The plane's wheels touched down on the tarmac with a soft thud, jolting Rhea out of her reverie. As she gazed out the window, the sprawling city of Mumbai came into view—an endless sea of high-rise buildings, traffic-laden streets, and the unrelenting hustle that once filled her with adrenaline. Now, as the memories of the mountains lingered, the city felt foreign, like she no longer belonged.
Her phone buzzed relentlessly in her bag. Notifications from Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter piled up, each one a reminder of the world she had put on pause for those few blissful weeks in Himachal Pradesh. She hadn't posted much while there, just the occasional landscape shot or an artsy photo of chai at a roadside dhaba. But her fans were growing restless. They were used to a constant stream of her curated life, and the radio silence had caused a stir.
As she stood in line to collect her luggage, Rhea pulled out her phone and skimmed through her notifications. A few messages from Simran stood out, each one more urgent than the last.
Simran: Rhea! Where are you?
Simran: I have three major brands waiting for confirmation!
Simran: We need to talk. Call me ASAP.
The weight of her online persona came crashing down on her as she stared at the messages. The calm of the mountains, Karan's steady voice, and the simplicity of their days together felt like a distant dream, slipping through her fingers. Here, in the midst of the city's chaos, she wasn't the Rhea who could walk barefoot on grass or listen to the quiet hum of nature. She was Rhea Kapoor, the influencer—constantly on display, constantly performing.
As she stepped outside the airport, the hot, humid air of Mumbai hit her like a wall. A swarm of people bustled around her, each person in their own hurried world. Rhea spotted her car, where her driver was patiently waiting. She climbed inside, resting her head back on the seat, and for a brief moment, closed her eyes, wishing she were somewhere else.
Back at her apartment, Rhea was greeted by the familiar scent of jasmine candles and the minimalist decor she'd painstakingly curated. But it didn't bring her the comfort it once did. Instead, it felt sterile, a far cry from the vibrant, earthy textures of Karan's world. She walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city and sighed. The constant hum of traffic below was like background noise to her thoughts, which kept drifting back to Himachal Pradesh, to Karan.
Her phone buzzed again—this time, a call from Simran.
"Hey, Simran," Rhea answered, her voice lacking the usual energy.
"Finally! You're back!" Simran's voice was a mix of excitement and impatience. "I've been trying to reach you for days. We have so much to catch up on. And seriously, where have you been?"
Rhea hesitated. "I just… needed some time off, Sim. I went to the mountains for a while. Cleared my head."
"Well, I hope your head's clear now, because we have work to do," Simran said, her tone brisk. "I've secured meetings with three major brands—huge deals, Rhea. One of them is for a fashion line collaboration. You'll be the face of their entire summer collection. Another is for an eco-friendly travel campaign, which could be a good tie-in considering your recent nature retreat."
Rhea's stomach churned. She'd usually be thrilled at the prospect of these deals, but now the thought of throwing herself back into the influencer grind made her feel uneasy. She wasn't sure she wanted to go back to that world. Not entirely.
Simran continued, oblivious to Rhea's silence. "Oh, and there's something else. A new guy on the scene—Arjun Verma. He's been popping up everywhere lately. All over Instagram, TikTok… He's competition, Rhea. You're going to have to step up your game."
"Arjun Verma?" Rhea repeated, distracted. The name didn't ring a bell, but Simran made it sound like he was already a threat.
"Yeah, he's this new, rising star. Very edgy, very out there. His engagement's through the roof. He's got that whole 'guy next door' vibe, but with a twist. Brands are flocking to him. We need to make sure you stay ahead."
Rhea rubbed her temple, feeling the weight of it all crashing down. "Sim, I don't know if I'm ready to jump back in just yet. I still need some time to… process things."
Simran paused, her voice softening. "Is this about the mountains? Or… something else?"
Rhea didn't answer immediately. How could she explain Karan to Simran? How could she tell her that for the first time in years, she'd felt like Rhea, not some perfectly packaged online persona? That for a fleeting moment, she'd tasted a life where likes and followers didn't dictate her worth?
