LOGINWhen I opened the apartment door, the smell of fresh flowers mixed with home-cooked food immediately greeted me. I found Manu sitting at the table, helping Rose arrange a display in the glass vase."I told her not to overexert herself, Ravi," Rose complained as soon as she saw me come in, her eyes narrowed in mock scolding. "But this girl just won't stay still."Manu lifted her face toward me, with a small, defiant smile."I'm just moving my arms. It doesn't count as effort."I couldn't help but laugh. The simple fact of seeing her with color in her cheeks, trading banter with Rose, was already a victory. I lightly touched Daniel's shoulder, who was accompanying me. "Manu, this is Daniel."She rose slightly from the chair, shy, and extended her hand. He shook it with the natural politeness of someone who spends their life in offices and courtrooms."Nice to meet you, Manu. Ravi has told me a lot about you."Her eyes sought mine, as if asking how much I had said. I answered with a calm
Rose placed the plate in front of me with that serious, maternal look that already made me smile."Come on, girl, eat everything." She crossed her arms, as if expecting me to obey. "You need to eat properly—it's not just for you, but for that little one in there."I looked at the full plate and sighed. I wasn't used to such abundance, much less to someone watching me to make sure I would eat. Still, I picked up my fork and tried the fresh salad. The flavor surprised me."Rose... can I ask you something?" I said, between bites.She sat down in front of me, her eyes attentive. "Of course, dear.""Have you always worked here with Ravi?" My voice carried genuine curiosity.Her smile widened, full of memories. "Not exactly here. I worked for his parents, when they still lived on the farm. I took care of the house, helped in the kitchen, sometimes even watched little Ravi when his mother needed a break." She let out a low chuckle. "I've seen him running through the garden, getting his cloth
The wall clock showed nine in the morning when Daniel walked into my office. I closed the folder in front of me and gestured for him to sit down. This wasn't just any meeting. It wasn't about contracts or mergers. It was about Manu—and about the man who called himself her husband."I brought what you asked for," he said, pulling some papers from his leather folder. "But I'll warn you: you're not going to like it."I reached out and took the documents. Photocopies of records, internal reports, even a duty roster. The name was there in c
Three days.Three damn days since she disappeared without a trace.I walk into the house and the silence swallows me. The wall clock marks every second like a hammer striking my head. The sofa still has the mark from the last time she sat there, the cushion sunken in, and I catch myself staring at it like an idiot, trying to understand how Manu had the courage. The courage to leave, to disappear... to break the sacred pact we made before God.I take a deep breath and walk through the living room, my footsteps echoing in the emptiness. Her scent is still soaked into the walls, into the bedsheet that now feels too cold. I open the wardrobe just to see if my suspicions are real: some clothes are missing, but not all. Clever. She took just enough for me
The apartment was silent when I walked in. The key turned in the lock with its usual metallic sound, but my heart was beating faster than normal. I carried the bouquet carefully, as if it were something sacred. And in a way, it was.I walked through the living room with soft steps, and that's when I saw her.Manu was lying on the sofa, the television on some random program, but the low sound didn't hide the calm rhythm of her breathing. She was sleeping deeply, as if her body had finally found shelter. Her legs were bent, covered by a light blanket that Rose had certainly placed there. Her hair fell in waves across her face and shoulders, spreading over the upholstery.I stopped.I felt a
I sat in the conference room before everyone arrived. The long dark wood table reflected the cold light from the ceiling fixtures. My coffee cup was cooling next to my open laptop, but I hadn't taken a single sip. The watch on my wrist showed a few minutes until the meeting started, but my body wasn't there. My mind remained in the apartment, in the image of Manu asleep against my chest, the scent of her hair soaked into my shirt, her small hand resting on mine when I placed it on her belly.I shook my head, trying to compose myself. I needed focus, needed to be the CEO my employees knew, not the man who, for the first time in years, had slept deeply because there was someone in his arms."You look terrible, Ravi." The amused voice pulled me out of my trance. I looked up and saw André walking in. He, my b







