Rented Life
Part One: The 24-Hour Sunset
The silence that blanketed the opulent mansion in Sector 8, Chandigarh, was no longer just a companion—it felt like a predator. At seventy, Ajay Mehra sat in a room that whispered of gold and success, yet felt like a graveyard. His home was a museum of triumphs: hand-carved teak, silk rugs, and marble floors that mirrored his pale, weathered face. But within these walls, there was no warmth, no echo of a child's laughter, no soul to call his own.
Ajay had never married. He had spent his youth bricking up a business empire, fueled by the hollow promise that 'happiness' could be bought in bulk once he reached the finish line.
But today, the finish line hadn't just moved—it had arrived with terrifying speed.
The doctor's voice had been a cold blade. "Mr. Mehra, the internal hemorrhaging is beyond control. Medicine has done its part. You don't have a year. You don't even have a week. You have twenty-four hours. If you make it to tomorrow's sunrise, it will be a miracle. Go home. Close your eyes. Rest."
Ajay stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the rain blur the world outside. He was a billionaire, yet he was bankrupt in the only currency that mattered: Time. In seventy years, he had acquired everything and experienced nothing. He had never felt the sting of a lover's tear or the simple comfort of a hand holding his. His life was a grand, leather-bound book with gold edges—but every single page was blank.
Unable to endure the silence of his thoughts, he picked up the remote and flicked on the massive LED screen, hoping for some background noise to drown out the ticking of the clock.
The screen flickered. A cinematic, minimalist advertisement appeared. It wasn't loud or flashy; it was a deep, velvet-black screen with white text that seemed to glow.
"Is your time running out? Did you forget to live the life you worked for? Don't die with a blank book. We provide the family, the love, and the memories you missed. Because... Life is available on Rent."
The screen faded to a single logo: The Second Chance Agency.
A bitter, hollow laugh escaped his throat. "Life on rent?" he whispered to the empty room. "For a man with only hours left?"
Yet, as the clock on the wall chimed, marking another lost minute, a strange, frantic spark of hope ignited in his chest. He had billions in the bank and nothing to lose but his loneliness.
With trembling fingers, he dialed the number displayed on the screen. He didn't even have to wait. After half a ring, a soft, melodic voice answered, sounding as if she were standing right next to him.
"Welcome to The Second Chance Agency, Mr. Mehra. We've been expecting your call. We know your time is short. Tell us... for your final twenty-four hours, what kind of life would you like to rent?"
Ajay's throat tightened. The titan of industry, the man who owned half the city, felt like a terrified child. He closed his eyes and whispered into the receiver, "I don't want to die as a stranger. I want a life... where I am not alone."
Continue.....