Part 1
The ETF office had always been a place of tension, urgency, and adrenaline, but today, an unusual silence loomed over the space. The familiar sounds of ringing phones, frantic typing, and hurried footsteps still echoed, but something felt… amiss. Or rather, someone felt amiss.
Riya Mukherjee sat at her desk, staring blankly at her laptop screen. The cursor blinked, waiting for input, but her fingers refused to move. Her mind was elsewhere—distant, trapped in a whirlwind of emotions she had tried so hard to suppress.
Across the room, Arjun Suryakant Rawte stood near the glass window, arms crossed, his jaw clenched. His eyes, dark and unreadable, flickered toward Riya momentarily before looking away. His heart screamed at him to walk up to her, to say something—anything. But his pride, his past, and his pain held him back.
Their relationship had always been complicated. Unspoken words, lingering glances, and a connection that neither of them fully understood had built a bridge between them. But now, that bridge was crumbling.
***
Sameer Rathore, the ETF chief, walked into the room with a stern expression. Behind him, Shree and Chotu followed, their usual banter missing. Even they could sense the thick tension between Arjun and Riya.
"Team, ek naya case aaya hai," Rathore announced, placing a file on the table. His sharp gaze flickered between Arjun and Riya, but he chose not to address the elephant in the room.
Riya straightened in her chair, forcing herself to focus. Arjun remained standing, his posture rigid.
"Ek young girl, Meera, last night se missing hai. Parents ne report kiya, lekin ab tak koi ransom call nahi aaya. Ghar ke CCTV footage mein ek suspicious aadmi dekha gaya tha," Rathore continued.
"Kya ab tak koi lead mili hai?" Arjun’s voice was cold, professional.
Shree shook his head. "Nahi, Sir. Lekin phone records aur CCTV footage analyze kar rahe hain. Kuch der mein details mil jayengi."
"Jaldi karo," Arjun ordered before turning to Riya, who was flipping through the case file with a blank expression. He hesitated before speaking. "Tum ladki ke parents se baat karne chalogi?"
Riya looked up, her eyes meeting his for the first time that day. A storm brewed in her gaze—hurt, betrayal, and something else… something he couldn't decipher. But she nodded. "Haan, chalti hoon."
***
The ride to Meera’s house was long, but the silence between them was longer.
Riya stared out the window, her fingers gripping the edge of her dupatta tightly. Arjun stole glances at her through the rearview mirror, wanting to say something—wanting to break the invisible wall growing between them.
Finally, unable to take it anymore, he spoke. "Riya… baat karni hai tumse."
She closed her eyes for a brief moment before exhaling. "Sir, agar case se related hai toh kahiye. Warna… nahi."
The formality in her tone stung. She hadn’t called him sir in a long time. He clenched the steering wheel.
"Tum mujhse door kyun ja rahi ho?" He asked, his voice softer than before.
Riya turned to face him, her eyes now burning with unshed tears. "Main door nahi ja rahi, Arjun. Tumne mujhe dur kar diya hai."
The SUV came to a sudden halt at a red light. Arjun gritted his teeth. "Aisa nahi hai—"
"Aisa hi hai!" She cut him off, her voice breaking. "Mujhse baat karna band kar diya, mujhe ignore kar rahe ho jaise main koi ajnabi hoon! Kya kiya maine, Arjun? Kya galti ki maine jo tum mujhse itni doori bana rahe ho?"
Arjun looked away, his fingers tightening on the gear. He couldn't answer her. Because the truth was… he didn’t know how to.
***
By the time they reached Meera’s house, Riya had wiped away her tears, masking her pain behind a professional front. Arjun did the same, burying his emotions under his usual detached demeanor.
They interviewed the parents, gathered evidence, and noted key details, but beneath the surface, both were crumbling.
As they left the house, Arjun noticed Riya’s hands trembling slightly. She always got emotionally invested in cases involving young girls. Without thinking, he reached for her hand.
"Riya—"
She pulled away instantly. "Main fine hoon," she said stiffly before walking toward the car.
Arjun exhaled, running a hand through his hair. This wasn’t just a rough patch. This was something deeper… something more dangerous.
He was losing her.
And for the first time in his life, Arjun Rawte felt truly helpless.
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