Friday.
7:12pm.
The office was quieter now.
Not empty.
Just-
Thinned out.
Lights dimmer.
Voices lower.
Work slower.
But not for him.
Vihaan stood near the glass wall of his cabin.
Looking out.
Not at the floor.
Not at the people.
At one desk.
Still occupied.
Still lit.
Still-
Her.
She hadn't left.
Even after the meeting.
Even after-
Everything.
His jaw tightened slightly.
Because that didn't feel like coincidence.
That felt like-
Avoidance.
Or worse-
Indifference.
----------------------------------------------
Outside.
Anika stared at her screen.
Same slide.
Same numbers.
Same file.
For the last-
Seven minutes.
Not working.
Just-
Staying.
Because leaving meant crossing the cabin.
And crossing the cabin meant-
Awareness.
And she wasn't ready for that.
Not today.
Her phone buzzed.
Rohan.
Rohan: "Still stuck?"
She glanced at it.
Typed.
Anika: "Wrapping up."
A second.
Then-
Rohan: "Come down. I'm outside."
Her fingers stilled.
A pause.
Then-
Anika: "2 mins."
----------------------------------------------
Inside the cabin-
He saw that.
Not the message.
Not the words.
But-
The shift.
Her hand moving toward her phone.
The pause.
The decision.
And then-
She stood.
That was enough.
He stepped out.
Not rushed.
Not abrupt.
But-
Timed.
Perfectly.
"Anika."
Her name.
Again.
Close.
Direct.
She froze.
Just for a fraction.
Then turned.
"Sir?"
Controlled.
Neutral.
Guarded.
His gaze stayed on her.
Steady.
Unmoving.
"I need the revised client summary."
She blinked once.
"That was sent," she replied.
Calm.
Clear.
Correct.
"I know."
A beat.
"Walk me through it."
That-
That wasn't necessary.
And both of them knew it.
A pause.
Small.
Tight.
"My shift is done," she said.
Still polite.
Still professional.
But this time-
Not compliant.
Something in his expression changed.
Not visibly.
But-
Decisively.
"It'll take five minutes."
Not a request.
Not quite an order.
Something in between.
Something-
Deliberate.
Her grip tightened slightly on her bag.
Because she knew.
Exactly what this was.
Not work.
Not urgency.
Not requirement.
Control.
Her gaze met his.
Steady.
Sharp.
And for the first time-
Not avoiding.
"Then it can wait till tomorrow."
A pause.
"Unless it suddenly became urgent."
Soft.
But-
Firm.
Silence.
Immediate.
Heavy.
Across the floor-
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Because even without context-
Something had shifted.
His eyes didn't leave hers.
Not even for a second.
"Is that how you prioritise work?" he asked.
Low.
Measured.
Controlled.
And there it was.
The line.
Drawn.
Her breath slowed.
Not rushed.
Not shaken.
Just-
Focused.
"No," she said.
A beat.
Then-
"But I don't confuse work with convenience either."
That landed.
Clean.
Precise.
Unavoidable.
Something in his jaw tightened.
Again.
But this time-
He didn't look away.
Didn't step back.
Didn't diffuse it.
"Be in the cabin."
A beat.
"Now."
That-
Was an order.
Clear.
Undeniable.
And that-
Was a mistake.
Because Anika didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
Didn't respond immediately.
Instead-
She tilted her head slightly.
Just enough.
"Is this about the file?" she asked.
Soft.
Dangerously calm.
A beat.
"Or something else?"
Silence.
Not empty.
Not passive.
Explosive.
Because now-
It wasn't about control.
It wasn't about hierarchy.
It wasn't about work.
It was about-
Acknowledgment.
And for the first time-
He didn't have a clean answer.
His gaze dropped.
Just for a second.
Then returned.
"Five minutes," he said.
Quieter now.
Less sharp.
Less certain.
That shift-
She noticed.
Of course she did.
A breath in.
Slow.
Measured.
Then-
She stepped forward.
"Five minutes," she repeated.
Not agreeing.
Not submitting.
Just-
Matching him.
And walked past him.
Inside the cabin-
The door closed.
Soft.
But final.
And outside-
Rohan waited.
Phone in hand.
Watching the entrance.
Still.
Because something told him-
This wasn't just a delay.
This was-
A shift.
Because five minutes-
didn't feel like five minutes anymore.
----------------------------------------------
TO BE CONTINUE..
----------------------------------------------
Hey, My Lovely Cutie piessss ❤️
I know it was boring, right?
But trust me, I won't just drag chapters in writing bullshits... It's all necessary and it's a slow burn book for a reason, u know..
All I need from you guys is a little patience and lots of love and support for this book.
I am reviewing my each and every chapter for atleast 3 times to deliver the best to you guys. I am giving my all in to make this book worth reading. Even if you're disappointed please lemme know in the comment section.. I would definitely try to improve as it's my first book and I want to give my best.
I hope you will understand and do the needful.
Thanks for reading 🫶🏻
Write a comment ...