A Silent Vow
The ETF office had returned to its usual rhythm—files being shuffled, cases being discussed, suspects being interrogated. And yet, for Riya Mukherjee, the air still buzzed with something unspoken.
Each day of Valentine’s Week had brought something new. A mysterious rose, an anonymous dark chocolate, a silent yet deeply telling teddy bear. And though Arjun Rawte had denied nothing outright, he hadn’t admitted anything either.
But today was different.
Today was Promise Day.
A day meant for commitment, for words that carried weight. But what promise could she expect from a man who never spoke what was in his heart?
Riya sighed, glancing at the teddy bear that still sat on her desk, hidden from plain sight. She knew it was from him.Maybe not in an obvious, romantic way, but in his way—quiet, reserved, yet undeniable.
But was that enough?
Did she want more?
A familiar deep voice broke her thoughts.
“Riya, mere cabin mein aao.”
She blinked up to see Arjun, standing near his desk, his eyes locked onto hers with that usual intensity. Her pulse quickened. “Ji, sir.”
Shree, who had been watching from the corner, smirked. “Baat pakki samjhein?” he whispered to Chotu.
Ignoring her teammates’ teasing glances, Riya followed Arjun into his cabin.
The door shut behind her with a soft click.
Riya stood near the desk, waiting as Arjun sifted through some files. His movements were precise, methodical—as if he was trying to distract himself.
“Baitho,” he said without looking at her.
She sat, her hands folded in her lap, waiting for him to speak.
After a few moments of silence, he finally set the files aside and looked at her. Really looked at her.
“Tumhe kisi bhi case mein khud ko khatre mein daalne ki zaroorat nahi hai,” he said, his voice even but firm.
Riya frowned. “Sir?”
Arjun leaned forward slightly, his fingers interlocking on the desk. “Main chahta hoon ki tum mujhse ek waada karo—ki bina soche-samjhe kisi bhi danger mein mat koodo.”
She inhaled sharply. Promise Day.
This was his promise—not a romantic confession, not something flowery, but a command wrapped in the illusion of care.
Riya held his gaze, her heart pounding. “Aur agar situation waisa ho ki main peeche nahi hat sakti?”
His jaw clenched. “Tab bhi.”
She exhaled, leaning forward herself, challenging him with her stare. “Lekin sir, aap khud toh hamesha bina soche jaan jokhim mein daal dete hain. Mujhe bhi waada lena chahiye ki aap bhi aisa nahi karenge?”
His fingers twitched.
For the first time, he was caught off guard.
Riya wasn’t just agreeing—she was throwing the same demand back at him. And he had no response.
“Baat meri nahi ho rahi,” he finally said, his voice quieter.
Riya tilted her head, a small, sad smile on her lips. “Lekin sir… baat hum dono ki ho rahi hai, hai na?”
Silence.
A thick, suffocating silence.
Riya felt something shift in the air. Arjun’s hands tightened into fists, his expression unreadable, but she saw the conflict in his eyes.
A promise.
She had cornered him into making a promise he wasn’t ready for.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he exhaled. “Tum sirf apne sawaalon ke jawab chahiye ya waada bhi?”
Riya’s heart twisted. He was still deflecting, still hiding. But she wouldn’t let him.
She leaned forward just a little more, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Mujhe waada bhi chahiye… aur jawab bhi.”
Arjun closed his eyes briefly, as if collecting himself. Then, when he opened them, they burned with something deep.
He didn’t say anything for a long moment.
Then, in a voice so soft that she barely heard it, he said—
“Mujhse ek aur waada maang sakti ho, lekin yeh nahi.”
Riya’s breath hitched.
Because that was an answer.
It wasn’t a confession. It wasn’t a declaration. But it was an acknowledgment.
He wasn’t refusing because he didn’t care. He was refusing because he cared too much.
Her fingers curled against her lap. “Toh phir aap kya waada denge, sir?”
Arjun stared at her for a long moment before finally standing up. His movements were slow, deliberate, as he walked to the small cabinet behind his desk.
When he turned back, he held something small in his hand.
He extended it toward her. “Yeh lo.”
Riya hesitated before reaching out.
It was a small silver coin, slightly worn at the edges.
She looked at it, confused. “Yeh…?”
Arjun’s voice was quiet but firm. “Jab bhi lage ki khud ko khatre mein daalne waali ho, isse dekho aur socho. Aur agar tab bhi tumhe lage ki risk lena zaroori hai… toh karna. Bas bina soche nahi.”
Riya swallowed.
This was his promise.
Not a spoken vow, not a poetic declaration—but an unspoken trust that he had just placed in her hands.
She closed her fingers around the coin and looked up at him.
A slow, genuine smile curved her lips.
“Main waada karti hoon, sir,” she whispered.
Arjun exhaled slightly—almost as if in relief.
And for the first time in what felt like forever, she saw the tiniest, faintest hint of a smile touch his lips.
Not much. Just enough.
Just enough to be a promise.
Edited by SarafWasima - 8 months ago
pasand hai toh rakh lo 
hume ye banda bhi pasand hai, dil mein band kar le? 
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