End of Suffering

"Think it through, son. Are you sure about what you are saying and trying to do?' asked Tim to his son Ron.

Ron was furious with rage dripping from his eyes. He was moving to and fro in the drawing-room. The entire family assembled in the living room after hearing what Ron was about to do. This step that Ron was firm on taking will ruin the future of the two families. 

'Take time Bro. Do not hurry into such decisions. Think about it.' advised Mike, Ron's elder brother.

'I have thought through this many times. This is my final decision.'

'It will shatter her heart. What about the relation of our families?' 

Tim stood up after saying that. 

Ron was moving too and fro in the living room. Tim stopped him. Tears fell from Tim's eyes as he made an emotional appeal to Ron, 'Don't you know, how close are the families. This marriage would have strengthened the relationship between these two families. Don't do it, son. Think about your mother. What he will think about this decision of yours.'

'It was her dream to marry you with Jane. You should know that how she teased you by calling you Jane's husband instead of Ron. She always wanted to see both of you together.' said Mike 

'Mother was an angel, and she always wanted the best of us all. But, for now, she is not here, and I have decided to cancel my engagement with Jane.'

'Don't do it. Mother is watching this from the heaven, and she would not be happy with this decision of yours.' cautioned Mike

'She knows what is better for the entire family. Until she breathed, she always took my side. She will never leave my side, even from heaven.'

'Do you know what are you blabbing?' asked Tim while wiping his tears.

'Are you having an affair with another woman?' asked Rachel. Mike's wife.

'No, and before you ask, no, Jane is also not having an affair. She is faithful, and the one marrying her would be a lucky guy. But, I am not going to marry her. It is my final decision.' said Ron

'How can you not see that what will be the consequence of this decision.'

'I know, our business relies on them. We have to maintain that familial ties for the sake of our business. And this marriage will make sure that the family ties remain strong forever for the sake of sustenance of our business.'

A tight slap echoed the room and reddened the face of Ron. Tim was furious, and that furiousness was visible on his palm and Ron's cheek. 

Two minutes of complete silence, as no one spoke a word after that slap. Even Ron sat on the sofa without uttering a word.

Tim was feeling guilty after hitting his son.

'You see this marriage as a business tie and nothing more than that? Isn't it. It is more than that, Ron. It is called friendship in this world and very few have true friends in this greedy world. Jane's dad is one of my true friends and canceling this engagement would be a slap to that precious friendship.'

'You worry about your friendship, let me worry about finding my life partner with whom I have to spend the rest of my life.' said Ron

'So, your decision is final?'

'Yes.'

'Then, I have also decided. I will accept you as my son only if you marry Jane. Otherwise, I will disavow you and you will have no family in this house.'

'Father, what are you saying? Do not act and talk like Tim. Think of what you are saying.' said Mike

'I know what I am saying and I stand by, if he has the audacity to defy his father then I am also capable of letting him go.'

'As you wish, Tim.' said Ron. For the first time in his life, he called his father by his name. Mike almost slapped Ron but withdrew his half-rose hand. 

'Please think with a cool mind. Don't hurry into something rash.' begged Mike to both.

'I am leaving, Mike. After mother went to heaven, this family broke and till now we were just pretending to be together. I am leaving and don't try to contact me.'

Ron rushed out of the living room and picked up his bag from his bedroom that he had already packed the night before. He hurried out to the door, but the expression on his face was that of regret and not anger.

Ron called his friend to inform him about the latest development. That friend came to pick him up at his bachelor pad. Ron's friend, Ryan was also from a well-to-do family, and currently, he was running his own company. Tim and Ryan were school friends and now they were working together on a start-up. 

'How did it go?' asked Ryan

'Just like planned.'

'How did the uncle react?'

'See for yourself.' saying that Ron pointed a finger at his cheek.

They both laughed seeing the red cheek.

'Phase one is over, what about phase 2?' asked Ron.

'I have called her and she is on the way.'

'Okay, good. wake me up as soon as she arrives.'

'Ya, sure.'

The call-girl arrived and the photo-shoot began. That call-girl was here explicitly to click compromising photos with Ron. It was part of the plan for the successful implementation of Phase 2. 

'Are you ready to send it to Jane?' Ryan asked

'Yes, send it. It will serve my purpose.'

Ryan clicked and an anonymous mail went to the inbox of Jane's email account. 

They waited for Jane to open that mail and act accordingly. 

Jane called Ron but he did not receive it. Jane called again but Ron acted the same. 

She called Ryan and he revealed what happened in perfect detail, as planned.

Ron and Jane met that evening, and Jane called off the wedding. Ron said that he had already broken the marriage and his ties with families. Jane was shocked to see this sudden change but somehow managed to digest it. She left without saying a word. 

Ron arrived at Ryan's bachelor pad and collected his belongings. They drove to a cancer treatment residential hospital and Ryan bid adieu to his friend with teary eyes.

'Take care of my family and promise me that you will not disclose my location. Tell them that he went on a world tour.'

They both cried. After few minutes, Ryan left and Ron entered the facility to pass his final days on this earth. He had lung cancer, just like his mother. Ron knew the pain of suffering while caring for his mother in her last days. He wanted to spare his near and dear ones from that pain.

So, he broke all ties before his body succumbs to a cancerous tumor.