EPISODE 3:

Ridha: What do you want from me. Just leave me alone. Why are you doing this.

.The man stand there with a creepy smile on his face.

Then a cab came.

“We’ll meet again, sweetheart.” The man said.

She didn’t respond. She turned quickly, opened the cab door, and slid inside, loc Theg it almost instantly.

Her hands were shaking as she gave the driver a destination—anything, just away from here.

Through the window, she saw him.

He hadn’t moved.

Still watching.

Still smiling.

The cab pulled away, and only then did Ridha finally exhale, her breath breaking like she had been holding it underwater for too long.

She reached home.

That night, Ridha tried to distract herself.She told herself it was nothing.

Then her phone buzzed.

She just looked down at the screen casually, expecting a friend’s message or a notification.

Unknown Number:

“Hi, sweetheart.”

For the first time, she didn’t panic.

Instead… something inside her shifted.

A memory pressed forward, gently at first… then stronger.

Two years ago.

Laughter.

A familiar voice.

A friendship that felt easy… natural… safe.

Someone who used to sit beside her like he belonged there.

She slowly placed the phone down.

The message was still there.

But her mind was somewhere else now.

Trying to understand.

Trying to remember.

“We were good friends…” she whispered to herself.

Then softer:

“Why did you do that Vihaan?”

Her eyes slowly grew heavy.

The thoughts kept repeating in her mind like waves.

And without realizing it… she drifted into sleep.

NEXT MORNING...

Ridha woke up slowly, blinking at the ceiling.

She sat up and pressed her hand to her forehead.

And in a quiet voice, she asked herself—

“Why did he do that?”

She got up and started getting ready for the office.

A few minutes later, she picked up her bag, checked everything once, and stepped out of the house.

People walking. Traffic moving. Life continuing.

As if nothing had changed.

But inside Ridha’s mind, one thing hadn’t stopped echoing.

Why did he do that…?

And with that unanswered question, she walked toward her office.

When she is entering the office, her mind was still half here… half somewhere else.

And then—

her foot slipped slightly on the smooth floor.

“Ah—”

Before she could fall completely, a hand quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

She froze for a second.

She looked up.

A man stood close, holding her steady.

Too close for a moment.

Their eyes met.

The world around them felt like it paused for a second—just silence, just breath, just that strange stillness between two strangers.

Why my heartbeat is so fast. Ridha think in her mind.

Then reality settled back in.

He released her wrist.

She stepped back quickly, fixing her balance and her expression.

“Thank you,” she said, slightly awkward.

He raised an eyebrow.

“Are you dumb?” he said casually. “You always fall like this?”

“Excuse me?” she said, annoyed now. “Yesterday it wasn’t my fault. It was your dog!”

She grabbed her files properly and turned to leave.

“And Mr. Workload—don’t act like it’s always my mistake.”

She started walking away without looking back.

“Mr. Workload…?”

His expression changed slightly.

Then he spoke louder.

“My name is Aryan Shekhawat.”

“Call me Aryan Shekhawat. That is my name.”

But she didn’t turn back and walked without replying.

Ridha had barely settled back at her desk when her manager arrived again.

“Ridha, this needs to be finished today. Tomorrow is the deadline submission,” he said firmly.

She blinked.

“Today…?” she repeated, disbelief in her voice.

Before she could even argue, he had already walked away.

Ridha let out a frustrated breath and sat back down.

The office, which had slowly emptied throughout the evening, now felt even quieter.

Only the sound of typing remained.

And time kept slipping away.

One by one, people left.

Lights dimmed in different sections of the office.

Soon, almost everyone was gone.

Except her.

And him.

Aryan Shekhawat.

He usually left quickly.

But today… he didn’t.

He stayed longer than usual.

Not far from her desk, pretending to work, but occasionally glancing in her direction.

Hours passed.

Finally, Ridha completed her work.

She stretched her fingers and sighed deeply.

She stood up, grabbed her bag, and headed toward the exit.

At the same time, Aryan also walked out from his side, as if he had just finished his work too.

They met near the exit.

“It's too late I’ll drop you,” he said.

Ridha immediately shook her head.

“No. I’ll manage.”

She started walking toward the exit.

But then—

her mind flashed back to yesterday.

She stopped.

After a pause, she turned slightly.

“…Fine” , she said quietly. “I’ll take the lift.”

Aryan blinked slightly.

In his mind, a thought crossed instantly—

Is she crazy? First she refuses, then suddenly yes?

But he didn’t say it out loud.

Instead, he just nodded.

“I’ll get the car. Wait here.”

And he walked toward the parking area.

Ridha stood near the entrance, holding her bag tightly, waiting.

The night air was quiet.

And then—

a voice came from behind her.

“Are you waiting for someone?”

Vihaan...? Ridha said.

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