Three Years Later
Time didn't stop.
It moved.
Fast.
Relentless.
Three years—
felt like nothing to the world.
But for him—
it felt like everything.
The City Changed
Buildings grew taller.
Companies expanded.
New names appeared.
And one name—
rose above all.
Stephan Malhotra.
CEO.
Young.
Sharp.
Unstoppable.
The Office
The top floor.
Glass walls.
City view stretching endlessly.
Everything—
perfect.
Everything—
controlled.
Stephan stood near the window.
Black suit.
Perfectly fitted.
Hair styled.
Expression—
cold.
Unreadable.
A man who looked like he had everything.
But didn't feel anything.
The Work Never Stopped
"Sir, the investors are waiting."
"I know."
"Meeting in five minutes."
"I'll be there."
His voice—
calm.
Precise.
Professional.
No hesitation.
No emotion.
That was him now.
Not the boy from before.
Not the one who waited outside a hostel.
Not the one who smiled easily.
That version—
was gone.
The Truth No One Sees
Because now—
he had only one rule.
Stay busy.
Work.
Meetings.
Deals.
Expansion.
Growth.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Because if he stopped—
even for a second—
he would think.
And if he thought—
he would remember.
And if he remembered—
it would hurt.
💔
The Company
In three years—
he didn't just run the company.
He transformed it.
Turned it into something bigger.
Stronger.
Unreachable.
Deals closed faster.
Decisions sharper.
Risks higher—
but always successful.
People called him—
"a genius."
"a machine."
"a man who doesn't lose."
But they didn't know—
what he was running from.
The Family — Distance That Never Healed
His parents watched.
From a distance.
Concerned.
Worried.
But not involved.
Because he didn't let them.
No family dinners.
No conversations.
No warmth.
Just—
distance.
Cold.
Permanent.
"Talk to him," his mother said once.
His father shook his head.
"He won't listen."
A pause.
"He hasn't forgiven us."
Silence.
Because they both knew—
why.
The Nights — Where Everything Returns
Daytime—
he survived.
Night—
he didn't.
Because no matter how tired he was—
no matter how much he worked—
there was not a single night—
in three years—
where she didn't come back.
In his thoughts.
In his memories.
In his dreams.
💔
The Hairband
It was still there.
Always.
Wrapped loosely around his hand.
The same one.
The one she gave him.
Three years ago.
He never removed it.
Never lost it.
Never forgot it.
Sometimes—
in the middle of the night—
he would hold it tighter.
Like it could bring her back.
Like it could make sense of everything.
But it never did.
The Dreams
He saw her.
Again and again.
Walking away.
Not turning back.
Not stopping.
Always—
leaving.
"Pixel—"
He would say.
But she never answered.
Never looked back.
And every time—
he woke up.
Alone.
💔
The Reality He Chose
He could have searched more.
He had the power.
The money.
The connections.
He could find anyone.
Anywhere.
But he didn't.
Not because he couldn't.
But because—
he knew.
She didn't just leave.
She chose to.
And if he found her—
what then?
Would she stay?
Would she come back?
Or would she walk away again?
That fear—
kept him still.
The Mask
To the world—
he was perfect.
Confident.
Untouchable.
Focused.
But inside—
he was just…
someone who never moved on.
A Rare Moment
One evening—
his assistant spoke carefully.
"Sir… you should take a break."
"No."
"You haven't rested in days."
"I don't need to."
A pause.
"You're overworking yourself."
Silence.
Then—
he said something unexpected.
"Good."
💥
Because exhaustion—
was better than memories.
The Parents — Fear Growing
"He's destroying himself," his mother whispered.
His father nodded slowly.
"He's punishing us."
A pause.
"And himself."
Because now—
they understood.
Too late.
The Truth
He didn't move on.
He didn't forget.
He didn't heal.
He just—
kept going.
Faster.
Harder.
Relentlessly.
Because if he stopped—
even for a second—
he would realize something.
💔
He didn't lose her.
He let her go.
Ending Hook
Because sometimes—
time changes everything.
Your life.
Your status.
Your world.
But not the one person—
you never stopped loving.
And no matter how far you go—
some memories…
never leave.