The rain had slowed to a drizzle, but inside the café, Riya's heart was racing faster than ever. She pulled back slightly from Aarav, her lips still trembling from the kiss.
She was Riya Malhotra, a woman who built walls so high that no one could climb them. Yet this simple boy, with his second-hand guitar and warm smile, had broken through without even trying.
Aarav looked at her carefully, his hand still resting on hers. "You're shaking," he whispered.
Riya's eyes watered. She didn't even understand why. "It's been… a long time since someone touched me without wanting something in return."
Her voice cracked, and suddenly her eyes filled with tears. Aarav didn't say a word. He simply pulled her gently into his arms. She leaned against him, her head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.
No diamonds, no champagne, no luxury — just his warmth. And for the first time in years, Riya cried.
A Different Kind of Man
Later, when the rain stopped, Aarav insisted on dropping her to her car. But instead of trying to impress her, he quietly opened the door and said, "Drive safe. You deserve someone who cares about the woman you are, not the name you carry."
Riya sat inside, frozen. No man had ever spoken to her like that. Not as a business deal, not as a trophy — but as her.
When she drove off, she caught her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were red, but she was smiling. A strange, happy, painful smile.
A New Thread
The next morning at her office, Riya was back in her high heels and power suit. But her mind wasn't on the deal in front of her. It was on Aarav.
Her assistant, Naina, noticed. "Ma'am, you look… different today. Softer."
Riya laughed it off. "Maybe I slept well for a change."
But Naina was not just her assistant, she was like a younger sister. "Is there someone special?" she teased.
Riya stayed silent, and that silence was enough to confirm it.
Fate Intervenes
Meanwhile, Aarav was working his usual shift when a group of boys entered the café. They were teasing him, mocking his guitar, calling him a "dreamer with no future."
Aarav just smiled, ignoring them, until one of them almost knocked his guitar down. He caught it quickly, his fingers tightening. But instead of fighting, he said calmly, "It's easy to laugh at someone's dream. Harder to follow your own."
Unnoticed to him, Riya had just entered the café again. She saw the scene from the door. The way he handled insult with calm, the way he protected his guitar like it was part of his soul… her heart melted further.
When the boys left, Riya walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder. Aarav turned, surprised.
"You didn't have to tolerate that," she said softly.
Aarav smiled. "They don't matter. You were here… and that's enough."
Her chest tightened at those words. So simple, yet so powerful.
The Realization
That night, as Riya lay in bed, she realized something terrifying and beautiful. She wasn't just attracted to him. She was falling in love.
Not with his looks, not with his status — but with his kindness, his patience, his honesty.
And for a woman like Riya Malhotra, who had been alone for so long, that realization brought both joy… and fear.