chapter 3

Hospital Room - Day

Vijay Dior lay in his hospital bed, a once-commanding figure in the business world now reduced to a frail shadow of his former self. Despite the exhaustion etched across his face, there was a faint glimmer of improvement. The sterile scent of disinfectant mingled with the soft beeping of monitors, creating a cocoon of quiet recovery.

The door creaked open, and a HANDSOME MAN, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, slipped into the room. His name was Arjun, a trusted confidant and employee. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw his boss, seated at Vijay's bedside, deep in thought.

"Boss?" Arjun whispered, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Is that... Is that Mr. Vijay Dior?"

The man nodded, his eyes never leaving the frail figure on the bed.

Arjun's concern deepened, and he stepped closer, speaking in hushed tones. "Should we call his son, sir? He should be informed about this."

The boss turned to Arjun, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "No, Arjun. We won't call him. In fact, I have another plan in mind."

Arjun looked at him, intrigued yet cautious. "What should we do, sir?"

The man leaned in closer to Arjun, sharing his instructions in a quiet and determined voice. He had a plan to handle the situation delicately, ensuring Vijay Dior's well-being while avoiding unnecessary alarm.

As they continued their hushed conversation, their focus remained firmly on Vijay's recovery. The boss's plan was meticulous, aiming to protect Vijay without involving his son at this juncture, shielding the family from further distress until the situation was under control.

Aditya Dior's Elegant Living Room

Aditya Dior and Sonia sat in their luxurious living room, the soft glow of natural light streaming through the large windows, casting a warm hue over the elegant furnishings. The tranquility was abruptly shattered by the ringing of Aditya's phone. He quickly answered it, his expression shifting from calm to shock.

"What?" Aditya's voice was barely a whisper, yet it carried the weight of his disbelief.

Sonia, sitting nearby, watched her husband's reaction with growing concern as Aditya's face paled.

"Aditya, what's wrong? Who's calling?" Sonia's voice trembled with worry.

Aditya ended the call and placed the phone on the coffee table, his hands trembling slightly. "It was one of our men. He said there has been an accident. A man's face... it's been crushed badly. But he was wearing the clothes my father was wearing."

Sonia's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "What? But how is that possible?"

Aditya leaned forward, his mind racing with worry and confusion. "I don't know, Sonia. It's... it's impossible. But the clothes, they match what my father was wearing when he went missing."

Sonia and Aditya exchanged a worried glance, their thoughts swirling with the unsettling news. The discovery had thrown them into a state of deep concern and uncertainty, as they grappled with the implications of the call and the mystery that now surrounded Vijay Dior's disappearance.

Accident Scene

Aditya Dior arrived at the scene, his heart heavy with worry and anticipation. The location was cordoned off by the police, and flashing lights illuminated the area. He stepped out of his car and quickly spotted the police inspector in charge.

Aditya approached the INSPECTOR, who was overseeing the scene. "Inspector, I received a call about an accident here. Can you please tell me who the victim is? They mentioned it might be my father."

The Inspector regarded Aditya with a somber expression, aware of the gravity of the situation. "Sir, we found a man at this accident scene, but his face has been severely disfigured. We are taking his body to the hospital, where we will conduct a DNA test to establish his identity conclusively."

Aditya's heart sank. The uncertainty and the possibility of the accident victim being his father weighed heavily on him. "How long will the DNA test take, Inspector?"

"It may take some time, sir. We will expedite the process as much as possible, given the circumstances," the Inspector replied.

Aditya nodded, his mind filled with anxiety and hope for a conclusive answer. "Please, Inspector, do everything you can to determine the man's identity as soon as possible. We need to know the truth."

The Inspector acknowledged Aditya's request with a solemn nod. As the police and medical personnel continued their work at the accident scene, Aditya stood nearby, anxiously awaiting the results of the DNA test that would reveal whether the victim was indeed his father, Vijay Dior.

Hospital Morgue

Aditya Dior, his face etched with worry and anticipation, stood in the sterile and somber room within the hospital. The air was heavy with the weight of uncertainty as he waited for the results of the DNA test that would reveal the identity of the accident victim.

The DOCTOR, a seasoned professional, had been working meticulously on the examination of the deceased body. Hours passed, and Aditya's anxiety grew with each passing moment.

Finally, the Doctor emerged from the examination room, removing his gloves with a solemn expression. Aditya's heart raced as he locked eyes with the Doctor.

"Mr. Aditya Dior..." The Doctor's voice was soft, his expression grave.

Aditya's voice trembled as he braced himself for the news he both feared and needed to hear. "Doctor, please tell me. Is it my father?"

The Doctor nodded slowly, his voice gentle but filled with sorrow. "I'm truly sorry, Mr. Aditya Dior. The DNA test results confirm that the deceased individual is indeed your father, Mr. Vijay Dior."

Aditya's world shattered in that moment. Tears welled up in his eyes, and his breath caught in his throat. He struggled to process the devastating reality that his father was no longer alive. "No... No, this can't be... It can't be true..."

Tears streamed down Aditya's face as the weight of the loss washed over him. He reached out to steady himself, his emotions overwhelming him.

The Doctor and the hospital staff stood in solemn silence, offering their condolences to Aditya, who had just received the most heart-wrenching news of his life. The sterile walls of the hospital morgue seemed to close in around him, the cold reality of his father's death pressing down on his shoulders like a leaden shroud.

In the depths of his grief, Aditya clung to the hope that there had been a mistake, a misidentification. But the DNA results were irrefutable, leaving no room for doubt. His father, the formidable Vijay Dior, was gone. Aditya's mind whirled with memories of their last conversation, the unresolved tensions, and the words left unspoken.

As the Doctor gently led him out of the morgue, Aditya felt a hollow emptiness settle in his chest. The drive back to the mansion felt like a blur, each streetlight a ghostly echo of the vibrant life that had once been his father's. When he finally arrived home, Sonia was there to greet him, her face a mask of anxious anticipation.

"Aditya, what did they say?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Aditya's eyes, red-rimmed and filled with sorrow, met hers. "It's him, Sonia. The DNA confirmed it. My father is gone."

Sonia's hand flew to her mouth, stifling a sob. She rushed to embrace him, and together, they sank onto the living room sofa, holding each other as the weight of their grief settled over them like a suffocating fog.

In the days that followed, the Dior mansion became a place of mourning. Friends and family gathered to offer their condolences, their presence a small comfort in the face of such a monumental loss. Aditya found himself replaying the events of the past few days over and over, trying to piece together how it had all gone so wrong.

One evening, as he sat alone in his father's study, surrounded by the trappings of a life built on ambition and hard work, Aditya made a silent vow. He would honor his father's legacy, carrying forward the values and principles Vijay had instilled in him. Despite the pain, despite the loss, he would ensure that the Dior name continued to shine.

But as he stared at the framed photographs and the awards lining the walls, another thought gnawed at the edges of his mind. Who had his father been with in those final moments? And why had he been wearing someone else's clothes? The questions lingered, unanswered, casting a shadow over his grief.

For now, there was only one certainty: life had irrevocably changed, and it was up to Aditya to navigate the uncertain path ahead, driven by the memory of the man who had shaped him, for better or for worse.