartless to not forgive his daughter? But then he thought about Mr. Malik and realised that his grandfather was at least better than him.

"I know all that. I don't want to go into debate with you about right and wrong when you are in this state. And as for forgiveness I'm not the one whom you should ask for forgiveness, it's your daughter but she is no more alive. So let's leave it at that." Kabir said not wanting to argue with this man. His grandfather might be right but Kabir can't forgive him still.

"I did wrong to you too son. I never tried to find out about my daughter and her self –respect was so much wounded that she made sure to go far away from my eyes and never showed her face to me again and I didn't try anything to find her. I didn't know about you son, she didn't tell me she was pregnant when she called for forgiveness. I got to know about my daughter's death and your existence only a few days back. I knew my time is near and I wanted to meet her for once and ask for forgiveness but she is not here now and I will have to die with the pain and regret of losing my own daughter due to my pride.

Then I got to know about you, from her old neighbours. You are your mother's replica and your eyes are blue, just like me. All men in our family have blue eyes; your mother was the first girl in five generations to have blue eyes. She was special.

When I got to know about you I was shocked to know that I have a grandson and my grandson was in an orphanage for one year and is now living in the outhouse of that man's house." Mr. Shah said and stopped to catch his breath and Kabir just sat there listening to him.

He knew his mother hasn't told her father about her pregnancy because she didn't want to use her pregnancy as an excuse for his forgiveness. She hurt her father and was guilty forever for that. She could have taken her father's help in raising him but she was too broken after...

His chain of thoughts was broken when he heard his grandfather speaking again.

"You should not have to live in the orphanage son, definitely not with that man with whom you are leaving now but not anymore son." Mr. Shah said in a determined voice and Kabir became alarmed at his last words.

"What are you saying?" Kabir asked.

"You can always come and live in my mansion son. It's waiting for you. You are my daughter's blood, my only grandson. I know I don't have much time left but I can't leave this world before handing my business to its right owner.

You are the rightful heir to Shah Business Empire. My house, my shares and my business belongs to you, son. It's all yours to claim."

Mr. Shah said and Kabir felt goose bumps all over his skin after hearing his words.

"I have already signed the paper handing everything to you. I know you are young and not ready to claim it yet. Till then my loyal employees will take care of it. But once you are ready you can take what is your right by birth."

"I...I don't think I deserve it. It's your business, you should not hand it over to somebody just like that." Kabir replied for the first time in his life feeling flustered.

"You are not just somebody. You have my daughter's blood running in you." Mr. Shah said,

"But you should not. I don't want it. I don't need it. I don't want to be a businessman. I want to be a doctor." Kabir tried to reason.

"You can be whatever you want son. Even though I know that you can become a great businessman but it's your choice. My employees will take care of it. It will all be confidential and that man would never find out about it. He won't be able to take advantage of you. If you don't want it just keep the business with you for time being and pass it to your kids in future. That way my legacy will go on." Mr. Shah said.

"That business is rightfully my daughter's but since she is not here I want it to be given to her child. It's all clearly written on the papers and I have already signed them." Mr. Shah said and Kabir closed his eyes at his words and took a deep breath.

"Why do you father and daughter keep on doing this to me? Why?" Kabir finally asked.

"Do what?" Mr. Shah curiously asked.

"These deep conversations when you are extremely ill and on verge of dying. I can't even say anything or question you because you will play this 'I'm ill and dying' card on me!" Kabir said in an annoying tone and Mr. Shah just laughed.

"Like father, like daughter." He said in between laughter and breathlessness.

"Is there no hope for you?" Kabir asked in a sincere voice, suddenly not liking the idea of him dying.

"No there is not son. But don't be sad. I have lived my life to fullest. My parents, my wife and daughter are waiting for me on the other side. My only regret is not being able to spend more time with you." Mr. Shah said.

"Don't worry about me, grandpa. I will survive." Kabir replied.

"Now sleep." Kabir said.

"Take care of yourself Kabir. You are extraordinary, just like your mother. You may have that man's genes but you have my daughter's teachings with you. Never doubt yourself because of that man and never let anyone make you doubt yourself. You are your mother's son. My grandson." Mr. Shah said what felt like his final words and slept away finally feeling happy that he was able to make some amends.

He never woke up again.

And just like that Kabir once again lost someone before even getting the chance to meet them properly.

***

Kabir was lost after his grandfather's death. He got the news in next morning that his grandfather wasn't alive anymore. He passed away in his sleep. He didn't know why but he felt sudden sense of loss.

He didn't even know that man properly but he felt like he wanted too. He knew that it somewhere he was feeling guilty for not telling the dying man truth but he can't bring himself to do that. Especially when he knew that the truth would only make him feel guiltier.

Sorry Grandpa. I hope mama will explain everything to you up there. He thought.

Sanaa entered the outhouse and sat near him. He had told her about the details of meeting with his grandfather and she just sat with him to listen.

"Why sweetie pie? Why does God always takes away good people first?" Kabir asked in a broken tone and Sanaa felt emotional. It was almost one month after his death.

"Because he didn't want to make them suffer in this world. This world doesn't deserve good people. This world is dark. Good people can't survive for that long here. That world where they are now is beautiful, peaceful and kind. They are away from all the worries. They deserve that Bir." Sanaa replied and her words gave him relief because she was right, they were happy now.

"You want to talk about him?" She carefully asked.

"He was old, really old. He had wrinkles on face, grey hairs on head, not at all bald. His eyes were blue just like mine. He said it ran in the males of our family. My mother was the only female to have them. He said she was special. He was sick, had these tubes attached to his hand and chest. Had oxygen mask on his face but that didn't stop himself from speaking non-stop. Even though he was sick he looked so graceful. He started this business empire and took it to another level... I want to be like him sweetie pie when I get old." Kabir said and Sanaa smiled.

"You are good person Bir. You have a great future ahead of you, no matter what you chose to become." Sanaa spoke.

"I have already chosen my path sweetie pie. It was decided long time back." Kabir replied.

"So Dr. Bir it is?" Sanaa asked smiling.

"Yes, Dr. Sweetie pie." Kabir replied and Sanaa felt uncomfortable remembering her father's words but made a face because she didn't want to worry Bir just yet. Already he was feeling sad.

"You should call me by my name you know, sometimes. At least call me Shenu!" Sanaa said.

"But I find sweetie pie really sweet and special." Kabir said in a teasing tone.

"You just want to tease me with that. Whenever anyone asks why you call me sweetie pie you tell them about the day we met when I was crying and my nose was blowing!" Sanaa said in a fake angry voice and Kabir finally smiled.

Only she had the power to elevate his mood from sad to happy within fraction of seconds.

Like right now she was just pretending to be angry so that he could forget about his sadness. Otherwise he knew that she loves it when he calls her sweetie pie.

"Cry baby!" He teased.

"Smart mouth!" Sanaa teased him back and threw a pillow.

"It's a war now. You have a head start of five seconds. Run!" Kabir said and Sanaa didn't wasted anytime and ran away laughing freely while he chased her.

Little did she know that this was perhaps the last time she would be feeling this much free around him, her final few days of not hiding anything from him.

Because that was the last time she thought of Kabir as just her best friend.

The last few days before she got to know the truth about their relation.

***

Hey everyone!

What do you think about the grandpa and his reasons? 

And that is how Kabir got Shah Business Empire...

One word to describe Kabir and Sanaa's relationship till now?

My update schedule is becoming irregular so let me be clear now. I will update twice a week from now. On Monday and Friday.

So yeah, enjoy. Keep on voting and commenting!