Tuesday.
7:12am.
Anika stood in front of her wardrobe longer than necessary.
Not confused.
Not exactly.
Just... considering.
White shirt. Safe. Predictable. Invisible.
Navy blue again? No. Repetition meant memory.
Her fingers paused on a soft beige blouse.
Simple. Clean. Slightly fitted.
She pulled it out.
"Bas kapde hi toh hain," she muttered under her breath.
And yet - she changed twice before settling.
Hair?
Tie it.
No.
Open.
Tie it.
Open.
She stared at herself in the mirror.
"Professional," she said aloud. Firmly.
Her reflection did not look convinced.
---------------------------------------
7:48am.
Kitchen.
Kyra was already there. Coffee mug in hand. Observing like a documentary filmmaker who had found a particularly interesting subject.
"Tu ready hone mein aaj zyada time le rahi thi," she said casually.
""Aaj notice kar rahi hai bas."
"Acha?"
Anika ignored it. Picked up her mug.
"Sone diya usne?" Kyra asked.
Anika blinked. "Kisne?"
"Vihaan ne. Ya phir CEO sahab ne raat bhar text karte rakha?"
Anika choked on her coffee. "KYA-"
Kyra smiled. Slow. Knowing.
"Phone ka screen reflection glass mein dikh raha tha kal raat," she said lightly. "Main andhi nahi hoon."
Anika stared at her.
Then looked away.
"Bas normal baat hui," she muttered.
"Normal?" Kyra repeated. "Tum dono ke dictionary mein 'normal' ka matlab kya hai mujhe bhi bata dena kabhi."
Anika grabbed her bag.
"Main ja rahi hoon."
"Professional rehna," Kyra called behind her.
Anika didn't turn.
"TRY karungi," she shot back.
---------------------------------------
8:56am.
Singhaniya Tech.
Elevator doors opened.
Same floor.
Same glass.
Same city stretching endlessly beyond.
Different air.
Anika stepped out.
And felt it.
That awareness.
Like something - someone - already knew she was here.
She walked to her desk.
Sat.
Opened her laptop.
Did not look at the cabin.
Did not.
Did-
Her eyes flickered.
The door was closed.
Good.
Better.
--------------------------------------
8:59am.
Inside the cabin.
Vihaan was already there.
Coffee. Black. Untouched.
Laptop open.
Security feed.
Camera 2.
She'd arrived.
Beige today.
Hair open again.
He watched for exactly three seconds.
Then switched the screen.
Emails.
Calendar.
Anything else.
Anything except-
He leaned back in his chair.
Jaw tightening slightly.
"Control," he murmured to himself.
---------------------------------------
9:07am.
The intercom buzzed.
Anika picked it up instantly.
"Yes sir."
A pause.
Too brief to be accidental.
"Schedule," he said. Flat. Professional.
No softness.
No "Ms. Sharma."
No unnecessary words.
She blinked.
"...Yes sir."
She walked in two minutes later.
Notebook in hand.
Expression neutral.
"Good morning sir."
"Morning."
He didn't look up immediately.
Finished typing something.
Then glanced at her.
One second.
That was all.
"Sit."
She sat.
Pen ready.
He began.
Meetings. Calls. Deadlines.
Precise. Efficient.
Cold.
She wrote.
Noticed.
Registered.
Kal raat friend. Aaj CEO.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"Anything else?" she asked when he stopped.
"No."
She nodded.
Stood.
Turned.
"Ms. Sharma."
She paused.
Turned back.
"Henderson file mein jo note add kiya tha kal," he said, tone still even, "unnecessary tha."
Her brows pulled slightly.
"It was relevant to Q3 deviation-"
"I know what it was." He cut in. Calm. Sharp. "It wasn't required."
Silence.
A beat.
Then-
"With respect, sir," she said, voice steady, "it was required. Agar aap detailed analysis chahte hain toh context ignore nahi kar sakte."
His gaze lifted fully now.
Locked on hers.
There it was.
Not cold.
Not soft.
Something... tighter.
"Stick to what's asked," he said quietly.
"Then ask better," she replied before she could stop herself.
Silence.
Thick. Immediate.
Oh.
Oh.
She held his gaze.
Did not back down.
Two seconds.
Three.
Something flickered in his eyes.
Not anger.
Something far more dangerous.
"Noted," he said finally.
Just that.
She nodded once.
Turned.
Walked out.
Closed the door behind her.
Inside the cabin-
Vihaan leaned back slowly.
Exhaled.
A very small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Interesting," he murmured.
---------------------------------------
11:52am.
Cafeteria.
"TU BOL KE AAYI USKO?" Shreya whisper-yelled.
Anika stirred her coffee. Calm.
"Bas point clear kiya."
"Point clear kiya?" Rohan repeated. "Tu CEO ko sikha rahi hai kaam?"
Kabir snorted softly.
Meghna just watched.
Analyzing.
Quiet.
"He started it," Anika said simply.
Rohan grinned. "Aur tu khatam karegi."
"Main kaam karti hoon," she shot back.
"Tu aag lagati hai," Shreya corrected.
They laughed.
Anika shook her head.
