1. The Silence Before The Storm

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Chapter 1:

6:30 a.m.
29 May, Wednesday, 2024

I finally exhaled a deep breath after feeling lightness all over my body

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I finally exhaled a deep breath after feeling lightness all over my body. Morning workouts have always been my mood lightener because for the rest of the day I'll either be signing deals, attending meetings, meeting national and international clients, attending business parties or dinners or going for land seeing etc.
I stared at the view of the vast garden full of flowers and trees with sitting areas, all inside my land boundary. I was lost somewhere when my phone rang- I groaned at it's annoying sound.

Turning back I picked up my phone from the chair near me before receiving the call, "Yes Anika speaking".

"Dr. Anika, it's Mrs. Donatella Goodenough here. Good morning to you"

"Oh! Morning Mrs. Goodenough. How come I get your call so early?" I asked tapping the white towel on my face given by one of the maids.

"You're pretty well known enough to be known worldwide Dr. Anika" she replied in her elegant tone.
Despite elegance and discipline lingering around her, she's just known as Mrs. Donatella Goodenough who's actually good for nothing.

"You have a point. So let's get to the point because I have meetings to attend very soon" I replied sighing silently.

"Yeah sure. Actually I had taken an apointment from your secretary two weeks ago to have a meeting with you. I'd be glad if you walk on the runway representing our newly made dress which has been exclusively designed as per your taste in dresses" she replied. I knew this was coming and that's why I had declined the request.

"Mrs. Goodenough, I actually don't have enough time to walk on the runway currently because I'll be on a business trip for one month which starts from tomorrow. I'll be leaving for Italy and I'd be glad if you get someone else. Have a nice day" and I hung up.
I don't walk for brands that are not even known to one tenth of the population in India.

Tucking the phone inside my shorts, I walked out of the gym room to my room on the fourth floor.
The ground floor has the living area, the first floor is my office and study area, the second one is the gym area and my personal space resides in the third floor.

As I walked towards the lift in the third floor, my thoughts went back to somewhere.
Life is unpredictable so no one knows when the people with whom you're cutting your birthday cake with right now is gone the next moment.
Life gives the best gifts sometimes but the worst ones are unbearable at times.

Four years ago I was cutting my 22nd birthday's cake and the same night my parents marked their date of death.
On their way back to their mansion, their car rolled over on the road due to some hole which has been framed as an accident by the police because of the lack of any proof.
I don't know who did this and why but I know it's not a fucking accident.

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