Aftermath

"That day, I was very busy and had to spend the night in my office, Elder sister Qaima had gone to bring me some coffee. I was very tired and dozed off in my chair. After some time I woke up as I heard someone knocking on the window. I was sleepy and could not bother about it but then I heard the knocking sounds again. This time I realised that how could someone knock on the windows when our office was on the fiftieth floor? My sleep vanished as I hurriedly got up from my chair only to find that there was no one near the window. Adi, before I could relax, I heard the knocking sounds again but it was not from the window but the mirror in my office," a silvery voice of woman narrated the horror story as Aditya sat on his hospital bed and smiled lightly.

Almost all personal possessions of Maahi were sent to Aditya and he found a drive filled with elder sister Maahi's narrations of a wide range of horror stories. She had been recording these stories for many years. As long as it was a new horror story, Maahi would customize the story to include names of people around her and even herself and record her voice as she narrated this story. She wanted to send these stories for Aditya but did not do so in the end and the stories just piled up.

It was a week since he got the news of Maahi's death, Aditya's father had gone to India to do all the funeral rituals. Aditya did not go to see her for the last time as Maahi requested that Aditya did not look at her after her death. She wanted Aditya to remember her as the most beautiful version of herself. Aditya followed her wish but he felt there was also another reason for this. He was just plain afraid, he did not dare to see her lifeless body. He did not think his heart could handle it.

He stayed away from the news channels as Maahi's death served as a wake-up call to many countries and many were shocked to find similar pockets in their countries as well which were controlled by rich conglomerates in agriculture, food processing, health care and pharmaceutical industries. If the suicide of a billionaire, who earned all her money with her own hands, could not wake up these governments, Aditya did not know what will. Even though everyone was lauding elder sister Maahi, it did not help Aditya find peace, in the least.

It was not like he was feeling any better now. Each minute that passed in his waking life, knowing that Maahi was not here anymore, seem to add a new injury to his already scarred heart. All the things that he felt that was a barrier between him and Maahi seemed so petty when compared to this life and death barrier that was separating them now.

All kinds of scenarios, where he had stayed together with Maahi and she did not have to go through this all alone, haunted him day and night. These thoughts were like waves of acid which clashed against his soul, slowly corroding it like how the stones on the beach are weathered by the constant beating of the tidal waves.

A suffocating feeling would wake him up during the nights as his heart was filled with toxic guilt because of how he failed to understand her even after knowing her for all these years. Aditya also realized all the philosophies in the world were just like a pack of cards which would collapse at the first blow of such tragedy. They seemed to possess all the answers but failed to bring solace for him. His mind felt paralyzed and frozen which showed its effect on his body as he became ill for no reason at all. He slowly became averse to sunlight and refused to go to the park near the hospital where he had made a lot of friends.

His heart was tired from all this pain but the thoughts, which ate him from the inside, did not stop. His mother was quite calm and had successfully come out from her grief. Aditya felt that this was where his mother's natural mental strength came into being which he seemed to lack just like his father. Maybe she was just acting for him but at least he could not see any clues. His father had also been affected as he had viewed Maahi as her daughter as she had grown in their home since she was a kid. He broke down into more tears when he found out that Maahi had funded his project.

Aditya's mother acted as the moral pillar of their family as she accompanied both father and son and looked after them with patience. She spoke little consolatory words as she knew they would not be effective just like asking a person who is drowning in the river 'why can't you just swim?'. She only supported them through care and affection.

Anupama, Bhadra, Jatin and other friends he had made in Geneva came to console him which did bring him a bit of solace but that was it. Aditya had started feeling alone even when he was surrounded by his close ones, it was a new feeling which he never experienced.

He felt like everyone was remote to him, even if they were beside him and Maahi was the one who was closest to him yet so far away that he could not reach her. It was like how you can see the sun every day but can't reach it. Even if you try to reach it, it was imperative that you are going to be incinerated.

