Lotus And Rose: A Tale Of Love And Destiny

The Downfall

Author's POV
On the bustling streets of Mumbai which is also called as the city of dreams, Rajiv Sharma's dreams were getting shattered. He was standing in the sprawling office of his R.S Empire looking at the busy streets and lives of the people.
This office which was once a place where he would stand confidently and will look at the panoramic view of the city was now filled with the thoughts of Rajiv Sharma full of tensions, frustrations and fear for the future. He was still thinking about the past memories of his office when his secretary, Alida, knocked on the door. He without turning asked So everyone is in the board room?
Alida, understanding the delicacy of the situation in a low voice which was only audible to her and Rajiv said "Yes sir..."
Hearing this Rajiv sighed and went to the board room each step he was taking towards the board room felt like taking a step closer to his death, his company's death. Unlike the other days it was filled with the judgemental looks of shareholders, filled with flickering hope which was dying every second.
Rajiv sat on the chair and greeted everyone present there. He was trying to keep his composure but internally he was trembling. He with the voice full of desperate hope said Gentlemen we have faced this situation earlier too but still we came up and we still can do it.
Shareholder 1 - "We know your capabilities Rajiv but we can't trust you anymore after this. "
Many shareholders agreed to what Shareholder 1 said
Then Shareholder 2 with the voice filled with the same skepticism as the Shareholder 1's said "Rajiv we understand your concern but the problem is that the numbers don't lie. The shares are declining at the rate where, the company can go bankrupt."

Rajiv had tears forming in his eyes but he knows he can't be weak. He remembered those moments of his life where all the shareholders who were used to compliment him for his success no matter whether big or small are now judging him.
Don't worry if the situation gets any worse I promise you, that I will not stop anyone of you taking the back foot. Were the only reply of Rajiv before he went out of the boardroom and went inside his office followed by his secretary.
As soon as he entered in the office he broke down. Alida, who was his one of the trusted confidant for the past 7 years was now confused whether she should support him as her friend or give some privacy as a secretary.
Then she went close to him and while trying to lift him up but because of their physical features difference she had to use more strength. He was crying and crying. He cried for more than 2 hours when and at last when both of his eyes were blood red, dried just like the desert and tired, he got up from the chair and took his car keys and went outside while saying Don't follow me Alida.I want to stay alone for sometime ; and drove off to *The Drunken Nights* bar.
With the lively yet dimly lit atmosphere of the bar he found the weight of his name and his power and pressure on the world was faded away into the background music. He found an uncommon comfort in the depths of his strong drinks.
As he was going to drink his another glass of the drink someone bumped into him which caused his half of drink spilled.
The man quickly apologized " Sorry brother galti se ho gaya" (sorry brother it happened by mistake)
Rajiv Sharma at that moment was already having an inner volcano bursting inside him and this incident with the strong drink as its catalyst made a mountain out of the molehill. He with a voice filled with the pure raw anger replied Sorry, tumhare iss sorry ka kya mein aachar daaloon haan. Pehle vo Rudra Malhotra nahi jeene deta, phir vo share holders nahi jeene dete or ab tum bhi nahi jeene dete sukoon se. Abey problem kya hai tum logon ki ? Do chaar paise kama liye to apne aapko kahin ka Genghis Khan samjh liya. (Sorry, sorry, what should I do with your sorry, huh? Make a pickle out of it? First, that Rudra Malhotra doesn't let me live, then those share holders don't let me live, and now you too won't let me live in peace. What's the problem with you people? Earn a few bucks and you start thinking you're some kind of Genghis Khan.)
Till this point the stranger was also trying to keep his cool but the alcohol in his system was against it and he with the same amount of anger replied "Ohh mein chup tha iska matlab ye nahi hota hai ki mein tumhare muh se Jo bhi bakwas niklegi mein usse sunta rahoonga. Samjhe ? Or kya keh rahe the ki mein tumhe jeene nahi de raha hoon sukoon se. Agar itna hi sukoon chahiye to jao or akele raho bada aaya jeene nahi de raha hoon kahin ka". (Oh, just because I was silent doesn't mean I will keep listening to whatever nonsense comes out of your mouth. Understand? And what were you saying that I'm not letting you live in peace? If you want peace so much, go and live alone. You make it sound as if I'm the one who's not letting you live in peace)
This was enough for Rajiv to punch the man on the face and start the fight. It was because of the intervention of the stranger's friends who came in between to stop the fight. As soon as the fight stopped Rajiv threw the money at the table and went out of the bar towards his car with difficulty because of his drunken state.
