This is the tale of a young girl who treasures every fleeting moment of her life, aspiring to make a positive impact on others. Despite her noble aspirations, she grapples with facing her challenges head-on, often seeking refuge in avoidance, only t...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The clang of dumbbells echoed in the gym, sharp and rhythmic, as I gripped the weight in my hands. Sweat dripped down my face, stinging my eyes, but I pushed through it. The burn in my muscles was a reminder that I was still alive, still in control. The repetitive motion of lifting and lowering the weights felt almost meditative. I focused on the pump, the rush of endorphins, the satisfaction of a good session.
Then, my phone buzzed in the pocket of my gym shorts. The sharp sound sliced through the quiet space I'd carved out for myself. I froze, irritation crawling up my spine.
Who the hell is calling me now?
I pulled the phone out, seeing the name flash on the screen: Mr. Ritik Goyal —my secretary. Great. Just what I needed during the few minutes I carved out to escape everything.
"Yeah?" I growled into the phone, already irritated by the interruption.
"Sir, I just wanted to go over the schedule for the meetings this afternoon," Ritik said, his voice high-pitched and nervous, like he was already expecting a scolding.
I slammed the dumbbells back into their rack, the metal crashing together with an angry jangle.
"What now?!" I snapped, my voice rising, slicing through the air. "You couldn't wait? I'm in the middle of a workout, Ritik! You're supposed to be handling everything, but here you are, interrupting me over something you should've already taken care of! If you can't even handle the basics, why the hell are you still working for me?"
He stammered on the other end, trying to defend himself, but I wasn't listening anymore. The tension behind my eyes was already building, and my patience had completely evaporated.
"Just—" I cut him off, jaw clenched. "Fix it. And let me know what this is about. It better be important, or else..."
"Sir, it's about the girl you asked about," Ritik finally said, his voice trembling slightly. "I've got the details on her."
The words hit me like a jolt of electricity. I went still, my heart skipping a beat.
Finally.
I hung up before he could say anything else, tossing the phone onto the nearby bench. My pulse raced, but it wasn't from the workout. The adrenaline had shifted from anger to something sharper, something like anticipation.
I stood there for a moment, chest heaving, staring at the weights, the sound of Ritik's words ringing in my ears. The girl. The one I'd been searching for all these years. It was happening. Finally, I was on the verge of finding her.
A cold thrill shot through me, but I pushed it down, forcing myself to focus. I didn't have time for distractions. There was work to be done—both on the girl and on myself.
