Chapter 9: Words Left Unsaid
704 Words
The city lights blurred into streaks of gold and white as the car pulled away from the conference hall.
Inside, silence settled—thick, uncomfortable, unfinished.
Lina sat in the passenger seat, her award plaque resting carefully on her lap. The applause still echoed in her ears, the flashes of cameras still burned behind her eyes. It had been her day. Her victory. Yet something inside her felt unsettled, restless.
Arjun drove with one hand on the wheel, the other relaxed, his expression calm—too calm.
Lina turned to look at him.
“Why did you say that?” she asked suddenly.
He glanced at her. “Say what?”
“At the press conference,” she continued. “Why did you say that maybe one day our friendship could turn into something more?”
Arjun smiled faintly, eyes still on the road. “Well… it doesn’t sound bad, does it?”
She frowned. “That wasn’t an answer.”
He chuckled. “Alright. Think about it—you’re talented, disciplined, driven. I’m a business genius.” He paused dramatically. “Our children, with your mind and my mind combined? They would conquer the world.”
He laughed, clearly pleased with himself.
Lina stared at him.
“Really?” she asked flatly, disappointment creeping into her voice.
He finally looked at her. “Yes. What were you expecting?”
She turned away, staring out the window. “Nothing,” she said quietly. “What could I possibly expect from you?”
Arjun sensed the shift immediately. The teasing tone faded.
“Come on,” he said lightly, trying to recover. “Admit it—you admire me, right? My handsome face. My perfect figure.”
She snapped her head back toward him. “What? You—handsome?” She scoffed. “My brother is more handsome than you.”
Arjun burst out laughing. “That’s cruel.”
“And congratulations,” Lina added sharply, crossing her arms. “You have successfully turned my happiest day into sorrow.”
He blinked. “Sorrow? What did I do now?”
“Stop the car,” she said suddenly.
He slowed instinctively. “What? Why?”
“Stop. The. Car.”
He pulled over, confused. “Lina—”
“Get out,” she said, opening her door. “Go back to your own home alone.”
Arjun stared at her in disbelief. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
“What sorrow are you even talking about?” he asked. “And by the way, you’re forgetting something.”
She raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“The car is mine.”
She smiled—dangerously.
“Well, sorry to disappoint you,” Lina said calmly, stepping out and moving to the driver’s seat. “It’s mine now.”
He blinked again. “What?”
“It’s your gift to me,” she continued sweetly, starting the engine. “To make me happy. Because you’ve clearly failed at that tonight.”
Arjun leaned against the door, arms folded, laughing openly now. “You’re unbelievable.”
“Make sure,” Lina added, putting the car into gear, “you bring me the transfer documents and purchase details tomorrow. Just in case you later change your mind and accuse me of stealing it.”
She looked at him one last time.
“Good night, Arjun.”
And then she drove away.
Arjun stood there, watching the car disappear into traffic, her silhouette fading into the city lights.
His laughter softened into a smile.
“She’s impossible,” he murmured.
He exhaled slowly, hands in his pockets, heart pounding in a way no boardroom battle had ever caused.
“This,” he admitted quietly, staring into the empty road, “this is one of the most unique women I’ve ever met.”
The night air wrapped around him, cool and honest.
And for the first time, Arjun Malhotra said the truth out loud—without cameras, without witnesses, without fear.
“Actually,” he said softly to the air, “the truth is… I love you.”
The words vanished into the night.
But fate had heard them.
And it was already planning its next move.
- Writer
