Aarav
The office felt emptier once Vivaan left.
Aarav stood by the tall window, sleeves rolled, his gaze fixed on the fading skyline. The invitation still lingered in the air — Oberoi Jewelry Showcase at The Blue Fern. A high-profile event, dazzling press, and more importantly, potential partnerships.
He rubbed the back of his neck, eyes drifting to the paused email draft on his screen.
His mind was elsewhere.
---
Later That Evening — Home
The moment he stepped into his house, the scent of jasmine and cardamom greeted him.
“Chachu!” a tiny voice rang out before he could even shut the door.
His niece came sprinting from the hallway, giggling as she threw her arms around his legs. Aarav crouched, picking her up mid-run.
“Someone missed me,” he said, smiling — the first real one all day.
“You always come late,” she pouted.
“I have boring meetings, you know that.”
“They should let you play instead.”
If only life worked like that.
Later at the dinner table, the conversation shifted — the way it always did when silence grew too comfortable.
“So,” his mother began, pouring dal into his bowl, “you never said no to the Kapoor proposal.”
Aarav kept his eyes on the rice.
“And you didn’t say yes either,” his father added, not looking up from his phone.
Aarav sighed. “We’re doing this again?”
“You can’t run your company like a king and avoid real life like a ghost,” his mother said gently.
He set his spoon down, irritation simmering. “It’s not about avoiding. It’s about not forcing.”
“Aarav—”
“I said not tonight,” he snapped.
And just like that, dinner was over.
---
The Next Day
He didn’t go to the office.
Technically, he was working from home. Emails, files, virtual approvals — all managed from his study. But the silence helped. No meetings. No eyes watching. No questions about his personal life disguised as small talk.
By 5 p.m., he closed his laptop.
The black tux hung ready. Sleek. Timeless. Understated — just how he liked it.
He adjusted his cufflinks, slipped on his watch, and gave himself one last glance in the mirror.
Time to face the crowd.
---
The Blue Fern
The chandeliers at The Blue Fern glittered like a sky full of secrets.
Everything — from the stage lights to the centerpiece flowers — had finally come together.
Aarav arrived just as the event hit its golden hour. Cameras flashed, heels clicked against marble floors, and laughter hummed between glasses of champagne. People mingled in clusters — celebrities, CEOs, investors, stylists, and media.
He stepped out of the car.
Vivaan was already waiting near the entrance, arms crossed, a smug grin in place. “Fashionably late, as usual.”
Aarav just adjusted his cufflinks. “What did I miss?”
“Your future,” Vivaan quipped. “Come in. You’ve got people to meet — someone in particular.”
Aarav raised a brow but said nothing.
As they walked in, something shifted.
He couldn’t explain it, but the air inside felt… different. Thicker. Almost electric. The kind of atmosphere that suggested someone important had just arrived — or was about to.
---
Back inside, the host took the stage.
“Welcome to an evening of elegance, stories, and legacy — welcome to the Oberoi Jewelry Showcase!”
Applause followed. Lights dimmed. Music swelled.
Aarav remained near the back, his eyes scanning the crowd with practiced indifference. Yet somewhere — across the room, past the shimmer of gowns and tuxedos — a flicker of red caught his attention.
But before he could focus, Vivaan tugged at his sleeve.
“Come. She’s right here,” he said, pointing toward the inner circle of investors.
But as they stepped forward, something broke.
A sound glitch. A flicker of lights. The AV system faltered just as the next introduction was about to begin.
“Wait here,” Vivaan muttered, already walking off toward the coordinator. “Don’t vanish!”
Aarav stayed back, sipping quietly, unaware that fate was finally moving pieces he couldn’t control.
And across the room, without knowing why, Aarohi’s heartbeat skipped — as if the story had just begun turning its page.
---
He stood near the edge of the crowd, half-listening, half-searching — though he wouldn't have admitted he was searching for anything at all.
The event moved beautifully.
Showcase after showcase, applause after applause — Oberoi Jewelry had outdone itself. Models in ivory and emerald. Lights that danced like whispers. He watched, appreciated, and applauded even. But something kept his attention restless.
Vivaan had returned twice, dragging him into short conversations — investors, designers, a couple of over-eager influencers — but the person he had promised to introduce him to?
She never came.
Or maybe… she had.
And he’d missed her.
Or maybe fate wasn’t ready.
By the time the final toast was made and the violinists played their last note, Aarav slipped quietly to the back of the room.
He avoided goodbyes.
Outside, the night was cooler. Softer. The stars above The Blue Fern blinked down like distant spectators, still holding secrets.
Aarav stepped into his car, one hand at his jaw.
There was something about tonight he couldn’t quite place.
He didn’t know her nam
e.
Didn’t know her face.
But for a fleeting second, something had brushed past him.
And that something… felt like the beginning of everything .
Write a comment ...