The conference room emptied gradually.
Conversations resumed in hushed voices as employees returned to their respective departments, carrying laptops and files under their arms.
Within minutes, the room that had witnessed an uncomfortable silence was empty.
Almost.
Vishesh stood near the head of the conference table, gathering his documents.
Aditya closed his tablet and looked at him.
“You were quite harsh today.”
Vishesh didn’t respond.
Aditya continued as they stepped out of the conference room.
“She was only ten minutes late.”
Still, no reply.
“And despite that…” he added, “…she delivered one of the best presentations we’ve had for this project.”
Vishesh finally spoke.
“I know.”
Aditya stopped walking.
“You know?”
Vishesh looked straight ahead.
“This project is already under scrutiny because I supported her appointment.”
His voice remained calm.
“People have already begun assuming she’s here because she’s a Singhania.”
He remembered the conversation he had overheard that morning.
“Let’s see what she can actually do.”
“She’s getting this opportunity because of her family name.”
His jaw tightened slightly.
“If I show even the slightest sign of favoritism…” he continued, “…those assumptions become stronger.”
Aditya listened quietly.
“So you decided to be harder on her than everyone else?”
Vishesh didn’t deny it.
“I expect the same standards from everyone.”
After a brief pause, he added almost to himself,
“…perhaps even more from those whose capabilities people are willing to question.”
The words lingered between them.
Neither of them spoke for a few moments.
As they walked past the executive cabins, Vishesh’s eyes instinctively drifted towards the glass-walled office allotted to Nayshita.
She had just entered.
Without noticing anyone outside, she carefully placed her presentation folders on the desk.
For a long moment…
She simply stood there.
Aditya followed Vishesh’s gaze.
“I’ll just check on her.”
Receiving no response, he walked towards her office.
Vishesh remained where he was.
From outside the glass partition, he could see the office was empty again.
A minute later, the washroom door inside the cabin opened.
Nayshita stepped out.
She had splashed water on her face.
Her eyes were slightly red.
Yet the moment she saw Aditya standing near the door, she smiled politely, as though nothing had happened.
“May I come in?” Aditya asked.
“Of course.”
He entered casually, leaning against the edge of her desk.
“You okay?”
She gave a small nod.
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t have to pretend with me.”
She laughed softly.
“I’m really fine.”
Aditya folded his arms.
“You know how Vishesh is.”
“He’s strict.”
“He is.”
“He didn’t mean to hurt you.”
For a moment, she remained silent.
Then she smiled again.
“No…
he was right.”
Aditya frowned.
“I was late.”
She looked towards the conference room through the glass wall.
“And I couldn’t answer one of his questions.”
“It doesn’t matter that the rest of the presentation was brilliant?”
She shook her head gently.
“It does.”
A faint smile appeared on her face.
“But so does being prepared.”
She took a slow breath.
“I was at fault.”
There was no resentment in her voice.
No complaint.
Only quiet acceptance.
Aditya couldn’t help but admire her maturity.
“How about coffee?”
She looked at him.
“My treat.”
She hesitated for a second before smiling.
“I think I could use one.”
“That’s better.”
They left the cabin together.
Standing a short distance away, Vishesh noticed them walking towards the café.
For a brief second, he considered following them.
Perhaps…
He had been unnecessarily severe.
Perhaps…
He should say something.
Without realizing it, he had already taken a few steps in their direction.
Just then, Aditya and Nayshita emerged from the café corridor.
Nayshita’s gaze remained lowered as she walked.
She did not look towards him even once.
Whether intentionally…
Or simply because she hadn’t noticed him…
He couldn’t tell.
The two of them continued down the hallway before disappearing around the corner.
Vishesh stopped where he was.
The words he had intended to say remained unspoken.
He quietly turned around and walked back to his office.
The rest of the day passed in silence.
Meetings came and went.
Emails were answered.
Drawings were reviewed.
Employees gradually left as evening settled over the city.
One by one, the lights across the project floor switched off.
By nine o’clock, the entire executive wing was almost deserted.
Only two cabins still glowed beneath the soft white lights.
One belonged to Vishesh.
The other…
To Nayshita.
Closing the final file on his desk, Vishesh glanced at his watch.
9:02 p.m. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
His eyes instinctively shifted towards the glass cabin across the corridor.
She was still there.
Packing away rolled drawings into their protective case.
He remained seated for a moment.
Then, almost without thinking, he stood.
A few quiet footsteps later…
He found himself outside her office.
He knocked gently.
Nayshita looked up.
“Come in, Sir.”
He stepped inside.
“I didn’t realize you were still here.”
She smiled faintly.
“I was just finishing for the day.”
“It’s getting late.”
She nodded.
“I know.”
“You should head home.”
“I was just about to.”
For a brief moment, silence filled the room.
Vishesh wanted to say something more.
Something about the morning.
Something that had remained on his mind the entire day.
Instead…
He simply nodded.
As they walked out of the office together, he was about to offer,
“I can—”
Before he could complete the sentence, Nayshita spoke.
“My driver should be here in about five minutes.”
He paused.
“…Alright.”
The two of them walked side by side towards the basement parking without another word.
Neither of them seemed uncomfortable.
Yet neither knew how to bridge the silence between them.
A black sedan pulled up beside the entrance.
The chauffeur stepped out and opened the rear door.
Nayshita turned towards him.
“Good evening, Sir.”
There was the same respectful smile.
The same professionalism.
As though nothing had happened.
Vishesh returned the nod.
“Good evening.”
She got into the car.
Moments later, it disappeared through the parking exit.
Vishesh remained standing for a few seconds, watching the taillights fade into the distance.
An unfamiliar heaviness settled within him.
He had upheld discipline.
He had protected fairness.
Yet somehow…
The victory felt strangely hollow.
Without another thought, he walked towards his own car.
The drive back to his apartment was unusually quiet.
For the first time in years…
The silence that had always comforted him no longer did.
Some distances are measured not in miles, but in words left unsaid.
That night, they walked the same path…
yet remained worlds apart.