NOVEL NEXT Chapter 79: Chapter 79
Arjun's mornings began early, just as the first rays of sunlight began to creep into his modest apartment. He was a man of discipline, molded by the challenges of growing up in a bustling city like kuala Lumpur and the expectations placed on him as the eldest son. Tall and lean, with sharp features and expressive eyes, Arjun had always had a calm demeanor, though those who knew him well could sense the quiet intensity that simmered beneath the surface.
His day always started the same way: meditation. Sitting cross-legged on a mat in the corner of his living room, Arjun closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. Each breath in was slow and deep, filling his lungs with air; each breath out was long and measured, releasing tension from his body.
In his mind's eye, Arjun visualized a vast, calm ocean. The water was clear and still, stretching out into the horizon with no end in sight. He imagined himself standing at the shore, the soft sand beneath his feet, the gentle waves lapping at his ankles. The ocean represented his mind—a reflection of his inner self.
Some days, the water was calm, like glass, allowing him to drift deeper into meditation without effort. But on days when stress weighed him down, the waves were choppy, reflecting his agitation and frustration. Today was one of those days. The waves in his mind's eye were restless, echoing the thoughts swirling in his head about the upcoming court case and the mountain of paperwork he still had to sift through.
He imagined the paperwork as rocks cluttering the shoreline, each one representing a piece of evidence, a document, or a legal argument he needed to address. The pile of rocks had grown larger each day, weighing on him.
But meditation helped. With each exhale, he visualized the waves slowly pushing the rocks out to sea, carrying his worries and stress away with them. It was slow, methodical work, but it grounded him and gave him the clarity he needed to face the day.
---
Arjun's work routine had become a balancing act between his job as an IT consultant and the increasingly demanding court case. His work required long hours at the computer, troubleshooting systems, designing networks, and ensuring everything ran smoothly for his clients. He was good at his job—focused, detail-oriented, and able to think quickly on his feet. But now, the weight of the court case loomed over everything.
The land dispute had become a full-time job in itself. The lawyers had sent over piles of paperwork for him to review—property records, legal claims, counterclaims, and countless other documents filled with confusing legal jargon. It was overwhelming, and the sheer amount of paperwork frustrated him.
He would spend hours at night after work combing through the documents, trying to make sense of them. His desk, once neatly organized, was now cluttered with files and notes scribbled in the margins of legal briefs. His frustration grew with each passing day. He wasn't a lawyer, and despite his sharp mind, navigating the complexities of the legal system was a challenge he hadn't expected to be this difficult.
---
On particularly rough days, Arjun found himself losing patience. His normally calm demeanor cracked under the pressure. He would pace around his apartment, running his hands through his hair, muttering to himself about how unfair the whole situation was. The land had belonged to his family for generations—how could it be so easy for someone to fabricate documents and try to take it away?
But even in those moments of frustration, meditation was his anchor. Every evening, after hours of poring over paperwork, he would sit back down on the mat and close his eyes, allowing the chaotic thoughts to settle. He imagined the rocks of paperwork being carried away by the waves, one by one. Slowly, he felt the tension leave his body.
In his meditation sessions, Arjun also began to visualize the court battle ahead. He imagined himself standing tall in the courtroom, calm and composed. The opposing lawyer was there too, but instead of being intimidated, Arjun visualized himself speaking confidently, presenting the facts, and watching as the judge acknowledged the truth of his family's claim.
The meditation allowed him to rehearse the battle in his mind, preparing himself mentally for the real thing. His lawyer had warned him that the case might drag on for months, even years, but Arjun was determined. Meditation had taught him patience and resilience, and he knew that as long as he remained calm and focused, he could see this through to the end.
---
Arjun's physical appearance reflected the intensity of the work he was putting into the case. The dark circles under his eyes had deepened from the late nights of reviewing documents, and his usually well-groomed beard had grown a bit unruly. His lean frame, once a result of regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle, now seemed slightly more gaunt from the stress.
But despite the physical signs of strain, Arjun remained composed. He had always been the type to carry his burdens quietly, not wanting to worry his family or friends. His mother would call him every few days, her voice filled with concern, asking if he was taking care of himself. Arjun would always assure her that he was fine, though she could probably hear the weariness in his voice.
In moments of solitude, Arjun would sit back and remind himself why he was doing this. The land wasn't just a piece of property—it was a part of his family's heritage. His father had always spoken of it with pride, and Arjun had grown up hearing stories about the generations that had come before him, tending to that land. He couldn't let it slip away.
---
One evening, after a particularly grueling day of paperwork, Arjun decided to take a different approach. Instead of just reviewing the documents one by one, he began organizing them, grouping them into categories, and creating a timeline of events that led to the dispute. As he worked, he realized that this methodical approach—breaking down the problem into smaller, more manageable pieces—was something he had learned from meditation.
The clarity of mind that meditation brought him had begun to bleed into other aspects of his life. Where before he would have been overwhelmed by the sheer volume of paperwork, now he saw it as just another challenge, another obstacle to overcome.
Slowly but surely, Arjun began to make progress. Each night, he would meditate, visualize the ocean, and watch as the rocks—the problems—were carried away. And each day, he would return to the paperwork with a clearer mind, ready to tackle the next challenge.
---
Through all of this, Arjun's personality remained steady. He was patient, resilient, and fiercely determined to protect his family's legacy. Though the stress of the court case weighed heavily on him, he never let it break him. His quiet strength, cultivated through years of meditation and self-discipline, carried him forward.
As the weeks went by, Arjun became more confident in his ability to handle the case. He had developed a strategy with his lawyer, found additional evidence to support his family's claim, and even uncovered inconsistencies in the opposing side's documents. The progress was slow, but it was steady, and Arjun knew that victory was within reach.
All the while, meditation remained his constant companion, guiding him through the challenges and giving him the clarity he needed to face each day with confidence.