After opening his car and sitting in it he started the AC and then took out his phone with the blurred vision called Rudra but it was not connected. He tried calling to him a few more times but still unreachable. Then he threw the phone on his co-pilot seat and said Curse you Rudra. with the broken voice and eyes full of tears and started the car.
He was trying his best not to lose control of his car which was next to impossible. Out of blue Rajiv lost the control of the car and his car flipped over because of the speed breaker.
The couple whose car was just behind the Rajiv's immediately tried to get him out of the car but as the car was completely flipped. They were unable to do so. The wife hurriedly called the national emergency helpline number (112) and told them about the information needed. Soon the paramedical team arrived and they with made Rajiv come out of the car.
Rajiv's phone which was lying on the road away from the car started to ring. Rudra after seeing so many missed calls from Rajiv felt confused and then he called him back. The phone was picked up after two-three rings by the lady who then informed him about the accident and the name of the hospital where Rajiv Sharma is taken to.
Rudra without wasting any second started to drive and reached the hospital sa soon sa he can. At the very same moment Rajiv also arrived he was looking no less than a half dead person. He had cuts all over his face, his head was bleeding. A huge glass shard was stuck in his stomach. The nurses and doctors took him in the emergency room and his operation started.
Two hours passed in no time but in those two hours Rudra's mind was full of concern for Rajiv enemy or not they were best friends for a few years in their life ; but there was no news about Rajiv whether he was alright or not or about anything. Then one doctor came out of the ward. Her expressions could even give a child an intuition that there is no good news.
The doctor asked Rudra Are you related to the patient? Rudra nodded fastly with a hope that the doctor will say don't worry the patient is out of danger and he will be shifted to ICU for further monitoring. But instead the doctor said Sorry sir we tried our level best but the condition of the patient is deteriorating. His internal bleeding is not stopping. He only has a few minutes left. So it maybe come as rude but please prepare yourself to say goodbye to eachother for the last time.
This news shook Rudra to the core. He never thought that Rajiv Sharma the fighter, the logical strategist will die in this way. He looked up at the doctor and asked with the broken voice Koi to tareeka hoga usse bachane ke liye ? (There might be any way to save him ?)
The doctor shook her head because she also understands the pain people feel at this moment. Rudra nodded and asked Kya usse mein Milne Jaa sakta hoon ? (Can I go and meet him ?)
Doctor nodded and said Follow me. They both went to the ICU and there laid Rajiv Sharma without any power, glory and smirk on his face. I'll leave you two alone said the doctor and went out.
Rudra went near the bed and , the sterile scent of antiseptic were assaulting his senses. Rajiv's face was pallid, his eyes half-closed. The machines beeped in a rhythm that described the life's fragility.
Rudra ? Rajiv's voice was a mere whisper, a ghost of the man who had once commanded respect. Ironic, isn't it? Taqdeer ne Hume yahan la kar khada kar diya. Kuchh hi der mein Marne wala hoon to lagta hai meri self-consciousness ne socha ki kahan- kahan galti ki hai vo sab feel karwa doon. (Ironic isn't it? Fate brought us here.I feel like as I am about to die, my self-consciousness has decided to make me realize where I have committed mistakes.)
Rudra stood closer to Rajiv, his heart a tempest of emotions. Rajiv, I-
Listen Rajiv interrupted, his gaze which once held command is now filled with tiredness. Aaj to ek mauka mila hai galti sudharne ke liye. Jaanta hoon ki abhi bahaut der ho chuki hai but sorry yaar. Sorry ki tumhare saath maine kitna galat kiya hai. Tu toh mujhe sahi raaste par chalwana chahta tha but mein hi bewakoof tujhe galat samjh baitha. (Today I got a chance to rectify my mistake. I know it is late already but sorry friend. I am sorry that I did so much wrong to you. You wanted to guide me on the correct path but I was the fool and thought you were wrong.)
