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The Dark Passenger - Chapter 2
The Reckoning
For the next three years, life with Swapna was a joy I had never anticipated. At first, she struggled with simple tasks, from tying her shoes to organizing her schoolwork. But each small victory was a triumph. I took the time to patiently teach her these skills, praising her every time she made progress.
"Look, Dad, I did it!" she would exclaim, her eyes lighting up with pride whenever she mastered a new skill.
Yes, she calls me "Dad" now. The first time she said it, a strange feeling washed over me. It was unfamiliar yet comforting, like something I didn't know I needed. I enjoyed it more than I expected, and soon, I got used to it. I never told her not to call me that.
"Well done, Swapna," I would reply, ruffling her hair affectionately. "You're getting better every day."
Our home, once a quiet and solitary place, was now filled with her laughter and the warmth of her presence. I found myself enjoying the routine of caring for her, sharing meals, and helping her with schoolwork. In return, she brought a sense of purpose to my life that I hadn't felt before.
I continued to raise Swapna as my own, teaching her the same lessons my father had instilled in me. "Always act as a good person, but remember to be selfish and never trust anyone," I would tell her. Though these teachings were harsh, I believed they were necessary to prepare her for the world's realities.
As she grew older, Swapna began to take on more responsibilities around the house. Her progress in school was remarkable. She was quick to learn and often brought home glowing reports from her teachers. I couldn't have been prouder.
While my life with Swapna was full of joy, my business was also experiencing significant growth. However, the reality of my financial success was far from what it appeared on the surface. Officially, the profits were modest, just enough to cover the costs and salaries. But beneath the surface, I had built a lucrative operation that most of my competitors could only dream of.
The real reason behind my wealth was carefully hidden from the outside world. I had become adept at laundering money for major corporations, making legitimate-looking transactions that concealed the true nature of my operations. These corporations placed substantial orders with my company, but in reality, the shipments were often nothing more than empty boxes. Only I and the heads of these corporations knew the truth.
The arrangement was mutually beneficial but risky. The big corporations I dealt with often spiraled into bankruptcy, taking massive loans from banks and siphoning these funds over time to accounts in other countries before finally filing for insolvency. I understood the...
For the next three years, life with Swapna was a joy I had never anticipated. At first, she struggled with simple tasks, from tying her shoes to organizing her schoolwork. But each small victory was a triumph. I took the time to patiently teach her these skills, praising her every time she made progress.
"Look, Dad, I did it!" she would exclaim, her eyes lighting up with pride whenever she mastered a new skill.
Yes, she calls me "Dad" now. The first time she said it, a strange feeling washed over me. It was unfamiliar yet comforting, like something I didn't know I needed. I enjoyed it more than I expected, and soon, I got used to it. I never told her not to call me that.
"Well done, Swapna," I would reply, ruffling her hair affectionately. "You're getting better every day."
Our home, once a quiet and solitary place, was now filled with her laughter and the warmth of her presence. I found myself enjoying the routine of caring for her, sharing meals, and helping her with schoolwork. In return, she brought a sense of purpose to my life that I hadn't felt before.
I continued to raise Swapna as my own, teaching her the same lessons my father had instilled in me. "Always act as a good person, but remember to be selfish and never trust anyone," I would tell her. Though these teachings were harsh, I believed they were necessary to prepare her for the world's realities.
As she grew older, Swapna began to take on more responsibilities around the house. Her progress in school was remarkable. She was quick to learn and often brought home glowing reports from her teachers. I couldn't have been prouder.
While my life with Swapna was full of joy, my business was also experiencing significant growth. However, the reality of my financial success was far from what it appeared on the surface. Officially, the profits were modest, just enough to cover the costs and salaries. But beneath the surface, I had built a lucrative operation that most of my competitors could only dream of.
The real reason behind my wealth was carefully hidden from the outside world. I had become adept at laundering money for major corporations, making legitimate-looking transactions that concealed the true nature of my operations. These corporations placed substantial orders with my company, but in reality, the shipments were often nothing more than empty boxes. Only I and the heads of these corporations knew the truth.
The arrangement was mutually beneficial but risky. The big corporations I dealt with often spiraled into bankruptcy, taking massive loans from banks and siphoning these funds over time to accounts in other countries before finally filing for insolvency. I understood the...
