The city of Mumbai never really slowed down.
Even in moments of pause, its heartbeat kept throbbing beneath concrete towers, glass offices, and the rustling wind that whispered through distant construction sites.
Arjun sat quietly in his cabin on the 23rd floor of the RRB Finance Group building. The skyline outside stretched endlessly, but his eyes were distant—fixed not on the world outside, but on the one inside him.
The visit to his grandfather's house hadn't answered much. It had only deepened the silence in his heart, stirred memories he wasn't ready to face, and reminded him of everything he had lost—and everything that never returned.
The scent of old wood and earth was still lingering in his senses. The photo of his parents on the wall, the warmth of his grandmother's shawl still folded in the cupboard, and the fields that once echoed his childhood laughter now stood still under the amber sunset.
That night, he had sat with whisky in one hand and questions in another. Questions that no longer had a voice, only weight. And Sonal? No message. No call. Nothing.
He didn't even know if he was angry anymore—or just tired.
And now… back to Mumbai, back to reality, back to the routine.
The office was busy as usual. Files shuffled, printers hummed, coffee machines hissed with steam. But Arjun… he was quiet. Observing everything like an outsider, like a soldier back from a war he never chose.
It was 2 PM.
Lunch was over. He had eaten a simple meal, barely tasting it. Now he leaned back in his chair, his eyes half-closed, letting the soft hum of the AC fill the void around him.
Knock. Knock.
A gentle tap on the glass door.
Arjun sat up.
"Sir," the HR head peeked in. "You remember the interview schedule for the Senior Audit Officer post? It was originally for yesterday."
Arjun blinked. "Oh… right. I asked to reschedule. Morning coffee… I replied to that mail."
"Yes, sir. Shall I call the candidates?"
"Yeah… send them in."
She nodded and left.
Arjun adjusted his blazer slightly, pulled the interview file from his table drawer, and scanned the printed resumes clipped neatly.
Two candidates.
Candidate 1: Rajeev Sethi. 3 years experience. Confident. Too confident maybe.
The door opened and the first candidate walked in—a tall man with slicked-back hair, an expensive pen clipped to his shirt pocket, and an arrogant smirk like the job was already his.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Arjun," he said, sitting down without even waiting.
Arjun raised a brow slightly. Noted.
He began the interview calmly, asking about work experience, handling of audits, process management, risk analysis, etc.
Rajeev answered fluently—but there was something off. Too perfect, too polished… almost rehearsed.
Then Arjun flipped to a page in his resume.
"You mentioned working with DSN Infra for 1 year 9 months?"
"Yes, sir. One of my best learning phases."
"Hmm," Arjun nodded slightly. "Interesting. Because I handled the audit reconciliation of DSN Infra two quarters back… and their staffing roster doesn't reflect your tenure beyond a year."
Rajeev froze for a microsecond—but tried to cover up. "Ah… I mean… I did some extended consultancy after formal exit. It wasn't officially updated maybe…"
"I see," Arjun smiled faintly—but his tone sharpened. "You know in auditing, details matter. And falsification of data—even a few months—is breach of professional integrity. Whether it's to the system or in your resume."
Rajeev tried to backtrack, but Arjun had already marked his resume: Rejected – Fabrication suspected.
He didn't tell him that directly. Instead, he politely said, "HR will get back to you."
The first one left.
Arjun exhaled quietly and rubbed his temples. "Next," he said.
"Next candidate, sir," the HR executive said, peeking in again.
Arjun nodded.
The door opened softly this time.
She walked in—not with arrogance, not with overconfidence—but with calm composure.
Slim build, graceful movements, a charcoal grey business suit paired with a soft lavender blouse. Her hair neatly tied in a low bun, a leather file clutched firmly in her hands. She looked simple yet professional, modest yet confident.
Her eyes held a quiet curiosity. Not eager… just honest.
"Good afternoon, sir," she said, offering a gentle smile before sitting only after Arjun gestured.
Arjun glanced at her resume.
Name: Meera Joshi
Age: Probably 3–4 years younger than him.
Education: B.Com, same as his own background.
Experience: 2 years as Junior Audit Assistant at a reputed CA firm.
No exaggeration. No flashy terms. Just clean facts.
"So, Meera," Arjun began, adjusting in his seat, "Tell me about your work so far. What have you learned beyond what your job demanded?"
