The Man Who Never Smiled

Maya Sharma had always believed that life changed quietly. Not with thunder. Not with dramatic music. Not with some magical sign from the universe telling you that everything you knew was about to become different. Sometimes, life changed because you took a different road home. Sometimes, because you answered a phone call you almost ignored. And sometimes… because a stranger gave you an umbrella in the rain. Maya just didn't know that yet. --- The rain had started twenty minutes earlier. At first, it had been a soft drizzle—the kind that made the city smell fresh and made people smile as they hurried toward cafés and bus stops. Then the sky had changed its mind. Within minutes, the rain had become relentless. Maya stood beneath the narrow awning of a small café, staring helplessly at her phone. 1% battery. Her cab had cancelled. Her interview was in exactly twenty-three minutes. And she had absolutely no umbrella. “Of course,” she muttered. A drop of water landed on her forehead. She looked up. The awning was leaking. “Perfect.” She wiped her forehead and checked her phone again. One percent. She opened the cab app. The screen froze. Then the phone died. Maya stared at the black screen. “No.” She pressed the power button. Nothing. “Please.” Nothing. She closed her eyes. “Today?” Of all days. She had spent the previous two weeks preparing for this interview. She had rewritten her résumé three times, practiced answers in front of her mirror, watched countless videos about confidence, and even bought a new pair of formal shoes. This job wasn't just another job. It was a beginning. She desperately needed a beginning. After losing her previous job three months ago, Maya had promised herself she wouldn't panic. She had failed at that promise approximately forty-seven times. Now she had finally received an interview invitation from one of the city's most respected companies. And she was going to be late because of rain. She took a deep breath. “Okay, Maya. Think.” She could run. No. Her shoes would be ruined. She could wait. Definitely no. She could ask someone for help. She looked around. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry. Then a voice came from beside her. “You're going to be late.” Maya turned. A man was standing a few feet away. She hadn't noticed him before. He was tall, dressed in a dark suit and white shirt, with his sleeves slightly rolled up. His black hair was damp from the rain, and there was something strangely composed about him. Everyone around them was running. He wasn't. He simply stood there, watching the rain as if he had nowhere else to be. Maya looked at him. Then at the road. Then back at him. “Excuse me?” “You're going to be late.” She frowned. “Were you timing me?” “No.” “Then how do you know?” “You've checked the road twelve times in the last two minutes.” Maya blinked. “You were counting?” He shrugged. “You're nervous.” “I am not nervous.” He looked at her. Silence. Maya sighed. “Fine. I'm extremely nervous.” That almost made him smile. Almost. But the expression disappeared before she could be certain. “Where are you going?” “An interview.” “Where?” “Westbridge Technologies.” His eyes changed slightly. It was so subtle that Maya almost missed it. “You work there?” “No.” “Then why did you ask?” “I was curious.” “You're a curious stranger.” “Yes.” Maya narrowed her eyes. “Do you always talk to strangers?” “No.” “Then why are you talking to me?” He looked at her for a moment. “You look like you need help.” Maya opened her mouth. Before she could answer, he extended a black umbrella toward her. “Take it.” She stared at it. Then at him. “What about you?” “I'll manage.” “You don't have another umbrella.” “No.” “So you'll get wet.” “Yes.” Maya frowned. “Then why are you giving it to me?” “Because you're going somewhere important.” “And you're not?” “No.” She hesitated. The rain became heavier. Maya looked toward the road. Then at the umbrella. Then back at him. “Are you sure?” “Yes.” She slowly took it. “Thank you.” He nodded. She opened the umbrella. Then she stopped. “Wait.” He looked at her. “What's your name?” For the first time, something unreadable passed across his face. “Does it matter?” Maya