1/2 — End of a Love Story: The Lunch Partner Sabu and Daisy had been office colleagues for almost five years. They lived in different cities, and meeting at the office was their opportunity to see each other, talk, share smiles and exchange compliments. They were in love. Like every relationship, they had their share of fights. Sometimes over silly things, sometimes over serious ones. Some disagreements lasted hours, others stretched for days. But somehow, they always found their way back to each other. They had collected countless memories together: drinks after office hours, travelling, visiting temples and spending time together. But one little ritual meant more than anything else: having lunch together. Despite busy schedules, they always tried to find time for lunch. It wasn’t just about eating; it was their time together. Lunch was followed by a walk and then tea. It had become part of their everyday relationship. Whenever they fought, this ritual was the first thing to disappear. They would have lunch separately, sometimes even sitting opposite each other without exchanging a word. One day, another disagreement led to almost 15 days of silence. During this period, Daisy started having lunch with Mr X, a recently joined colleague. She liked interacting with him, and gradually they became regular lunch partners. Meanwhile, Sabu started having lunch alone. Every time he saw Daisy and Mr X having lunch together, walking together or engaging in conversations, he experienced an unfamiliar fear: the fear of being replaced, mixed with jealousy and insecurity. Yet, he remained overconfident about the strength of their five-year relationship and the love Daisy had for him.