"For the girls who dared to believe in love, only to have their hearts shattered. She craved a love without conditions. He built walls to keep love at bay. Will he surrender to his heart's desire, or will he leave her with nothing but broken dreams?"
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The day had drained me completely. Tossing my bag onto the table, I collapsed onto the couch, my body finally succumbing to exhaustion. After a week of relentless effort and mounting anxiety, I was employed again. Relief coursed through me, but it wasn't strong enough to drown the memories clawing their way to the surface.
The fear of being jobless, the thought of losing everything-it was too close to the nightmare I had spent years trying to forget. A familiar voice echoed in my head, venomous and unforgiving. "You're useless. You'll never be anything."
A tear escaped before I could stop it, but I wiped it away with a ferocity that surprised even me. I wasn't that fragile girl anymore. I had rebuilt myself from those broken pieces, and no one-not even my own memories-would take that away from me.
My thoughts shifted to today's events. I had landed a position at Wales Group, India's most prestigious company, but Mr. Agarwal's words still lingered like a dark cloud. "Don't think I'll be sweet to you. I'm the devil, and I won't hesitate to fire you."
Sweetness? I didn't need it. No one had ever been sweet to me anyway. But failure wasn't an option. I had to prove myself, not just to him but to the part of me that still doubted my worth.
A sharp knock at the door interrupted my spiraling thoughts. Grumbling, I made my way over. "Who the hell is it at this hour-" My words were cut off when I saw who stood on the other side.
"ATHARV!" I squealed, launching myself into his arms. He caught me effortlessly, just like always.
"God, Kiara," he groaned. "Have you been eating bricks? You've gained weight in a week! At this rate, there'll be no difference between you and an elephant."
"Excuse me?" I swatted his shoulder, though I couldn't help but laugh. "You're just jealous because I'm not starving myself like you."
Atharv Khurana, my best friend and the only constant in my life. He was the one person who never judged, never left, and always caught me when I fell.
"Are you going to let me in, or do you plan to keep showing the neighbors how crazy you are?" he teased.
I stepped aside, rolling my eyes. "Come in, oh mighty traveler. Let me get you some water."
By the time I returned, he had already made himself at home, shrugging off his jacket and flopping onto the couch. "Missed me?" he asked with a cocky grin, taking the glass from my hand.
"In your dreams," I shot back, trying to suppress a smile.
"Yeah, yeah. You totally did. You were probably counting down the days until I got back."
I smirked. "Says the guy who came straight here from the airport."
He opened his mouth to argue but thought better of it. Instead, his tone turned serious. "So, how's work at Diamond Stars?"
I hesitated. He didn't know. I had kept it from him-the company's closure, my week of unemployment, the panic that had gripped me like a vice. I didn't want to burden him while he was on vacation with his family. But now that he was here, I couldn't lie anymore.
Taking a deep breath, I began, "Diamond Stars shut down last week."
"What?!" He bolted upright, his face a mix of shock and concern. "Why didn't you tell me? What happened? Are you okay? Did you-"
I cut him off by chucking a pillow at his head. "Let me finish, idiot. Yes, I was jobless, but only for a week. Today, I interviewed at Wales Group, and guess what? I start tomorrow!"
For a moment, he just stared at me, his expression unreadable. Then he spoke, his voice softer. "You should have told me, Kiara. You went through all that alone. Why do you always bottle things up? Maybe I've failed you as a friend."
"You haven't failed me," I assured him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want to ruin your trip. And maybe this was fate-Diamond Stars shutting down gave me the chance to work at Wales Group."
After a long pause, he nodded, though the worry didn't leave his eyes.
We spent the rest of the evening catching up. Atharv regaled me with stories from his trip, showing me pictures and laughing at my unimpressed reactions. We ordered takeout to celebrate my new job, and for a while, it felt like the weight of the world had lifted.
Atharv had always been my rock. When everyone else walked away, he stayed. He listened to my rants, my fears, and my dreams without judgment. Though I would never admit it to his face, I had missed him terribly.
After he left, I showered and changed into my pajamas. Tomorrow would mark the beginning of a new chapter in my life. And though the path ahead was uncertain, one thing was clear: I wasn't going to let the shadows of my past hold me back.
With that thought, I drifted into a dreamless sleep.
