Scene 1: A Morning of Preparation
Aarohi's eyes fluttered open to the harsh sound of her alarm clock ringing through the quiet morning air. The dim light creeping in through the curtains told her it was still early, far too early for most. But not for her. Not today.
She groaned softly, rolling out of bed and rubbing her eyes. It was still dark outside, and the coldness of the floor made her feet feel like ice. She had stayed up late last night, her mind racing with everything Rithvik had asked of her for today's important meeting. He had been so precise—his every word echoing in her mind, demanding perfection. No room for error. No chance of failure.
With a quick glance at the clock—6:00 AM—she knew it was time to rise and shine. She couldn't afford to be late, to be unprepared. She had been given a chance, and she would make sure she took full advantage of it.
Aarohi dressed quickly, her thoughts still lingering on last night's conversation. Rithvik had been intense when he spoke about the meeting. His instructions were clear: everything had to be perfect, every document in place, every presentation flawless. No mistakes.
She glanced at the mirror, adjusting her shirt before heading to the kitchen, where Rhea was already sitting at the breakfast table, sipping on a cup of tea. Rhea's eyes sparkled with mischief as she watched Aarohi move around the kitchen, clearly aware of the early hour.
"You're up early," Rhea said, raising an eyebrow. "Got a big meeting today, huh?"
Aarohi nodded absently, setting down the mug of coffee she had just made. "I have to make sure everything's in order before the meeting. Rithvik's not the type to tolerate mistakes."
Rhea chuckled softly, taking another sip of her tea. "Well, if you're going to impress the man, you better look your best. And I'm guessing that means no messing around today, huh?"
Aarohi laughed nervously, not exactly sure how to respond. "I guess so."
Rhea's expression softened, her teasing tone replaced with a more serious one. "You've got this, Aarohi. You've been preparing for this moment, right? You know the ins and outs of the project. Just breathe and remember—you're more than capable."
Aarohi smiled at her friend's support, though her nerves still gnawed at her. "Thanks, Rhea. I just—I'm trying not to overthink everything. Rithvik... he's not the easiest person to please, you know?"
Rhea nodded knowingly. "No kidding. But you're not alone. You've got me, and you've got yourself. Trust in your skills. You've worked hard for this."
Aarohi took a deep breath, nodding to herself. She could do this. She had to do this.
After a quick breakfast, Aarohi quickly gathered all the necessary documents for the meeting and double-checked her notes. She went over everything again and again, making sure there were no errors, no missing pieces. She couldn't afford a single mistake today—not with Rithvik watching, expecting perfection.
By the time she was ready to leave, she felt a little more confident, though the butterflies in her stomach still refused to settle.
Rhea, who had been quietly watching her prepare, gave her a supportive thumbs-up. "You got this, girl. Just go out there and show them who's boss."
Aarohi smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'll try."
As she grabbed her bag and headed toward the door, her mind briefly wandered back to the conversation with the mysterious person last night. The words that had been spoken. The pressure to remain in control. Could she really keep up this act of innocence, this facade of someone she wasn't?
But today wasn't about her true self. It was about getting through this meeting. It was about proving herself to Rithvik. About earning his trust.
And maybe, just maybe, if she succeeded... she could deal with the rest of it later.
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Scene 2: A Mistake Before the Storm
Aarohi arrived at the office earlier than usual. The morning silence of the Veerayut Corporation's grand headquarters echoed faintly through the hallways as she made her way towards the conference room with determination etched across her face.
She clutched a stack of neatly bound documents tightly against her chest. Her steps were brisk but careful — today was the big meeting Rithvik had warned her about. She couldn't mess it up. Not when he had specifically told her that every document must be in place, and everything should be flawless.
Inside the conference room, she moved swiftly, placing one copy of the printed file on each seat with precise alignment. She arranged the clicker for the presentation, tested the projector twice, and even adjusted the blinds to prevent sunlight glare. Every inch of the room had been checked, twice.
Just as she was straightening the last chair, the door opened with a soft creak. Pim, her team manager, walked in alongside Aarav, the senior project manager. Both were holding their tablets, already skimming through notes.
"You're here early," Pim remarked with a nod, her heels clicking across the polished floor as she approached the head of the table.
"Everything looks good," Aarav added, giving the room a sweeping glance. "Is this all the material? The meeting will begin in fifteen minutes. Rithvik is still on a call with the clients. They'll be arriving any moment."
Aarohi nodded, slightly nervous but hopeful. "Yes, ma'am. I've arranged all the documents as instructed. The files are prepared and placed."
Pim gave a curt nod and moved toward one of the seats. "Let's take a look then."
Just as she was sitting down, another presence entered — Ms. Thanchanok, or "Ms. Nok," the senior leader Aarohi had consulted yesterday. She walked in wearing a tight-lipped, vaguely amused smile, clearly enjoying some internal joke as she took her seat — the one right across from Aarohi.
Her gaze was sharp as she gave Aarohi a once-over. "You seem... confident," she said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
Aarohi offered a polite smile, but her chest tightened slightly at the tone.
Meanwhile, Aarav sat down and picked up one of the documents. The moment his eyes scanned through the pages, his expression changed. His brows furrowed deeply.
"Wait... wait a second—Pim," he called, handing her the document. "Look at this. This... this is the wrong file."
Pim looked at the document, her face growing pale. "This isn't for today's meeting. This is for the MechaNova account — not the SavinoTech proposal we're presenting today."
Aarohi froze.
"What?" she whispered, her voice dry in her throat. She quickly picked up a copy from the chair beside her and flipped through the pages. Her eyes scanned the headers and client names — and yes, it was true. These weren't the right documents.
Panic flushed into her face. "But… I—I asked Ms. Nok for the brief. She told me to prepare these..."
Everyone turned sharply to Ms. Nok.
She blinked, unbothered. "Why are you looking at me like that? I said prepare both just in case. It's not my problem that she only brought one. Miscommunication, perhaps?"
There was a sharp pause in the room. Aarohi stared at her, stunned. That's not what she had said yesterday. But right now, she had no proof, no one to back her up.
Rhea stepped in, her voice hushed with worry. "What do we do now? Rithvik will be here any minute. And the clients too—"
"We're out of time," Aarav muttered. "We can't reprint everything now. Even if we did, what about presentation setup, brief points, alternate slides? It's all been aligned to the wrong data."
Pim let out a frustrated breath, her voice softer this time. "This shouldn't have happened. Aarohi, I'm sorry. We're the ones who sent you to Nok for guidance..."
Aarav nodded in agreement, rubbing his forehead. "Yeah. This one's not entirely on you. We'll take responsibility. But…" —he glanced toward the hallway— "this meeting's about to start. Let's just prepare ourselves."
Aarohi stood there, her fingers trembling slightly as she clutched the paper. The embarrassment, the fear of disappointing Rithvik, and the anger rising in her chest toward Ms. Nok — it all swirled inside her like a storm.
From the hallway, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed.
He was coming.
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