When I open my eyes, a sharp smell of medicine fills my nose as I inhale slowly. My mind feels heavy, almost numb, but suddenly my brain cells start triggering, forcing me back into reality. My body feels weak, lifeless, like it doesn't belong to me anymore.
As soon as I close my eyes again, the night of January flashes into my mind - vivid, terrifying, unforgettable.
"Mom..."
That is the first word that escapes my lips as I return to this harsh reality. My throat feels dry, as if someone has tied a tight knot around it, suffocating every word I try to say. My chest tightens.
My father... my mother... they are no more.
The truth hits me again like a storm.
Suddenly, I try to sit up on the hospital bed, my body resisting every movement, pain shooting through me.
"Adi bhai, please sit..."
A soft, trembling voice stops me.
I wipe my eyes quickly and look toward her. My vision clears slowly, and I see her - my little sister.
There's a plaster on her hand.
Fuck.
I growl silently in my mind.
Memories hit me all at once - how I grabbed her, how I threw her away from danger, just so she could live... just so she could survive this life. I remember trying to save Mom and Dad...
..but before I could-
The car blasts.
And after that... nothing.
"Adi bhai..."
She cries, her tears rolling down and falling onto my face, onto my bruised and weak skin... onto these hands - the same hands that once promised her protection.
The same hands that failed.
Failed... Aditya Singhania.
For a moment, a thought crosses my mind-
I wish I had died too.But then I look at her.
Mylittle sister.
How can I die?
She needs me... and I need her.I slowly lift my hand and kiss her forehead."I am here, Sammy... am I not enough for you?" I whisper, my voice still weak but firm.
"You are, Adi bhaiya..." she says, looking straight into my eyes, holding onto me like I'm all she has left.
Before I can say anything more, the door opens.A doctor walks in, followed by a nurse.
I look at him directly.
"How many more days will it take for me to recover?" I ask.
Sammy quietly moves to the sofa, sitting beside Veer. I notice her curling into herself, holding onto him for support.
The doctor looks at me seriously before speaking.
"You have been in a coma for 5 years, Mr. Singhania.
For a second, everything stops.
My heartbeat.
My thoughts.
My breath.
It feels like I heard him wrong.
"Five years... in a coma?" I repeat, trying to confirm, my voice almost breaking.
"Yes," he says calmly. "But you are almost recovered. Once your reports are confirmed, you will be free to go wherever you want, Mr. Singhania."
Five years...Everything is gone.Time... life... everything moved forward without me.
"Mr. Kapoor, please come with me and fill in the remaining formalities," the doctor says before walking out.
Veer looks at me one last time before leaving with him.I stay silent.Blank.
I don't know what to feel.
I don't know what to say.
Sammy hesitates for a moment, then follows Veer, as the doctor has advised her not to stress me.
Now the room is empty
Completely silent.
No voices.
No movement.
Just me... and this suffocating stillness.
After a while, I force myself to get up from the bed. My body trembles, weak but stubborn. Step by step, I walk toward the window.
I open it.
A cold breeze hits my face.But it doesn't feel like hope.
It feels like an invitation.
An invitation... to death.
After One Week
IRA BIRLA
I enter my house, and the first thing I notice is the security. It is not as strict as it used to be before. There are fewer guards, fewer restrictions... and strangely, it makes me extremely happy. It feels like freedom. It feels like I can finally do whatever I want without being constantly watched.
A small smile forms on my lips.
Today is the last day of my college. My college life is officially over now. A chapter of my life has ended... and a new one is about to begin.
Mom had promised me something.A trip.
Not just any trip - a dream.
New York... Edinburgh... London... and many more places. Not just for traveling, but for living a life together - me, my brother, my mom, and my dad.
A complete family.
Something I have always wanted.
"Mumma!" I call out in my usual chill voice as I walk inside.
I am excited... more than excited. My heart feels light, full of happiness. I have always wanted to leave this country, to explore the world, to live freely.
And now... it finally feels real.
But there is no reply.
My smile fades slightly.
"Mumma!" I call again, a little louder this time.
