While the car disappeared into the quiet night, somewhere else, in a much smaller world, Piya's life was about to shift in its own way.
After days of restless scrolling, countless applications, and endless overthinking, she finally received an email that made her heart almost stop.
She blinked once. Then twice. Then three more times.
No matter how many times she reread the subject line, it said the same thing:
"Appointment Letter – ShadowByte Technologies."
For a whole minute, she just stared at the screen, her breath caught somewhere between disbelief and joy. And then—
"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
Piya jumped off her chair, squealing like a rabbit who had just won the lottery. Her hands flailed in the air as she ran toward the kitchen.
"Mom! Mom! I got it—I really got it!" she shouted, gasping for breath.
Her mother nearly dropped the ladle she was holding. "What on earth is wrong with you, girl? Stop screaming like a maniac! The neighbors will think you've gone crazy."
"I don't care if the entire neighborhood hears me!" Piya spun in circles like a tornado of joy. "I got the job! The job, Mom!"
Her mother froze. "Wait... really?"
"Yes! In ShadowByte. Can you even believe it?!" Piya's eyes were wide, as though she herself couldn't.
Her mother narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Are you sure? Did you read it properly? Maybe it's one of those fake emails."
"Mom, I checked it like a thousand times already!" Piya groaned. "It's real. I'm hired!" Without waiting another second, she bolted back to her room. "I need to call Dad!"
She snatched up her phone and dialed. After a couple of rings, her father's calm voice came through the line.
"Hello, Piya."
"Dad! Guess what, I have some good news. Can you guess it?" Her voice was bubbling with excitement.
"Good news?" Her dad paused dramatically. "Don't tell me your college finally burned down like you wished every other day."
Piya gawked at the phone. "Wow, Dad. Really? That's the best joke of the year. Do you want me to send you a trophy?"
Her dad laughed heartily. "Alright, alright. Tell me the real news."
Piya took a deep breath, but her words came out in a rush. "I got the job, Dad. The one I interviewed for. At my dream company. ShadowByte."
For a moment, there was silence—and then his voice rang out proudly.
"Really?! Congratulations, my little warrior! I knew you'd crack it from the very start. Because tell me, whose daughter are you?"
Piya smirked smugly. "Exactly. I'm the daughter of my mom."
Her dad spluttered. "Huh?!" Then, switching into a fake wounded tone, he sighed dramatically. "So now that you have a job, you've forgotten your handsome father? My heart... it's not sad. Just... a little broken."
Piya burst out laughing. "Oh, stop it, Mr. Old Man. You'll survive."
And in that moment, surrounded by her family's love and laughter, Piya felt it:
Maybe her future wasn't so uncertain after all.
Little did she know someone else's story was moving toward hers too.
Piya's alarm went off an hour earlier than usual, though she'd hardly slept anyway. Her mind had been racing all night: What if I say something stupid? What if I trip in front of everyone? What if they all realize I don't belong there?
By the time she stood in front of her mirror, she had changed her outfit three times. The first felt too casual, the second too formal, and the third... well, acceptable. With trembling hands, she checked her documents again, then checked the time.
"Great. Two hours early," she muttered, rolling her eyes at her own paranoia.
After sometime,
The bus rattled down the morning road, packed with people half-asleep, some clinging to handles, some already scrolling through their phones. Piya sat by the window, her bag hugged to her chest, eyes glued to the reflection of the city flashing by.
Her heart had been hammering since she woke up. Today wasn't just any day. It was the beginning of her six-month internship at ShadowByte.
Her dream company. The one she never thought she'd make it into.
What if I mess up? What if they realize I don't know enough? What if I really don't belong there?
She caught herself chewing her lip and forced a breath. "Calm down, Piya," she muttered under her breath, watching the morning sunlight bounce off tall buildings. You survived the interview. You earned this.
Still, her stomach twisted as the bus pulled up near the towering glass building. From a distance, ShadowByte looked almost unreal, as though it belonged in another world — a fortress of steel and ambition. She tightened her grip on her bag, whispering to herself, Don't faint. Just don't faint.
The receptionist welcomed her politely, the HR team guided her through paperwork, and soon Piya found herself seated at a desk that suddenly felt too official for her. Her manager explained her responsibilities, speaking calmly, but every word seemed to echo in her head like a test she wasn't ready for.
It wasn't until lunch break that she found herself sitting beside a girl who seemed to radiate sunshine.
"Hey! You must be new," the girl said brightly, sliding her tray onto the table. "I'm Asha. Joined last week. Still surviving."
Piya blinked, then smiled shyly. "I'm Piya. Joined today. Still... overwhelmed."
"Perfect, then we're on the same team!" Asha grinned. "Don't worry, I'll show you the ropes. First rule of survival—never, ever volunteer for extra reports. They'll eat your soul."
Asha laughed, sliding into the seat across from her. "Don't worry, it's just the shock. It gets better. Well, slightly better. Six months of internship is long, but if we stick together, we'll make it."
Something in her warmth made Piya's chest loosen. Maybe she wasn't completely alone here.
Later in the afternoon, Asha insisted on giving her a tour of the office floors. They passed glass-walled meeting rooms where serious-looking people bent over presentations, the air buzzing with intensity.
"Now, this floor," Asha whispered, leaning closer, "is where the higher-ups usually gather. We probably won't ever step in there unless summoned. And trust me, you don't want to be summoned."
As they walked past the floor where the higher-ups gathered, Piya's steps slowed. Through the glass walls, she caught sight of a tall figure moving down the corridor ahead. His presence was impossible to ignore — steady, commanding, as though the air itself shifted to make way for him.
Beside him walked a man in a neat suit, tablet in hand, murmuring updates as he kept pace without missing a beat. His secretary.
Piya could only see the outline of the figure — the straight cut of his suit, the effortless authority in his stride — but it made her chest tighten unexpectedly. She quickly looked away, afraid of being caught staring.
"Don't linger," Asha tugged her along before she could stare longer. "This is higher-up territory. We don't belong here."
The doors closed behind the pair, but not before Piya overheard a hushed whisper between two employees nearby.
"Mr. Liam Asher wants the report by tonight."
The name brushed past her ears, but she barely processed it. Just another stranger, she thought. Just another part of this massive world she was only beginning to step into.
But to the company — and to her story — it was the beginning of something she couldn't yet imagine.