WildHeartBeats

  Chapter 17: Morning After Silence “Some mornings don’t just bring sun… they bring clarity, and sometimes, more chaos.” 7:12 AM – Hotel Suite, Mumbai The storm had passed. The world outside looked washed and quiet, like someone had pressed reset on the sky. Inside the suite, sunlight filtered softly through the curtains. Aditi stirred awake, her arm slightly draped across the edge of the bed… only to find the other side empty. For a second, panic. Then—a smell. Coffee. And something else— toast. She sat up groggily, wrapping the shawl around her shoulders, stepping toward the kitchen area. There he was. Aditya. Hair slightly messy. T-shirt wrinkled. Holding a mug in one hand, using a spatula with the other. The smell of perfectly golden toast and scrambled eggs filled the air. “You cook now?” she asked, her voice still laced with sleep. He turned, a smile crawling to his lips. “Only when I want someone to forgive me.” Aditi raised an eyebrow. “That would take ...

Chapter 16: One Bed, Two Hearts "Sometimes, silence speaks. Sometimes, distance touches. Sometimes… proximity confuses everything." 1:27 AM – Hotel Suite, Mumbai . Cyclone intensifying. The suite had grown quiet—almost too quiet. Outside, trees bent to the wrath of the wind. Inside, two people sat on opposite ends of a couch, wrapped in candlelight and all the words they never got to say. Suddenly, Aditya’s phone buzzed with a system alert. All outdoor movements restricted. Storm warning continues till morning. All guests are advised to stay indoors. He sighed, placing the phone down. “You should take the bed,” he said, without turning. “I’m not taking your bed, Aditya.” “You’re exhausted.” “So are you.” He finally looked at her, jaw tightening. “There’s only one bed.” “I’m aware.” She stood up, brushing past him toward the bedroom. For a second, she stood at the doorway again, unsure. He followed, stopping just behind her. “I’ll take the couch.” “It’s ...

  Chapter 15: Close Quarters, Closer Hearts “Some silences are louder than any storm. Some distances are measured not in miles, but in unspoken words.” 12:08 AM — Mumbai. Cyclone Warning Level: Orange. Rain battered the windows like war drums. The wind howled like it had secrets to spill. The city outside was shutting down—and inside the suite, the power flickered once… …and went off. Aditi froze mid-step in the bedroom doorway. Aditya’s voice came from the other room, calm as ever: “Backup generators are on for lobby and elevators only.” She grabbed her phone. No network. No Wi-Fi. Of course. She stepped out into the dimly moonlit living area. Aditya stood by the window, shirt half unbuttoned, tie gone, holding a candle he must’ve gotten from the minibar drawer. He glanced at her. “Well, looks like the universe really wants us to talk.” She didn’t reply. Just walked past him and opened her laptop. Dead battery. Great. No signal. No charger. No escape. Only him...

  Chapter 14: Storms Don’t Ask Permission “When you lock your heart, the universe often picks the worst moment to break the door.” Two days had passed since Aditya walked out of Aditi’s apartment. The truth still echoed inside her—about her brother, about Aditya’s silence, about the past she thought she’d buried. But life doesn’t pause for heartbreak. Monday morning arrived with the chaos of emails, calls, and caffeine. And a bombshell from her boss. “Aditi, you’re flying to Mumbai. Immediately. Aditya’s campaign needs real-time restructuring—launch prep starts tomorrow.” She stared. “Wait—me?” “Yes. You’re the lead. And he personally requested you. ” Mumbai. 5:10 PM. The office’s Mumbai branch had a swanky glass structure with open views of the Arabian Sea. But Aditi had no time for the scenery. Because inside Conference Room 5C stood the man she’d hoped not to see for months—Aditya, in a crisp black shirt, sleeves rolled, looking exactly how she didn’t want him to...

  Chapter 13: Bloodlines and Betrayals “Sometimes, it’s not the strangers who ruin love. It’s the people closest to us.” Aditi’s breath caught in her throat. “What do you mean—my brother?” Aditya’s jaw clenched. He looked down, then back up—eyes tired, but sincere. “You deserve to know. But it’s not going to be easy to hear.” Aditi crossed her arms. “Try me.” Flashback: Four years ago A week before Aditya was set to fly to New York, he had met Rajat Sharma —Aditi’s elder brother. A surprise visit, one Aditya hadn’t expected… or welcomed. They sat in a café in Delhi, rain pouring outside—just like tonight. “Listen,” Rajat had said, voice hard. “I know you and Aditi have your little college romance going on. But she has a future here. A name. A family. Responsibilities.” “I’m not standing in the way of any of that,” Aditya had said, trying to stay calm. “Oh, but you are. She’s distracted, waiting on your calls. She’s dreaming of a future that doesn’t exist. Let me be ...