stared. “That is a very suspicious answer.” “Probably.” She laughed despite herself. “You're strange.” “So I've been told.” She looked at him again. “I'm Maya.” He didn't respond. She waited. He simply nodded. Maya raised an eyebrow. “You don't have to tell me yours.” “I know.” She shook her head. “Fine. Mysterious umbrella man.” Then she stepped into the rain. After a few steps, she turned around. The man was still standing beneath the café awning. Watching her. Maya lifted the umbrella slightly. “Thank you!” He gave her a small nod. She turned away. She didn't know why she looked back again. But she did. He was gone. --- Maya reached Westbridge Technologies with eight minutes to spare. Her shoes were wet. Her hair was slightly messy. Her heart was racing. But she was there. She stood in the lobby, trying to catch her breath. The building was enormous. Glass walls. Marble floors. A reception desk that looked more expensive than her entire living room. She walked toward the receptionist. “Hi. I'm here for an interview.” The receptionist smiled. “Name?” “Maya Sharma.” “Department?” “Marketing.” The receptionist typed something. Then smiled. “Mr. Mehta will see you shortly.” Maya nodded. “Thank you.” She sat down. Her hands were cold. She looked at the umbrella beside her. The black umbrella. She hadn't thought about returning it. Until now. She looked around. Maybe she could give it to the receptionist. But something made her hold onto it. It was ridiculous. It was just an umbrella. Still… she felt strangely reluctant to let it go. A few minutes later, a woman approached her. “Ms. Sharma?” Maya stood. “Yes.” “I'm Priya from HR. Please come with me.” Maya followed her. They walked through a series of glass corridors. People were working everywhere. The company felt intense. Fast. Precise. Everyone seemed to know exactly where they were going. Maya suddenly felt small. Priya opened a conference-room door. “Please wait here.” “Thank you.” Maya sat down. Five minutes passed. Then ten. She checked the clock. Her interview was already five minutes late. She tried not to panic. The door opened. A senior-looking man walked in. Maya stood. “Good morning.” “Good morning, Ms. Sharma.” He sat across from her. The interview began. Questions came quickly. Her education. Her previous experience. Her strengths. Her weaknesses. Why Westbridge? Why should they hire her? Maya answered everything. Some answers were confident. Some were not. But she tried. After twenty-five minutes, the man closed her résumé. “Thank you, Ms. Sharma.” “Thank you for your time.” She stood. He extended his hand. “We'll contact you.” Maya smiled. “Thank you.” She left the room. The moment the door closed behind her, she exhaled. “I survived.” She walked toward the elevator. Just as the doors opened, someone stepped out. Maya nearly walked straight into him. “Sorry.” She stepped aside. Then froze. The white shirt. The dark trousers. The damp black hair. Those eyes. The umbrella man. Maya stared. He stared back. Neither spoke. For several seconds, the world seemed strangely quiet. Then Maya pointed at him. “You.” His expression remained calm. “Yes.” “You work here.” “Yes.” “You said you didn't.” “I said I didn't work at Westbridge.” She frowned. “That's exactly where I was going.” “I know.” Maya's eyes narrowed. “How?” He looked at her. “Because you told me.” She opened her mouth. Right. She had. Still… something about this felt suspicious. “You could have mentioned that you work here.” “You didn't ask.” “You really like that answer, don't you?” “It's usually accurate.” Maya crossed her arms. “Are you always this difficult?” “Usually.” She couldn't help it. She smiled. He didn't. Then a man in a suit hurried toward them. “Mr. Mehta, the board meeting is ready.” Maya's smile disappeared. Mr. Mehta. She looked at the man. Then at the stranger. Then at the expensive office surrounding them. Something clicked. “Wait.” The man in the suit looked at her. “This is Mr. Arjun Mehta.” Maya felt her stomach drop. Arjun Mehta. She knew that name. Everyone in the business world knew that name. He was the youngest managing director in Westbridge's history. The man who had transformed a struggling division