2 hours earlier.
Anushka entered the main gate of Bendilani Group of Companies headquarters, her spirit weighed down by grief. Her employee tag spared her from the usual protocol at the three checkpoints, allowing her to move quickly toward the reception desk.
"Morning, Miss Janice," she greeted softly, managing a faint smile.
"Good morning, Miss Shah," Janice replied warmly. "How are you today?"
"Quite fine, and you?" Anushka answered.
"I should say I'm fine," Janice responded, her smile tinged with sympathy.
Anushka nodded and began to walk away, but Janice's voice halted her. "Miss Shah," she called out, her tone more somber. "We've arranged transport to the burial. It will leave in about three hours. Join us, if you don't mind."
Anushka paused, her heart tightening at the mention of the funeral. "Alright," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
The death of Alice Bendilani weighed heavily on her, leaving her hesitant about attending the burial. As she stepped into the elevator and it ascended, her thoughts drifted back to Alice—the woman she had admired for so long, the reason she had chosen this path.
Why now? Why had fate been so cruel as to take her role model away just when Anushka had finally joined her company? She had dreamed of meeting Alice Bendilani in person, of learning from her brilliance. But now, that dream would never materialize—not in the way she had hoped.
The elevator doors opened, pulling her from her reverie. Anushka walked down the hallway, stopping at the office door. She fished the key out of her pocket—Mark had entrusted her with a copy—and entered. Letting the door close softly behind her, she sighed and sank into the ergonomic chair. The silence of the room enveloped her as her thoughts took another turn.
Jerry. She thought of him. She had met him only once, yet she already felt a connection. How was he holding up now that he'd lost his mother? The pain he must be feeling tugged at her heartstrings.
Then there was Mark. Their first encounter had been anything but cold, yet she couldn't help but empathize with him. Her mother's voice echoed in her mind: "Always repay coldness with kindness; you never know what someone is going through." Mark wasn't evil—just distant, perhaps hurt in ways she couldn't yet understand.
A strange, inexplicable pull urged her to comfort him, as though it was her responsibility. She felt it deep within, this connection she couldn't quite place. "I must go to the funeral," she whispered to herself, determined.
Her phone rang, jolting her back to the present. She pulled it from her pocket and sighed as she saw the caller ID. *Mom.*
"Mom… not again," she muttered under her breath before answering. "Hello, Ma," she said, trying to mask her sadness.
"So, when are you coming back home? Did you find a job?" her mother asked, her tone sharp and insistent.
"Yes," Anushka replied, a pang of guilt already forming in her chest.
"What?!" her mother exclaimed, her voice rising with excitement. "Where? Which position?" she pressed impatiently.
Anushka hesitated. Telling the truth wasn't an option; her mother would never understand her unconventional path. So, she lied.
"I got a job at Bendilani Group of Companies… as a business analyst," she said, forcing the words out with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"Wow! I'm so proud of you, sweetheart!" her mother said, her voice filled with pride and barely contained giggles of delight.
Anushka closed her eyes briefly, the weight of her lie settling on her. "Thanks, Mom," she said softly, knowing this was the only way to keep her mother at bay—for now.
*********
Mark sat in the driver's seat, his hands gripping the wheel tightly, his expression as unreadable as ever. Jacqueline sat quietly beside him, her gaze fixed out the window. In the back, Jerry and I sat in silence, the weight of unspoken grief pressing down on us like a heavy blanket. The only sound in the car came from the occasional chime of Jerry's phone notifications.
For three days now, Emily had been unreachable. Monica, too, had vanished without a word. Their absences added to the hollow emptiness that filled the air around us.
The silence was broken by the soft ping of Jerry's phone.
Emily: So that's what you think of me?
Jerry: Like really, why are you ghosting me?
Emily: It's not what you think. I needed time.
Jerry: I thought we were in this together. Em, I need you. I can't do this without you. Do you even care about me— even a bit?
Emily: Jerry, it hurts. It really hurts. I knew I couldn't comfort you enough. My presence would only break you more. But I care, Jerry. I care.
Jerry: Then don't keep doing this.
Jerry sighed, putting his phone down as the screen dimmed. His usual playfulness and charm had been replaced by a somber shadow. None of us said anything. What was there to say? The loss of Mom had left a void none of us knew how to fill.
Dad, Emily, and Grandpa were already at the funeral. The journey stretched on, each passing minute amplifying the dread in my chest. It wasn't just the thought of the funeral that terrified me—it was the reality of facing Mom's lifeless form.
After about an hour, the car pulled into the lot. My stomach churned as my eyes landed on the small white tent ahead. Beneath it, centrally placed, was Mom's casket. The sight of it twisted a knife deep into my heart.
I felt a sudden, overwhelming urge to run. To escape this nightmare, to pretend none of it was real. But there was no escaping it—Mom was gone, and all I could do was face the harsh reality of her absence.