Saturday.
9:12 AM.
Singhaniya Mansion.
Morning didn't arrive gently here. It announced itself.
"ANAYA MERA CHARGER-"
"MAINE NAHI LIYA-"
"TU JHOOTH BOL RAHI HAI-"
"BOLA NA NAHI LIYAAAA"
"BAS."
Vihaan's voice.
Calm.
Low.
Final.
Silence dropped instantly.
Too instantly.
And that-
That was new.
Because usually, the silence here came with eye-rolls, suppressed laughter, someone muttering under their breath.
Today?
Nothing.
Even Anaya paused.
Aryan blinked.
Ishaan, sitting at the counter with his coffee, didn't look up-
But the corner of his mouth shifted slightly.
Not amused.
Not this time.
Observing.
Meera turned from the stove, eyes landing on her eldest.
Soft.
Careful.
"Vihaan... breakfast kar lo beta."
A beat.
He glanced down.
Like he'd forgotten it was there.
"Hmm."
Picked it up.
No comment.
No teasing.
No "Maa, aap overfeed kar rahi ho."
Just-
Quiet.
Aryan leaned toward Anaya, whispering under his breath-
"Aaj bhaiya ka software update fail ho gaya lagta hai."
Anaya elbowed him.
Hard.
"Chup."
But her eyes flickered back to Vihaan anyway.
Because something-
Was off.
Singhaniya Tech.
10:03 AM.
The office was exactly how he liked it.
Structured.
Precise.
Predictable.
Unlike-
Everything else.
"Good morning, sir."
He didn't look up.
"Morning."
Papers shifted.
Keyboard clicks.
"Sir, the Singapore file-"
"Keep it."
Flat.
Efficient.
Controlled.
Then-
A pause.
Different.
Not hesitation.
Recognition.
He looked up.
Anika stood across the desk.
File in hand.
Expression-
Professional.
Composed.
Unreadable.
"Your 11 AM meeting brief," she said, placing the file down.
No extra words.
No explanation.
No eye contact longer than necessary.
He watched her for a second longer than required.
She noticed.
Didn't react.
"Anything else?" she asked.
Neutral.
Clean.
Distance-
Perfectly maintained.
And that-
That was the problem.
"Sit," he said.
Not loud.
Not harsh.
But-
Not optional.
She sat.
Back straight.
Hands folded lightly in her lap.
Waiting.
He opened the file.
Flipped a page.
"Page 4," he said.
A pause.
"These projections."
"They align with last quarter's revised numbers," she replied immediately.
Prepared.
Of course.
"They don't."
"They do."
Silence.
Sharp.
Not loud.
But-
Noticeable.
He leaned back slightly.
Eyes still on her.
"Explain."
She didn't rush.
Didn't fumble.
Didn't react.
She opened the file.
Turned it toward him.
Walked him through it.
Clear.
Precise.
Unshakeable.
Every number.
Every assumption.
Every variable-
Accounted for.
Flawless.
And somehow-
That made it worse.
Because there was nothing to correct.
Nothing to question.
Nothing to hold on to.
"...anything else?" she asked when she was done.
Same tone.
Same distance.
Like the conversation meant nothing.
Like he meant nothing.
His jaw shifted slightly.
Barely visible.
"No."
She nodded once.
Stood up.
Collected the file.
Turned-
"Anika."
She stopped.
Turned back.
"Yes, sir?"
A beat.
Too many things unsaid.
Too many things sitting right there-
Unacknowledged.
"...Stay back this evening," he said finally.
Work.
Again.
Late.
Again.
Silence.
A fraction longer this time.
Then-
"Okay."
Just that.
No question.
No resistance.
No irritation.
No anything.
And that-
That hit harder than if she had argued.
"Anything else, sir?"
No.
But yes.
But-
"No."
She nodded.
Left.
Door closed.
Soft.
Final.
He stared at the door for a second longer than necessary.
Because that wasn't right.
That-
Wasn't her.
----------------------------------------------
1:40 PM.
Cafeteria.
"Tu overreact kar raha hai."
Rohan didn't even look up from his coffee.
Anika sat across him.
Expression tired.
But controlled.
"I'm not."
He gave a short laugh.
"Tu 'I'm fine' bolti hai... phir yeh face leke baithi hoti hai."
She didn't respond.
Didn't deny.
Didn't argue.
He leaned forward slightly.
"Elaborate karegi ya main guess karu?"
A pause.
"...He asked for clarity," she said finally.
Rohan's eyes flickered.
"On?"
A beat.
"Me."
Silence.
Short.
Heavy.
He leaned back.
Exhaled slowly.
"Of course."
She frowned slightly.
"Of course matlab?"
"Matlab obvious tha."
"That's not helpful."
"Sach hai."
A pause.
Then-
"Tu kya karna chahti hai?" he asked.
Direct.
No buffer.
She looked at him.
Held his gaze.
Then-
"Kaam."
"Anika."
A warning.
Soft.
But there.
She exhaled.
Looked away.
"I don't want complications."
"Too late."
Immediate.
Flat.
Her eyes snapped back to him.
"Main serious hoon."
"Main bhi."
A beat.
"Tu avoid kar rahi hai," he said.
Again.
But this time-
Not accusing.
Understanding.
And that-
Made it worse.
----------------------------------------------
7:46 PM.
Almost empty.
The office had quieted down.
Lights dimmer.
Workstations abandoned.
The kind of silence that didn't belong to working hours.
Anika sat at her desk.
Laptop open.
Screen glowing.
Focused.
Or at least-
Trying to be.
The clock ticked.
7:47.
7:52.
8:03.
No call.
No message.
Nothing.