  Chapter 12: When the Past Rings the Doorbell “Healing is hard. But reopening old wounds with questions you never asked? That’s war.” Friday Evening. Aditi stood at her apartment balcony, the sun dipping low behind the Mumbai skyline, her phone finally on silent. After three chaotic days of media attention, office meetings, HR escalations, and forced smiles — she was done. Just for tonight… she wanted silence. Then came a knock. Three soft taps. She froze. No delivery expected. No friends scheduled. No reason for her heart to pound the way it did. She opened the door. It was him. Aditya. Drenched in monsoon rain, holding a small cardboard box. She didn’t speak. Just stared. “I didn’t come to explain,” he said. “I came to return something.” He placed the box on her small coffee table. Then stepped back. Curiosity got the better of her. She opened it. Inside were things she hadn’t seen in years. A yellowed envelope with a photo of them at her hostel farewell. ...

  Chapter 11: Public Past, Private Pain “Some stories we try to forget… the world makes sure we remember.” Three days later. Tuesday, 8:00 AM. Aditi scrolled through her notifications, sipping her morning coffee, half-awake and already mentally drafting her client reports. And then— Her phone buzzed, again and again. Rhea: “Check Twitter. Now.” Manager (1): “Damage control needed ASAP.” HR Group: “We’re escalating this. Aditi, are you okay?” She froze. Her fingers opened the Twitter app instinctively. Trending: #AdityaSinghRelaunch #OldFlameNewPitch #LoveAndLogos She scrolled further and found it. A short, grainy leaked video clip from the conference room. Her voice, mid-presentation: “…growth doesn’t mean forgetting your past…” Cut. Aditya’s voice: “Did you create this for me?” Her: “If it speaks to you personally, that’s not my fault.” Caption: “When your EX is your client—and your pitch turns personal. 🔥 Corporate love stories are the new market...

  Chapter 10: The Proposal Pitch “Sometimes the hardest stories to tell… are the ones too close to your own.” Monday morning. Conference room. The lights were bright. The tension, brighter. Aditi stood at the head of the long glass table, holding the remote, eyes focused on the screen. Her team sat behind her, notes and laptops ready. Across the table sat Aditya, surrounded by his global marketing heads, waiting for the final campaign pitch. Project Title: Second Chances The irony wasn’t lost on her. “Good morning,” Aditi began, steady and professional. “As discussed, today we present the full-blown narrative and visual identity for your brand’s India relaunch.” She clicked. The screen flickered to a cinematic montage— Old memories, reinvented spaces, echoes of past mistakes… and the courage to begin again. Aditya’s eyes didn’t leave the screen. Not once. “Our campaign centers around the belief,” she continued, “that growth doesn’t mean forgetting your past—it m...

  Chapter 9: Coffee, Chaos, Closure? "Sometimes closure doesn’t come in grand confrontations. Sometimes, it comes in the clink of a coffee cup and a silence that says it all." Sunday afternoon. Bandra. Aditi rarely visited this café anymore. Too many memories. This was their place during college. Same corner table. Same order. Same silly debates over which dessert was better. But today she had agreed. Not because she was ready. But because… a part of her needed to face what was left unspoken. She arrived before him. Ordered an iced americano. No sugar. No expectations. Aditya entered five minutes later. Simple t-shirt, jeans, less polished than usual. Somehow, more real. He spotted her and smiled cautiously. “You still come early.” She didn’t smile back. Just nodded. He sat across. No dramatic gestures. No forced charm. Silence hovered. But this time, it didn’t suffocate. He spoke first. “Thank you… for meeting me.” She sipped her coffee. “Don’t ...

  Chapter 8: Push and Pull "Healing isn’t always a straight path. Sometimes, the heart trips over memories it swore it had buried." Three weeks later. The Ravelle campaign was in full swing. Meetings, drafts, approvals, brand shoots — everything moving smoothly. Professionally, Aditi had never felt more in control. But personally… something was slipping. She hated it. She hated how his presence no longer caused pain — just confusion. She hated how he stopped trying to explain, and just started showing up — consistently, quietly, respectfully. And most of all, she hated how her heart had started listening again… despite her mind’s every warning. It began with little things. He started staying late after meetings, helping her organize slides. He brought coffee without asking — and still remembered she liked it extra strong, no sugar. He never overstepped. Never flirted. Never reminded her of the past. He simply existed in her space… differently now. Not as...

  💔 Chapter 7: His Side of the Story "People talk about the one who waited. But no one asks why the other never returned." Aditya’s Apartment, 2:12 AM. He couldn’t sleep. Not after the way she looked at him today — not with hatred, but with something worse. Disappointment. And that cut deeper than rage ever could. He poured himself a glass of water and sat by the window, watching the distant city lights. A city where she had survived without him. A city where he once imagined they'd build their future. But instead… He had become the man she had to heal from. Flashback: London. A year ago. Aditya sat alone in his cramped apartment, surrounded by open textbooks and unpaid bills. His part-time job as a café assistant barely covered rent. His coursework was overwhelming. His father had just had a health scare back in India. And above all, there was guilt . Guilt that he couldn’t keep up with her love anymore. Guilt that he wasn’t the same boy who promise...

