Reborn (Releasing January 2024)

Chapter 3

Is it death...or a memory?

She saw lights, She saw people, but she couldn't understand any of it. A baby they said. She could have had a baby, but with barely 6 months to live and a body damaged to the core, she knew it was impossible. The loss was real nonetheless.

"I wanted to relieve myself of what is to come early on but I don't deserve that. not anymore. Maybe I deserve to die bit by bit now." she whispered to herself. making an effort to stand.

This doesn't seem to be a hospital. She may have manipulatively been confined at a house for the past 10 years but she saw the world enough to be able to tell apart a hotel suite and a hospital VIP room.

she pried open the drawer nearby and found a matchbox in there.

"Royal Hotel, it says" To think that she would wake up here of all places. she got down from the queen-sized bed and noticed that her surroundings were too quiet and human-less for someone who had just woken up from a comma. or was it some dysfunction of a sort? She faintly remembers hearing a doctor explain her situation-

The guy! Yes the guy from earlier, whoever it was, it wasn't Samarth, and definitely not a stranger judging by his tone and concern. so where is he now? outside? is it safe to go outside?

knock knock

"you're awake?"

The tall woman who came into her room on her own accord- right afterward- seemed to be familiar.
"you seem to be good now." Now that she thinks about it, the girl resembles an assistant she used to have back in her office days.

Wait! Didn't she get into an accident with Natasha?!

"I was expecting you to be passed out or hungover with a ton of bottles by the bedside. I mean who would not after w- Oh my god, look at the time-"

10:15

"what's wrong with it?"

"everything. get a quick shower and meet me at the conference room below. and yes, I've already placed the notes for today's collaborations in the study."

"but-"

"See, I know you have a lot on your plate right now, but pretty please be there on time, we can't afford to be late here."

*

something's wrong. something is definitely wrong here. she shouldn't be sitting in a conference with so many people. people shouldn't be presenting business proposals to a person who just escaped death. her former assistant- late former assistant- shouldn't be here passing her smiles. And her dad definitely shouldn't be here, looking as if he hasn't aged a bit.

as far as she can remember, she saw him last when he was about to leave the business frontlines to her sister, Natasha. and if that's true, then why is he sitting here in a conference room? more importantly, why is she here?

In a conference that is supposed to decide the budget of all the major projects of their group, why is she even involved at this point, as someone who lost both her position and shares long ago?

Are these perhaps her lingering attachments, or a last dream sort of, maybe because she wanted to be back here all this time? The board, the meetings, the projects, the deadlines, that's where real mukti singhaniya was. maybe she should try to live this while it lasts, even if it's a dream.

"what do you think, Mukti?"

"huh?" it's her dad.

"Are you here?"

"yes, sorry, I was just... distracted for a moment. Can you repeat?"

"I asked if you think this can work?" she quickly glanced at the slides in front and tried finding something related from the notes she got in the morning.
"Nevermind then-"

"It won't!"

"We can't do this, It won't work," she continued.

"and why do you think that my lady?" sarcasm? after blatantly trying to rip us off

"While social media is a promising marketing option with a lot of potential, It still isn't worth a separate campaign. with the number of existing users, It'll benefit the site more than it'll benefit us, the advertisers."

"Seems about right," her dad affirmed. "I hope that answers your question."

"Let us resume in the evening now, for the final report. You all may go now. " her dad said, about an hour later. It's been a hectic meeting so the break was very much welcome. The stakeholders and other people involved left one by one and Mukti was busy trying to figure out her surroundings.

"And Mukti, may I have a moment?"

"Sure." It was more of a reflex than an answer.

"Do a background check on Mr Mukherjee and get the notes delivered by evening." Her dad wasn't empathetic in the slightest, even in a dream.

"I will try to get it sorted before we resume."

"Okay." he seemed the same.

"Dad."

did you miss me?

"do you have anything else to say?" he asked.

the same eyes.

all those years, did you ever miss me?

"No," she said at last.

"I'll see you in the meeting then, with Mukherjee's information," he added as his secretary handed him his cell phone while whispering furiously, something about an upcoming mine project.

Just like that, he left and she was still there. Like all those years ago, when he claimed to be at her side, willing to stand by his daughter at the expense of truth he seemed fit.

but when does this end? she thought to herself. because if it doesn't then she has to present meeting notes to her devil of a father in less than an hour. She doesn't even remember anything, let alone making notes.

"You're still here?" the girl from earlier. smriti was it?

"how much did you have to drink to be this hungover?" she sounded like a mother, disappointed at her child's grades.

"can't I have the rest of today off?" dream or not, she still wasn't ready to face her father emptyhanded.
"you don't need to"

"But I didn't note down anything"

"I borrowed those, on your behalf of course."

"What? from who?"

"a newbie, I don't remember the name anymore but that's not important. what's important is that Miss Singh was asking for you."

"what for?"

"I don't know, I guess you'll have to figure by yourself because this pretty assistant of yours is off to enjoy her break."