Meant To Be

Chapter 15

Veer released a heavy breath. His tone dripping regret. "The power I got trumped everything."

Looking out of the window with his back to me he continued, "People bent over backwards to please me. With every deal I made more money. I expanded Mauryas into every industry I deemed profitable. Before any one knew it the Maurya empire took over every industry it entered."

Veer went quite. He didn't speak for a while as if he was gathering enough energy to be able to speak the next few words. "Then like the name of my company. Karma came to bite me back." His tone was deep and soft again.

"One day when I was coming back from Banglore, someo-something made me realised what I had done." I noticed he didn't say what made him realise that. Even now I could see the heavy toll sharing this side of him on him. I was sure with time he would be able to tell that tale too.

Veer turned towards me. "When I flew back home from Banglore that day, Roohi had just come back from school. She saw me and rushed towards me. I picked her up and she started babbling about some day and some drawing she made then she showed me a drawing sheet," he said motioning to the gallery of photo frames.

He gave a me rueful smile. "She had drawn me as a hero. She thought i sold medicines that saved lives, machines that protected soldiers," Veer gave a humourless chuckle.

"And I thought-" Veer's voice caught, his Adam's apple bobbing. He breathed in and cleared his throat before speaking again, "l thought If Roohi ever knew what i really did, she would never look at me the same way. With those big bright eyes. With that same pride. It broke me to even more pieces than what I saw in Banglore." With closed eyes, Veer rubbed a hand over his face. His shoulders were slumped as leaned against the window. He looked so worn and lonely.

It tugged at my heart to see him so mentally exhausted.

The Veer the world knew was a tycoon. A storm, a force to be reckoned with, taking over anything he saw. They called him ruthless. But right now, he was just another human carrying the weight of his world on his shoulder.

When Veer opened his eyes again, they were filled with resolve. His deep voice was firm. Gentle but firm. "Six months of rigorous deals, buyouts and auctions later I shut down Karam Defence systems. I brought down the highly inflated prices of all chronic disease medicines i produced."

"Needless to say, I suffered huge lose. Almost 20,000 crore. It was a huge gamble. I could have lost everything. But for once the money didn't matter. I didn't care. I just wanted out," he said defiantly. A tinge of anger seeping into his features.

Veer didn't continue his story. But I knew it wasn't complete. Weapons and drugs are the only two industries in this world where you may enter willingly but you can't leave willingly. Atleast not without paying a price. Never unscathed. I knew how hot that fire was because I had been burnt.

"What did you give?" I asked quietly unsure if I will receive an answer.

"Californioum 252," Veer said without moving away from the window, "$500 million worth of Californium. (3.5K Cr)." My eyes widened. It wasn't the money. It was the element. The raw material needed to make californium was kept in very well protected zones. I couldn't imagine how he obtained so much of it.

"How did you make it in so much quantity?" I asked curiously.

"Contacts. One good that came out of those god forsaken deals was that l could get anything shifted out from anywhere irrespective of how high security its surroundings are." I didn't ask Veer who he contacted or whom did he sell it all to. He had already shared so much with me.

People like us don't have the luxury of sharing our worries or our burdens with anyone. The fear of the lure of money and power turning your most trusted people against you was too terrifying for most people to even try.