Her jaw tightened slightly.
Because-
He had asked her to stay.
So she stayed.
And now-
Nothing.
At 8:09 PM
The intercom buzzed.
She picked it up instantly.
"Yes, sir?"
A beat.
"Come in."
Flat.
Like nothing had weight.
Inside his cabin
She walked in.
Same composed expression.
Same controlled presence.
"Sir."
He didn't look up immediately.
Finished signing something.
Closed the file.
Then-
Looked at her.
A pause.
Short.
But not empty.
"Sit."
She did.
Back straight.
Hands still.
Waiting.
"What's pending from today?" he asked.
Professional.
Clean.
She blinked once.
Almost imperceptibly.
Then responded.
"Nothing urgent."
A pause.
"You asked me to stay."
There.
Not emotional.
Not confrontational.
Just-
Stated.
His gaze didn't shift.
"I know."
Silence.
Because now-
That needed a reason.
And he didn't have a clean one.
"...There were a few things to review," he said finally.
Weak.
And they both knew it.
"Okay," she replied.
No push.
No edge.
No why now?
Just-
Acceptance.
That-
That irritated something deeper.
He slid a file toward her.
"Go through this."
She opened it.
Read.
Corrected.
Explained.
Same as morning.
Sharp.
Efficient.
Untouchable.
Minutes passed.
Quiet.
Controlled.
Work done.
She closed the file.
"That's sorted."
He nodded.
A pause.
She didn't move.
Didn't leave.
Didn't fill the silence.
Just waited.
Because-
If he had something to say-
He would say it.
Right?
Another second.
Then two.
Then-
"Anything else, sir?" she asked.
Same line.
Same tone.
But this time-
It hit harder.
Because now-
It wasn't about work.
His jaw tightened slightly.
"No."
She stood.
Collected her things.
Turned-
And paused.
Just slightly.
Like she might say something.
Like something was there-
Almost.
Then-
"Goodnight, sir."
And she left.
Door closing behind her.
Soft.
Final.
He didn't move.
Didn't call her back.
Didn't stop her.
Because for the first time-
He realized something uncomfortable.
He hadn't asked her to stay for work.
And now-
Work was all that was left between them.
----------------------------------------------
8:10 PM.
Apartment.
"Tum thoda slow chop karogi ya mujhe bhi khaane mein wood chips milenge aaj?" Ishaan leaned against the kitchen counter, watching Kyra massacre vegetables with unnecessary aggression.
"Shut up."
"Main help kar raha hoon."
"Aap commentary kar rahe ho."
"Same thing."
She glared at him.
He grinned.
Unbothered.
Completely.
Then-
A pause.
He watched her for a second longer.
Smile softened.
"Kyra."
She didn't look up.
"Haan?"
"You're thinking too loud."
That made her stop.
Just for a second.
Then continue chopping.
"I'm not."
He didn't argue.
Just stepped closer.
Took the knife gently from her hand.
"Main karta hoon."
She let him.
No protest.
No sarcasm.
That-
That said enough.
He worked quietly for a moment.
Then-
"Anika?" he asked.
Soft.
She nodded.
"Haan."
"Vihaan?"
Another nod.
"Haan."
He exhaled.
"Messy?"
"Very."
A pause.
Then-
She leaned slightly against him.
Not dramatic.
Not intentional.
Just-
Instinct.
He shifted automatically.
Made space.
Let her.
No comment.
No teasing.
Just-
There.
"Sab theek ho jayega," he said quietly.
She huffed a small laugh.
"Aapko har cheez ka solution lagta hai na."
"Nahi."
A beat.
"Bas tumhari problems ka." he continued
"Baaki duniya ko main handle nahi karta."
She looked up at him.
Something softer now.
Less guarded.
"Confident ho."
"Tumhare case mein? Haan."
A small smile.
Unplanned.
Real.
He noticed.
Of course he did.
And then-
Without thinking-
He reached up.
Tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
Slow.
Familiar.
Her breath caught.
Just slightly.
"Ishaan-"
"Haan?"
"Focus."
He grinned.
"Main kar raha hoon."
"Vegetables pe."
"Haan woh bhi."
She shook her head.
But didn't move away.
Didn't step back.
And that-
That was the difference.
----------------------------------------------
11:38 PM.
Vihaan's Study.
Dark.
Silent.
Controlled.
Everything-
Exactly where it should be.
Except-
Him.
The file lay open in front of him.
Same numbers.
Same pages.
Same everything.
He hadn't read a single line.
Because his mind-
Was somewhere else.
Again.
Her voice.
Calm.
Detached.
No resistance.
No reaction.
No-
Her.
He leaned back.
Closed his eyes briefly.
Exhaled.
Slow.
Measured.
Didn't help.
Because this-
Was new.
He could handle arguments.
Defiance.
Pushback.
He knew how to respond to that.
But this?
Indifference?
Distance?
Silence?
That-
Didn't give him anything to work with.
Didn't give him control.
And that-
That was the problem.
His fingers tapped once against the table.
Stopped.
Because the realization came-
Sharp.
Unwelcome.
Clear.
He wasn't losing control.
He had already lost it.
The moment-
She stopped reacting.
He opened his eyes.
Looked at the file.
Didn't see it.
Because the only thing that stayed was-
That one thought.
Quiet.
Unavoidable.
Unsettling.
He could handle resistance.
He could break through anger.
He could control outcomes.
But this-
This quiet distance...
gave him nothing to fight.
And for the first time-
he didn't know how to win.
----------------------------------------------
TO BE CONTINUED...
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Hey, My Cutiesssss ❤️
How are you all ?
Are you liking it so far? I hope you are.
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