"It's complicated," Rhea finally said.
"Rhea, listen to me," Simran said gently but firmly. "I get it. I really do. You've been doing this for a long time, and sometimes it feels like the world's moving too fast. But you've built something incredible. You're one of the top influencers in the country. People look up to you. You can't just walk away from that."
"I'm not walking away," Rhea said quickly. "I just… need to figure out what's next."
Simran let out a sigh. "Fine. Take some time. But don't take too long. We can't afford to lose momentum—especially not with Arjun breathing down our necks."
"I'll think about it," Rhea said, ending the call. She tossed her phone onto the couch and slumped down next to it.
She stared at the ceiling, her mind swirling with conflicting thoughts. On one hand, her career was everything she'd ever wanted—fame, fortune, influence. On the other hand, the life she'd glimpsed in the mountains seemed far more real, far more fulfilling than the constant need for validation from strangers on the internet.
Her thoughts drifted back to Karan. The way he'd looked at her, so genuine, so unguarded. The way he'd shared his world with her, a world that didn't revolve around likes, comments, or shares. What would he think if he saw her now, tangled in this web of fame and expectation?
Rhea closed her eyes, feeling the ache in her chest grow stronger. She knew she had a choice to make. But for now, she wasn't ready to face it.
The next morning, Rhea woke to a barrage of notifications on her phone. The digital world had moved on without her, and it was clear that her brief absence hadn't gone unnoticed. She scrolled through her Instagram feed, catching up on the latest trends, influencer collaborations, and brand deals.
And then she saw him.
Arjun Verma. His face popped up on her explore page—flashing a million-dollar smile, wearing the latest streetwear, surrounded by adoring fans. His follower count was staggering, and his engagement was off the charts.
Rhea clicked on his profile out of curiosity. He had that effortless charm, the kind that drew people in. His posts were a mix of humor, fashion, and lifestyle, all carefully crafted to seem unfiltered but obviously curated. He was a master of the game, playing into the very system Rhea had grown weary of.
A small knot of anxiety twisted in her stomach. Simran was right. Arjun was a threat. And not just to her career, but to the version of herself she was trying to hold on to.
Her phone buzzed again—another message from Simran, reminding her of an upcoming brand meeting. Rhea knew she couldn't avoid her career forever. The real world, the one she'd built online, was calling her back, whether she liked it or not.
But as she prepared for the day ahead, slipping into the persona of Rhea Kapoor, the influencer, she couldn't shake the feeling that a part of her had been left behind in those mountains, with Karan.
The city had swallowed her whole again, but this time, it didn't feel like home.
The Shadow of Arjun
Later that afternoon, Rhea sat across from Simran in a sleek, modern café. The sounds of clinking glasses and hushed conversations filled the air, but all Rhea could focus on was the folder in front of her—a new contract for a lucrative fashion collaboration.
"This is it, Rhea. This is the next big thing," Simran said, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "You sign this, and we're looking at a six-figure deal."
Rhea glanced down at the contract, feeling the weight of the decision before her. It wasn't just about the money—it was about what this deal represented. The more she signed, the deeper she was pulled back into a world that no longer felt right.
"I don't know, Sim," Rhea said, her voice hesitant. "Maybe I need something different. Something more… real."
Simran raised an eyebrow. "Real? Rhea, this *is* real. This is your career. You're an influencer. You've worked too hard to throw it all away now."
Rhea bit her lip, unsure of how to articulate the inner conflict raging inside her. She wanted more than just contracts and brand deals. She wanted something meaningful.
And
then, as if on cue, her phone buzzed.
It was a notification from Instagram.
@ArjunVerma just posted a new photo.
Rhea's heart sank as she opened the app, and there he was—Arjun, effortlessly charming, casually leaning against a vintage car, flashing that same cocky smile. The caption read: "Just getting started. Watch out."
It felt like a direct challenge.