Tainted Souls

Prologue

 

Leonardo walked out of the gates of the health facility he had been staying in for the past ten days. If not for Rameen he would never have agreed to check in this facility. It was a five-star facility only for the elite. They took patients only on a priority basis if he would not have known the owner personally it would have been difficult to get in on such short notice.

It had taken him all his resolve to just not fly back to India to meet Rameen. He had promised her and he intended to keep his promise. He couldn't hurt her even though he had gotten hurt himself in the process.

Rameen caring for him was the only consolation for him after what had happened. He had never excepted defeat or backed off ever in life before but he had done it for her. Leonardo only hoped she knew how important she was for him. He could do anything for her, even give his life.

The facility was situated near a small Swiss town in the alpine region. This was a perfect place for people looking to get treatment away from the rush of the world. The town was small and a river flowed near the town. There was a huge waterfall near to the town which added to the picturesque. 

 He used to go for a walk in the evening alongside the river till he reached the waterfall. He used to sit there for an hour or so and then return back to the facility. As he neared the river the sound of the flowing water met his ears. The sound of flowing water always soothed his nerves, he thrust his hands in the pocket of his trousers and kept walking on the route he took daily. 

 Dominico had called him in the morning and had briefed him about the business. He knew Dominico was more than capable of handling the business by himself. He had grown into a fine businessman. 

 As he reached the waterfall he slowed down and picked a stone from beside the road and threw it into the water. he came and stood near the waterfall and looked as the water rushed downwards from the cliff above. Water droplets splashing from the waterfall touched his face. He stood there for some time looking at the falling water and then turned to get back to the facility.

 Alia walked out of her cottage and locked the door behind her. She had been living in this small Swiss town for the last two years. Her life had been focused on her students. She had been teaching in an elementary school here. Spending time with the kids in her school and taking tuition in the afternoon after school was her only resort. 

 It had been four years since she had left Azmaayir and come here. She had been able to get over the heartbreak but the separation from her son was something she was not able to handle till now. A day didn't go by when she didn't felt like going back to Azmaayir to her sons but she had closed that door, herself. 

 Taimur had taken everything from her, the most important were her sons and she would never forgive him for that. She had given him the most important years of her life, loved him with all her heart, and cared for him more than anyone and all she got in return was loneliness. 

 She had stopped reading about him or any other news about Azmaayir. It was the best thing she could do to not let her mind drift back to him. She didn't wish him any harm but she just couldn't fathom how he hadn't thought once before pursuing Eva. He had not thought about her or his sons. Alia had given him everything and had just gotten pain and betrayal from him. 

She passed the small grocery store near her cottage on the way to the river where she went daily for a walk. Mrs.Nancy the grocery store owner waved at her when she saw Alia. She used to wave at her daily whenever she passes her store. Alia waved back at her smiling and then walked ahead on the route to the waterfall. 

 "Ms. Alia," Alia's student Ron called her from the window of their cottage. 

"Ron," Alia waved and smiled at him. 

 Ron was a specially-abled boy, he had polio in his left leg and couldn't play with the other kids. He used to sit near the window of their house and look outside at the passerby on the road. He was a very sweet and intelligent kid, one of her favorite students. His mom Rosaline was her friend and Alia used to have dinner with them every Saturday. 

 Everyone knew each other in this small town, they were all a closely knit town. Swiss people were the most hospitable people she had ever come across. They never had made her feel like a foreigner amongst them. The kids in her school adored her and their parents respected her because she was a natural with kids. 

 She continued walking till she reached the river and walked alongside it towards the waterfall. She used to come here for a walk daily since she had shifted to this town. Alia had chosen this town because it was away from the limelight and peaceful. She could live here without the fear of being discovered by the media. 

 She had given up her career as an eye specialist because there was fear of being recognized by someone. She didn't want anyone to find her true identity. If Taimur found out that she was alive he won't waste a moment to drag her back to Azmaayir. He won't care what storm it might raise there because he would never want Alia to live a life of a nobody but it was what she wanted. 

Nothing was more important for her than her sons and she had given them up because of Taimur. She knew very well she won't be able to live seeing Taimur with another woman, she had no choice but to leave. 

 As she neared the waterfall she saw a man approaching from the opposite side. Alia had been seeing him for the past week. They use to cross each other while walking on this path, he always looked to be immersed in some thoughts like today. He diverted his gaze from him and looked at the water falling from the cliff behind him. 

Leonardo who had been returning from his walk when he passed the woman he had seen here daily at this time. She always looked engrossed in some deep thoughts like always. Leonardo had been noticing her since the day he had started coming here for a walk. He looked at her closely, her eyes were focused on the waterfall behind him. 

  The woman looked down from the waterfall and her eyes met his for the first time in the past week. They were black as the darkest night and possessed a sadness in them, which Leonardo felt was a reflection of the state of his feelings. They both kept looking in the eyes of each other astonished by the similarity of grief that their eyes enveloped in them. 

  I wanted to write this book for a long time. As I had some time on my hands until Diablo reaches the chapter that was ongoing on Booknet, I thought of writing this book.

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