one
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Third Person's Pov
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Amidst the bustling city of Mumbai, where skyscrapers reached for the heavens and endless streams of people hurried past, stood the headquarters of StellarSynth Enterprises.
The top floor of the lavish building housed the CEO's office, an extravagant space radiating affluence and grandeur. At the heart of the room, atop the grand table, rested a gold-rimmed, thick nameplate embellished with meticulously arranged, neat black letters spelling out "Parth Sharawat, CEO."
Seated in the executive chair was Parth in a well-tailored black suit jacket, fully immersed in his laptop as he went through an email.
As he tapped the back button to close the email, his eyes flickered downward to the screen, where an email he had swiftly ignored for a week caught his attention.
It was an invitation.
He closed the screen with a sigh, settling into the embrace of silence. With furrowed brows, he delved into deep reflection, immersing himself in the thoughts carried by the email's contents.
His trance shattered abruptly, disrupted by a forceful knock echoing at the door.
"Come in," he responded promptly, his voice a hushed murmur.
There stood his friend, Dr. Abhi Sharma.
For the past seventeen years, Abhi had been one of Parth's closest friends. Their friendship ignited when Parth's father was transferred to Chandigarh, leading to Parth's enrollment in a new school.
Their first meeting was still fresh in both their minds.
It was a typical first day of a new session, with students bustling around the school premises.
Parth, the newcomer, was made to sit next to one of the intelligent students in the class, Abhi. Abhi's empathy and helpful nature won Parth over as he helped him in settling into the new environment. They soon formed a bond that speaks volumes even after a decade.
"Hi, Mr. CEO, what's up?" Abhi entered with his cheerful voice.
Parth muttered a soft hello as he moved over to give his friend a short hug.
"How's your sister? I didn't think you'd come back this early," Parth asked Abhi, passing him a glass of water.
"She's doing well, able to walk with support now," Abhi replied, taking a seat in front of Parth and updating him about his sister's condition, who had recently met with an accident in Delhi.
Parth felt genuinely happy as he saw the signs of relief on Abhi's face. "Great!"
Abhi's eyes shifted to a white envelope, discarded in a corner of Parth's table.
He extended his hand and picked up the envelope. He sighed, noticing that the envelope was still unopened. He was sure Parth must have not read the email as well.
"Parth...," Abhi began to speak but was interrupted.
"No, Abhi! I'm too busy. I really don't have time for all this," Parth said, picking up a file from the table to look at it.
"I understand you have a lot on your plate, but it's just a matter of one day," Abhi's voice was gentle, his attempt to convince Parth evident. "Every single time, you dismiss the invitation just like this. Practically everyone attends, except you. People keep inquiring about your absence. I'm genuinely puzzled by your behaviour. I don't understand why you treat anything connected to this as if it's a plague."
Parth sighed, saying, "I don't treat you like a plague. You are connected to it too."
Abhi huffed in irritation, retorting, "Whatever! So you won't go, then?"
Parth responded with determination, "No, I'm sorry, but I just don't want to go."
Abhi knew Parth like the back of his hand. He was aware that Parth was concealing a deep secret, something he had never disclosed, something related to the topic they had just been discussing. However, neither Parth had ever confided in Abhi, nor had Abhi ever inquired about it.
Parth, closing his laptop, said, "Come on, let's have lunch."
The duo went to a restaurant owned by Parth's company, located just in front of his office. After placing their orders, they began conversing.
And then, as luck would have it, Abhi's words took an unexpected turn. He leaned forward, his voice hushed with excitement, "You won't believe who I ran into in Delhi."
Parth, without displaying much interest and casually taking a sip of his drink, asked, "Who?"
Abhi responded, "Sharvi. Sharvi Kashyap. You remember her, right?"
As the name reverberated in Parth's mind, his heart skipped a beat.
It was that name!
The name he had buried deep within his memories, the name he hadn't heard in years.
Parth's demeanor shifted. It was a mix of nostalgia, longing, and perhaps a hint of sadness.
His voice trembled as he inquired, "Sharvi?
His mind was instantly flooded with memories of her.
Abhi instantly replied, "Yeah! Don't tell me you've forgotten her. She used to sit in front of us at school. You both attended the same tuition classes. And you guys were pretty close. Short hair, thick glasses – she was a nice singer, always humming tunes and sketching peculiar patterns."
Seeing Parth lost in thoughts, Abhi drummed his fingers on the table and called out, "Parth."