Still nothing.
Then suddenly, I hear the sound of the TV.
A bright smile immediately spreads across my face. I assume everyone must be on the rooftop, probably watching a movie together like we sometimes do.Without wasting a second, my footsteps grow faster, almost turning into a run. Excitement rushes through my veins.But the moment I open the rooftop door-
No one is there.
The smile on my face disappears instantly.
Silence.
Complete silence.
My heart skips a beat... then starts racing uncontrollably.
Something feels wrong.
Very wrong.
I quickly turn around and start checking the entire house.
Room after room.
Hall.
Kitchen.
Bedrooms.
Washrooms.
Every corner.
"Mom?"
"Dad?"
"Bhai?"
My voice echoes, but no one answers.
No one.
No mom.
No brother.
No dad.
My breathing becomes uneven. My hands start shaking as panic slowly takes over my body.
I immediately take out my phone and start calling everyone.
One by one.
But no one picks up.
No response.
Nothing.
Except one phone... lying there... switched off.
My chest tightens.
And then-
My eyes suddenly drift toward the door.There is a sticky note.My heartbeat grows louder in my ears as I slowly walk toward it.
My fingers tremble as I take it.
And I read-
Find me... because my eyes are staring at your death, Mr. Birla.At the end of the note, there is a small, smirking face drawn.
My body freezes.
A cold wave runs through me.
My breath hitches.
My body stiffens... completely numb.
Something is terribly wrong.
IRA BIRLA
After one week
I scan my ID at the entrance and pass a polite smile toward the reception area. The lady sitting there looks up at me and smiles back.
"Welcome, Miss Ira," she says warmly.
"Oh, thank you," I reply softly.Without wasting time, I walk toward the lift and step inside. As the doors close, I feel a slight nervousness building inside me. My fingers press against each other unconsciously.
It is my first day.
My first day in this huge company... and I cannot afford to mess it up.
The lift moves upward, floor by floor, and with each passing second, my heartbeat grows faster.
Finally, it stops.40th floor.
The top floor.
As soon as I step out, everything feels... different.
The entire atmosphere changes instantly.
The air feels heavier... thicker.
The environment is completely different compared to the other floors - more silent, more powerful, almost intimidating. It feels like every step here matters.
I stop for a moment.Take a deep breath.
One time.
Two times.
Three times.
As many times as I can, trying to calm myself down.I cannot lose this job.
Not at any cost.
Gathering all my courage, I walk toward the cabin and knock on the door.
"Come in."A deep voice responds.
Cold.
Sharp.
It sends a slight shiver down my spine.
My body stiffens for a second, but I quickly push myself and open the door.
As I step inside, my eyes immediately fall on him.
He is standing near the window, facing away from me, looking outside at the view of the marine stretch below. One hand is holding a cup of coffee, and he takes a slow sip, completely calm... completely composed.
For a moment, I just stand there.Watching him.
Observing him.
I don't know why.
What am I even thinking...?
I quickly snap out of it and take a breath, releasing it slowly.
"Sir, good morning."
"I am Ira Numani, your personal assistant, sir."
I slightly bow my head respectfully... and then look up at him.
Now he is looking at me.
With a strange expression.
Cold... yet observant.
"Are you from Korea?" he asks in a normal tone, but his voice still carries that same coldness.
"I don't have glass skin like them," I suddenly reply without thinking.
The words leave my mouth before I can stop them.
Shit.I know exactly why he asked that - because of the way I bowed.
But how do I explain that I learned it from watching K-dramas?
Fuck... shut up, Ira.
"If you want to be this much engrossed in yourself, you can leave this job, Miss Numani," he says coldly, cutting through my thoughts.
"I am very sorry, sir. Next time it won't happen," I say quickly, lowering my voice, guilt clearly reflecting in my tone.
He doesn't react.
Not even a little.
"Tell me my schedule for today," he says.
I immediately nod and begin explaining everything - each and every meeting, every appointment he has to attend, every detail I have prepared carefully.
I make sure not to miss a single point.
"Be prepared. One mistake... and you are fired," he says flatly.