into one of the company's most profitable. The man who was known for being brilliant. Demanding. Private. And apparently incapable of smiling. Maya slowly looked at him. “You're…” Arjun waited. “You're Arjun Mehta.” “Yes.” She stared. The man beside him smiled nervously. “Ms. Sharma, you should—” “I gave your boss my umbrella.” Silence. Arjun looked at her. “I know.” The man beside him looked confused. “You gave Mr. Mehta an umbrella?” “No.” Maya pointed at Arjun. “I gave—” She stopped. Right. He had given it to her. She corrected herself. “He gave me his umbrella.” Arjun's eyes flickered. “During the rain.” The other man looked even more confused. Arjun simply said, “We'll discuss it later.” Then he walked away. Maya watched him disappear down the corridor. Her heart was beating faster than it had during the entire interview. “Oh, no.” She covered her face. “Oh, no, no, no.” The HR representative appeared behind her. “Ms. Sharma?” Maya slowly turned. “Yes?” “Mr. Mehta wants to see you.” Her heart stopped. “Now?” “Yes.” “Why?” “I don't know.” Maya looked down at the umbrella in her hand. For some reason, it suddenly felt like evidence in a crime. --- Arjun's office was on the top floor. Maya had never been inside an executive office before. She expected something extravagant. Instead, it was surprisingly simple. Dark wood. A large window overlooking the city. A bookshelf. A desk. Two chairs. Nothing unnecessary. Arjun stood near the window. He didn't turn when she entered. “Close the door.” Maya did. He remained silent. Maya stood awkwardly. Finally, she said, “You wanted to see me?” “Yes.” She waited. He turned. His eyes fell on the umbrella. “You kept it.” Maya looked at it. “I thought I should return it.” “You don't have to.” “But it's yours.” “I know.” She frowned. “Then why did you give it to me?” “You needed it.” “You keep saying that.” “Because it's true.” Maya placed the umbrella on the table. “There.” Arjun looked at it. Then at her. “Your interview went well?” “I think so.” “You think?” “I don't know what your HR team considers a good interview.” “Honesty is usually a good start.” Maya smiled slightly. “Then I think it went well.” He nodded. There was another silence. Maya shifted her weight. “Is that all?” “No.” She waited. “You're being considered for the marketing position.” Her eyebrows rose. “Okay.” “You'll know the decision tomorrow.” “Thank you.” She turned toward the door. “Maya.” She stopped. She looked back. “Yes?” “Don't leave your umbrella outside.” She glanced at the black umbrella. “You just told me I could keep it.” “I did.” “So?” “It's going to rain again.” Maya looked at him. “Are you worried about me?” His face remained completely serious. “No.” She smiled. “Right.” She opened the door. Then she heard him say, “Be careful.” Maya looked back. For the first time, she saw something different in his eyes. Not warmth. Not exactly. But concern. It disappeared almost immediately. She left. --- That evening, Maya couldn't stop thinking about him. She sat on her bed with her laptop open. She should have been preparing for tomorrow. Instead, she searched his name. Arjun Mehta — Westbridge Technologies. Articles appeared. Interviews. Business magazines. Photographs. He looked exactly the same in every picture. Serious. Controlled. Untouchable. There were articles about his success. His leadership. His investments. His business decisions. But almost nothing about his personal life. Maya clicked on one article. “The Man Behind Westbridge's Rise.” She read it. Arjun had joined the company at twenty-six. Within six years, he had become managing director. People described him as ruthless but fair. Brilliant but distant. A man who never mixed personal emotions with business. Maya scrolled. Then stopped. A photograph showed Arjun standing beside an older woman. The caption read: Arjun Mehta with his mother at the Westbridge Foundation event. Maya studied the photograph. His mother was smiling. Arjun wasn't. But his eyes looked different. Softer. She wondered why. Then she closed the laptop. “This is ridiculous.” She wasn't interested in him. She didn't know him. He was her potential boss. Nothing more. She lay down. Five minutes later, she picked