#Urban #novel #fantacy
The news of Ariyan securing a project worth fifty million taka spread through the entire city like wildfire. Now, whenever anyone saw Ariyan in the university corridors, they stepped aside respectfully to clear his path. Yet, there was no joy in Ariyan's heart. He knew that while this success had firmly placed him on the ladder of power, it had pushed him even further away from Tuli.
That night, Ariyan was packing his bags in his mess room. He had made up his mind to leave this city and move to Dhaka, where the head office of his new company would be located. Just then, someone knocked heavily on his door.
Upon opening the door, Ariyan saw Tuli standing there. She was wearing a white salwar kameez, her eyes filled with tears, and in her hand was a dried garland of Bokul flowers.
"Why have you come here, Tuli? You are not supposed to visit this dilapidated mess," Ariyan said in a grave tone.
Tuli stepped inside and stood before Ariyan. "I came to hear the truth, Ariyan Bhaiya. Are you really leaving? Will you leave me behind all alone and move to that big city?"
Ariyan paused his packing and looked at Tuli. A fierce resolve burned in his eyes. "Yes, I am leaving. Because if I stay in this city, I will never be able to stand as an equal to Mr. Arman. I must build an empire where your father will never be able to reject me again."
Tuli grabbed Ariyan's hand. "But what if you lose me while building this empire? Father is arranging to send me abroad. My flight is tomorrow morning."
Ariyan's hand trembled slightly. He had not anticipated that Mr. Arman would make such a swift move. For a fleeting second, he felt weak, but he instantly composed himself. Gently pulling his hand away from Tuli's grip, he said, "Go, Tuli. Go abroad and pursue your studies. Make yourself worthy. Today, neither of us has the strength to hold the other's hand. But I promise you, the day I stand before you again, even if your father wants to, he won't be able to stop us."
Tuli placed the dried Bokul garland on Ariyan's study table. "This garland is the last remnant of our childhood. Keep it if you can. And listen, Ariyan—I will wait for you. Whether it takes ten years or twenty, I will only hold onto the memory of the Ariyan from your blue note."
Crying bitterly, Tuli rushed out of the room. Ariyan stood there, gripping the window grill tightly. His eyes were a chaotic storm of fire and tears. He watched as Mr. Arman's car arrived and took Tuli away.
That night, Ariyan wrote in his diary: "From this day forward, I have no turning back. Love is a luxury to me from today, and success will be my ultimate revenge."
After that night, Ariyan and Tuli had no contact for three long years. Ariyan immersed himself completely in the world of coding and business, while Tuli crossed seven seas and thirteen rivers to start a new life. In between them lingered only a heavy sigh and the fading scent of those dried Bokul flowers.