CHECKMATE

Prologue

The Rathore mansion was in silent despair, the middle aged man who sat holding a copper pot in his hands looked ashen and crestfallen.

He looked older than himself, the sorrow of losing his wife weighed down on him heavily. He looked at his fifteen year old son who held the photo of his mother and was sobbing in the corner.

People came and left, gave their condolences and hugged the little boy; but nothing comforted both father and son.

Standing up from the white carpet, with the copper pot in his hands he went to his son and sat beside him. The young boy leaned against his father and sobbed holding the copper pot that held his mother's ashes.

She was his world and now he had lost her. No one in the world could ever replace his mother.

"Maa," cried the boy unable to fathom her departure.

"Vikram," mumbled his father gently stroking the boys dark black hair, "Amruta wouldn't like it if you keep crying like this."

Vikram brushed off his tears and pretended that everything was fine. With the disposal of his mother's ashes in the river Ganga, both Pritviraj and Vikram began living a lonely life.

Though a year seemed to wiz by, the boy couldn't get over his mother's death.  He had steadily slipped into depression which led him into the taking of antidepressants.

Pritviraj on the other hand had busied himself in launching his start-up. A hotel industry which would take the world by storm. He soon began feeling the want of a partner and fell for a woman much younger than him.

"Your father is quite older than I am," she smiled at the man, "I won't get anything at all from such an unequal relationship."

Vikram, though uneasy with the concept of a stepmother had to convince the woman to marry his father. All he wanted was his father's happiness which rested on the woman he beheld.

Her glittering eyes held ambition and greed. Her dark mane neatly held in place with a band, her chocolate brown skin glistened under the LEDs in the cafe.

"I'm quite young," she said sipping the coffee in the mug, "well...I can't waste my youth for him..."

Vikram gulped hard, he had no idea why his father chose this woman above anyone else. Though Gayatri was a seductively beautiful woman, she always would check the possiblity of profit and loss before doing anything.

"My father is slipping into depression. He needs a life partner, which I believe he has found in you." Sighed Vikram as though agonized by the replacement of his mother in his father's life.

"I know," she whispered looking slightly distant, "I love him too, but what will happen to me and my child after Pritviraj?"

Vikram inhaled deeply, weighing the situation he said, "I promise you, the business shall belong to your son and their sons hereafter."

Gayatri, hid the smirk that threatened her lips, she was sure that Pritviraj's business would do well; and once her son would hold the business she would live in peace.

"Vikram," she mumbled mimicing pain in her voice, "the world doesn't work on promises but on proofs. Even if I believe you, my family won't trust you. Especially my father, who is a staunch believer in proof. If...you could...give this in... writing?"

He immediately complied with the request and took a legal undertaking of handing the business to Gayatri's first born.

Two years later Gayatri gave birth to twin boys. The older one perished soon after birth but the second son survived and was named Abhimanyu.

Soon after the boys birth, Pritviraj's business doubled and began doing much well. Rathore Enterprises began gaining the recognition and money it deserved. But tragedy soon befell the family with Pritviraj's death. Since Abhimanyu was still a minor, Vikram took charge to look after the business until the boy grew.

Days turned to months and months to years resulting in the growth of Abhimanyu. The young man wasn't anything like Vikram. He was irresponsible, pampered and had a high temprament.

Though Vikram never approved of his younger brother, he had no choice other than making him the owner and CEO of the company.

Before Abhimanyu could become CEO and owner of the company, he married Revati who gave birth to two sons- Darshit and Jaswant

Jaswant unfortunately was found to have Spastic Cerebral Palsy. At the age of three he developed Spastic Diplegia, crossing of the legs at the knees, which bounded him to the wheelchair for the rest of his life.

The birth of Darshit seemed to be more welcoming because he was a healthier child than his older brother. 

The distinction between the two brothers resulted in jealously and hatred in Jaswant's heart towards Darshit.

From here begins the story, the fight for recognition, a fight against two cousin's for rights and wants.
Here begins CHECKMATE...

When jealousy takes root, family and friends are never seen. All you see is a challenge which has to be conquered by all cost. That's when humanity is lost!