The exact thing was happening to Aditya, his heart and soul were being slowly burnt with the toxic flames of guilt. Hearing to Maahi's voice was the only solace to him. Those words, even if they were narrating a horror story to frighten him, were soothing to his heart as if Elder sister Maahi was near him and he was back in his childhood where she would frighten him with these stories. But instead of being frightened, these stories made him smile now.

"Sir, please, I want you to pay attention," a middle-aged Caucasian man with a dignified aura around him woke Aditya from his daze. Aditya's brows slightly wrinkled but did not say anything as he turned his attention to this person. This was the representative from the lawyer's firm whom his elder sister Maahi had trusted her 'will' or 'inheritance' to. He was here today to explain the properties left by Maahi to him. Aditya nodded at him as he started listing out a range of properties all over the world, he had never even heard some of these names.

" A mansion in Beverly Hills, a penthouse in SoHo, a condo in the historic Puck Building, a luxury hotel in Flatiron District, A mansion in Hunan Road, Shanghai, a premium membership in Marina bay Hotels, Singapore, a penthouse in the Malabar Hill, Mumbai, a private collection of cars, numbering 143, ranging from antique to latest premium, limited versions..." the list went on. Aditya had stopped paying attention after some time again. These names just didn't register in his mind. He knew that his elder sister was rich all along and if he wanted to enjoy these luxuries, it was just a matter of a phone call. He did not even have to contact Maahi, even Qaima could arrange these things for him.

The middle-aged man saw that Aditya's eyes became glassy again. It was clear this client of his was not paying attention. He was surprised that one could be so out of focus with this list of properties which are worth billions of Euros. He coughed lightly as he said, "Sir, along with these properties, Ms Maahi had set up an independent fund for taking care of your safety. You might have already known about it but it is my duty to introduce the chief of staff who will be in charge of security." the middle-aged man made a gesture to his assistant who exited the room.

Aditya noticed a white woman with bright scarlet hair stride in large steps. Even while feeling depressed in his heart, Aditya could not help but have an urge to laugh when he saw that the person who was going to ensure his security was not a battle-worn soldier with bulky muscles and scars, instead, it was a tall, beautiful woman. This was just like what Elder sister Maahi would do.

The middle-aged man introduced, "this is Ms Amanda Miles, a former accomplished mercenary from the 'Blood water Mercenaries'. She has many achievements in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and recently Venezuela. She has retired from her military profession recently and is currently one of 'S4S Plc' company's elites. She is highly sought after for her high success rate in SSS missions. Ms Maahi paid quite a bit of sum for her services."

Aditya smiled when he heard these words but ignored the woman completely. Amanda was in her early thirties, almost the same age as Maahi. She slightly frowned when she saw her client ignore her completely but did not speak. She nodded towards the middle-aged man and left.

"Mr Gates, can I take it that your services are available for me now," Aditya raised his head as he asked the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man's heart loosened when he heard Aditya talking. He had started feeling a little apprehensive that this famous Formula one racer was not mentally healthy and he was afraid that he would waste away this fortune. He sat straight as he nodded, "I would be more than willing to help you with anything where you may require my service."

Aditya nodded lightly as he said, "I want to start an organization which helps children all over the world with prime focus in India."

Mr Gates nodded seriously as he said, "what is the area in which this organization will help children like education, health, vaccination, malnutrition or infant mortality rate?"

"Child abuse, physical, sexual or psychological maltreatment, also, neglect of the child by the parents or caretakers," Aditya stated word by word.

Mr Gates nodded as he asked, "How much do you plan to fund so that we can decide the scale of the project."

Aditya raised his head as he looked at Mr Gates with his tired eyes and asked, "How much money in form of cash or shares or other similar assets, did my elder sister leave me?"

Mr Gates thought for a while and checked his tablet PC for a while and answered, "Leaving the real estate properties and the company's property aside, she left you 14.6 Billion USD."

Aditya nodded as he said calmly, "then, that is the amount I am willing to invest in this organization."

Mr Gates felt as if he did not hear clearly as he gulped a little and asked, "Pardon."