  Chapter 6: Professional Boundaries, Personal Earthquakes "They wore professionalism like armor. But emotions have a way of slipping through the cracks." Two weeks into the project. Clarity’s office buzzed with activity. Aditi stood at the whiteboard, pointing at the evolving campaign roadmap for Ravelle India’s luxury wellness launch. Aditya sat across the table, dressed in a charcoal blazer, face unreadable. Except his eyes—they never stopped watching her. He had kept his word. No personal conversations. No late-night messages. No dramatic confrontations. He was the perfect client. She was the perfect lead. And yet… The air between them? Anything but professional. During meetings, their conversations stayed within creative boundaries. But their silences were loaded. Like when she handed him a brochure draft and their fingers brushed. She didn’t flinch. But he did. Or when he complimented a tagline: “It’s powerful—minimal, yet emotional.” She met his g...

  Chapter 5: The Client Is… Him "He thought she’d still be waiting. But she had turned the ruins he left behind… into her rebirth." Aditya Verma. 26. Founder & CEO of Ravelle Industries , a rising luxury wellness brand. He had just signed a major deal to expand operations in India. His team had suggested Clarity Branding Solutions—top-tier, creative, professional. What they didn’t tell him… was who he’d meet there. Or maybe the universe just enjoyed cruel irony. The moment he saw her—he knew. He wasn’t ready. Not for this version of her. Not for the sharp edges where there used to be softness. Not for the calm indifference that hit harder than anger ever could. Aditi. The girl he once held so tightly… now holding nothing of his anymore. She had always been beautiful. But now—she was powerful . She didn’t flinch. Didn’t stumble. Didn’t even acknowledge the past. It stung. It burned. Because deep down, he had believed she’d still feel something. Mayb...

  Chapter 4: Aditi 2.0 "She didn’t glow up to impress anyone. She healed, rebuilt, and rose — for herself." One year later. Mumbai, 10:15 AM. Aditi walked into her office with her usual grace—heels clicking, sleek black blazer hugging her shoulders, a soft nude lipstick framing her determined smile. She had just been promoted as Client Account Lead at Clarity Branding Solutions , one of the top firms in the city. Her strategies were smart, her pitches sharp, and her deadlines never missed. No one who met her now could imagine the broken girl she once was. Not even her reflection. Her phone buzzed. Rhea: "Big meeting today? New client?" Aditi replied with a wink emoji and a photo of her coffee: “Let’s see what the universe brings.” 10:45 AM. Conference Room 5B. Her assistant handed her the client brief. “It’s an international luxury product brand. Big budget. Long-term collaboration.” “Name?” she asked casually, scrolling through the slide deck. ...

  Chapter 3: The Breaking Point "Sometimes, closure doesn’t come from the other person. It comes the day you decide to stop opening the same locked door." Winter had arrived. Not just in the weather, but in Aditi's heart. It had been nearly nine months since Aditya left. And three since she had last heard his voice. The promises had dried up. The affection had vanished. What remained was a blank chat window, a few old photos, and the ache of what-ifs. That morning, Aditi sat curled up on her bedroom floor, her laptop open beside her. She had an important strategy meeting in an hour, but her mind wasn’t in it. Her phone buzzed. A hope sparked in her chest. But it was just a Zomato ad. Not him. Never him anymore. She unlocked the phone and opened his chat again. Still no blue ticks. Still no green dot. And suddenly, it all just… hit her. Not in a loud, dramatic way. But like a soft, suffocating realization that— He’s not coming back. Not to the chat. ...

  Chapter 2: The Silence That Screams "Some distances aren’t measured in miles… but in unread messages, missed calls, and the ache of being forgotten." Two weeks had passed since Aditya’s flight. Then two months. Then six. And every passing day felt like a thin paper cut—small, invisible, but relentless. At first, the calls were frequent. Midnight video calls with sleepy smiles. Random selfies with captions like “Missing your chai more than London’s coffee.” Texts every few hours. Check-ins. Laughter. Hope. But slowly, the spaces between their conversations started to stretch. One missed call became two. A reply came after five hours. Then twelve. Then… not at all. Aditi stared at her phone, thumb hovering over his name. “Online 2 minutes ago.” Yet… no message. Her throat tightened. She opened their old chat. Scrolled past voice notes, the “I love you more” arguments, the song links, the inside jokes. And then—she typed: "Hey, it’s been two days. ...

  Chapter 1: The Airport Goodbye "Some goodbyes are whispered, not because they’re light… but because the heart is too heavy to speak." The airport buzzed around her—families reuniting, lovers clinging to moments, tears silently tucked into scarves and sleeves. But for Aditi, everything was a blur except the boy in front of her—the boy she had loved for three years, and who was now about to leave her behind. Aditya. Her Aditya. And yet, not hers anymore. Not fully. Not after today. Aditi stood with her arms wrapped tightly around herself, as if bracing against the windstorm brewing inside. Her hair fluttered in the AC breeze, but her world stood still. Aditya adjusted the strap of his backpack, eyes scanning her face like he was trying to memorize her every freckle, every worry line, every smile she wasn't showing today. "Say something," he finally said, voice low, nervous. Aditi exhaled, blinking up at him. “What should I say? That I’m proud of you?...