Story Sutra – Story 2 – Kaal: 499 and Counting: Chapter 10 – Kaal’s introduction to his wealth

Anurag

2 months ago

Kaal had no idea about the extent of his father’s wealth until this point. He only knew there was a substantial amount of money. Before Dhruv joined as his assistant, Kaal met Khan to discuss the property. He wanted to understand how much he possessed and learn how to manage it. To his shock, he had far more than he’d anticipated.

Chapter 10 – Kaal’s introduction to his wealth
Kaal had no idea about the extent of his father’s wealth until this point. He only knew there was a substantial amount of money. Before Dhruv joined as his assistant, Kaal met Khan to discuss the property. He wanted to understand how… pic.twitter.com/Vnelh3SknK
— Anurag (@LekhakAnurag) November 3, 2024

27 January 1990

Yesterday was far more interesting than I expected. I couldn’t find time to examine the sword collection and its records, but I’ll do that today. The entire day was spent discussing the properties I own. I knew we were rich but didn’t realise we were this wealthy. I could buy an island and live there peacefully, for crying out loud. But no people would mean no blood… and I’ve realised I can’t live without killing someone.

Khan showed me endless properties and businesses that Abba had built up over the past 35 years. I’m still in shock, but I’m not cut out for running businesses. Khan wants me to handle all the companies and properties, but that’s not for me. After many arguments, I decided every single property, except this society, will be sold off. I asked him to convert the money into gold. I don’t want to get involved with banks; it would jeopardise my privacy. I don’t want anyone knowing about me. Khan was furious.

I’ve also told him not to rent out anything for now. I want to demolish the society and rebuild it from scratch. I have a few ideas that would make my life easier. Khan wasn’t happy with this suggestion either, but he has no say in it, so he agreed. The only issue left to resolve is where I’m going to live while the society is rebuilt. I need to think about that.

29 January 1990

What an irritating day. Rastogi has issues with every decision of mine. He even objected to my carrying the Gupti with me to his clinic. I wasn’t going to kill him. Why would I? I like this piece of art, so I brought it along. But the fool thinks I might kill someone out of aggression. For a second, I did consider stabbing him. But anyway. I had to convince him that rebuilding the society was a good idea.

I still don’t know where I’ll live during construction, and I don’t intend to oversee it. I also don’t want local involvement in the construction. Abba had a construction company from the US that built a factory for him from scratch. Talking to Rastogi gave me the idea to look for information on that company or a similar one that could bring in workers from outside and build the society discreetly. Who wouldn’t want to be paid in gold, anyway?

Khan has asked for a day to gather the information. In the meantime, I’ll spend some time going through the records of the sword collection. My main goal is to find out which sword has been responsible for the most deaths. I’ll build a grand room in the new place for this collection, with that sword displayed with full honours—a tribute from one killer to another. How wonderful. Now, this is what makes me happy.

30 January 1990

What a collection. I’m shocked, thrilled, delighted, and amazed all at once. Nearly 60% of the swords belonged to my ancestors. What a lineage of killers I come from. Today, I learned that most of my forefathers from the 1600s to the 1900s were warriors in the Mughal Empire. It was only my grandfather and his two brothers who decided to leave the army and become businessmen.

In 1765, one of my great-grandfathers was the commander-in-chief for a ruler named Dilbagh Singh, a minor ruler with a small estate under Shah Alam. My great-grandfather, Waris Khan, was a brutal commander who conquered 65 villages around the estate and killed hundreds of warriors from other kingdoms. The ledger states that he killed a total of 45,366 men, women, and children in just ten years. His sword is in perfect condition, thanks to Abba’s obsession with preserving antiques.

There are many other swords, but none has shed as much blood. This sword will be the centrepiece of the sword room. This collection is the only family possession I’m keeping. Everything else will be sold. Khan has already started the process and estimates I’ll get around 300 crores in cash after the sales, which will amount to roughly 9,500 kg of gold. I couldn’t help but smile, watching Khan’s frustration at my decision, but this gold will serve as my currency from now on.

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“Sir, 9,500 kg of gold! How is it possible that no one noticed such a large quantity being bought at that time?” Kulbir Singh, a junior officer, was astonished by the amount of gold Kaal might have purchased.

I smiled. “That’s the beauty of this country, Kulbir. In the 1990s, nobody bothered with what others were doing. There were no strict laws in place back then. I’m sure he still owns a substantial portion of that gold and uses it for who knows what illegal activities.” Even if he retains half the gold he acquired at the time, he’d have over 1,000 crores worth of it now, given the rise in the price of the metal. We may never know what compelled him to convert all his assets into gold, but for a teenager, it was a wise and surprisingly sound decision.

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Disclaimer: All the stories under #StorySutra are works of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The author does not intend to malign any individual, group, or organisation.