up her phone. Opened the browser. Searched his name again. Then immediately closed it. “Stop.” She laughed at herself. “He gave you an umbrella. That's it.” But when she finally fell asleep, she dreamed about rain. And a pair of unreadable eyes. --- The next morning, Maya received an email. Subject: Employment Confirmation Her hands shook as she opened it. She had gotten the job. Maya stared at the screen. Then screamed. Her roommate, Ananya, rushed into the room. “What happened?” “I got it!” “What?” “The job!” Ananya hugged her. “Oh my God!” Maya laughed. “I got the job!” They celebrated for ten minutes. Then Ananya noticed the black umbrella lying beside Maya's bag. “Whose is that?” Maya paused. “A friend's.” Ananya raised an eyebrow. “You don't have friends who own expensive umbrellas.” “It's not expensive.” “How do you know?” “Because it's an umbrella.” Ananya looked suspicious. Maya grabbed her bag. “I have to go.” “Wait.” “What?” “Who gave you the umbrella?” Maya hesitated. “No one.” “That means someone.” “Ananya.” “Male someone?” Maya rolled her eyes. “I'm leaving.” Ananya laughed. “That's a yes!” Maya shut the door behind her. She didn't know why she was smiling. --- Westbridge felt different on her first official day. Maybe because she belonged there now. Maybe because she was nervous. Or maybe because she knew Arjun Mehta was somewhere in the building. She tried not to think about it. Her new manager introduced her to the marketing team. There were six people. Priya, the HR executive, gave her a warm smile. “Welcome officially.” “Thank you.” Maya sat at her desk. She spent the morning learning systems and reviewing projects. By lunchtime, she had almost forgotten about Arjun. Almost. Then the office became strangely quiet. Maya looked up. Arjun had entered. He walked through the marketing department without stopping. Everyone straightened. Maya watched him from the corner of her eye. He didn't look at her. He continued toward the conference room. Five minutes later, her manager approached. “Maya?” “Yes?” “Mr. Mehta asked you to join the afternoon strategy meeting.” She blinked. “Me?” “Yes.” “Why?” “He liked your interview.” Maya stared toward the conference room. “That's… good.” Her manager smiled. “Don't look so frightened.” “I'm not frightened.” “You look frightened.” “I always look like this.” Her manager laughed. “Good luck.” --- The meeting lasted nearly two hours. Maya barely spoke at first. She listened. The discussion was about a new campaign. Everyone had ideas. Some were good. Some were terrible. Arjun listened without interrupting. Then he asked, “What do you think?” Maya looked around. “Me?” “Yes.” She glanced at the presentation. “I think the campaign is too focused on what the company wants customers to see.” Silence. One of the senior executives frowned. “What do you mean?” Maya took a breath. “Customers don't care about what we want them to see. They care about what they need.” Arjun leaned back slightly. “Continue.” Maya became more confident. “If we're trying to connect with younger customers, we shouldn't tell them why we're better. We should show them that we understand their problems.” Someone interrupted. “That's very idealistic.” Maya looked at him. “Maybe.” Arjun spoke. “Let her finish.” The room went silent. Maya continued. For the next five minutes, she explained her idea. When she finished, nobody spoke. Then Arjun nodded. “Change the campaign direction.” The senior executive looked surprised. “Based on her suggestion?” “Yes.” Maya looked at him. Arjun met her eyes. “Good idea.” Two words. But somehow they meant more than they should have. “Thank you,” Maya said quietly. The meeting ended. Everyone left. Maya gathered her papers. Arjun remained seated. She was about to leave when he said, “You weren't nervous.” She looked at him. “I was terrified.” “You didn't look terrified.” “That's because I was pretending.” “Good.” She smiled. “You're strange.” “So you've mentioned.” She walked toward the door. “Maya.” She turned. “Yes?” “You're good at what you do.” She wasn't prepared for that. For a moment, she simply stared at him. “Thank you.” He nodded. She left. Arjun watched the door close. For several seconds, he didn't