He had been scared shit of heights since the day he saw his father jump from the roof of his house. He was nine then. Almost thirty years later, he was ready to jump himself. But this time from a peak higher than the cumulative heights of the Himalyan peaks. From a zenith he had strived to achieve all his life, from a stature encased in his dreams, from a height he was never born to achieve, but, yet had achieved, no matter how or what went into the chase of that dream. He had realised the goal of his life, a feat not many have been able to achieve. He opened his hand and held his father's suicide note, "Dreams are dreams, never meant to be realised, that's why the bubble bursts everytime you open your eyes to the world, today my bubble has burst." That day he had known he would prove this false and today he had done it, noone could deny it, and yet he was preparing to give it all away.
"Have you even read it, Roy?"
Roy clenched his fist and looked up in shock and caught sight of the red file folder that Aron was engrossed in reading. Ah! The skeleton file, thought Roy.
"Well absolutely, Aron! I've made that file with these very hands. How could I not have read it?"
"But that means that Starlite Roy's shares are roughly valued three times more than they actually are worth! That's insane! How could you survive all these years without being detected ever?"
"Ah! That's but an art you shall learn in your own sweet time, buddy.." He placed a warm hand on Aron's luxurious satin lapels, "The point, my friend, here is that even at its actual value, the shares make me the richest man on this planet. And I'm offering you all that, my shares, my assets, my goodwill, all patents, trademarks and all rights to my empire for what it's actually worth. And no one knows of this besides us two friends and the four walls of this room." He looked up to the thirty-foot ceiling of his office measuring hundred feet in each direction and then to the oak panelling and flooring that decked the office.
"But that's ridiculous Roy! Even if you are selling me all this, why tell me the truth? Haven't you always said never make a cocktail of your business and your personal life, it makes you puke? And if you are actually doing this because I'm your closest friend, then I refuse to accept the offer, because this is suicide, Roy, suicide. You've given your living soul to all this, I won't let you throw it away so callously!"
"Aron, if I you have ever valued my friendship, you shall not bargain with me on this. If you are not willing to take up the offer, I shall auction my estate and this skeleton file shall be in the morning papers. Are you prepared for the consequences that shall befall me in that case?"
"Oh Roy, Roy, please understand. Why do you want to leave it all here? You could take Starlite Roy to the pinnacles which noone has achieved. Tell me what disturbs you, share with me what troubles you, dear friend, I'm there for you!"
"Aron! Do not ask this of me, trust me, trust our friendship and accept the offer."
Aron looked up at the glass roof, clouds had begun to build up, picked his pen and signed the deal. Then he flung the skeleton file into the fireplace, without a word wrote out a cheque for twenty billion dollars, left it on Roy's table and stomped out of the office as a swarm of anger and emotion gushed down his cheeks. Roy picked up the cheque as a smile difficult to decipher adorned his lips. A boisterous stroke of lightening resounded and the skies opened up. Roy crossed his hands and stood watching the raindrops hit the huge glass window with a storm-like tempest.