New Morning with old shadows
The first rays of morning sunlight slipped through the glass walls of the balcony and fell directly across Krishnaveer's face.
His brows twitched slightly before his eyes slowly opened.
For a few moments, he simply stared ahead without moving, trying to understand why his neck felt stiff and why the ceiling above him looked unfamiliar.
Then reality returned.
The balcony.
The swing chair.
The sleepless night.
And the phone still loosely resting in his hand.
Krish sat upright and rubbed his forehead slowly. The memories of the previous night surfaced one after another. The nightmare. The cold air. Ananya's trembling voice. The promise to stay on the call until she fell asleep.
His gaze automatically shifted toward the opposite wing of the estate.
The curtains of Ananya's balcony remained closed.
A small sign that she was finally resting peacefully.
Without realizing it, some of the tension in his expression softened.
"At least someone slept well," he murmured quietly.
After ending the call, he walked back into his room.
The rest of the morning followed the routine he had built for years.
A workout.
A cold shower.
Meditation.
A healthy breakfast.
Reviewing schedules and meetings.
No matter how chaotic the previous day had been, Krish always believed that discipline should never depend on circumstances.
A person who followed discipline only during good days was never truly disciplined.
Nearly an hour later, dressed in a perfectly tailored charcoal-grey suit, he stepped out of his residence.
The estate was slowly coming to life.
Garden staff were working around the lawns while security personnel moved quietly through their designated positions.
His car was already waiting near the driveway.
Krish was about to enter when a familiar voice called out behind him.
"Bhai!"
He turned.
Ananya was hurrying toward him.
Before he could even ask what happened, she reached him and unexpectedly wrapped her arms around him.
For a rare moment, Krish completely froze.
Physical affection was not something he was accustomed to.
Especially unexpected affection.
Ananya herself wasn't usually this expressive.
His hands hovered awkwardly for a second before he gently placed one hand on her head.
"What happened?" he asked quietly.
Ananya stepped back and smiled.
"Nothing happened."
"Then why are you hugging me as if you're leaving for another country?"
A laugh escaped her.
"I just wanted to thank you."
"For what?"
"For staying awake with me last night. I don't remember when I fell asleep, but I know I slept peacefully."
Something unreadable crossed Krish's face.
"Good. That was the objective."
Before the conversation could continue, someone dramatically cleared his throat behind them.
Both siblings turned simultaneously.
Rajveer stood there with crossed arms and an expression that looked personally offended.
"Interesting," he said slowly.
Neither responded.
Raj pointed between them.
"I leave for one evening and suddenly there are emotional family scenes happening without me."
Ananya immediately laughed.
Krish simply looked at him.
Raj continued, "Would someone kindly explain what important chapter of family history I seem to have missed?"
"You didn't miss anything," Krish replied.
"That's exactly what people say when someone misses something."
Ananya covered her mouth to hide her smile.
Raj narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"This is discrimination. I am a brother too."
Krish ignored the complaint completely and turned toward Ananya.
"You feeling better now?"
She nodded confidently.
"Much better. Yesterday was difficult, but I think I'm okay now."
"Good."
Then Krish looked toward Raj.
"You take care of her."
Raj blinked.
"I always do."
"Try doing it before trouble starts instead of after."
That statement hit perfectly.
Raj scratched the back of his neck.
"Okay, that was slightly deserved."
"It was completely deserved."
Ananya couldn't stop herself from laughing.
Raj immediately pointed at her.
"See? This is what happens. One mistake and suddenly everyone joins the opposition party."
Krish checked his watch.
"I have to leave."
Raj immediately straightened and gave an exaggerated salute.
"Understood, sir."
Then he casually threw an arm around Ananya's shoulder.
"Come on. You're telling me everything on the way."
Krish's eyes narrowed instantly.
Raj grinned.
"There it is. That look confirms my suspicion."
"What suspicion?"
"That something definitely happened."
"Raj."
"Fine, fine. I'm leaving."
He started walking backward dramatically.
"Goodbye, respected elder brother."
Another step.
"Goodbye, mysterious sister."
Another step.
"And goodbye to whatever secret both of you are clearly hiding."
Ananya laughed again.
Krish simply shook his head and entered the car.
Some people matured with age.
Raj apparently collected new ways to be annoying.
An hour later, the towering headquarters of Malhotra Global stood against the New York skyline.
The building reflected power, precision, and ambition.
Employees moved efficiently through the corridors. Meetings had already begun. Reports were being reviewed. Presentations were being finalized.
And like every morning, the atmosphere changed slightly the moment Krish entered.
Not because people feared him.
But because they respected the standards he maintained.
By the time he reached the executive floor, Rohan was already waiting outside his office.
"Good morning."
"Morning."
The two entered together.
Krish placed his briefcase on the desk and removed his coat before taking his seat.
Rohan opened his tablet.
"We have three client meetings today. The board review is scheduled for noon, and the international partnership team is waiting for your approval on—"
"The project."
Rohan stopped immediately.
A knowing smile appeared on his face.
"I was wondering how long it would take before you asked."
Krish folded his hands on the desk.
"So?"
"The technical issue was resolved this morning."
"What caused it?"
Rohan hesitated for a moment.
That hesitation immediately caught Krish's attention.
Usually Rohan answered business questions without delay.
"What is it?" Krish asked.
Rohan slid a file across the table.
"Honestly... I'm not entirely sure how to explain it."
That statement alone was enough to make Krish curious.
He opened the file.
The room became quiet.
His eyes moved across the first page.
Then the second.
Then the third.
A faint crease appeared between his brows.
Rohan watched carefully.
The reaction wasn't anger.
It wasn't confusion either.
It looked more like curiosity.
A reaction that was extremely rare for Krishnaveer Malhotra.
For several moments, he continued studying the documents silently.
Finally, he looked up.
The expression on his face had changed ever so slightly.
And for the first time since the project had arrived from India—
he seemed genuinely interested in the person who had created it.
Outside the office, the company continued moving through another ordinary day.
Inside, however, the first thread of an invisible connection had quietly begun to form.