Tales Under Purple Sky

 

The sun dipped low over the city skyline, painting the world in hues of orange and purple. For years, Maya and Arjun had chased that same sky, believing their shared ambition would lead them to a life of grandeur and fulfillment. They dreamed of marble floors, chandeliers glinting like stars, and the sweet satisfaction of success.

Maya matched Arjun's drive every step of the way, pouring her soul into the life they were building. But as time passed, she began to notice that the harder they worked, the farther apart they grew. Arjun became consumed by his career, his focus locked on meetings and deals, while Maya was left to navigate their gilded but hollow life alone.

One night, as Maya drove home from work, exhaustion pulled at her body. The road stretched dark and quiet ahead of her, and her thoughts drifted—memories of simpler days, back when Arjun would hold her hand as they dreamed together under the purple sky. A blaring horn jolted her from her thoughts, but it was too late. Her car spun out of control, skidding across the rain-slick pavement before crashing into a barrier.

By the time the ambulance arrived, Maya was unconscious. Her injuries were severe, and though the paramedics fought to stabilize her, she was fading fast.

Arjun received the call in the middle of the night, but it wasn’t until morning that he arrived at the hospital. Not because he rushed to her side—no, he was tied up on a late-night call with a client. When he finally appeared, his suit still crisp and his phone in hand, the nurse at the desk informed him that Maya had passed hours earlier.

She had left him a letter.

Arjun sat in the sterile, lifeless hospital waiting room, clutching the envelope with trembling hands. The sound of monitors beeping and hushed voices faded as he unfolded the paper and began to read.

Dear Arjun,

"You’ve always loved money, haven’t you? You’ve loved its weight, its power, its ability to buy the life we dreamed of. For years, I thought I loved it too. I thought that as long as we shared that dream, we’d always have each other."

"But I was wrong. Somewhere along the way, you stopped seeing me. You stopped noticing the way I stayed up late to plan our next move, the way I tried to keep us connected while you disappeared into your work. You stopped looking at me as a person, Arjun. I became nothing more than a shadow, someone who filled the empty space while you built your empire."

Arjun swallowed hard, his vision blurring as he read further.

"Even now, as I write this, I know you’re too busy to come see me. Maybe you think this is temporary, just another obstacle we’ll overcome. But it’s not. My body is broken, Arjun, and so is my heart. And while you’ve spent all these years chasing the world, I’ve been waiting for you to notice that I’ve been right here, slowly fading away."

The words grew shakier toward the end, the ink smudged where her hand had trembled.

"Do you remember the purple skies? Back when we didn’t have much, but we had each other? I used to believe that was enough. I thought you believed it too. But now, as I lay here, I realize I was wrong. You’ll live your life with your money, your deals, your endless ambitions. And I hope it’s enough for you, Arjun, because when your time comes, you’ll find yourself as alone as I feel right now."

"Pay my hospital bill with the fortune you’ve built. And when you look at the sky—if you ever look up from your phone—remember me. Remember that I was once the woman who stood beside you, who dreamed with you, who loved you. But now, I’ll watch you from somewhere else. I’ll be under the purple sky, waiting for you to understand what you lost."

Arjun’s hands shook as he folded the letter, his chest tightening with a pain he couldn’t ignore. He looked out the window, where the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, turning the sky a faint shade of purple.

For the first time in years, Arjun allowed himself to pause. But it was too late. The woman who had given him everything was gone, leaving him with nothing but memories—and the weight of a life he had built on her sacrifice.

And as the world stirred awake, Arjun sat alone in the waiting room, realizing that all the money in the world couldn’t bring her back.