Meera looked up for a moment, thinking.
"I learned that numbers are rarely just numbers. They always have a story behind them. Sometimes, audit reports aren't about what's written—but about what's missing."
Arjun paused. Interesting.
He smiled a little. "Go on."
"For example, during an internal audit of a retail client, I noticed irregularities not in revenue but in petty cash entries—every third Sunday. Nothing big, but consistent. It turned out the store manager was paying someone under the table for maintenance services, undocumented. Not fraud, but negligence. It helped the company build a better tracking process."
Arjun leaned forward. "That's good observation."
"I guess I like looking for stories behind sheets," Meera smiled gently.
Their conversation flowed. Unlike the previous interview, this wasn't a test—it was a conversation. Each question was like a little puzzle, and Meera approached them thoughtfully, not with textbook answers but with real-life insight.
What surprised Arjun wasn't just her knowledge—but her honesty.
When asked about how she'd handle a complex scenario she hadn't faced yet, Meera didn't try to bluff.
"I don't know the full answer yet," she admitted softly. "But I'd start by breaking the problem into smaller pieces and asking help where needed. And if I still can't resolve it, I'd come back the next day after reading more."
Arjun stared at her silently for a second.
That line echoed in his heart.
His grandfather's words came back to him like a whisper in the wind:
"No matter what, be honest. Situations are temporary. But character stays with you forever."
That moment shifted something in Arjun.
For the first time in weeks, he felt… a flicker of peace.
It wasn't dramatic. It wasn't love at first sight. But it was… real.
A warmth. A light in the dense fog around him.
The interview lasted 45 minutes. And toward the end, Arjun found himself not just evaluating Meera's profile—but learning something from her approach. Her simplicity. Her humility. Her quiet strength.
"You may wait outside," he said finally. "Thank you, Meera."
"Thank you, sir."
She walked out.
Arjun sat back and exhaled deeply.
A rare soft smile formed on his face.
He picked up the phone and called HR.
"Offer her the job."
"Yes, sir. What salary should I discuss?"
"She asked for a 10% hike, right?"
"Yes."
"Make it 20%."
There was a pause. "Sir?"
"She's worth it," Arjun said calmly and hung up.
He didn't know why he said that.
But maybe… maybe life was giving him a reset button. Maybe not everything had to be broken.
The sun had begun its descent, casting golden rays through the office window, painting streaks of amber across the marble floor. Arjun stood near the glass wall, looking at the chaotic city down below—horns, people rushing, the endless rhythm of life.
But inside him… silence.
He still wasn't okay. Not completely. The weight of his memories, Sonal's distance, the factory mystery—all of it lingered like smoke in his chest.
But Meera's interview… it had stirred something. A small change. A calm ripple in his storm.
Just then, a soft knock on the door.
He turned.
It was Meera again.
"Sir, HR asked me to sign the offer letter. Just wanted to thank you personally," she said, standing with a composed smile, yet a softness in her eyes.
Arjun nodded, waving toward the seat.
"Sit down, Meera."
She hesitated for a second but followed.
"You know," Arjun said, leaning slightly forward, "When you walked in today, I wasn't expecting anything from this interview. I was distracted. But your honesty… reminded me of something I had forgotten."
Meera smiled faintly. "It's not easy to stay honest all the time. But I guess… it's easier than living with a lie."
"That's deep," Arjun chuckled gently. "Are you always like this? Calm and philosophical?"
She laughed lightly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Only when I'm nervous."
Their eyes met for a brief second—an unspoken moment. Not romantic yet, but… a spark. A beginning.
Arjun leaned back. "Well, I'm glad you're joining. You'll be handling the internal audit team with me directly."
Her eyes widened slightly. "Really? With you, sir?"
"Yes. You've got potential. I'll help you sharpen it."
She nodded respectfully. "I won't let you down."
"You already didn't."
She smiled again. Something sincere. Something delicate.
"Alright then," Arjun stood up, offering his hand.
Meera stood too and shook his hand. Firm. Confident. But her fingers were cold—just slightly trembling. Arjun noticed. He said nothing.
"Your journey begins from Monday," he said.
"I'll be ready."
As Meera walked out of the room, Arjun sat back again, strangely relaxed.
A new chapter was opening.
Not just in his company… but maybe, just maybe, in his life too.
---bTo be continued…