Aarav Malhotra was a man on the verge of collapse.
The world saw him as a ruthless billionaire, a man who conquered boardrooms and turned failing businesses into gold.
But behind the closed doors of his penthouse, he was nothing but a broken man drowning in grief.
His wife was dead...
A car crash...
A freak accident, they said...
But he knew better, knew there was something off about it.
For weeks, the nightmares wouldn’t let him sleep. He stopped eating. Stopped functioning...
His company suffered. His body felt heavy, his mind suffocated.
That was when he went to see Dr. Arya Mehta, one of the most respected psychiatrists in the city.
"Mr. Malhotra," Arya greeted him, her voice soft, calming. "You don’t have to talk about anything you don’t want to. We’ll go at your pace."
She was beautiful, in a quiet, understated way. Dressed in pale colors, her dark hair neatly pulled back, eyes filled with warmth.
She was nothing like the people he dealt with, no fake smiles, no empty words.
Aarav scoffed. "I don’t even know why I’m here."
"Then let’s start with that," she said, leaning back in her chair.
"Why do you think you’re here?"
He exhaled sharply, rubbing his face.
"Because I’m losing my mind."
Her gaze didn’t waver...
"Or because you lost someone you loved?"
The words hit him like a punch...
He didn’t reply.
She didn’t push him.
Just watched him, patient.... Understanding....
For the first time in weeks, something inside him loosened.
The sessions continued...
Every week, he sat across from her, speaking in short sentences at first. Then in long, unfiltered confessions.
"I should’ve been there," he admitted one evening, voice hoarse.
"I should’ve stopped her from leaving that night."
"It wasn’t your fault," Arya said gently.
"You know that, don’t you?"
"But what if it was?" His hands curled into fists.
"What if someone… did this?"
Her eyes flickered. Just for a second. So fast he almost missed it.
But then she smiled, reassuring.
"Grief makes us see shadows where there are none, Aarav."
Her calling him by his first name should’ve felt strange.
But it didn’t...
She asked about his nightmares, his guilt, and his fears.
And when he broke down, she offered him comfort.
Gently placing her hand over his.
“I’m here to help you.”
Her voice was soothing.... Sincere...
Or so he believed...
