PRESENT WORLD

Mumbai, India, Earth
27 August 2017
IST : 20:23

Diamond FX Condominium, the most expensive condominiums in the entire country, could only be afforded by people having money as well as power.

In the 29th floor, the room was barely lit courtesy of the lamp and elegant moonlight. A man was sitting leisurely in his study behind the dark mahagony desk smoking his cigarette with his legs crossed.

His figure obscured by the silver rays held a certain gloominess similar to his dark study room. His hazel eyes stared in a distance just like his mind that wandered miles away.

Suddenly, a burly man barged in, his eyebrows twisted in a frown and his aura intimidating. "I did it. She is in the isolation ward on the verge of death right now. The Rathore family went there to 'show grief'. What's your next plan?"

"Wait." The man uttered crushing the cigarette on the ash tray on his desk.

"Wait?"

"Wait because she will go to where she has to."

"..."

I don't understand you but nevertheless I'll just follow, the burly man thought.

He then stared at his friend's face that was impassive from the very beginning.

"You... don't feel anything... for her? I mean you..."

"Dhruv, no matter what, I didn't had anything for her. Dying like this is already a blessing for her. If not, I would personally kill her with my bare hands." The man's eyes darkened with thick killing intent. The hands under the table that sat atop his knees clenched into fists making his knuckles red.

"Alright, Advay whatever floats your boat. But remember there's no medicine for regret." Saying so, Dhruv shrugged as he sauntered out of the room.

The room was once again engulfed in silence.

"What feeling? I can't have anything for her. If not for her, would my life be a living hell?" Although Advay said this, he couldn't help but feel his heart sinking. Somewhere in his heart, he didn't wanted her to die.

His eyes turned hazy as he reminisced the memories that flashed in his mind. He clenched his fists again to prevent himself from doing anything that ruins the plan.

No... I can't fall for her. I did a mistake before. It's not necessary to do it again.

Again?

༺❀༻

As the night arrived, lightning upon lightning were like scissors cutting open the black veil of the sky. Thunderous roars ensued, putting even more pressure on the already suppressed air.

It rained heavily, heavier each passing second while the sky darkened hiding the glistening form of moon. Everything was drenched by the rain.

The misty air and the dark clouds were a sign that an ominous incident was about to make its presence known.

The room to the ICU was finally opened, and a woman was pushed out. She had on her an isolator and also an oxygen mask. Her eyes were closed and her face was pale. After being in the ICU for a few days, her cheeks were gaunt and her lips chapped making her look haggard and wan.

She was moved into a VIP isolation ward.

Outside of her room, Jay and his mother Kareena had already changed into their isolation suits. Their eyes met for a second, the excitement barely suppressed before they walked inside of her room.

The doctor had already said that her body was now sucked dry and was barely holding on to her life. The virus had infected her vital organs and now there was no chance to save her.

Who even wanted to save her? They want her to die, dying far worse than a quick death.

Even with the isolation suit, Kareena still didn't dare get too close to Anwesha. Frowning slightly, she had a look of disgust on her. She looked at Anwesha like she was some sort of virus trash.

"Mom, I am fine staying here by myself," said Jay to Kareena. "Your body is weak. You don't want to get infected."

Kareena shook her head. "No, I will watch from over here. I will only feel relieved when I see with my own eyes that she had stopped breathing."

Hearing that, Jay felt that his mother was a bit too blatant in her words. But then, looking at how Anwesha looked and the ECG machine that was almost showing a flat line, he laughed, "Mom, you are being too careful. Look at her, do you think she can still come back to life?"

Having said that, he walked over to Anwesha one step at a time, his high soled leather shoes resounding against the hospital's white tiles, the evil black particularly contrasting against the peaceful white.

He leaned over the woman on the bed making so his face only hovered barely over that of Anwesha's.

"Anwesha," said Jay in his cold voice. "I bet you never thought this could happen to you, huh?" His tone was filled with sarcasm. His normally gentle look now covered with maliciousness. "How does it feel to be infected by this virus? You look like you are in a lot of pain."

Jay chuckled softly. Looking at the frown on Anwesha's flawless face and the painful look marring her eyebrows, his smile brightened more. "I hand picked this virus for you. It was custom-made for you. It's called 'Four-Day Poison'."

He explained to Anwesha kindly. "It sounds right out of a fantasy novel, doesn't it? Exactly, it meant anyone infected by it would die in four days. Let me see, it would be four days by tonight. I must say though, you've got a good body and really lasted all four days!"

Jay was incredibly delighted having to witness the death of his formidable rival. Despite her not being in business and sauntering off to military, Jay loathed Anwesha's existence for simply being the legitimate heiress concluded by his grandfather before death.

And for this reason, Anwesha could not and should not live.

At that very moment, lightning struck across the sky and the thunderous roar that followed seemed to have tore open the atmosphere.

Anwesha opened up her eyes suddenly as though she had just come back to life.

