Aditi Singh Chauhan gave her uninterested brother a playful nudge, saying "C'mon Golu, it's time for you to upgrade your wallet. You've been using the same one for years now!"

The employees of the store waited for the comments of Atharv Singh Chauhan, a billionaire who had just walked in. It would bring them great honor and publicity to add him to their list of clients, and they were keen to avoid losing the profitable business opportunity that had presented itself. Their eyes darted back and forth, looking for clues in his expression or manner to see how he was reacting to their latest designs.

The sales attendant's cold and cruel words daggered into the chest of nineteen-year-old Atharv like freezing blades. "Be gone with your tattered clothes and stench! This is no place for the likes of you!" The repugnant young man cast his eyes downward, shame engulfing him as he slinked away - a broken soul.

He remembered a time when the salespeople and managers welcomed him and his family with open arms. But destiny had cruelly conspired against him, dropping him in the middle of a chaotic hurricane that howled and churned until it sucked away everything he cherished and loved.

A deep hollowness bloomed in his empty pockets, a reflection of the hungry voids created by those desperate to join the powerful and wealthy. He shot one last longing look at the tantalizing meals, aching for the day when he could devour something warm, fragrant, and juicy instead of consuming the cold, flavorless meals from their meager plates.

The manager inched closer to Atharv and asked, "What color wallet would you like, Sir? We have the finest leather in the world right here." But Atharv didn't even flinch; he just kept staring at his phone.

"I'm not interested in buying a new wallet, Di. My current one is working just fine," he stated without lifting his head from the display.

Aditi peered at him with her piercing eyes, quickly surveying the rest of the room to make sure no one was listening. She leaned in and said quietly, "Is it because you're fine with the wallet or is it because it's a memento from someone who isn't here anymore?"

"You, the stingiest creature on this planet, spent your measly allowance on THIS?" Atharv exclaimed in disbelief, as he ran his fingers through the plush material of the luxurious black leather wallet. "Where did you find a pot of gold? Is there a typhoon coming to shower down gold coins upon us?", he jested.

The person who had just given him the touching gift had huffed and marched off towards their house. A crooked smile stretched across his face as he hurried after her, determined to catch up.

Atharv felt his heart sink into a vacuum of dread as the nostalgia swirled around him. His hand clutched the phone, knuckles white with tension. He felt the raging heat of anguish that had been smoldering inside him for years build into an inferno in his chest. The pleasant hum of the air-conditioner was drowned out by the roaring fury that he'd been holding back for so long. His lips twisted into a sneer of scorn and hatred as the fond memories were transformed into a storm of poisonous arrows that shredded every last shred of peace from his soul.

"Golu..."

Aditi's hand reached out to him, but her fingers trembled. The fine skin on the back of her hands bunched up into thick lines, and the wrinkles grew deeper as she clenched her fist. Her eyes rolled back into the skull, and beads of perspiration had adorned her forehead. Another hand of hers rested against her chest as she tried to catch her breath.

"DI!!!"

****

Atharv Singh Chauhan was a man tormented by his demons. She had been to the emergency room of the hospital many times in the last decade, but this time it seemed worse than before. Living in precarious conditions during their youth had weakened her immune system and made her prone to opportunistic infections ever since. Even with top-quality care from experts around the world, she couldn't be completely healed.

He was one of the most successful businessmen in the country, having built his empire from scratch. He had his own consulting firms under his name, but he still felt powerless and restless in that moment.

The cruel reality of their plight was all too familiar to him, yet never before had he felt so utterly and hopelessly lost. Betrayals that seemed impossible to avoid had led them to the streets with nothing but a paltry inheritance from their grandparents. But now, as he gazed upon his sister -his ally in battling life's storms- lying still in the hospital bed with her pale and fragile face, an invisible noose of anguish and desolation clenched tightly around his neck.

A wall of privilege and power caged them in the VIP lounge, keeping away the decay that had ruined the rest of the hospital. It was a world away from the narrow, dirt-ridden clinics they had been to in their past lives, where money trumped their need for medical care.

Atharv's breath caught in his throat as he asked, "Doctor, how is she?" His voice quavered with the dread of what the answer might be, a fear congealing in his chest like icy fingers tightening around his heart. He waited with bated breath for the verdict.

The doctor gave her diagnosis, "Ms. Chauhan is steady at present, Mr. Chauhan. But we can't guarantee her immunity in the future. Even a slight exposure could cause sicknesses in her. She must take numerous safeguards in the coming days or else repeated ailments will imperil her wellbeing even more." At this pronouncement, she shuddered under Atharv's burning gaze.

A cold terror filled the room with every word he uttered. His face a granite of stoic rage, he declared: "I won't compromise when it comes to Di's treatment. You make sure she has every resource available, and that all precautions are taken. One mistake on your part and I will end your career - professionally, permanently."

Dr. Nitya Chopra knew she would have to face serious consequences if something happened to his sister while she was in her care, so she pointed out the extent of his sister's involvement in her own care or lack thereof.

"It's not up to us, Mr. Chauhan! It depends on the patient as well. Her personal nurse told me that she's been struggling with depression for a while now. It's common for prolonged stress to weaken the immune system."

"Then cure her depression too, Dr. Chopra! You are the physician, who is trying to push the blame onto her to avoid the consequences, but remember, excuses don't work on me. You MUST cure her, do you understand?" asked Atharv, towering over her petite figure as she trembled and acknowledged while avoiding her gaze from him.

"Yes, of course," she said, cussing the brother in her mind and letting out a vexed sigh.

****

Aditi awoke to her brother's concerned face hovering over her. He held a glass of water for her, asking in hushed tones how she was feeling. With some help from him, she was able to sit up and take small sips out of the cup.

