Beneath the Silence - Chapter 4

 

Chapter 4: Closer Than They Should Be

Aditi barely slept that night. Rajeev’s words haunted her like a warning. She had built a new life with careful precision, and now, cracks were beginning to show.

At 8:00 AM sharp, she entered the office. Aditya was already inside, pacing, sharp in a charcoal-grey three-piece suit. Something about his posture was more agitated than usual.

She knocked gently and entered. “Morning, sir.”

Without looking at her, he said, “Cancel all my meetings today. We're flying to Delhi in two hours.”

She blinked. “Should I coordinate with your travel desk?”

“You’re coming with me.”

That was not a request.

Aboard the Private Jet

The jet was quiet. Sleek. Luxurious. Aditi sat opposite him, papers in her lap, trying to focus on the client briefing. But his eyes kept drifting to her.

Not because of attraction—at least that’s what he told himself—but curiosity. She was a mystery, a riddle wrapped in silence. And he had never left a riddle unsolved.

“You don’t talk much outside work,” he said suddenly.

Aditi looked up, caught off guard. “I speak when I have something to say.”

He smirked. “You have a wall around you.”

She gave a small smile. “And you don’t?”

His expression shifted. Touché.

A moment passed. The tension wasn’t uncomfortable—but charged. Like lightning before a storm.

Later That Evening – Delhi Hotel

The meeting with the client ended successfully. Aditya, unusually, allowed her to lead part of the pitch. She had impressed them—and him.

Back at the hotel, Aditi was about to head to her room when his voice stopped her.

“Dinner?”

She turned. “I thought you never mixed business and personal time.”

“I don’t. But we both skipped lunch. And I hate eating alone.”

She hesitated—but something in his eyes, something less guarded, made her nod.

Dinner – Rooftop Restaurant

Under the stars, with the city lights twinkling below, the atmosphere was strangely... gentle.

Aditya, for once, was quiet. No phone. No sarcasm. Just sipping his wine and watching her.

She finally spoke, softly, “You’re different when you’re away from that glass tower.”

He looked at her. “And you’re different when you forget you’re supposed to be hiding something.”

A beat. Her fingers stilled on her fork.

“I don’t mean to pry,” he added, voice lower. “But I know pain when I see it. I live with it too.”

For a moment, the air between them softened.

“I used to believe in love once,” he said, eyes distant. “It cost me everything.”

Her breath caught—but she didn’t ask more.

“Your turn,” he said gently.

She swallowed. “I used to believe people could change. I was wrong.”

They sat in silence, two people bruised by the past, slowly beginning to see reflections of themselves in each other.

Back in the Hotel Corridor

As they walked side by side to their rooms, the air was thick—not romantic, but intimate.

He stopped at his door. “You did well today.”

She looked at him. “Thank you.”

“And Aditi…” he added, quietly.

She turned.

“If you ever need to talk… off the record… I listen better than I speak.”

She stared at him, unsure how to respond.

So she just nodded… and walked away.

But her heart was no longer calm.

And neither was his.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Unspoken Sparks - Chapter 6 (Last Episode)

  Chapter 6: The Confession & The New Beginning The tension in Raychand Industries had reached its limit. Rumors swirled. Whispers about Aditya and Aditi grew louder. Some speculated. Some envied. But Aditi stayed focused, as always—poised, distant, dedicated. Except now, her heart wasn't as quiet as her face. And neither was Aditya’s. He saw her in everything. In every decision. Every plan. Every moment of silence. Her absence made the air feel heavier. Her presence? Like calm fire. He had denied it for weeks. But now… he couldn’t anymore. That Friday Evening – Office Rooftop Aditi had just wrapped up late-night reporting. The office was nearly empty, and the city lights sparkled in the distance. She stepped out to the rooftop for a breath of air. What she didn’t expect… was him. Aditya stood there, sleeves rolled up, no phone in hand—for once. Just… waiting. He turned as she approached. “You’re still here?” she asked. “I was waiting for you,” he said softly....
Read more

🖤 The Monster Inside Me 🖤 - Chapter 5 (Second Last) [“He thought he was a monster—until she looked into his darkness and chose to stay.”]

  Chapter 5: The Monster’s Voice Silence. That’s what Aditi chose after walking out of Aditya’s penthouse. Not the dramatic kind. The real kind — the kind that hurts more than any scream could. No calls. No messages. No replies. Nothing. And Aditya… he let her go. Not because he didn’t want her. But because he wasn’t sure he deserved her. It had been four days. Four long, echoing, manuscript-free days. Aditya sat in his study, the room heavy with memories and ghosts that had grown louder since Aditi left. Her absence was not quiet — it thundered in every corner she used to sit, in every coffee cup that remained untouched. So he did what he had always done with pain. He wrote. But this time, it wasn’t a book. It was a letter. A manuscript with no chapters, no structure, no edits. Just a title: “The Girl Who Dared to Touch the Monster” 📓 Excerpts from the letter: “I never told you, Aditi, but your voice made the screaming inside me quieter.” “You didn’t...
Read more

🖤 The Monster Inside Me 🖤 - Chapter 6 (Last) [“He thought he was a monster—until she looked into his darkness and chose to stay.”]

  Chapter 6: Our Monsters Can Coexist Final Chapter Healing isn’t a sunrise. It’s a dim lightbulb that flickers. A hallway that echoes with memories. A slow dance with shadows that sometimes lead, sometimes follow. But when Aditi and Aditya began again — this time, it wasn’t about fixing each other. It was about accepting that maybe... they were never broken to begin with. Just bruised . And still beautiful. 🌅 One Month Later: Aditi moved into Aditya’s penthouse — not because she needed a place, but because he needed her in his. It wasn’t romance that brought her there. It was presence . Some mornings were silent — both typing, heads down, coffee cups clinking now and then. Other days were stormy — Aditya still woke up drenched in nightmares, still sat at the piano with eyes closed, fingers trembling. But now, when he broke... She was there to hold him. Not to fix. Just to hold. 🛋️ Their Therapist Asked Once: “How do you define your relationship?” Aditi...
Read more