DEV(i)

8. Business~

The soft morning light filtered through the thin curtains of Srinika's bedroom, painting delicate patterns on the pale walls. She blinked her eyes open slowly, her head heavy with the remnants of last night's gloom. A soft groan escaped her lips as she shifted, her mind trying to recall the events of the evening—a lingering discomfort that gnawed at the edges of her memory.

Sitting up in bed, she noticed something unusual on her bedside table. There, placed with an almost comical precision, was a toffee and a single paracetamol. Her brow furrowed as she reached for the items, confusion giving way to curiosity. Beneath them, a small folded note peeked out, the familiar handwriting catching her eye. Srinika unfolded it slowly, a soft smile playing on her lips even before she read it.

"Take the med' only if you're having a headache. I hate you."

A laugh bubbled up from her chest—sharp but soft, like a release of tension she hadn't realized she was holding. This was typical of him. Dev had always found a way to blend care with mock sarcasm, as if showing concern without a quip was too much for him.

Still smiling, she reached for her phone, eager to thank him. She dialed Dev's number, fully expecting to hear his familiar drawl on the other end of the line. But the call didn't connect. No ringtone, just silence.

She frowned, glancing at her screen. "Strange," she muttered, trying again, only to meet the same empty result—straight to voicemail this time. The knot in her stomach tightened slightly, an uneasy feeling creeping up her spine.

Her voice was light but tinged with confusion as she left a message. "Hey, Dev. Thanks for the toffee and the paracetamol, you thoughtful idiot. I don't remember doing anything last night that could've annoyed you, but if I did, I'm sorry. Call me, okay?"

She hung up, tossing the phone back onto the bed with a sigh, trying to brush off the feeling. He was probably busy. That was Dev—constantly juggling work, life, and who knew what else. But still, she checked her phone again a few minutes later, and then again, only to be met with more silence.

The day stretched on, each hour feeling heavier than the last. Srinika buried herself in her thesis, her fingers flying across the keyboard in a desperate attempt to drown out her thoughts. But it didn't work. No matter how deep she dove into her studies, her mind kept drifting back to the unanswered calls. Why hadn't he called back? Was something wrong?

As the afternoon light faded and the shadows lengthened across her desk, the silence became unbearable. Frustration and concern swirled inside her, growing louder with every passing minute. She stood, pacing the room, rubbing her temples as her earlier headache threatened to return. This wasn't like Dev. He never ignored her for this long.

By evening, her phone still lay stubbornly silent, the notifications empty. With a sigh, she sank onto her bed, the weight of the unanswered questions pressing down on her. She couldn't help but wonder what had changed overnight, and a pang of disappointment settled in her chest.

_________________________

Meanwhile, across town, Dev sat in his office, hunched over his desk, completely submerged in the chaos of his professional life. His office was bathed in the dim glow of a setting sun, casting long shadows over the stacks of papers and files littering his workspace. Dev rubbed his tired eyes, his fingers massaging the tension that had been building in his temples for hours.

Despite his growing success as a young entrepreneur, the pressures were immense. The Malhotra deal, which had been hanging in the balance for weeks, now seemed like it was slipping through his fingers. And it wasn't just business anymore—it was personal. There were too many moving parts, and everything felt out of his control. He could feel his stomach twist with frustration.