But she was smiling.
Again.
Easily.
Comfortably.
---------------------------------------
12:03pm.
Cabin.
Camera 4.
Canteen preview.
He shouldn't have opened it.
He did anyway.
She was laughing again.
Head tilted slightly.
Hand moving as she spoke.
Rohan leaning closer.
Saying something.
She hit his arm lightly.
Still laughing.
Something in Vihaan's jaw tightened.
He switched the screen.
Opened a file.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
"Focus," he muttered.
Didn't work.
---------------------------------------
12:17pm.
Intercom.
"Ms. Sharma. Cabin."
She walked in.
Again.
Same room.
Different temperature.
"Yes sir?"
"Mehta presentation."
"Done hai."
"Review again."
"It's already reviewed."
"Do it again."
Silence.
There it was.
Clear as day.
She tilted her head slightly.
Studying him.
"Anything specific you'd like changed?" she asked.
"No."
"Then kya review karna hai exactly?"
His gaze sharpened.
"Do I need to explain everything?"
"No," she said calmly. "But agar kaam already complete hai toh unnecessary repetition-"
"Just do it, Ms. Sharma."
The use of her name.
Formal.
Deliberate.
Distance.
She held his gaze for a moment.
Then nodded.
"Fine."
She turned.
Walked out.
Door closed.
Inside-
Vihaan exhaled sharply.
Ran a hand through his hair.
"Ridiculous," he muttered.
Not the work. Not her.
Himself.
---------------------------------------
3:26pm.
Her desk.
She was working.
Focused.
Actually reviewing the presentation again.
Because she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of doing it half-heartedly.
Footsteps.
She didn't look up.
They stopped beside her.
Close.
Too close.
"Done?" his voice.
Lower now.
Less sharp.
She looked up.
He was standing right there.
Not across.
Not at a distance.
Right there.
She turned slightly in her chair.
"Almost."
He didn't move.
Didn't step back.
Didn't sit.
Just-
Stayed.
Her fingers moved over the keyboard.
Aware.
Too aware.
He leaned slightly.
Looking at the screen.
Their shoulders almost touching.
Almost.
Her breath caught.
Just slightly.
She hated that he noticed.
"Yeh slide," he said quietly, pointing.
His hand brushed against hers.
Barely.
Accident.
Probably.
Not really.
He noticed.
She knew he noticed.
Aur phir bhi - kisi ne haath wapas nahi hataya turant.
She pulled her hand back.
Subtly.
He didn't comment.
But his gaze dropped.
To her hand.
Then back to her face.
"Continue," he said.
Soft.
Too soft.
She nodded.
Looked back at the screen.
Didn't type for two seconds.
Then resumed.
He didn't move.
Still there.
Still close.
Watching.
Breathing.
Existing in her space like he belonged there.
"Sir," she said without looking at him, "aap aese hi khade rahoge ya baithoge bhi?"
A pause.
Then-
A quiet exhale that almost sounded like a suppressed laugh.
He pulled the chair beside her.
Sat.
Close.
Deliberately this time.
The air shifted.
Again.
---------------------------------------
6:12pm.
She left his cabin.
File complete.
Work done.
Mind... not done.
Not settled.
Not calm.
She walked to her desk.
Sat.
Stared at her screen.
Didn't see anything.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard.
Unmoving.
"Yeh normal nahi hai," she muttered.
Not the work.
Not the proximity.
Not the way he looked at her.
Not the way she noticed.
---------------------------------------
11:06pm.
Room.
Lights off.
Phone in hand.
Screen glowing faintly.
She stared at his contact.
Mr. Expensive Shirt.
A smile tugged at her lips.
Uninvited.
Unnecessary.
Her thumb hovered.
Then-
Message sent.
"Reached home?"
Three dots appeared almost instantly.
"Hmm."
She rolled her eyes.
"Full sentences aate hain aapko?"
Pause.
Then-
"Aate hain. Use karne ka mann nahi hai."
She smiled.
"Professional ho na."
"Office mein."
"Ab?"
A pause.
Longer this time.
"...Ab dekhte hain."
Her heartbeat skipped.
Just slightly.
Annoying.
She typed-
"Good night."
Immediate reply.
"So jaldi?"
"Kaam hai kal."
"Of course."
She stared at the screen.
Then typed-
"Good night... Vihaan."
Seen.
Typing...
Stopped.
Typing again.
"Good night, Anika."
She put her phone down.
Turned to the ceiling.
Exhaled slowly.
Somewhere across the city-
Vihaan looked at his screen.
Her name.
Simple.
Dangerous.
He leaned back.
Closed his eyes.
"Professional rehna tha" he murmured.
Then-
A quiet, almost amused breath.
"Aur woh ho nahi raha tha."
...Aur shayad ab hona bhi nahi tha.
---------------------------------------
TO BE CONTINUED...
---------------------------------------
Hey, My Cute Little Butterflies 🦋❤️
How was it?
I hope you liked this chapter.
Please lemme know in the comment how is it going so far.
Seee you in next chapter
Tab tak k liye
U know kya Krna hai tumhe...
VOTE KARO ⭐
Write a comment ...