The reply never came.
Not that night.
Not the next morning.
Not even after the third message.
Sasmita stared at her inbox until the screen began to blur.
It didn't make sense.
It wasn't just any request—
she had clearly mentioned the urgency, the condition, the risk.
Anyone in that position would have responded.
Even a refusal would have been something.
But this—
This silence felt deliberate.
She slowly closed the laptop, her fingers lingering on the edge as if holding on to the last bit of hope.
Then she let go.
By the time she reached the office, the frustration had already settled deep inside her.
It wasn't loud.
It wasn't visible.
But it was there—
building.
The meeting room buzzed with discussions, numbers, projections… everything she usually handled with ease.
But today, every word felt distant.
Unimportant.
"Miss Sasmita?"
A voice pulled her back.
She blinked once, then straightened.
"Yes. Continue."
Her tone was sharp again.
Controlled.
But colder than usual.
The meeting ended sooner than expected.
Not because things were resolved—
but because she had stopped engaging.
As she stepped out, her eyes immediately searched for one person.
And found him.
Aarav stood near his desk, going through files like always.
Calm.
Unbothered.
Something about that—
irritated her.
She walked straight toward him.
No hesitation.
No pause.
"Did you find anything?" she asked.
Aarav looked up.
His gaze steady.
"Not yet."
Two simple words.
But they weren't enough.
"Not yet?" she repeated, her brows narrowing slightly.
"I asked you yesterday."
"I'm trying," he replied.
That calm tone—
again.
And this time, it hit differently.
"Trying?" she let out a faint, humorless laugh.
"Do you even understand the situation?"
A brief silence.
Aarav didn't respond immediately.
Because he did.
More than she knew.
But he couldn't say it.
"I do," he said quietly.
"No, you don't," she cut in.
Her voice wasn't loud.
But it carried weight.
"If you did, you wouldn't be this calm."
That line—
landed.
Because it wasn't just frustration.
It was accusation.
Aarav's eyes darkened slightly.
But his expression remained controlled.
"What do you want me to do?" he asked.
The question was simple.
But Sasmita didn't answer immediately.
Because what she wanted—
wasn't something he could say out loud.
"I want results," she said finally.
A pause.
"Not excuses."
Silence settled between them.
Because for the first time—
she wasn't just questioning his ability.
She was pushing him away again.
Aarav looked at her for a moment longer.
Then nodded once.
"You'll get them."
No emotion.
No argument.
Just that.
And somehow—
that made it worse.
Sasmita turned away immediately.
Because if she stayed—
she might say something she wouldn't be able to take back.
But the moment she stepped into her cabin—
the control slipped.
Her hands dropped onto the desk.
Her shoulders tensed.
"Why isn't anything working…" she whispered.
Her voice softer now.
Tired.
She leaned back slowly, closing her eyes for a second.
And then—
another thought came.
He was there… when I needed him before.
Her eyes opened instantly.
Then why not now?
That question—
hurt more than anything else.
Outside—
Aarav stood still.
The file in his hand untouched.
Her words replaying.
"You wouldn't be this calm."
A faint breath left him.
Because if she had seen him last night—
if she had seen the way he read every message, every line—
she wouldn't have said that.
But she didn't.
And maybe—
it was better that way.
His phone vibrated again.
Another mail.
From her.
He didn't open it immediately.
Just stared at the notification.
As if delaying it—
would make it easier.
Then slowly—
he unlocked the screen.
Read it.
Every word.
Every plea.
And once again—
he didn't reply.
Because this silence—
Wasn't indifference.
It was a decision.