Runa sat quietly across from the doctor as he searched through a stack of files, his brows furrowed in deep concentration. His focus was fixed entirely on finding the right document, barely acknowledging her presence. The room felt cold and still, the silence stretching as she waited.
"Found it," the doctor finally said, lifting the file slightly as if to reassure her.
She nodded, her stomach tightening. He opened the file and began reading through the contents. As his eyes moved down the page, his expression shifted to subtle at first, then unmistakably serious. Without saying a word, he slid the report across the desk toward her.
Runa hesitated before picking it up. Her eyes scanned the printed lines, and slowly her expression mirrored his.
"I have anxiety disorder?" she whispered.
The question trembled from her lips. It couldn't have reached this point… could it? She knew she had been struggling lately… restlessness, sleepless nights, constant worry… but being diagnosed felt unreal. Still, she didn't cry. She simply stared at the paper numb.
The doctor studied her carefully. "Are you okay, Miss Runa?" he asked gently.
He expected fear, denial, tears or something. Instead, Runa gave him a small, almost fragile smile and shook her head lightly.
"Thank you, doctor… I'll take my leave now," Runa said softly as she stood up.
"Miss Runa," he called gently before she could reach the door.
"I know how you must be feeling. I'm also a counselor, so if you ever need someone to talk to… I'm here." His voice held genuine concern.
Runa managed a nod, though her mind felt hollow. She stepped out of the office, closed the door behind her, and released a long, shaky sigh. Outside, she hailed a taxi and slid into the back seat, staring blankly out the window as the city blurred past.
Her thoughts were scattered, floating between disbelief and hope. Maybe the doctor would call later… maybe he would tell her he mixed up the reports, that hers wasn't the one with the diagnosis. That it was all a mistake.
The taxi pulled up in front of the towering law firm where she worked. She paid the driver, murmured a quiet thank you,' and walked inside. As soon as she reached her desk, a colleague approached her.
"Runa, the boss is calling you."
She sighed, bracing herself, and made her way to his office.
Knock. Knock. Knock. She tapped lightly on the door.
"Come in," a deep masculine voice responded.
She pushed the door open and stepped inside.
"You couldn't handle the client assigned to you." Her boss's voice sounded impatient, and irritated.
He grabbed an envelope from his desk and flung it toward her. It slid across the floor and stopped at her feet.
Runa blinked, she was stunned. She bent down slowly, her fingers trembling as she picked it up. When she opened it, she froze. Inside was a stack of cash, and it wasn't even close to the end of the month. Her brows knit together in surprise.
Why was he giving her money now? This wasn't salary… it felt like something else. She unfolded the paper inside and scanned the printed words. Her breath caught.
"Y-you're… firing me?" Her voice came out small, and shaky at the edges.
Her boss didn't flinch, and he didn't even look guilty. His expression remained stone-cold, bored even, as if he'd been waiting for this moment. He leaned back in his chair and shrugged.
"The client was a very important person," he said flatly. "He's one of our firm's biggest contributors, and you couldn't even defend him."
Runa felt her chest tighten. Heat prickled behind her eyes. She swallowed hard, squeezing the envelope tightly, imagining that she's squeezing her boss.
*
*
*
Runa left the firm with the envelope clenched tightly in her hand, her vision blurring as she stepped into the noisy street. Everything felt like it was collapsing around her.
It was as if life had chosen her as its target, hitting her over and over until she could barely breathe.
How was she supposed to tell her boyfriend?She was the one who worked. She paid the bills, kept the apartment running, bought groceries, covered emergencies. He had been jobless for months, always promising something better was coming.
She carried everything on her back, convincing herself that love meant patience, support, and sacrifice. But now… how could she face him with this news? How could she tell him that she had nothing left?
By the time she reached their apartment, her entire body felt numb. She opened the door quietly, hoping he wouldn't notice the distress on her face. But the moment she stepped inside, her heart stopped when she heard low, breathy, moans. It was coming from the bedroom.
Runa froze, then she walked forward, fear crawling up her spine. When she pushed the bedroom door open, the world shattered.
Her boyfriend was on top of their next-door neighbor, their bodies tangled in lust. They didn't even notice her at first.
For a moment, Runa couldn't breathe. Her chest tightened painfully, her hands trembling violently. Memories slammed into her… the neighbor always borrowing things, the strange glances, the quick visits when she wasn't home. She had dismissed it all, convincing herself she was imagining things.
But she wasn't imagining anything. They had been using her home for this betrayal. The neighbor finally noticed her and screamed.
Her boyfriend turned, shock plastered on his face, but Runa didn't wait to hear excuses or lies. She stepped away, feeling like her soul had been ripped out of her body.
She hated her life, hated that she had given everything, only to be betrayed so deeply by the one she love.
Tears spilled down her cheeks as she stumbled outside. Her vision blurred, the world swimming around her. She didn't know where she was going, she just wanted the pain to stop. She wanted everything to end.
Then, through the blur, she saw the bright lights, a car speeding toward her. She saw it coming straight at her, and she didn't move because she wanted the car to hit her.
At that moment, she wanted the pain to end. She wanted the betrayal, the job loss, the diagnosis, to stop suffocating her.
The car hit her like so violently. She felt her body lift, then everything went silent, weightless, and dark.
When she opened her eyes, she found herself standing in a vast white space. Two figures dressed in glowing robes stood before her, their faces serene and otherworldly.
One of them spoke, and his voice echoed making Runa to tremble.
"Welcome, soul. You are dead."