The Promise of Tomorrow

The Unopened Folder

When Raghav came home, he wasn't his usual gloomy self. Instead, he had a real smile on his face, as if meeting an angel had brought a little light into his dark world.

The servants at his house were puzzled by this change. Normally, Raghav was stern and serious, but now he looked calm and happy. They wondered if his mood had improved because of his mother, not realizing it was actually because of the new person who had brightened his day.

Raghav spent the entire day working at his office without scolding any of his servent for their mistakes. He simply overlooked their errors, lost in his thoughts. His mind kept asking him:

Is he making a mistake?

How did he get so comfortable with Pallavi after just one meeting?

Is this good for him?

What if Pallavi is just pretending to be nice?

Although his heart and instincts felt that Pallavi was genuine, his mind, filled with past disappointments, was full of doubts.

Putting everything else aside, Raghav made a decision. He asked Farhad to gather all the information about Pallavi, from her birth until now. He wanted to know everything about her. Even though he didn't feel it was the right thing to do, he went ahead with it anyway.

In the end, Raghav's past experiences won over his heart.

................................................................... ********************......................................................

The next day, Farhad handed Raghav a folder.

Raghav took the folder from Farhad, staring at it for a moment before setting it aside on his desk.

"Everything you wanted to know is in there, anna," Farhad said cautiously, watching Raghav's expression.

Raghav nodded but didn't reach for the folder again. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping against the desk.

Farhad hesitated. "Aren't you going to check it?"

Raghav glanced at the folder, then shook his head slightly. "Not yet."

Farhad looked puzzled but didn't press further. He left the room quietly, leaving Raghav alone with his thoughts.

Raghav's gaze lingered on the folder for a few moments. Every instinct from his past urged him to open it, to know everything there was to know about Pallavi. It was his way of protecting himself, of making sure no one could ever hurt him again.

But something stopped him.

Did he really want to dig into her life like this? Pallavi had done nothing to deserve suspicion. Every part of her - her smile, her words, her presence - had felt real.

Raghav stood up abruptly, leaving the folder untouched on the desk. His heart and mind were still at war, but for now, he chose to trust what he felt in his heart.

Raghav hadn't planned on meeting Pallavi again so soon, but fate-or was it Farhad?-had other ideas. When he arrived at the café for his usual black coffee, Pallavi was already there, sitting at a corner table, absorbed in her phone.

His heart skipped a beat. He hesitated at the entrance, unsure of how to approach her now. Would things be different? He hadn't opened the folder, yet the knowledge of it weighed on him.

Should he act normal? Should he be cautious? His mind raced as he took a deep breath and walked over.

Overthinker RR

"Hey," Pallavi looked up and smiled, a genuine warmth that instantly eased some of the tension Raghav had been carrying.

"Hey," he replied, trying to sound casual as he slid into the seat across from her. "You here often?"

"Not really," she laughed. "But sometimes it's nice to step out of the saree shop and grab a coffee. I didn't think I'd run into you, though. Didn't peg you for a coffee-shop type."

Raghav smirked. "What type did you think I was?"

Pallavi tilted her head, considering. "Hmm, definitely more of the 'at-home-gym with protein shake' kind of guy."

"Touché," Raghav chuckled. "But even gym rats need a break sometimes."

The conversation flowed easily, but beneath it, Raghav was keenly aware of the unopened folder still sitting on his desk at home. He caught himself staring at Pallavi a little too long, wondering about the secrets that folder held, and whether any of it would change the way he saw her.

Pallavi frowned, noticing his quietness. "Kya hua? Tum aaj thode alag lag rahe ho. Sab thik hai?"

Raghav shook off the thoughts. "Haan, sab thik. Just... work stuff."

"Work stuff," she repeated with a teasing smile. "Sounds like code for 'I'm avoiding something.'"

Raghav's lips twitched in a half-smile, but he didn't respond. He took a sip of his coffee, feeling her gaze on him. She was sharp, and that unnerved him.

"So, Raghav Rao, any big plans today?" Pallavi asked, switching gears, perhaps sensing his discomfort.

"Nothing big. Just..." He paused, then threw caution to the wind. "How about you? What's Pallavi Deshmukh's agenda?"

"Pallavi Deshmukh has a big day of haggling with suppliers and convincing customers that sarees are worth the price," she grinned. "And maybe, if she's lucky, she'll get another cup of coffee."

Raghav laughed. "Sounds like a packed schedule. But I think you could squeeze in a bit more."

"And what's that?"

"Dinner with me."

The words were out before Raghav could stop himself, and for a moment, he regretted them. But Pallavi's face lit up with surprise and amusement.

"Dinner? With the gym-rat-businessman?" she teased, but there was a softness in her tone. "Alright, deal. But only if you promise not to talk about work."

"Deal," Raghav agreed, a small part of his worry melting away.

When Raghav returned home after his day, the folder was still there, untouched. He sat on the edge of his desk, staring at the folder lying on his desk, still unopened. He hadn't touched it since Farhad handed it to him earlier in the day, filled with all the information about Pallavi. He picked it up, weighing it in his hands as if it held more than just papers-it felt like it carried the weight of his decision.

His mind was at war. A part of him wanted to tear it open and inspect every detail, confirming what he already knew. But another part of him-the part that had felt strangely comfortable with Pallavi-was hesitant.

What could he possibly find in there that he didn't already know?

She's not hiding anything, his heart whispered.

Yet, his brain, tainted by past betrayals and disappointments, refused to let go. He had learned the hard way that trusting too easily led to pain. And though Pallavi seemed genuine, there was still a nagging doubt.

Finally, he threw the folder aside, frustrated. What am I doing? he thought. Am I really this paranoid?

He couldn't make himself open it. Not yet, at least. Maybe the real issue wasn't Pallavi at all, but his inability to trust again.

Raghav sat there, staring at the folder as it lay discarded on the desk. His mind still wrestled with questions and doubts, but his heart-the part of him that had felt the warmth in Pallavi's smile-remained firm. He didn't need to open the folder right now. Maybe he never would.

As the evening light dimmed, Raghav stood up, glancing one last time at the folder before walking away. There was something about Pallavi that made him want to trust her, to believe that for once, things could be different. But could he allow himself that risk?

Only time would tell.

With a deep breath, he pushed those thoughts aside, the smile from their coffee meeting still lingering on his face. For the first time in a long while, he didn't feel so alone.