Aditi's voice broke as she spoke, her emotions rising in a crescendo. "How can I not be fine when I have a brother like you? But I had lost the hope of seeing you before dying!"

She saw his jaw clench and his fingers tremble as the words hit him, and he desperately tried to find assurance for her. "Nothing will happen to you, Di! I swear it! I promise!" His hoarse shout echoed around them, promising a pledge that seemed impossible to keep.

Atharv's eyes widened in astonishment as his sister demanded for mint and chocolate ice cream. He knew that the doctor had strictly warned her against consuming any cold items. "But Di," he started, but she cut him off with a soft reply, her lips curved into a sad yet determined smile. "I can't even enjoy my favorite things Golu. I can't go out and live life like others do. When I'm unable to experience life, death doesn't seem too far or frightening." Her voice was low yet filled with anguish, almost as if she was bidding goodbye to all that she held dear.

Atharv's voice rose with hysteria as he pleaded with his beloved Di, "No! Don't mention death! I can hardly bear the pain of my losses. You must stay with me, you're all I have left; don't leave me like everyone else!" His chest heaved with despair and fury against those who had taken away his parents from him, stealing his childhood in cruel disregard. Tears of sorrow filled his eyes.

Aditi's eyes brimmed over with tears, her voice wavering as she spoke. "Golu, you know that death is inevitable; but what worries me more is the thought of leaving you here alone. I have a wish - would you fulfill it for me?"

Atharv's lip trembled with emotion and his throat constricted, forced to the brink of despair by his love for Aditi. He grit his teeth determinedly, forcing out the words. "Just name it, Di!"

Aditi tried to suppress the rising knot in her throat as she desperately fought off the thought that had been nagging at her. She kept running away from confronting this truth, and wished that she could ignore it forever. But she was far too aware of what must be done. Trying to keep an even-toned voice, Aditi looked Golu straight in the eye and said, "I need you to bring back your wife and my sister-in-law; no more avoiding it."

Atharv's face drained of color and his arm dropped numbly to his side. He stared at Aditi with wide-eyed terror as her words hit him like a freight train. His fists clenched so tightly that they were shaking, and an impenetrable fog seemed to cloud his vision. "I know how much pain you feel when you think of her family and the way they hurt us, but I know deep down that you still care about her—you two used to be closer than anyone else. Please give yourself one more chance; try to reconnect with her, if only for my sake," Aditi said gently, squeezing his balled fist between her trembling fingers.

The 'Page 3' editors would have a field day if news of Atharv Singh Chauhan's relationship status ever leaked out. Aditi could not fathom if his apparent disdain for relationships originated from the remnants of an earlier one or from an unshakeable disbelief in them, but she often caught him stealing longing glances at their childhood pictures with a passionate yearning that no amount of nostalgia could satisfy.

Atharv was incredulous, lifting an eyebrow at his sister in disbelief. "You can't be serious, Di!" he exclaimed with a note of sarcasm in his voice.

"What reason would I have for that, especially now?" Aditi retorted, mirroring her brother's raised eyebrow.

"Because you always love to do that."

"But not now, Golu! Now, are you fulfilling your promise, Atharv Singh Chauhan, or not?" asked Aditi, who had a dispirited tone but the hope glimmering in her eyes hit him with an immeasurable force and the words of the doctor rang in his ears, forcing Atharv to the very edge of his sanity.

Atharv was determined to push himself through the depths of hell if it meant a chance at alleviating his beloved's suffering. But, if it also meant exacting revenge upon those who wronged them both - then he was more than ready to plunge into the abyss. Nothing invigorated him like a thirst for vengeance; and no other sensation gave him an adrenaline rush quite like the thought of punishing those responsible for their woes.

Atharv's voice rose up like thunder, reverberating in Di's mind with a fierce intensity as he proclaimed, "Have I ever broken a promise to you, Di? No matter where she is- sky or abyss- I will make her come back to me!" An electric smile crackled on his sister's dry lips, unaware of the hurricane of chaos that her words would unleash.

****

Diya Singh Shekhawat yelped in distress as she wrestled with her strands of hair, glaring at the 'Messenger' app on her phone.

"It wasn't him!" she exclaimed.

"Maybe he doesn't have a social media account," Shilpa said soothingly, trying to break free Diya's fingers from her knotted mane. "There's no law that says everyone has to be online."

Diya fought off the temptation to slam her hands onto the cafeteria table. She did not want to draw unnecessary attention to herself with such an act.

"If he's not on social media, there's no other way to reach him, Shilpa. I didn't even have time to say goodbye. And my parents will not let me go back to India for our holiday. What exactly is their issue with it?" she asked, massaging her throbbing temples.

"Don't worry, I'll help make your parents more comfortable about our trip to India! Kajal's parents can certainly talk to yours and hopefully that will allay any worries they may have. But do you suppose he remembers you from before? It has been 10 years!" Her lips formed a wide grin. "He better! Otherwise, I'm sure I can provide him with an unforgettable reminder of who I am!"

Shilpa and Diya both laughed at the thought of her friend not recognizing her. Although it made her heart flutter to imagine this, she knew it was unlikely. She couldn't tell if her defiant attitude or her familiarity with him was causing the feeling.

Disclaimer: The protagonists are flawed, and come with their own set of insecurities, priorities, strengths, and weakness. I based them on real people, and hence their actions are far from ideal.

Constructive criticism and suggestions is always welcome. But I request you to refrain from comments with veiled mockery, taunts, name-calling, and personal remarks. Those comments stay with me and haunt me for days, like most authors, and sometimes even nights. If you want to criticize a scene/action/sentence, please base your opinion in logic, because experiences and morality are subjective, and no one really likes to get called out on their experiences or morals.