🏙️ “Long-Distance Love, Close-Distance Pain” - Chapter 11

 

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 marketing strategy?”
—@MumbaiMediaBuzz

The post had gone viral.

Comments flooded in:

“Damn, that tension!”
“This feels like a Netflix show.”
“Are they still in love or just vibing off pain?”
“Girl boss energy fr.”

But not all of it was flattery.

“Unprofessional to make personal history public.”
“Nepotism or romance—why is she still on the project?”
“Maybe this is why women shouldn’t handle exes at work.”

Her hands trembled. Her coffee slipped from her hand, crashing to the floor.

At the office, damage control had already started.

The marketing head pulled her into a glass meeting room.

“We’re handling PR,” he said, “but you need to release a statement. Maybe say it was scripted or... misconstrued.”

Aditi’s voice was calm. “But it wasn’t scripted.”

“That’s the problem,” he whispered, lowering his voice. “People don’t care about the truth. They care about the narrative.”

That evening, Aditya showed up unannounced at her office floor.

“Aditi—” he said, clearly out of breath.

She didn’t let him speak.

“You leaked it?”

His jaw clenched. “No. Why would I?”

“I don’t know, Aditya. Why would you ghost me? Why would you come back? Why would you smile at every line I say like we still have something between us?”
Her voice cracked.
“And now... why is the world dragging me for something I didn’t even ask to feel again?”

He looked devastated. “I swear I didn’t do this.”

She stared at him for a long second.

“I used to believe every word you said. That’s what hurts the most.”

She left before he could reply.

Outside, camera flashes caught her face.
One reporter shouted, “Is it true you were dating Aditya Singh during the pitch?”

She smiled, bitterly.

“No comment. But since you like drama—here’s your headline: Some stories are better left unpublished.”

She wasn’t just healing anymore.
She was now fighting for the right to heal in peace.

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