"Adrija Sen, you are going to be late again!"

The loud voice of her mother echoed through the small apartment.

"I know, Ma!" Adrija shouted back while hopping on one foot and trying to wear her sandal.

Her curly hair was half tied and half falling out of the clip. One earring was missing. Her bag hung from her shoulder while she searched frantically for her documents.

"Where is my file?"

"On the dining table."

"Where are my keys?"

"In your hand."

Adrija looked down.

"Oh."

Her mother closed her eyes in defeat.

"One day you'll lose your own head."

"I already have. It is called adulthood."

Without waiting for another lecture, Adrija grabbed her file and rushed out of the house.

Today was important.

Very important.

The interview.

The biggest opportunity she had received after months of job hunting.

And she was already late.

"Perfect," she muttered while starting her scooty.

The vehicle protested with a strange sound before finally coming alive.

"Don't betray me today, baby."

The scooty rolled onto the road.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, discipline had already completed its morning routine.

Ranbir Randhawa sat in the backseat of his black luxury car.

Breakfast was done.

Emails had been checked.

The day's schedule had been reviewed twice.

His crisp charcoal suit was spotless.

His expression was unreadable.

His driver, Mahesh, drove through the morning traffic while Ranbir worked on his tablet.

The man barely looked out of the window.

Every minute of his day had a purpose.

Every task had a deadline.

Every employee followed rules.

And everyone in the company feared him.

Especially the late ones.

Back on the road, Adrija was racing against time.

"Move!"

She honked.

A bicycle blocked her path.

A cow decided to cross the road.

A fruit vendor occupied half the lane.

The universe clearly had a personal problem with her.

She checked the time.

"Oh God."

She accelerated.

At that exact moment, the black car turned at an intersection.

The scooty came from the opposite side.

Neither slowed down enough.

Thud.

The collision wasn't severe, but it was enough to make Adrija lose balance.

Her scooty tilted sideways.

The car stopped immediately.

"What the hell!"

Adrija jumped up.

The driver hurried out of the vehicle.

"Madam, are you alright?"

"Am I alright?" she exploded. "Can you not see where you're driving?"

Mahesh blinked.

"Madam, you were speeding."

"And you were existing in my lane."

The poor driver stared at her.

Adrija continued.

"You rich people think roads belong to you."

"Madam..."

"No, let me speak."

Mahesh glanced helplessly toward the backseat.

The rear door opened.

Ranbir Randhawa stepped out.

For a second, Adrija forgot what she was saying.

The man was tall.

Broad shouldered.

Sharp features.

Perfectly dressed.

His presence alone seemed capable of silencing a room.

Unfortunately for him, Adrija was not a room.

She recovered quickly.

"Good. The owner has arrived."

Ranbir looked at the damaged scooty.

Then at her.

Then at the driver.

His voice was calm.

"Are you hurt?"

"No."

He nodded.

Without another word, he pulled out his wallet and handed her some money.

"Get it repaired."

Adrija stared at the cash.

Then at him.

Then back at the cash.

Her eyes widened.

"What is this?"

"For the repair."

"What do you think this is?"

Ranbir frowned slightly.

"The repair cost."

"You think throwing money solves everything?"

The corner of Mahesh's mouth twitched.

Ranbir looked unimpressed.

"Then what do you want?"

Adrija opened her mouth.

Closed it.

Opened it again.

Then an idea struck.

"You can drop me."

Both men stared at her.

"I'm late for an interview."

Silence.

"Please."

Mahesh looked at Ranbir.

Ranbir considered her for a few seconds.

Then nodded once.

Adrija smiled brightly.

"See? Problem solved."

The corner of Mahesh's mouth twitched.

Ranbir looked unimpressed.

"Then what do you want?"

Adrija opened her mouth.

Closed it.

Opened it again.

Then an idea struck.

"You can drop me."

Both men stared at her.

"I'm late for an interview."

Silence.

"Please."

Mahesh looked at Ranbir.

Ranbir considered her for a few seconds.

Then nodded once.

Adrija smiled brightly.

"See? Problem solved."

"He is apparently super strict."

Ranbir didn't even blink.

"People say he fires employees for being late."

Silence.

"I mean, who does that?"

Mahesh focused very hard on the road.

"Work-life balance exists for a reason."

Ranbir continued reading.

"And because of you I'm probably going to be late."

That finally earned her a glance.

"Because of me?"

"Obviously."

"You hit my car."

Mahesh nearly laughed.

Ranbir returned his attention to the tablet.

Adrija sighed dramatically.

"What if I don't get the job?"

No response.

"What if the boss hates me?"

Nothing.

"What if he throws me out?"

Still nothing.

She folded her arms."You know, you're not very talkative."

"Thank you."

Her eyes widened.

"That was sarcasm."

"Oh."

For the first time, Mahesh actually smiled.

The rest of the journey passed with Adrija talking and Ranbir pretending not to listen.

Finally the car slowed down.

Then stopped.

Adrija looked outside.

A huge glass building stood before her.

Her eyes lit up.

"Oh thank God!"

She quickly gathered her file.

"I'm on time."

She opened the door and stepped out.

Then suddenly paused.

A thought struck her.

She leaned back inside.

"Wait."

Mahesh looked at her.

"I never told you the address."

"Yes."

"Then how did you bring me here?"

Mahesh looked at Ranbir.

Then back at her.

A grin appeared on his face.

"Because sir is the boss here."

Everything froze.

The traffic.

The wind.

Her heartbeat.

Everything.

Slowly, very slowly, Adrija turned toward Ranbir.

Ranbir was already looking at her.

The same man she had called terrifying.

The same man she had blamed.

The same man she had practically lectured for half an hour.

The boss.

The actual boss.

Her mouth went dry.

"Oh."

Ranbir stepped out of the car.

Towering over her.

Adrija swallowed hard.

"See... whatever happened in the car..."

He raised an eyebrow.

"...don't take revenge during the interview."

For a moment he simply looked at her.

Then he walked past her toward the building entrance.

Without saying a word.

Adrija stared after him.

The employees around them greeted him respectfully as he entered.

The glass doors closed behind him.

She stood there motionless.

Then looked up at the sky.

"You are gone, girl."

And for the first time that morning, Adrija Sen was truly terrified.