The early morning sun filtered through the half-drawn curtains of Aarohi's bedroom. A soft breeze danced into the room, brushing against her cheek as she groaned and pulled the blanket over her head. The previous night's company dinner had gone on longer than expected—filled with games, laughter, and cultural exchanges—but now the weight of exhaustion clung to her.
Her phone buzzed furiously on the bedside table.
"Aarohi! Wake up! We're late!" Rhea's panicked voice echoed from the kitchen.
Aarohi shot up in bed. "What?! What time is it?"
"8:45! We have to be there by 9!"
Panic surged through her chest. The office was a 25-minute ride away. With lightning speed, Aarohi rushed into the bathroom, splashed cold water on her face, brushed her teeth, and pulled her hair into a hurried ponytail. Rhea was already dressed, stuffing toast into her mouth while grabbing her bag.
By 9:15, both girls were in the elevator, breathless and anxious. Aarohi dabbed on a bit of lipstick and powder, hoping it would mask her tired features. She tugged on the cuffs of her blazer, hoping she looked professional enough to avoid any unwanted attention.
The moment the elevator doors opened at the company's floor, the atmosphere felt different—tense and eerily silent.
The receptionist at the front desk didn't smile this time.
"They're in the conference room," she said flatly, eyes flickering to the left hallway.
Rhea and Aarohi exchanged puzzled looks.
"Meeting?" Aarohi whispered.
Before they could ask further, the sharp voice of Pim, their manager, echoed from down the corridor. "Girls! Hurry up!"
They rushed toward the room, heels tapping loudly against the polished marble floor.
As soon as they stepped inside the conference room, every head turned toward them—silent, judging, tense.
And at the head of the table stood Rithvik Veerayut.
He wasn't seated. He stood tall, arms crossed over his chest, charcoal grey suit perfectly tailored to his broad shoulders. His eyes were sharp, dark, and dangerously cold as they locked onto Aarohi.
The room fell into a deeper silence.
"So," he said slowly, voice like a blade gliding against stone, "the new interns decided the rules don't apply to them?"
Rhea froze beside Aarohi. Aarohi could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage. Her breath caught in her throat.
"I believe office hours begin at 9 a.m., not whenever you feel like arriving," he continued, walking toward them. His gaze never left Aarohi's face.
"We… we're sorry, sir," Rhea mumbled, her voice shaking slightly.
Aarohi opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Her lips trembled.
"Excuses mean nothing here. Discipline matters. Time is not a luxury, Miss Aarohi."
Her name rolled off his tongue like a punishment. She lowered her gaze, ashamed and overwhelmed.
"Is this what you learned in your previous job?" he asked coldly. "That it's fine to be late as long as you smile and apologize?"
A sting spread across her chest. His words were piercing. Her eyes burned, but she blinked back the tears.
"I expected better," he continued. "From interns who want to learn. Who claim they are passionate. If you can't manage your time, how will you handle a deadline? How will you survive the real challenges this industry throws at you?"
The silence was deafening.
Pim shifted awkwardly. Aarav, who had been silent till now, looked at Aarohi with a hint of concern.
Rithvik stepped back, his face unreadable now, his voice level. "You may sit. We'll discuss project strategy today. But let this be your first and final warning."
Aarohi took a seat beside Rhea, her hands trembling slightly under the table. She couldn't concentrate. Her eyes remained fixed on the notepad in front of her, but the words on it blurred.
After the meeting, the team dispersed. Aarohi and Rhea walked back to their desks slowly, still shaken.
"He was harsh," Rhea whispered. "Way too harsh."
Aarohi forced a nod. "It was our mistake."
"Yes, but… that look in his eyes. It was like we'd broken some sacred code."
They both sat in silence for a while. Aarohi's heart still felt heavy.
...
[Scene – Later that Afternoon, Rithvik's Office]
The clock struck 4:15 PM. Aarohi had spent the whole day in silence after the scolding. Her mind kept replaying his sharp gaze, the disappointment in his voice, and her heart felt heavy. Despite being praised by others for handling the dinner well, the one person she cared to impress had looked at her like she was irresponsible.
She barely noticed when her phone buzzed, alerting her to a message from Pim:
"CEO Rithvik asked to see you in his office now."
Her breath caught.
She stood outside his office, nervous fingers clutching her notepad. With a gentle knock, she stepped in.
"Come in," his voice was calm, unreadable.
She entered, heart racing. He didn't even look up immediately.
After a pause, he finally said, "You handled the company dinner quite well."
Her eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by the sudden compliment.
"Thank you… sir," she said, still unsure how to react.
She tilted her head. "But… you weren't there. How did you know?"
He looked up now, eyes locking with hers, unreadable. Then he leaned back slightly and said, "Aarav told me."
[FLASHBACK BEGINS]
The scene cuts back to last night, during the welcome dinner at the cozy garden-view restaurant.
Laughter echoed. Aarav, seated at the end of the table, looked at everyone enjoying themselves. Pim was busy taking selfies with the interns, Rhea was showing the team how to eat spicy panipuri, and Aarohi was speaking passionately.
"So, India is not just a country. It's a feeling," Aarohi said with a dreamy smile. "Each state has its own language, food, dance forms... And the colors during festivals like Holi, Diwali... it's magic."
She laughed softly. "You know, we even celebrate gods as our family. Lord Shiva is not just a god, he's a symbol of eternal calm and destruction when needed. It's that duality I love."
Aarav smirked, sipping his drink, and subtly stepped aside to call someone.
He pulled out his phone and dialed.
"Yo, Rithvik," Aarav said casually when the call connected.
"You're calling me from the middle of a dinner?" Rithvik's amused voice came from the other end.
"Well, I thought you should know. Your interns are quite the entertainers."
"I'm not surprised," Rithvik muttered. "How's Aarohi doing?"
"She's the star of the evening," Aarav said, watching her animated expressions. "She's charming, confident, and the way she's explaining her culture—it's like watching a live travel documentary."
Rithvik stayed silent for a second. Then, Aarav turned his phone slightly, allowing the ambient sound and Aarohi's voice to flow through the speaker.
Rithvik, sitting alone in his office, paused his work as her voice echoed faintly:
> "I think India teaches us to live with chaos and beauty, all at once. I miss the aroma of masala chai on rainy mornings, the roadside dance during Ganesh Visarjan, and even my mom's scoldings when I'm late for puja."
A small, rare smile touched the edge of Rithvik's lips.
"Sounds like someone's homesick," he muttered.
Aarav grinned. "I thought you'd say that. Anyway, thought you should know. She's not bad at all."
"Hmm," Rithvik replied noncommittally. "Thanks."
The call ended, but Rithvik sat there for a moment longer, the echo of Aarohi's voice lingering in his ears.
[FLASHBACK ENDS]
Back in the office, Aarohi was staring at him.
"Aarav told you?" she said, surprised.
"Yes," Rithvik replied simply. "He even let me hear part of it. Your explanation of India… it was quite vivid."
Aarohi blinked, stunned. "You heard that?"
He didn't answer. He only said, "Don't let that kind of promise distract you from professional discipline. Personal charm cannot excuse professional lateness."
It felt like a compliment and a scolding bundled into one.
Aarohi gave a small, awkward nod. "Understood, sir."
As she turned to leave, he added, "Next time… if you speak of India, try to include the story of Rani Lakshmi Bai. That's one part even I found worth remembering."
She froze for a beat, then gave a tiny smile, feeling confused but flattered.
The door closed behind her softly, but her heart was thundering.
---