"And the ball is soaring into the air... will it be a century? And yes! Kohli has done it!"
Kabir sat on the edge of the sofa, his eyes glued to the cricket match. Spread out on the table before him was a feast of popcorn, Maggi, and steaming spicy tea. It was a perfect evening. But suddenly, the rhythmic thud-thud-thud of heavy footsteps shattered the silence.
Kabir's hand froze on the remote. A cold bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. He instantly muted the TV, but the heavy thud of leather boots was now right behind him. He knew that sound. In a blind panic, Kabir threw the remote aside and began shoving the Maggi and popcorn under the sofa. In his haste, he missed a few kernels of popcorn scattered on the glass table.
As he reached for his tea, a shadow loomed over the table. Kabir looked up, his eyes meeting the polished shoes of his father. His hands trembled so violently that hot tea splashed onto his fingers. He didn't scream; he didn't even flinch. Swallowing the pain, he whispered, "Dad... would you like some tea?"
Standing before him was Vikram Raizada—the tycoon and CEO of the legendary 'Empire Group.'
Vikram's piercing gaze swept from Kabir's pale face to the popcorn on the table. His booming voice echoed through the room, "Is this all you're good for? Being a parasite in my house..."
Kabir remained silent, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists. Vikram stepped closer. Kabir stumbled back in fear, his foot hitting the plate of Maggi hidden under the sofa.
"What are you hiding?" Vikram roared.
"Nothing, Dad... it's just..."
"Show me!"
Vikram's shout paralyzed him. Ignoring his burnt hand, Kabir pulled out the plate of Maggi. Vikram's rage hit the ceiling. "Do you even care about your life? You're 34 years old! Do you plan on doing anything, or do you just want to be a burden like your father? A waste of space..."
Vikram stormed off. Kabir stood there, frozen. A single drop fell into his Maggi—but this time, it wasn't sweat. It was a tear of humiliation. Fuelled by rage, Kabir grabbed his bike keys and bolted out of the house.
As he stepped out, blinding camera flashes stung his eyes. His younger brother, Vinay Raizada, stood there, surrounded by the media. A reporter shoved a mic forward, "Vinay ji, at just 25, you've become the Chief Marketing Officer of Empire Group. Do you think you can handle such a big responsibility without much experience?"
Vinay flashed a confident, charismatic smile. "Who told you I don't have experience? I have the experience of youth. I know what today's generation wants. My business ideas are built for the future."
Vinay's speech continued, but the ground slipped from under Kabir's feet. His brother—nine years younger—was now the CMO, and he hadn't even been told?
With blurred vision, Kabir turned away. He couldn't listen anymore. He ran back inside the mansion—if you could even call this hellhole a home. He took the elevator and burst into a room where Nisha Raizada was getting ready.
"Mom... what is happening—"
Kabir stopped mid-sentence. Seeing his mother dressed up felt like looking at a bird in a golden cage. Nisha turned around. She was draped in a designer saree studded with diamonds, a heavy gold necklace, and massive earrings. She was dripping in wealth.
"Wow, Mom! Celebrating your son becoming the CMO?" Kabir's voice was dripping with bitterness.
"Of course, I'm happy. Aren't you happy for your brother?"
Kabir cut her off. "I'm not. No one even bothered to tell me."
"Beta, I wanted to tell you, but I didn't want another fight. I didn't want to ruin the mood. It's okay... you know now. Go and get ready."
"Get ready? For what?" Kabir let out a hollow laugh.
"For the function! It's a huge day for the family."
"Family? Really?" Kabir shouted. "Am I even part of this family? Your husband doesn't consider me a son, your son doesn't see me as a brother, and your daughter doesn't even think I'm human!"
"No, Kabir..."
"Yes!" he screamed, his voice cracking with unshed tears. "I live in hell! Only because of you!" He pointed a trembling finger at her. "I've started hating myself. Why did you even give birth to me? You should have killed me instead. Anything is better than this life!"
He grabbed his mother's hand. "Mom... I'm only here for you. I trusted every promise you made. I wasted 34 years on that trust. Please, do something now. I'm your blood too! Just one chance... I need to get out of this hell."
Suddenly, that same heavy voice boomed from behind.
"Hell? So you think this house is hell?"
A shiver ran down Kabir's spine. He slowly turned around. Vikram Raizada stood there, his eyes bloodshot with fury.
"Do you have any idea how important today is for this empire?" Vikram snarled. "My younger son has reached a milestone, the whole country is singing his praises... and you? You're sitting here cursing him? Casting your evil eye on his success?"
"Dad, I didn't—" Kabir's voice died in his throat.
"Shut up!" Vikram grabbed a hockey stick leaning in the corner. His grip tightened around it. "I won't let you go today! You're jealous of your brother? You want his place? How dare you spread this gloom on his big day!"
Vikram swung the hockey stick through the air and lunged. Kabir's legs gave out. He stumbled back, cornered against the wall, trembling like a helpless child.
"Vikram! No! Stop!" Nisha screamed, trying to grab Vikram's arm. "Let him go... he made a mistake! He's just a boy!"
"He's not a boy, he's a snake I've been feeding!" Vikram threw Nisha aside. His eyes were locked on Kabir. "I'm ending this today. No more burden, no more bad luck for my Vinay!"
Vikram raised the hockey stick high. Kabir squeezed his eyes shut, shielding his face with his arms. He heard the whistle of the stick slicing through the air...
Will Vikram's blow end Kabir's life? Or will a new twist emerge from this fire of hatred?