"The Scars of Om: A Journey Beyond Pain"

As Om Ahuja introduced himself, saying, "I'm Om Ahuja. Dr. Vijay Ahuja is my uncle," the girl at the counter stared at him in surprise. She was thinking to herself, "Dr. Vijay has such a handsome nephew, but I've never seen you before."

Om, who had developed the ability to read minds, heard her thoughts. Although his face showed no emotion, Om was gradually slipping into the memories of his painful past. His childhood was full of sorrow, and those memories began to play out before him like a vivid dream.

He remembered the time when he was a young boy, returning home from school, completing his homework, and playing in the evening. The night was about to fall when the door to his house opened, and a few men in black suits entered, accompanied by an elderly man. The old man slowly approached Om, sat beside him, and with a gentle smile, said, "Son, your parents have gone away for a while, and you'll need to stay with me for a few days. Will you come with me?"

Hearing this, little Om nodded, and the man picked him up, carrying him out of the house.

Young Om was not prepared to hear the tragic news of his parents' death, and that's why the old man, who worked with his parents, told him such a comforting lie. The next day, it was raining, and Om's parents' funeral was taking place. The entire family was present, but a somber silence loomed over them.

Later, the old man was seen talking to Om's two uncles in a separate room. Om was sitting near the table, listening quietly. The old man was trying to convince Om's uncles to take responsibility for his upbringing.

"You see, that child is very young," the old man said. "He needs proper care, especially now that he's lost his parents. You both are his uncles. If not you, then who else will take care of him?"

Om's elder uncle, who was standing quietly in the corner of the room, finally spoke up in a calm voice, "I understand that Om needs parental love right now. But if I take him in, my wife will leave me with our children. I would never wish harm upon Om, but please forgive me, sir. If I bring him into my home, my life will be ruined. I'm sorry, but I can't take Om in. However, Vijay, you could look after the child."

Om's younger uncle, who was standing beside the elder one, erupted in anger, "Are you out of your mind, Manoj Bhaiya? What effect will this orphan and poor boy have on my family? As it is, I have enough problems to deal with; why should I burden myself with another one? Moreover, you know very well how I felt about his father. The best I can do is let him visit my family once or twice a year, but I won't do anything beyond that."

Hearing Vijay's harsh words, Manoj softened his tone and said, "But Vijay... are we just going to abandon this innocent child to die?"

Vijay, with a disdainful glance at the old man, retorted, "No, absolutely not. Those for whom his parents gave their lives will be the ones to take care of this child."

With that, Vijay stormed out of the room. Manoj, after gently placing his hand on Om's head, turned to the old man and said, "Sir, please... look after him."

He then apologized to Om and left. After that, the old man arranged for a kind-hearted woman to take care of Om at his home and then left on his way. From that day on, Om would sit at the door every day, waiting for his parents to return. After school, he would rush home, sit by the door, and wait, his heart filled with hope. Every night, he would go to bed in sorrow, and sometimes, he would even fall asleep by the door, waiting.

The woman appointed by the old man took good care of Om for many years, acting as a mother figure to him. Despite the care and love she gave, Om's childhood was still filled with pain. Growing up without parents, feeling alone despite having a family, was a heavy burden on his young heart. At an age when children are meant to play and enjoy life, Om faced unimaginable hardships. His experiences were so harsh that most people would shudder at the mere thought of them. But Om endured it all, proving his resilience, though no one truly understood the depth of his sorrow.

Om was lost in these thoughts when suddenly, he heard someone calling his name. He snapped back to reality, realizing it was the girl from the counter. She was trying to get his attention.

"Yes, ma'am? What happened?" Om asked, startled.

The girl smiled and said, "Dr. Vijay has asked you to come to his office."

She stepped out from behind the counter and began walking toward the office, saying, "This way, please."

Om nodded with a smile and followed her. On the way, she flirted with him, saying, "You look more like a movie star than a regular guy."

Om responded innocently, "Thank you, ma'am."

Continuing to flirt, she asked, "So, how many girlfriends do you have?"

In his usual, sincere manner, Om replied, "None, actually. I don't really talk to girls much."

Amused by his innocence, she said, "Oh, so you're single... that's good to know."

Om chose to ignore her flirtatious comments. By then, they had reached their destination. The girl left Om outside Dr. Vijay's office and walked away. Taking a deep breath, Om looked at the office door, then stepped inside.

The room was empty except for Dr. Vijay, who was seated at his desk. As Om entered, Dr. Vijay looked him up and down, his eyes scanning him from head to toe. However, there was no sign of emotion on Dr. Vijay's face, no recognition, no warmth.