When will I FIND YOU?

Chapter 4- The Shattered Vision

Crash! The vase fell from Karan’s hands and shattered into a thousand pieces on the pristine marble floor. The sudden jolt that caused it to slip from his grasp left him wide awake, but drenched in sweat as if he had seen a ghost. His heart raced, and his mind was a whirlwind of confusion and fear. “Are you okay, sir?” his secretary, Mala, rushed over with concern etched on her face. Mala Rana was a talented and dedicated employee in his company, known not only for her work ethic but also for her beauty. Three years ago, she won the title of Miss Haryana. “Uhm, yes, I’m okay. It just slipped from my hand. Can you call someone to clean this up?” Karan's voice was tense, and he was still trying to make sense of what had just happened. “Sure, sir, no problem,” Mala reassured him, giving him a sympathetic smile before hurrying off to find help. Karan slowly walked back to his chair, his mind replaying the strange vision that had startled him. He sank into the plush leather seat, still perplexed by the vividness and intensity of the experience. It felt more like a memory than a mere hallucination, yet he couldn’t place it in any part of his life. “How can such a vision appear in front of me all of a sudden? I cannot understand what’s happening to me,” he muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair in frustration. The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur. Karan tried to focus on his work, but the unsettling vision kept intruding on his thoughts. He couldn’t shake the feeling that it meant something, though what, he had no idea. He went through the motions of his meetings and tasks, his usual sharpness dulled by the lingering unease. As evening approached, his phone buzzed with a reminder. He had a dinner date tonight, arranged by his father. Karan sighed, feeling even more weighed down by the prospect. His father, Mr. Harshvardhan Ram Mehra, had been pushing him to meet Shanaya Kapoor, the daughter of his business partner. Shanaya was beautiful, charming, and came from an influential family—everything his father thought would make the perfect match. But Karan wasn’t interested. His mind and heart were elsewhere, caught up in the confusion of his vision and the inexplicable longing it had stirred within him. Nevertheless, he couldn’t refuse his father’s request without causing unnecessary friction.

He arrived at the upscale restaurant a few minutes early, greeted by the maître d' with practiced elegance. The place was softly lit, with a warm, inviting ambiance that contrasted sharply with his current state of mind. Karan was led to a private table near the window, offering a beautiful view of the city’s twinkling lights. Shanaya arrived shortly after, looking stunning in a sleek black dress that accentuated her elegance. She smiled brightly as she approached the table, her presence exuding confidence and poise.

“Karan, it’s so good to see you,” she said warmly, sitting down across from him.

“Likewise, Shanaya,” Karan replied, forcing a polite smile. He didn’t want to be rude, but his heart wasn’t in it. As the evening progressed, it became increasingly clear that Shanaya was determined to win Karan over. She leaned in closer, her voice dripping with sweetness as she recounted her latest shopping spree in Paris and the exclusive parties she had attended. Her stories were peppered with names of celebrities and influential figures, and she seemed to expect Karan to be impressed. “You know, Karan, I could introduce you to so many interesting people,” Shanaya said, her hand casually brushing his. “We could be quite the power couple.” Karan inwardly cringed at the blatant self-promotion. He knew she was trying to impress him, but her efforts felt forced and superficial. He nodded politely, trying to steer the conversation towards more meaningful topics, but Shanaya kept bringing it back to herself and her glamorous lifestyle. “I saw this amazing yacht in Monaco,” she continued, ignoring Karan’s attempts to change the subject. “We should totally go there sometime. Just imagine, the two of us sailing away, leaving all this behind.” Karan’s patience was wearing thin. He could see that Shanaya was accustomed to getting what she wanted, and right now, she had set her sights on him. Her attempts to charm him felt more like a performance, and Karan couldn’t shake the feeling that she was more interested in the idea of them as a couple than in who he actually was.

As the dinner dragged on, Karan’s disinterest became harder to hide. He responded to Shanaya’s stories with monosyllabic answers, his mind drifting back to the vision that had haunted him earlier. The more Shanaya pushed, the more he recoiled, feeling trapped in a situation he wanted no part of. “Are you alright, Karan? You seem a bit distracted,” Shanaya observed, tilting her head slightly as she studied him. “I’m fine, just a bit tired,” Karan lied, not wanting to delve into his troubled thoughts. “It’s been a long day.” Shanaya nodded sympathetically, but Karan could see a flicker of frustration in her eyes. She had likely expected more from this meeting, just as his father had. The evening dragged on, each minute feeling like an eternity. Karan couldn’t help but feel a growing sense of restlessness. Despite Shanaya’s beauty and charm, he found himself yearning for something else—someone else. The vision had stirred a deep, unfulfilled longing within him, and he knew he couldn’t ignore it any longer. When the dinner finally ended, Karan escorted Shanaya to her car. She smiled at him, a hopeful look in her eyes.

“Maybe we can do this again sometime?” she suggested, her tone almost pleading.

“Sure, Shanaya,” Karan replied, though his heart wasn’t in it. “Take care.”

As she drove away, Karan stood there for a moment, staring into the night. He felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness, a void that no amount of success or arranged dates could fill. He needed to find the source of his longing, the person his heart seemed to be waiting for. With a heavy sigh, he walked back to his car, determined to make sense of the vision and the feelings it had awakened. Little did he know that his search for answers would lead him on a journey he never anticipated, one that would ultimately bring him closer to the love he had been unknowingly yearning for.