move. Then he looked down at the table. A small smile appeared. It vanished almost immediately. --- Over the next few weeks, Maya and Arjun became familiar strangers. They weren't friends. They weren't close. But they started noticing each other. She noticed he drank black coffee. He noticed she always forgot to eat breakfast. She noticed he hated loud meetings. He noticed she tapped her pen whenever she was nervous. She noticed he stayed late almost every night. He noticed she always checked on the office staff before leaving. Their conversations were usually short. “Good morning.” “Morning.” “Did you send the report?” “Yes.” “Did you eat?” “That's none of your business.” “You're right.” But sometimes their conversations lasted longer. One evening, Maya was still working when Arjun walked past her desk. “Why are you still here?” “Work.” “It's almost nine.” “I know.” “Go home.” “Are you giving me an order?” “Yes.” She looked at him. “Then I'm ignoring it.” He raised an eyebrow. “You enjoy arguing.” “With you? Yes.” He almost smiled. Almost. Maya noticed. “You almost smiled.” “No.” “You did.” “You imagined it.” “I didn't.” “Good night, Maya.” He walked away. She smiled at her computer. “Got you.” --- One Friday evening, Maya stayed late to finish a campaign. The office was nearly empty. Outside, thunder rolled across the sky. She looked toward the window. Rain. Again. She sighed. She had forgotten her umbrella. She packed her bag and walked toward the elevator. When the doors opened, Arjun was inside. He looked at her. She looked at him. Then at the rain outside. He said nothing. Maya smiled. “Don't.” “Don't what?” “Give me your umbrella.” “I wasn't going to.” “Good.” The elevator descended. Neither spoke. When they reached the lobby, Maya walked toward the exit. Arjun followed. The rain was heavy. She stopped beneath the entrance. “You can go.” “So can you.” “I forgot my umbrella.” “I noticed.” “Don't say it.” He looked at her. Then opened his umbrella. “Come.” Maya stared. “Where?” “Your ride.” “I can wait.” “It could take an hour.” “I'll survive.” He sighed. “Maya.” “What?” “Come here.” She hesitated. Then stepped beneath the umbrella. They walked together. The umbrella was large enough for two. But not comfortably. Their shoulders brushed. Maya became suddenly aware of how close he was. The rain hit the umbrella above them. The city lights reflected in the wet streets. Neither spoke. After a few moments, Maya said, “You know something?” “What?” “You're different outside the office.” “How?” “You talk more.” “I've said six words.” “Exactly.” He looked at her. She laughed. “You're impossible.” “And yet you're still walking beside me.” Maya smiled. “Maybe I'm curious.” “About what?” “You.” He became quiet. Maya immediately regretted saying it. “I mean—” “I know what you mean.” They continued walking. Then Arjun asked quietly, “What do you want to know?” Maya looked at him. She could have asked anything. Instead, she asked, “Why don't you smile?” He stopped. Maya stopped too. For a moment, the only sound was rain. His face changed. Not anger. Not sadness. Something deeper. Something she couldn't name. “Who told you I don't?” “You.” “I never said that.” “You don't have to.” He looked away. Maya suddenly felt she had crossed a line. “I'm sorry.” He shook his head. “No.” She waited. After a moment, he said, “Some things make you forget how.” Maya's heart tightened. “What happened?” He looked at her. “I'll tell you someday.” “Someday?” “If you still want to know.” She smiled faintly. “I probably will.” His eyes stayed on hers. For one quiet second, something passed between them. Something neither understood. Then a car horn broke the moment. Maya stepped back. “My cab.” Arjun nodded. She opened the door. Then turned. “Good night.” “Good night.” She hesitated. “Arjun?” “Yes?” “Thank you.” “For the umbrella?” “For today.” He nodded. “Get home safely.” Maya got into the car. As it drove away, she looked through the window. Arjun was still standing beneath the umbrella. Watching her leave. That night, Maya couldn't sleep. She kept remembering his words. Some things make you forget how. She wondered what had happened to him. She wondered who had hurt him. And, despite