12: The Will Document

"You bitches! Get in line!" the prison guard yelled, brandishing her wooden stick.

The prisoners in the dining hall, jolted by the guard's shout and the threat of the stick, scrambled into a queue for lunch. Siri, still struggling to adapt to prison life after two months, was jostled between inmates.

A prisoner shoved Siri from behind, pushing her into the woman in front. The woman in front, enraged, slapped Siri hard across the face. Siri, the weakest among them, couldn't withstand the blow and fell to the ground, slightly out of the food line. She lost consciousness. The other inmates gathered around her, murmuring but making no move to help.

The guard rushed to Siri's side and checked her pulse. Finding no immediate cause for alarm, just a small head injury and a red mark on her cheek, she called for backup.

The emergency team carried Siri to an ambulance.

"It's been a while since I've enjoyed a proper tea. Thank you, Uncle!" Karthik said to his family lawyer. The lawyer, about his father's age, had worked closely with them on all their business matters.

They were having tea on the tenth-floor balcony, overlooking the city's skyline. The balcony featured a green grass mat and several bonsai plants spaced evenly apart.

"We haven't had a proper discussion since my father's death," Karthik continued.

"Hmm, yes. Everything happened so quickly. I didn't want to burden you with long meetings. And I was tied up with my own schedule. I'm sorry about that," the lawyer replied.

"I understand, Uncle. Actually, I came to see you today for a reason."

"Tell me."

"Since my father's death, I haven't been involved in any business dealings. I'm not even sure about the properties and other assets. I want to take charge and continue the family legacy."

"That's good to hear, Karthik."

"Thanks, Uncle! But before that, I need to make sure there are no legal obstacles in my way. I need my father's last will and testament."

"You want it right now?" The lawyer hesitated.

"Is there a problem, Uncle?"

"No! No, not at all. You're the only heir. Why would there be a problem with handing over your inheritance? You stay here. I'll get the papers."

The lawyer placed his teacup on the table and went into his adjacent office. The office and balcony were separated by a one-way mirror. The balcony was visible from inside the closed office, but from the balcony, the glass appeared as a mirror.

The lawyer opened his personal safe, took out a folder, and locked the safe again. He checked on Karthik through the one-way glass. Karthik was waiting patiently. He took his phone from his pocket and dialled a number, but there was no answer. He tried a few more times, with the same result. He shrugged.

"Who were you trying to reach, Uncle?" Karthik asked, suddenly behind him.

The lawyer jumped, startled, and turned around. His phone slipped from his sweaty hand and fell to the floor, the screen facing upwards, revealing the name "Rishi."

Karthik stared at his uncle, his expression a mixture of disbelief and rage.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Uncle. Rishi is permanently out of reach. He's dead."

The lawyer broke into a cold sweat.

"Please don't kill me! I'm old enough to be your father," he pleaded.

Karthik snatched the documents from the lawyer's trembling hands and began to read. As he expected, the will named Rishi as the sole heir to his father's fortune.

He glared at the terrified old man and pulled a small revolver from his back, near the base of his spine. He aimed it at his uncle.

"Don't make me waste a bullet, Uncle. The next words out of your mouth had better be the truth."

"I will, Karthik! I promise!"

The old man began his story.

"Two days after your father's death, Rishi came to me with these papers. I told him they weren't the originals. I even showed him the real will, which left everything to you. He tore it up, burned it, and then offered me ten percent of the company. I refused at first. But my loyalty to your father… it didn't last."

"Did Rishi kill my father?"

"I asked him the same question. He said no! But when I mentioned your possible reaction to the will, he just shrugged. He said, 'If Karthik comes after us, I'll reveal the name of his father's killer. He'll go crazy, and that'll be punishment enough.'"

"Did he reveal the killer's name?"

"No! He said it was his trump card, to be used only when necessary."

The old man finished his story.

Karthik stared at him, his face hard. He tore up the forged will and threw the pieces on the floor. He took out a cigarette, lit it, and then threw the lighter onto the torn papers. The flames quickly turned them to ash.

"I don't want any more blood on my hands, Uncle. From this moment, you're no longer associated with my company or any of my affairs. I'm letting you go. Disappear. Stay far away from me."

With this chilling warning, Karthik walked out of the room, taking a drag from his cigarette.

As he exited the lawyer's residence, his phone rang.

"Hello?" Karthik answered.