Chapter 4 – The Apology That Shook the Empire

The next morning, I woke to the faint sound of a phone vibrating on the table. The rain had stopped, leaving the air cool and heavy with the scent of wet earth. Aarav was still asleep, his breathing slow, face relaxed—so unlike the man who ruled skyscrapers and frightened rivals.

The phone kept ringing. I reached over and checked the screen. Aarav Malhotra – Board Emergency.

For a moment, I considered ignoring it. But old instincts kicked in. Before everything fell apart, I used to manage half his schedules, ensuring the empire he built didn’t crumble under his obsession with perfection. I hesitated, then pressed “Answer.”

“Sir, the investors are in the conference room already,” said a voice I recognized—Rahul, his vice president. “They’re waiting. Should we start without you?”

I glanced at Aarav, still fast asleep on my couch. The idea of that intimidating man missing a meeting was almost surreal. “He’s unwell,” I said calmly. “Reschedule for tomorrow.”

There was a pause. “Ma’am…?”

I could practically hear Rahul blinking in confusion.

I sighed. “It’s me, Meera.”

Another pause. Then, quietly, “It’s good to hear your voice again, ma’am. The office hasn’t been the same without you.”

I smiled faintly but didn’t answer. When I hung up, I turned to find Aarav awake, watching me silently.

“You still handle things better than anyone else,” he murmured, his voice rough from sleep.

“You should rest,” I replied, avoiding his gaze. “Your fever’s barely down.”

Instead of answering, he sat up and swung his legs off the couch. “I’ve missed enough. I need to go.”

I frowned. “Go? You can barely stand, Aarav.”

He gave a weak smile. “You think a fever can stop me from facing my own mess?”

It wasn’t arrogance this time. It was something different—something fragile and determined. Against my better judgment, I sighed and helped him up.

---

By noon, we were in his black car heading toward the Malhotra Tower—thirty floors of glass and power that bore his name. The driver kept glancing in the mirror, no doubt stunned to see me there again.

The moment we entered the building, whispers followed us. Assistants straightened their ties, secretaries froze mid-step. Aarav Malhotra, who hadn’t set foot in his office for a week, was back—accompanied by the woman everyone thought he’d driven away for good.

Inside the boardroom, tension thickened the air. The long mahogany table gleamed under the cold light, and a dozen executives sat waiting, their expressions a mix of anxiety and curiosity.

Aarav stood at the head, his presence commanding even in weakness. I lingered by the door, uncertain if I should stay. But then he looked at me—not as the CEO—but as the man who needed me to see this.

He began without his usual preamble.

“I owe you all an apology,” he said simply.

The room went silent. Even Rahul blinked in disbelief.

“I let my personal life affect my decisions,” Aarav continued. “I’ve made reckless investments, ignored your advice, and turned this company into a reflection of my ego rather than our shared vision. That ends today.”

His voice was low but firm. For the first time, he sounded human—flawed, aware, sincere.

“I forgot that leadership isn’t control. It’s trust. I’ve been too proud to admit that I failed you.” He took a slow breath, then turned slightly toward me. “And I failed someone far more important too.”

My breath caught.

Every eye in the room shifted toward me. Aarav didn’t care. He kept speaking, his tone steady.

“I once believed love was weakness,” he said. “But losing it taught me it’s the only strength worth having.”

A pin could’ve dropped and everyone would’ve heard it.

He looked directly at me then—those same dark eyes that once terrified the business world now holding something raw, unguarded. “Meera, I’m sorry. For everything. For not listening. For letting my pride hurt you. For making you believe I didn’t value you when you were the only thing keeping me sane.”

The silence was suffocating. No one moved.

I felt my face burn, a storm of emotions warring inside me. Part of me wanted to run. Another part wanted to hold him right there, tell him that maybe—just maybe—it wasn’t too late.

Instead, I whispered, “Aarav… this isn’t the place.”

He smiled faintly. “It’s the only place I built out of lies. It deserves to hear the truth.”

For the first time in my life, I saw people clap in that boardroom. Not out of obligation—but out of respect. Some even smiled. It wasn’t for the apology itself—it was for the change in the man they had once feared.

When the meeting ended, Rahul walked over to me. “He’s different,” he said quietly. “Whatever you did, thank you.”

I just nodded, unsure how to respond.

---

That evening, back in the car, Aarav looked exhausted. He leaned his head against the window, eyes closed.

“I think that’s the first time I said sorry in public,” he murmured.

“You survived it,” I teased gently.

He smiled. “Barely. But it felt… good.”

We sat in comfortable silence for a while. The city rolled past, bathed in the golden hues of sunset. I could see the reflection of his face in the glass—peaceful, maybe even hopeful.

“I don’t expect you to forgive me overnight,” he said suddenly. “But I want to start again. Not where we left off—but from the beginning.”

I looked at him, surprised. “From the beginning?”

He nodded. “Coffee shop. Rain. That version of me—the one who didn’t know everything, who wasn’t afraid to be awkward. I want to meet you again.”

Something inside me melted at that. For once, he wasn’t offering me an empire. He was offering me a clean slate.

“You’re impossible,” I said softly.

He grinned. “And you’re still the only one who tells me that.”

When he dropped me home, he didn’t try to follow me inside. He just stood by the car, hands in pockets, the rain beginning to drizzle again.

“Same time tomorrow?” he asked, a playful spark in his eyes.

I laughed despite myself. “You really want to start over?”

“Completely,” he said. “This time, I’ll bring the coffee.”

I nodded, unable to hide my smile. As he got into the car and drove away, I stood there under the rain—softer this time, warmer—and realized something profound.

The man who had once ruled everything through fear had just shaken his entire empire… with an apology.

And somehow, I knew this was only the beginning.

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