Jay was startled by how her eyes opened all of a sudden but he soon regained his composure.

Looking at the woman staring at him with her eyes wide-open from the bed, Jay was filled with pride in that instant. "Hah, so what if you are a genius in business? So what if you are a Colonel? You are going to die right here, right now! Look around. You don't even have a friend nearby when you die. The only ones here are your enemies. And that boyfriend of yours, Advay whom you were going to marry; where is he now? I called him earlier today. What did he say you know - you deserve it. The fact is he himself injected this virus in you. And the ironical element is he persuaded us to set this elaborate trap for you."

"Now tell me, how do you feel getting betrayed by everyone and knowing this on your deathbed? Oh unfortunately, you can't talk. Who can talk in pain?" Jay looked regretful when he talked. But his smile returned before long.

"Enjoy your journey to Yam Lok[1]. Don't worry, I'll take care of your property after your demise. And here's your fake cheap ring of yours. I can't see what's so special in it. But I'll gift it to you in order to accompany you in your last moments. Alvida[2]!"

Saying this, he threw a ring on the bed. The red stone that sat atop on the gold rose metal glowed slightly which went unnoticed by anyone.

It was obvious that Jay's words just now had enraged Anwesha.

Her body started to convulse, but she was at the end of her life. No matter how much she wanted to jump up and tear him into pieces, it was all fruitless. Her eyes were bloodshot with hatred.

Anwesha had always considered Jay like her brother despite him being her distant cousin. She regarded Kareena as a mother.

But, fate played its marbles. They were backstabbers and ingrates and she was blind to treat them as jewels.

Anwesha gritted her teeth, her heart held enormous hatred, confusion and depression. The people whom she considered her own were the ones who wanted her demise. She absolutely could not accept this.

She had made a mistake. If nature could change, circumstances could change, then why not the fickle heart of a human?

If there was ever a second chance, she really hoped to never ever trust on someone.

Jay had already unleashed all of his disgruntlement that had been building up inside of him over time. He felt that the big weight on his chest had been lifted and felt good for himself.

Kareena had been guarding the door this entire time so that anyone couldn't walk in inadvertently. This being an isolation ward, the door was very thick and it was impossible to hear the conversation inside the room from the outside. They weren't worried about anyone hearing anything from the outside.

It was said that people would think a lot when they were going to die. Anwesha really thought a lot. But the once warm and sweet memories were now full of chill. She, Anwesha, had the mind and the means, but she was defeated by her own heart that longed for warmth. Because she believed in affection, she fell even harder.

She was not unwilling to accept, but forlorn!

"Ha ha ha ha!" This is my well-deserved end! She laughed with tears filling her eyes.

Her voice was hoarse and when it came out of her mouth coupled with her bloodshot eyes, it seemed to be a fallen angel who was maddened into being a devil.

Anwesha's mad, low-sounding voice seemed to be from the depths of hell that was like a bloody haze chilling to the bone. Almost as if Anwesha could not feel the pain in her chest and the vital organs rotting away, she laughed like a madman.

Anwesha stopped as she had difficulty in breathing. Even if I die, you will not get anything! Definitely not!

These so-called relatives never knew that she had made a will for herself. Being in military and having many enemies, known or unknown, she was sure that she would not die naturally. So she had made sure that after her death, every single rupee would go to an orphanage under the trusted NGO.

She never said this to anyone and she was glad thinking back to this.

Her chest heaved up and down as she wheezed gasping for breath. The oxygen from the mask was getting thinner and thinner, gradually disappearing.

Kareena and Jay were surprised but then immediately rejoiced seeing her convulsing and thrashing to get a whiff of oxygen. But that was just her wishful thinking as Anwesha's oxygen supply had been cut off.

Laying on the bed, Anwesha struggled to no avail, and her hand finally went limp when all her energy was gone as if someone just sucked the life force within her.

On the ECG machine, her heart beat turned into a flat line.

Inside the room, Kareena's eyes lit up. She exchanged a look with Jay; they could see happiness in each other's eyes.

Nonetheless, the two of them possessed award-winning acting skills. It took less than two seconds for the two of them to put a grave look on themselves. They went out of the room crying. They put on the most heartbroken look on their faces and had intentionally disheveled their appearances.

Unbeknownst to them, a light shot from the ring that was ignored on the bed; an array opening on the ceiling. The atmosphere in the room was eerily quiet as it was the silence before the storm.

The entire body laid motionless was engulfed in fire within no time, gradually spreading in the entire room.

From far away, the hospital's one particular room could be seen ablaze with fire as people ran away in alarm.

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A/N :

Here's the first chapter.

Now before you think this is just like any other reincarnation stories, let me tell you that here everything has a reason and a mystery attached.

I guarantee you that it will not be like others. This story is worth your time!

GLOSSARY :

1. Yam Lok - Netherworld (A place where souls are judged and punished)

2. Alvida - Goodbye in Hindi