Chapter 01

AUTHOR'S POV

Rain poured down hard on Tobias Ashford, whose black hair were sticking to his forehead covering his chocolate brown mesmerising eyes, that screamed emptiness. The raindrops traced his straight pointed nose and trailed down to his perfectly shaped thick lips, then finally washed over his all black fitted suit.

Standing there, he stared blankly at the coffin that was being placed in the grave dugged for Ryan Ashford, none other than his father. He died in the prison two days ago and the cause was heart attack. Atleast, that's what was told to the press but the deep gashes in his dead wrists told another story. He commited suicide.

Tobias tried to cry or feel anything, but all he could do was stare at the coffin as the men started pouring wet sand on it.

Life was still not done punishing him and he had a whole lot to pay before life and fate decided that it was really enough.

Or maybe, Fate and Life were never going to say that it was finally enough. He was going to be punished till the day he died somewhere and then he was going to be put in a grave just like this. The only difference on his funeral was going to be absence of any person he knew.

It was cruel. But it was true.

He blinked and an unwanted tear fell down his eye. All alone for so many years had really changed him. He was unable to feel connected to anyone now. He just missed them and yearned for them, even if he knew that he did not deserve anyone in his life.

Footsteps sounded from beside him and he turned his head to meet the eyes of the awfully familiar figure who was dressed in a black suit with a black dress shirt and a black tie underneath. He was holding an umbrella over his head to prevent getting soaked in the rain, contrary to Tobias who did not care about these things anymore.

“ Tobias. ” Cole called out to Tobias and he emotionlessly nodded his head back at him. They were bestfriends once but now, they had such a huge distance between them that was never going to be crossed again in this life.

“ I am sorry for your loss. ” Cole bowed his head down and conveyed his condolences but it did not affect Tobias, who turned his head to watch the sand covering the grave now.

And just like this, another person was gone from his life. His father Ryan Ashford. They really did not have a good relationship with each other. All his life, Tobias watched his mother rule over his father. He watched him keeping his mouth shut and never really intervening in anything regarding Tobias's life. Tobias was either free to do as he pleased because his parents were too busy or his mother Amanda Ashford decided what he was supposed to do.

“ Thank you for coming... ” Tobias turned his head back at Cole, who was silently standing by his side now “ Cole. ”

“ I had to come, Tobias. We are friends. ” Glancing at Tobias, Cole let out in a hushed tone that hinted at his lack of confidence in his own statement.

“ Yes. Ofcourse. We are friends... ” Tobias whispered out and smiled, even if he wanted to just cry. He wanted to complain and ask him about why he did not remember this a little earlier, but he knew it was all his fault. He was not in a position to ever question anyone else. Not his friends. Not his family either.

As the men left after closing the grave, Tobias stepped forth in the rain leaving Cole to gaze at his back pitifully.

Staring at the new headstone, Tobias's mind was caught up in a few words. ' Beloved father of Tobias Ashford ' A sad smile made it's way up his lips and he sighed out.

Maybe it was not a lie. Maybe Ryan Ashford was really his beloved father.

Even if Tobias sent him to prison to begin with. Even if Tobias was the reason behind his suicide. Tobias still loved him from some corner of his heart.

Shaking his head, Tobias took out his glasses from his pocket and gazed up at the raining sky for a moment. It was turning dark as clouds covered all the light. Maybe, the sky was shedding tears instead of him.

Looking down, Tobias glanced at the grave for the last time and wore his glasses. He had a long journey ahead. A tiring one.

Turning around, Tobias nodded his head at Cole and forced a smile up his lips before walking near him. He was not expecting anyone to come, but Cole did and he was more than just grateful for that.

Stopping by him, Tobias patted his shoulder in a friendly manner. “ Goodbye, Cole. Thanks for coming again. I am really glad to see you after so long. ” He kept the smile plastered over his face to convince Cole of his not-so-hurting-heart.

Surprisingly, Cole grabbed his arm and pulled him in for a hug, that made Tobias gulp. “ You have changed so much, Tobias. You don't feel like the Ash we knew. ”

Tobias sighed out heavily and patted Cole's back awkwardly. He did not know how to answer it except for saying what he said next “ Everything and Everyone changes with time. ”

Pulling away from the hug, Tobias observed the sad smile on Cole's lips which made him return it with one of his own smile, that never reached his eyes now.

“ I have to go back now. ” Tobias stepped back and pushed his cold hands into his pant's pockets. Thankfully, he was wearing the sunglasses so Cole was unable to see the dejected look in his eyes.

“ I shouldn't hold you back. Take Care of yourself and come to meet me sometime again. ” Cole shifted the umbrella in his left hand and raised his hand to pat Tobias's upper arm.

“ Sure. Goodbye, Cole. ” Nodding his head, Tobias started walking only to hear Cole's words “ Goodbye, Tobias. ” He wanted to stop, turn back and then ask Cole to hug him again, but he knew it was unnecessary and foolish. Their friendship fell apart - a long time ago and now no matter what he wanted, it did not matter.

Cole stared at Tobias's disappearing back feeling sad about what happened to all of them. His phone vibrated in his pocket and he took it out. Seeing the caller Id, he picked it up and placed it beside his ear “ Is he alright? ” Dylan's worried voice appeared from the speaker and Cole's eyes shot up to glance at Tobias, who was not there anymore.

It was like he was never there to begin with. “ I don't think he is alright. But he will be, some day. ” Saying this, Cole disconnected the call and pushed the phone back in his pocket

He shook his head in disappointment and started walking away. They all were suffering silently on their own and no one was ready to address it.

But they all had someone by their side, while Tobias Ashford was all alone. On his own. For a long time now.

●●●●●●●●

Tobias was sitting in the waiting room of the prison. The glass and reciever in front of him was what he was staring at blankly. The door on the other side of the glass opened and a police officer stepped inside before his mother, Amanda Ashford appeared in prisoner's clothes.

Silently, she came and sat down on the chair, placed on the other side of the glass wall that was separating them from each other.

“ You didn't come to the funeral, Mom. ” Instead of asking, he declared it in a sad tone and glanced down at his hands.

“ I don't want to see you. ” His mother's voice fell in his ears and he raised his head again to stare at her.

“ I know. ” He nodded his head.

“ I hate you. ” She added viciously, trying to hurt him again.

“ Everyone does. ” Tobias smiled sadly, not finding it in him to get angry at her.

“ YOU SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN BORN! ” Amanda Ashford slammed her hand on the glass wall and got up, shouting at him furiously. “ I SHOULD HAVE KILLED YOU WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD! ” Hysterically, her voice started to get higher which made the police officer standing by the door to rush inside.

“ YOU ARE A CURSE TO ME - TO US! YOU RUINED EVERYTHING. WE DID EVERYTHING FOR YOU AND YOU DESTROYED ALL OF IT. YOU WILL NEVER BE HAPPY, YOU UNGRATEF- ” The guard started dragging Amanda Ashford out of the room, who was thrashing and screaming at Tobias on top of her lungs.

Sitting there emotionlessly, he kept staring at her until they took her away. It was nothing new or he would have really felt angry, hurt and depressed maybe.

But now...It was only emptiness.

Getting up from the chair, he started walking out of there. He had a flight to catch and a company to look after. It was the only thing he had in his life now.

He built it from the scratch and made his way up the corporate world once again.

As for what his mother said, she was right.

He should have never been born.

Or she should have just killed him when he was a child.

It would have been better that way.

Not for him. But for everyone near him.