Weapons. Fights. Crime. This has always been Vansh’s life and always will be. He stopped feeling a long time ago. Having grown up with a family like his, feeling anything would only give him crippling pain. He blocked everything and everyone out. Long, long back. He was born in Mafia. And once someone joins, they never leave. So, here he was. The King of his world. But as they say, “heavy is the head that wears the crown”
Vansh is surrounded by traitors. His so-called family, the bunch of ungrateful freeloaders his father and mother left him. His Mom and Dad were a topic of discussion though. His father, a man of his words, had given his word to his Mom’s father that he would protect her from both their enemies. Their mutual alliance just became something more. Though in the end, enemies did get his mother. His father, however, married her sister. But he never loved her. She was just in the house because of the children. His father belonged to his mother and he united with her soon after marrying again.
Vansh didn’t exactly believe in love. If he ever married, he knew it would be out of duty and not love. Though he did want what his Mom and Dad have but then, along with his feelings, many of his wishes got buried deep deep down. It was not like he never wished anything. He did… He wished a lot of things… Most of it was Power. Vansh was a megalomaniac, if described in one word. But it was much more complicated than that. Power. It was something that allowed and assured him that what happened to his Mom would never happen to his sister.
He lived with his grandmother, step-mother, step-sister, uncle, aunt, cousin and lastly, the only person apart from himself, whom he cared about, his sister. She was a spitting image of their mother. Their mother had died when she was 7. He was 9. Now he’s 29, but the memory remains fresh. There was a lot of pressure around his Dad and they were in hiding. Until a traitor ratted out their location. His mother, his sister and him, all three were kidnapped.
They kept them in a dark room, with a lot of dust and scary insects. His sister was crying inconsolably. His mother was strong, though. Having grown up in this world, she knew how to face such situations. So she did. After they were alone in the dark, grim place, she searched the room and found an exit. They ran away too. But his mother got hurt, and then they found her and killed her. His sister was so traumatized, she forgot everything about the incident. She still asks him everyday. He recites every detail of that day to her. Everyday, they relive the entire pain. Just so they can remember how strong, brave and selfless their mother was. And the other reason was, they were trying to find the traitor since a long, long time.
The mole of the family. The traitor who became the reason of his mother’s death. The one person who was going to regret what he did. Vansh was going to make him regret. He was going to make the person pay. Because after all, Nobody dares to mess with the Raisinghanias. And whoever does, pays for it.
However, for now, he was getting satisfied by another traitor. His personal assistant. The stupid guy who thought he could betray VR and get away with it.
There he was, kneeling before him. Bruises all over his body. Tears dried on his face. Vansh looked at him and said,
“Anyone who dares to betray VR, has a personal appointment with the Devil fixed on their schedule. You should’ve known that before you tried to double-cross me!”
“I-I-I’m sorry, Sir!! Please- I beg you! Please forgive me! He threatened my family!”
“And I am threatening your life! If he had threatened your family, you could’ve told me! You knew that I would help you because you are my employee but you decided to betray me! So now, let’s do this… Choose how you want to die! A gun or a knife?”
“Si- Sir, please PLEASE give me a second chance! I have a family!”
“Oh, I have a family too Sagar! Which could’ve been in danger now if I hadn’t caught you because you have been smuggling information since a week! Oh, my rivals would literally kill for some insider information of Raisinghania Industries! You almost gave them that!”
“Sir I- I don’t understand… I did give them the information…”
“Oh! What you gave? Those were fake files Sagar! You really thought I would trust you with the secrets of my company so soon? You’ve been working with me since only seven months.”
“But Sir, they said they would kill my family if I brought fake files!”
“Well Sagar, your family’s death is completely on you… Now, I have other things to do! So let me just choose for you… I’ll kill you with a gun! Quick and easy!”
Vansh’s bodyguard, Angre, unlocked his gun and shot Sagar. The poor man’s body lay lifeless on the ground. Angre gestured the other men to clean up the mess and followed his Boss walking towards his car.
“What about his family, Boss?”
“What about them, Angre? That man made choices, his family is going to suffer the consequences… That’s how the world works… Nothing new. Now, did you find me a new PA?”
“Yes, Boss!! Just like you asked, minimum number of family members, no interview, well qualified.”
“How many family members, Angre?”
“Just one, Boss! She lives with her father! Mother is dead. No siblings.”
“It’s a girl, again? UGH Angre! What did I tell you about hiring Female PAs!?”
“Boss, I think you need to give this girl a chance… She does not seem like a gold digger. She genuinely needs this job. And she’s pretty well qualified and good looking, she could’ve just seduced a rich guy. She didn’t, so let her work for some time. Like you said, they never last. So, no harm trying!”
“Why are you defending a stranger, Angre?”
“Why are you judging a stranger, Boss?”
“You know I would kill anyone who talked like that to me”
“But you won’t kill your best friend, now would you, Boss?”
“We’re alone now! I’ve told you so many times… You can call me Vansh when we’re alone!”
“Sorry, buddy! It just became a habit!”
“But anyways, you’re being suspicious! Why are you defending that girl?”
Angre shrugs “She gives me good vibes”
“You haven’t even met her.”
“Neither have you! So I’m asking you to just give her a chance!”
“Fine! Just because you asked!”
“Now, Boss, you haven’t bought Siya this month’s gift and according to my sources, she wants a pet mouse.”
“Nope! We’ve discussed this! Olivia HATES mouses. It will create an absolute ruckus in the mansion! No rats in the house!”
“Actually, mice and rats are different but I got your point, so dog then? Maybe? You can’t get her another car! She has a lot of those!”
“No, this time, we’re upgrading her library!”
“Oh! That’s cool idea! I’ll get it done right away!”
“And one more thing, tell them I will be late today!”
“Okay!”
At Night
Vansh was walking through the trees again. Like he did each night. But this time he saw something different. There was a girl in the clearance. And she was breathtaking.
He was standing there, in the shadow of the trees and watching her. She was reading a book in her hand, her hair were waving with the wind. Her pale yellow dress was flowing too. She was walking bare footed on the grass, without any particular path. She looked like and angel descended from heavens. Her face lit up in the moon light. Her beautiful black hair glowing like dark thunder clouds clouds in rainy sky. Her brown eyes were too focused on her book to see anything. Then she suddenly looked up, and saw the mansion. She tilted her head in curiosity. He wondered if she would enter the premises. Anyone else would, seeing such a beautiful mansion. But she shook her head, as if reprimanding herself and turned around.
She walked away, leaving her image forever embossed in his mind. He knew from that moment onwards, he would never forget her.