"You're late," Akshita said, not bothering to look up from her book.

"Sorry," he replied, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Traffic was a nightmare."

Her eyes remained glued to the pages, a soft sigh escaping her lips. "It's fine," she murmured, flipping to the next chapter. "I'm just saying."

He hung his jacket on the hook by the door and made his way to the kitchen, his footsteps echoing through the silent apartment. The fridge hummed a lonely tune, a stark reminder of the empty space between them. He grabbed a beer, popped the cap, and took a long drink, the cold liquid washing down the bitter taste of the day.

"Dinner's in the oven," she called out from the living room, her voice muffled by the walls. "Should be ready in about 10 minutes."

He nodded, even though she couldn't see him, and leaned against the counter, his gaze drifting to the clock. It was the same routine, every night. Work, dinner, TV, bed. Sometimes they talked, but it was more like two ships passing in the night, sharing only the most basic of information. The weight of his silence grew heavier, a burden he hadn't noticed until he realized he had something important to say.

As he gathered his thoughts to speak, the ring of his phone shattered the moment. With a sigh, he answered, only to be greeted with urgent news from the office – a sudden business trip was required.

ON THE PHONE

Aman we need u in mumbai, the flight will takeoff in 2 hours.

His mind raced with thoughts of unfinished conversations and unspoken words. Without a chance to explain, he left in a haste, leaving behind a room filled with silent conversations that lingered in the air, waiting to be completed.

He came back to take his already packed suitcase.

"I need to go," he said finally, his voice breaking the silence like a twig underfoot.

"It's the same as always," Akshita mumbled, her voice as cold as the beer that sat forgotten between them.

She watched as he walked towards the door, his footsteps echoing through the empty hallway. With a gentle click, the door closed behind him, leaving her alone with the echoes of a life that never quite felt like her own.

Its been two years after their marriage, still they are strangers to each other. They married only because of their family pressure.

Akshita had a simple yet profound love for the written word. Books were her sanctuary, her gateway to worlds unseen and minds unmet.

On the next day

Akshita woke up with a heavy heart

With a gentle sigh, she pushed herself upright, her eyes focusing on the items scattered across the shelf opposite her bed.

Her eyes fell on the bookshelf, where a dusty, unassuming book sat, slightly out of place among the others. It was a gift from her best friend, Sara, on that her wedding day . The book's title, "I WAS TOO LATE ," was written in an elegant script, the letters almost faded with time.

Akshita had promised to read it but had pushed it aside. Now, with a sudden pang of guilt, she realized she hadn't even cracked its spine.

The book was published three years ago and had never quite made it to the bestseller lists. It was a quirky little novel with only few pages and the writer was unknown.

She traced her finger along the first sentence of the novel, savoring the feel of the paper beneath her fingertips.

" It was after a few days of our freshers day "

Akshita read the first line....And she continued.

Will post the second part Soon