5

Mumbai was louder than she imagined.

Maya stepped off the bus, shielding her eyes from the blinding sun. Honking cars, rushing people, massive buildings that touched the sky—it was all so overwhelming.

She tightened her grip on her suitcase and looked around nervously. The city didn’t wait for anyone. No one stopped to help. Everyone had somewhere to be.

“Okay, Maya... you can do this,” she whispered, taking a deep breath.

After an hour-long taxi ride and asking strangers for directions twice, she finally reached XXX University Girls' Hostel. The tall grey building stood in contrast to the chaos outside. Secure gates. Neat lawns. Modern lobby.

She gave her name at the reception and was guided to Room 203.

Her roommate hadn’t arrived yet, so she placed her things neatly in a corner and sat on the bed. The room was small but clean—two beds, two tables, one cupboard, and a window that showed a glimpse of the city’s skyline.

She pulled out her phone and called home.

“Maa, main pahunch gayi. Sab thik hai.”

Her mother’s voice cracked on the other end. “Khush reh, Maya. Apna dhyan rakhna.”

She hung up with a soft smile, and for the first time since she left home, her heart settled.

Meanwhile, Across the City...

In a high-rise building in South Mumbai, the energy was completely different.

Mr. Aditya Khurana, CEO of Khurana Industries, sat at his office desk, eyes scanning reports, phone pressed between shoulder and ear.

“Cancel that 4 PM. Move the investor call to tomorrow. I don’t want interruptions.”

He ended the call before the assistant could reply.

The office was sleek—glass walls, black leather chairs, and a giant screen flashing global stock tickers. Behind him, the city stretched wide, but Aditya didn’t notice. He hadn’t looked out the window in years.

In his early 30s, he was sharp, calculated, and cold to most. Power suited him—it reflected in his tone, his presence, and the silence that followed when he entered a room.

An assistant knocked gently.

“Sir, board meeting in ten.”

“I’m aware.” He didn’t even look up.

His phone buzzed—another notification. News, stocks, legal updates. He dismissed them all until one headline caught his eye:

> “XXX University Welcomes 50 New Scholarship Students This Year – Dreams Rise from Small Towns”

He clicked on it absentmindedly, skimming the names. He didn’t know why. Maybe out of habit. Maybe because he once came from nowhere too.

One name made him pause for a second.

Maya.

He didn’t know her. Or maybe... the name just sounded familiar. Common, probably.

He shut the article and stood, adjusting his tie.

Back at the Hostel...

The evening air in Mumbai was humid. Maya stood near the window, watching the skyline turn gold. The sunset looked nothing like the one in her village. There were no trees here, no silence—just lights and buildings stacked like boxes.

But somehow, she felt alive.

Suddenly, the door opened.

A girl walked in with headphones around her neck, dragging two suitcases.

“You Maya?”

“Yes!” she jumped up.

“I’m Rhea. Your roommate. Small-town girl, huh?” she smiled, tossing a bag on the bed. “Let’s survive Mumbai together.”

Maya laughed. “Together.”

And somewhere in that giant city, while Maya unpacked her books and dreams...

Mr. Aditya Khurana signed a new project deal—completely unaware that one of his biggest life changes was about to walk right into his world.

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