Chapter 4
Morning sunlight filtered through the city as traffic slowly gathered pace.
An auto-rickshaw came to a halt outside the office building.
Aditi paid the driver, adjusted the strap of her handbag, and stepped onto the pavement.
For a brief moment, she simply stood there.
Yesterday.
Everything that had happened inside these walls replayed in her mind.
The interview she never got.
The blueprint.
The solution.
Ishita's unexpected offer.
Aryan's single word.
No.
Even now, she didn't know why Ishita had asked her to report that morning.
Drawing a slow breath, she walked toward the entrance.
"Good morning!"
The familiar cheerful voice made her turn.
Karan walked toward her, a laptop bag slung over one shoulder and a coffee cup in his hand.
"You actually came."
Aditi smiled politely.
"Good morning... sir."
He made a face.
"I told you yesterday."
She looked at him, puzzled.
"No 'sir.'"
A smile spread across his face.
"Just Karan."
"Good morning... Karan."
"Much better."
He studied her for a moment before taking another sip of his coffee.
"Still thinking about yesterday?"
"A little."
He chuckled softly.
"You don't look convinced."
She smiled, though the uncertainty remained.
"I wasn't sure whether I should come."
"You should."
He nodded toward the entrance.
"If Ishita ma'am asked you to report today, that's reason enough."
Together, they walked inside.
Employees greeted Karan as they passed.
He acknowledged each greeting with the same easy smile, while Aditi quietly took in the office around her.
Phones rang.
People moved briskly between departments.
The workday was already in full swing.
The receptionist greeted them with a polite smile.
"Good morning, sir."
"Morning."
She turned to Aditi.
"Good morning, ma'am."
Aditi returned the greeting with a small smile.
The elevator doors slid open.
Neither of them spoke during the ride.
As they stepped onto the executive floor, Aditi felt her heartbeat quicken.
The familiar corridor seemed a little less intimidating than it had yesterday.
They stopped outside Ishita's cabin.
A neatly arranged workstation stood beside the door.
Computer.
Telephone.
Stationery.
A fresh notepad.
Someone had already prepared it.
Aditi paused.
Karan noticed.
"That's your desk."
"But..."
"If Ishita ma'am says it's yours..."
He smiled.
"...it's yours."
Aditi placed her handbag beside the chair.
Her fingers brushed lightly across the edge of the desk.
Yesterday, she hadn't imagined she would ever sit there.
"Best of luck."
She looked up.
"You'll do well."
"Thank you."
"My pleasure."
His phone vibrated.
He glanced at the screen.
"Duty calls."
With a small wave, he headed toward his cabin.
Aditi watched him disappear around the corner before taking her seat.
A few employees greeted her in passing.
She returned every greeting with a polite, slightly nervous smile.
A few minutes later, the elevator doors opened again.
Ishita stepped out, a file tucked beneath her arm.
She noticed Aditi immediately.
"Good morning."
Aditi rose at once.
"Good morning, ma'am."
A faint smile crossed Ishita's face.
"You're early."
"I didn't want to be late."
"Good."
She unlocked her cabin.
"I appreciate punctuality."
She glanced back at Aditi.
"I have a meeting in a few minutes. We'll finish the remaining formalities afterward."
"Yes, ma'am."
Leaving the door slightly open, she disappeared inside.
Aditi switched on the computer, opened a fresh notebook, and waited.
A few moments later, the telephone rang.
She blinked before quickly picking up the receiver.
"Good morning."
"Aditi?"
It was Ishita.
"Yes, ma'am."
"I'm in Aryan's cabin."
"There's a blue file on my table labeled 'Academy Report.' Bring it here."
"Yes, ma'am."
She carefully replaced the receiver.
The blue file lay exactly where Ishita had said.
Aditi picked it up, instinctively straightened its edges, and walked toward the cabin next door.
Her footsteps slowed as she reached the door.
Yesterday's memories surfaced once again.
She knocked gently.
"May I come in, sir?"
"Come."
Aryan's calm voice answered.
Aditi stepped inside.
Nothing had changed.
Aryan sat behind his desk, a file open before him.
Across from him, Ishita reviewed another set of documents.
Silence filled the cabin.
Aditi walked over quietly.
"The Academy Report, ma'am."
"Thank you."
Ishita accepted the file and opened it.
"The vendor meeting has been shifted to Thursday."
"Fine."
She signed a page.
"Confirm attendance with Procurement and Finance."
Aditi opened her notebook.
"Yes, ma'am."
"And reschedule tomorrow's client presentation to four in the evening. Check Mr. Mehta's availability before sending the confirmation."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Also arrange the CSR committee files in chronological order. My previous assistant left everything mixed up."
"I'll do that."
"And prepare today's meeting schedule before lunch."
"I'll have it ready."
Throughout the conversation, the only other sound in the room was the soft scratch of Aryan's pen across the paper.
He never interrupted.
He never looked up.
He simply continued reviewing the file before him.
A few moments later, he reached for another document.
The movement tugged at his injured shoulder.
His hand paused almost imperceptibly.
His jaw tightened.
A faint crease appeared between his brows.
Before she could think—
"An Iodex spray might help."
The words escaped Aditi's lips.
Silence.
Aryan's hand froze midway.
His fingers tightened around the edge of the paper.
For the briefest moment...
His teeth clenched.
A muscle shifted along his jaw.
He closed his eyes.
Just once.
A slow breath escaped him.
Then...
Without looking at her...
Without acknowledging that she had spoken...
He calmly pulled the document closer and resumed reading.
The pen continued its steady movement across the page.
Nothing else.
Aditi's eyes widened.
Realizing what she had done, she immediately lowered her gaze.
"I'm... sorry, sir."
No reply came.
The silence itself was the answer.
Ishita's eyes moved briefly from Aditi to Aryan.
She chose not to comment.
"That'll be all for now."
Aditi nodded.
"Yes, ma'am."
She closed her notebook, gave a quiet nod, and left the cabin.
The door closed softly behind her.
Silence settled over the room once again.
Only the turning of pages could be heard.
Ishita watched Aryan for a long moment.
"You didn't even look at her."
Aryan turned another page.
He didn't answer.
After a moment, she spoke again.
"Do you think she's... her?"
The page stopped beneath his hand.
"Absolutely."
The certainty in his voice stole the air from the room.
"But..."
She shook her head.
"We saw those flames."
A long silence stretched between them.
"Then how..."
Her voice trailed away.
"And if..."
She struggled to continue.
"...why leave?"
"For three years..."
The question remained unfinished.
Aryan quietly closed the file.
He looked at her.
"Wrong question."
She frowned.
"The question isn't how."
A brief pause.
"Or why she left..."
His gaze drifted toward the closed door.
"...and came back."
Another pause.
"It's..."
His voice remained calm.
"...why now?"
The cabin fell silent once again.
Udne Ki Aasha
O Humnava Tum Dena Saath Mera
2