By your side

When destiny brings old wounds

Aadya, still half asleep, reluctantly picked up her buzzing phone. With a groggy voice, she answered, "Hello?"

There was only silence on the other end, and after a moment, she hung up, frustrated with yet another prank call. These calls were even more exasperating than the persistent offers for bank loans or credit cards.

She glanced at her mobile, which displayed 5:30 a.m. She could have squeezed in a few more minutes of sleep, but the rest eluded her. Instead, she tossed and turned in bed for a while before giving up.

Yawning, she stretched her weary body, gathered her shoulder-length curls into a messy bun, and got out of bed. Her therapist had suggested yoga to ease her anxiety and now seemed like a good time to start.

Her one-bedroom flat was sparsely furnished, as she rarely had visitors. She had grown to love Bangalore after initially disliking it. Leaving Delhi had been a necessity for her sanity, especially after her messy divorce four years ago. Aadya and Shashank had parted ways mutually and remained good friends, but the gossip among the aunties and her mother's disappointment had driven her away from Delhi. Her life felt like a series of mistakes and regrets. Relationships seemed destined not to be a part of her life.

Three hours later, Aadya arrived at her office cubicle and began sifting through her emails. Her colleague, Preeti, dropped by for a chat.

"Hey, Aadya, did you hear the latest gossip?"

Aadya mumbled, her eyes fixed on the screen, "Hmm, what is it?"

"I heard that the company is going to be gained by some big-shot industrialist."

Aadya looked up, intrigued. "Really? But why would Viraj sell his company?"

Viraj was their eccentric owner, and Zigma Software was like his child, with the employees forming his extended family. While Aadya hadn't interacted with him much, she had seen him around the office.

Preeti said, "Who can refuse millions of dollars? I heard he's getting a hefty amount."

Aadya replied, "Good for him. Anyway, I don't think it would make much difference to us if the owner changed. We are just employees."

"No, Aadya, you never know. There might be changes in policies, or what if there are layoffs?"Preeti gasped.

"We'll see when the situation arises. It's also possible that things might improve—maybe bigger paychecks," Aadya said with a grin, and Preeti laughed along with her.

Aadya loved her work as a technical lead, finding it both challenging and exciting. Most of her colleagues respected her privacy regarding her personal life. Her job provided good pay, and she tried to convince herself that she was content. Yet her nights were haunted by recurring dreams, and sometimes she woke up crying.

She had tried dating on her therapist's recommendation, but it had ended disastrously. A panic attack struck when her date met her at a club. Aadya avoided clubs as much as possible. She had sworn off men, relationships, and anything remotely related to love.

In another part of the world, Ishaan was in his hotel room, having just completed a deal. He planned to stay until the handover was complete, meet the office staff, appoint a new CEO, and oversee the company's operations. This was his first visit to Bangalore, a city he had never had the chance to explore before, despite it being India's IT hub.

Meanwhile, Aadya's office was abuzz with news that the company had indeed been gained by the SRS Group.

"So the gossip was true," Aadya thought.

She wasn't particularly concerned about it unless it affected her work. After all, why should she fret about upper-level management politics?

Preeti rushed over to Aadya, breathless. "Aadya, did you hear?"

"Yes, Preeti, I got the official email about the management change," Aadya replied.

"Oh, God! I'm so nervous!"

Aadya asked, "Why, Preeti? When a company is taken over, it's usually for its resources and productivity. Don't worry; we'll be fine. I'm heading out now for a training session with the new hires."

She went about her work, but her mind kept returning to the pending change.

Just before leaving for the day, she received a new email from HR. The new board of directors had met with senior employees. Since Aadya was a senior architect, she was included in the mailing list.

She skipped the details and checked only the timing: "8 am! How am I supposed to reach the office by 8? What a bunch of morons!" she grumbled.

She huffed and packed up her things before leaving. She waited near the elevator when her manager approached her.

"Hey, Aadya," he greeted.

"Hello, sir," she responded.

"Aadya, you must have seen the email. HR has given strict instructions to be on time and not miss this meeting. The new director seems to be very punctual. It's better not to get on his bad side now," her manager advised.

Nervously, she nodded, appreciating her manager's patience with the team.

"Sure, sir. I'll do my best. All the best to you as well," she said with a grin.

He offered her a rueful smile.

The following morning, Aadya awoke with an uneasy sensation gnawing at her. Glancing at her watch, she noted it was 6 a.m., and the date was the 15th of March. She closed her eyes momentarily, attempting to avoid being ensnared by painful memories. With newfound determination, she prepared for the day ahead, her resolve firm.

"Good, I can make it on time," she thought as she set off in her car towards her office, donning her best formal attire.

However, even after an hour, she found herself only halfway to the office. Traffic jams were a commonplace occurrence in Bangalore, but today's was severe because of a breakdown.

"Oh God! I'm in trouble now," she impatiently mused.

Meanwhile, Ishaan had arrived at the meeting room, scanning the space where approximately 20 people had gathered. He inquired of the HR manager, "Has everyone arrived?"

The manager hesitated and stammered, "Yes, Sir," offering a fabricated response.

Aadya, however, had yet to make her appear.

Ishaan extended greetings to the attendees and took his seat. Viraj, the former owner, started his farewell speech and introduced Ishaan to those present. Individual introductions followed, as Ishaan met the managers, team leads, and architects.

Ishaan turned towards the HR manager and inquired, "There are two system architects here, correct? Who is the other one?"

The HR manager's complexion paled as she responded, "Umm, Sir, the other one is Ms. Mathur. I believe she'll be arriving here any moment now."

Ishaan's gaze sharpened, and his expression turned steely as he inquired, "And who is Ms. Mathur? I trust everyone was informed about this meeting?"

The HR manager fumbled, her nervousness apparent as she responded, "Yes, Sir."

Suddenly, the meeting room door burst open, and a breathless Aadya stood near the entrance. She scanned the room and met her manager's disapproving gaze. He subtly shook his head in disappointment.

"Crap!" Aadya thought, her heart racing.

She spoke, "I am sorry. May I..." but her voice trailed off abruptly as if she had seen a ghost.

Their eyes locked, and Ishaan stared at her, his expression inscrutable, as if he had turned to stone.