herself, she wondered if she could ever make him smile. She laughed softly. “What am I thinking?” She had known him for barely a month. He was her boss. He was complicated. He was probably the worst possible person to develop feelings for. And she wasn't developing feelings. Not yet. She closed her eyes. Then remembered the way he had looked at her beneath the umbrella. Her heart disagreed. Monday morning began normally. Until Maya found an envelope on her desk. There was no name. No sender. She opened it. Inside was a single piece of paper. Five words. Stay away from Arjun Mehta. Maya stared. Her smile disappeared. She looked around. Everyone was working. Nobody seemed to be watching her. She turned the paper over. Nothing. Her hands tightened around it. She didn't know whether it was a joke. A warning. Or something worse. Then she noticed something. The handwriting looked familiar. She had seen it before. On the sticky note attached to a project file during her first day. Don't trust him. Maya's heartbeat quickened. She looked toward Arjun's office. The glass doors were closed. He was inside. Someone was standing with him. An older man. They were arguing. Maya couldn't hear them. Then Arjun suddenly looked toward the marketing floor. Toward her. Their eyes met through the glass. His expression changed. He immediately opened the door. “Maya.” She stood. He walked toward her. “What happened?” “Nothing.” He stopped. “You're lying.” She hesitated. Then handed him the note. Arjun read it. His face became completely still. Too still. Maya watched him. “You know who wrote this.” He didn't answer. “Arjun?” His jaw tightened. “Go home.” “What?” “Now.” She stared at him. “No.” His eyes hardened. “Maya.” “No. You don't get to tell me something like this and then send me away.” He lowered his voice. “You don't understand.” “Then explain.” “I can't.” “Why?” “Because if you know the truth, you're no longer safe.” Maya's heart stopped. “What truth?” Arjun looked at the note again. Then at her. For the first time since she had met him, Maya saw fear in his eyes. Real fear. Not for himself. For her. He stepped closer. “Listen to me carefully.” She couldn't breathe. “From today onward, don't walk home alone.” “Why?” “Don't meet anyone you don't know.” “Arjun—” “And if you receive another message…” He paused. “Call me.” Maya stared at him. “Why you?” His eyes met hers. “Because this started long before you met me.” Silence. Maya's voice became barely a whisper. “What started?” Arjun didn't answer. He simply looked at her. And for the first time, Maya realized something terrifying. The umbrella hadn't been the beginning. It had been a warning. A beginning she hadn't understood. And somewhere in Arjun Mehta's past was a secret powerful enough to follow him into the present. A secret that had now found her. That evening, Maya stood alone outside her apartment. The rain had started again. She looked at the black umbrella in her hand. The same umbrella. The one Arjun had given her on the first day. She suddenly remembered his words. Because you looked like you needed it. Maybe she had. Maybe he had known more than she realized. Her phone vibrated. Unknown number. Maya stared at the screen. A message appeared. You were warned. Her blood ran cold. Another message arrived. He will hurt you just like he hurt her. Maya stopped breathing. Who is “her”? Before she could type a response, another message appeared. Ask Arjun about Elena. Maya stared at the name. She had never heard it before. But somewhere inside her, she knew one thing. Whatever Elena meant… Arjun had been waiting for this day. And now, whether she wanted it or not, Maya had become part of his past. She looked up at the dark sky. Rain fell around her. And for the first time, the umbrella didn't feel like protection. It felt like a secret. A secret she was no longer sure she wanted to uncover. But her heart had already made the decision. She would ask him. Tomorrow. Even if the answer broke everything. Even if it broke her. Because somewhere between the first rainy evening and the quiet moments they had shared, Maya had begun to care about the man who never smiled. And she was about to discover why. To be continued…