My throat goes dry Suddenly, his phone rings.
My eyes unintentionally drift from him to the phone.
"Go outside," he says without even looking at me.
And I immediately step back, silently walking out of the cabin.
And without saying a word, I follow his order.
The moment I step out of his cabin, I finally allow myself to breathe properly.
Trust me... he is fucking beautiful.
Handsome is a small word for him.
I have never seen someone like him before.
His height - almost 6 feet, tall and dominating.His brown eyes - sharp, intense, like they can see right through me.His black hair - perfectly styled, every strand in place, making him look even more attractive and that one single hair on his forehead making him more attractive.
That small mole on his cheek...
His light beard, trimmed perfectly...And his lips-
Perfect.
Perfect enough to kiss.
"Oh my God... what am I even thinking?" I whisper to myself.
I quickly walk to the pantry area and drink two full glasses of water, trying to calm my racing thoughts.
My mind is completely messed up.Focus, Ira.
I do not want to get fired from this job.Not because of him.Not because of my stupid thoughts.
I return to my desk and immediately start working on my laptop, preparing all the details for today's press conference.
I don't know everything about it yet, but from the documents, I can understand that it is something big - some kind of amalgamation... or maybe a merger.
Something huge.
Something important.
Time passes quickly.
Afternoon - 12 o'clock.
Suddenly, I start hearing voices.
Loud voices.Whispers.Movement.
A lot of chaos outside.
And in that moment... I understand.
This man-
He is not normal.He is something different.Very different.
I have heard about him before... but not like this.Not at this level.
"Please, silence... Mr. Aditya Singhania is coming."
The moment his name is announced, the entire atmosphere changes.
Everything becomes still.Controlled.Disciplined.
"Oh... who is this lady? Isn't she beautiful?" I hear someone whisper about me.
A small smile forms on my lips, and I pass them a cute, polite smile.But then-
Everyone's attention shifts.
All eyes move toward the center.
And there he is.
Aditya Singhania.
Walking in with power, confidence, and dominance.
He is wearing a perfectly tailored three-piece suit, fitting him like it was made only for him. Every step he takes holds authority.
The room doesn't just notice him-It respects him.It fears him.
He greets everyone with a slight nod and takes his place at the center.
My eyes drift toward him again.I stare at him for a second longer than I should.
Like he is-My dream man.
"Peace, Ira..." I whisper to myself, forcing my eyes away.
I quickly compose myself and begin the announcement.
My voice is steady, professional.
And I realize-
I was right.
It is about a merger.
A massive one.
All of his companies...
Merging into one powerful entity-
ADITYA GROUP INDUSTRY.
But suddenly, a question is raised-
"Where is Mr. Virendra Singhania, sir?"
The moment I hear that name, my attention shifts instantly.
My eyes drift toward him... slowly... from his shoes... to his posture... up to his face.
And something feels different.
Very different.
His fingers stiffen slightly.
His jaw tightens.
The veins on his arms become more visible as his muscles tense-his biceps flexing unconsciously.
The air around him changes.
It becomes heavy.
Dangerous.
For a second, a thought crosses my mind-
Does he want to kill someone?
That is how intense he looks.
That is how terrifying his silence feels.
Then, without any hesitation, he speaks.
"He is not alive anymore. Thank you."
His voice is cold.
Flat.
Emotionless.
And before anyone can react-He leaves.
Just like that.
My body freezes for a second.
Completely still.
Like I didn't just hear what I think I heard.
But then suddenly-
Voices.
Loud voices.
Reporters start shouting questions from all directions.
"But
sir, how?"
"What about the ownership of the company?"
"What are the future goals?"
"What about the shareholding structure?"
"And the merger-what happens now?"
Questions keep coming, one after another, not stopping even for a second.
The situation starts getting out of control.
I quickly step forward and take the mic into my hands.
"Please, everyone... that will be all for today," I say, trying to keep my voice firm and professional despite the chaos inside me.
"No further questions will be answered."
"Thank you."
My voice echoes in the hall as I end the conference.
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