Parth's trance was broken upon hearing Abhi's voice.
"Where are you lost?" Abhi asked.
Parth whispered, "Nowhere."
The waiter arrived with their food, and the friends began to eat.
Parth's heart suddenly held questions for which he wanted answers.
He took a deep breath and asked, "So, how is Sharvi?"
Abhi replied, "She's doing very well! Settled in Delhi now, working as one of the lead architects for a company called UrbanSpace Designs. She is my sister's neighbour."
Parth's lips curved into a smile as he remembered all the times Sharvi had spoken about her passion for architecture.
He whispered, "Nice! What else?"
Abhi, focused on his food, replied, "Nothing much! She's as friendly and warm as ever. She has become a great friend to my sister. Just like everyone else, my sister adores her. She couldn't stop praising her."
Parth nodded.
Then he remembered something that had left a deep impression on his heart. "What about her husband?"
Abhi looked at his friend oddly. "Her husband? Where did he come from?"
Parth stopped eating and asked, "Wait! Sharvi, isn't she married?"
Abhi shook his head. "No! Who told you that?"
Parth, unable to trust Abhi's words, asked, "Are you sure?"
Abhi affirmed, "Yes! My sister was even trying to set me up with her."
How can that be?
Parth lost all his appetite and hurriedly rushed to his office.
He paced through his cabin, a myriad of thoughts racing through his mind.
The only reason he had been avoiding her and her presence was a lie.
She isn't married.
He recalled that day from five years ago.
His company's turnover had reached a significant milestone, and his name had been prominently featured in magazines and newspapers throughout the country.
He truly felt that he had achieved success that day.
He was elated and had wanted to share the good news with the person who had been a beacon of light during his darkest moments, offering him the motivation he required before making that big decision.
Sharvi.
He had searched for her on every social media platform, but couldn't find her.
Parth had rushed to his parents' home, seeking his old diary filled with his deepest secrets.
Scanning its pages, he had found 10 digits scribbled on a page - her phone number.
Five years had elapsed since he had recorded that number.
With the fear that she might have changed her number, just as he had, or might not recognize him, Parth had summoned all his courage, before dialling that number.
"Hello!", a female voice had responded.
Though unfamiliar, he had asked tentatively, "Sharvi?"
The reply had came, "No, her cousin. Who's calling?"
Parth had whispered, "A friend. Could you pass the call to her, please?"
The female on the other end had explained, "I'm sorry, she's occupied."
Impatient to reconnect, Parth had inquired, "When might I reach her? Perhaps in the evening?"
The response had come as a surprise to him, "Certainly not! It's her wedding today."
Parth had been taken aback, exclaiming, "Wedding? Her wedding?"
"Yes, her wedding," the voice had confirmed.
Still grappling with reality, Parth had sought assurance, "Are you talking about Sharvi? Sharvi Kashyap?"
Her cousin's tone had turned impatient, "Yes, indeed."
Despite the reply, Parth's heart had clung to the idea that it might still be a joke.
But, a new voice had reached his ears through the phone - a sweet, gentle voice he recognized instantly.
It had been hers.
"Soha, could you bring my
lehenga
?"
Parth had heard laughter, accompanied by teasing words, "Look who's all excited about getting married."
Amidst the laughter, Sharvi's voice had emerged again, "Absolutely! I've waited so long for this moment. Just a few hours, and I'll be his wife."
In Sharvi's tone, Parth had sensed genuine excitement and joy. She was happily embarking on a new journey.
Unable to hear further, he had disconnected the call.
The news of her wedding had shattered Parth's heart.
Although their paths had long drifted apart, hearing about her wedding had left a bitter taste in his mouth.
A torrent of emotions had surged through him. Shock and disbelief had collided with a heart-wrenching ache, as if the world had shifted beneath his feet. Jealousy and longing had twisted together, and a hollow emptiness had settled in his chest, knowing that the girl he had secretly loved for years was going to become someone else's wife.
Each word that had reached his ears through the phone, felt like daggers piercing his heart. Every word she had spoke seemed to cut deeper, driving home the reality. Each syllable had echoed with the ache of lost dreams and shattered hopes, leaving him in a sea of emotional turmoil that he struggled to navigate.
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"𝐖𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬."
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First chapter is out! I hope you guys like it.
Please like, comment, and share.
It would really mean a lot to me.
To all the readers, a huge welcome from the bottom of my heart.
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Until next time
Love
S