Hearing this Rudra sat on the stool which was near the Rajiv's bed immediately and held Rajiv's hand carefully as not to hurt him. He with the broken voice which can be the proof that he still cares for his once best friend said Rajiv please fight for yourself. Tum hamesha se ek fighter rahe ho. Please Bhai. Koi nahi yaar sabse galti hoti hai. Tum unn sabse maafi maangna jiske saath tumne galat kiya hai vo sab maaf kar denge ek baar try to karo please.(Rajiv please fight for yourself. You have always been a fighter. Please brother. No one makes the biggest mistake. You should apologize to everyone with whom you have done wrong and everyone will forgive you. But please try at least once.)
He chuckled a little bit and said Tumhe yaad hai ki mere paas ek book thi 'Forgiveness' naam ki. Usme ek quote tha "Forgiveness is a process of giving up the old for something new. Old experiences and memories that we hold on to in anger, resentment, shame, or guilt cloud our spirit mind. The truth is, everything that has happened had to happen. It was a growth experience." But mein ye maanta hoon ki kai jagah par kai log forgiveness deserve nahi karte jisme se ek mein bhi hoon. ( Do you remember I had a book named 'Forgiveness'. There was one quote present in it "Forgiveness is a process of giving up the old for something new. Old experiences and memories that we hold on to in anger, resentment, shame, or guilt cloud our spirit mind. The truth is, everything that has happened had to happen. It was a growth experience." But I beg to differ ,I believe that many times many people don't deserve forgiveness and I am such a type of person who also does not deserve it.)
Rajiv took a deep breath and then he continued Rudra ab mera time khatam ho chuka hai to isiliye ek advice de raha hoon jate waqt kabhi bhi is ego, self obsessed attitude ke chakkar mein mat padna bahaut bura pachtana padta hai baad mein. (Rudra now my time is over so I am giving you one piece of advice while leaving that never fall into the trap of ego, self obsessed attitude, because in the future you would've to repent badly from it.)
After saying this Rajiv closed his eyes and laid there calmly and soon the ECG beeped one last time before the straight line formed.
Soon the news of Rajiv Sharma's death spread like the wildfire. Many news reporters were telling various theories about his demise. But only a very few people knew it in reality. The shareholders, the employees and Alida also got shocked because of this.
Somewhere in London a man was sleeping peacefully in his king sized bed but his phone started to ring. At first he grunted and turned his head and when it ringed again he picked it up and saw it was the caretaker of his baby brother so he yawned and accepted the call and before he could say anything the caretaker gave him the world shattering news of his life. As soon as he heard this news he in a trembling voice said Dai maa you are joking right? But when all he got more cries from the other side he cut the call and searched the news.
After checking he started to cry because his baby brother,his devil's little son was no more. His best friend was no more. He then got up and went to his parents' bedroom. He started to knock it very hardly. After a few knocks his father opened the door and saw his son's tear stricken face ; he got concerned because he is someone who would cry never or very rarely.
Before the man's father could ask anything the man hugged him and said Papa Rajiv ab nahi raha. He is no more papa. He was pushed by his father who got angry because of this news and said "Rishabh I swear I will give you a very tight slap agar tumne ye bakwas band nahi ki, samjhe ? Apne room mein wapas jao or so jao." ( Rishabh I swear I will give you a very tight slap if you don't stop this nonsense, understand? Go back to your room and sleep.)
But Rishabh at that moment showed his father the proof that he was not lying. His father lost the strength to stand and started to cry his heart out which even woke Rishabh's mother too. She sensed something was terribly wrong and went near her husband and asked him "Kya hua Virendra ?" (What happened Virendra?)
But when she got no reply from him she turned to her son who was also crying like a madman. She then asked him "Tu hi kam se kam bata de ki hua kya hai". (You at least tell me what happened.)
But when he didn't say anything she snatched his phone and saw the news. It shocked her to the core that she started to cry and wanted either her husband or her son to say that they were doing a prank or they were just joking. But the fate can be cruel.
With the voice filled with the pain of mother who lost her child she said "Rishabh please turant ek flight book Karo mujhe mere bete ke paas jaana hai. " (Rishabh please book a flight immediately I have to go to my son.)
Rishabh with the trembling hands booked the flight tickets and the family went to pack their luggage as soon as possible.
That day the lives of four people got hit by a truck of fate because of their close one's death. That day  marked the beginning of two people's enmity because of the misunderstanding.