[Author's POV]
Priya adjusted the files in her arms and returned to her desk, still wearing that soft smile. It has been a surprisingly good day so far. No last-minute changes from the manager and Tanya's constant jokes had kept her laughing through most of the morning.
She was just about to sit down when one of the junior employees from another team leaned over her desk.
"Hey, did you know?" he whispered conspiratorially. "Senior Manager Aarav was here a while ago."
Priya froze halfway into her chair, the smile slipping just slightly. "W-what?"
"Yeah," the guy continued. "He was here looking like he was checking something but left quickly though."
Tanya, who had been fiddling with her phone beside her, noticed Priya's stiff expression and quickly intervened. "Okay, enough office gossip. Go do your work," she said firmly, shooing the guy away.
Priya, however, wasn't listening. Her fingers curled tightly around the edge of the desk as her thoughts began to spiral.
Why was he here? Did he see me?
Tanya placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey... don't overthink it. He probably had some work in this department."
Priya forced a small nod, but her heart wasn't convinced. Something about this felt off, like Aarav's presence on the floor was more than just coincidence.
Back in his cabin, Aarav leaned against the back of his chair, his heart was only just beginning to slow down after that reckless trip downstairs.
Aarav sat back in his chair, gazing blankly at his laptop screen. The memory of her smile so carefree, so unbothered by the storm she'd left in him kept playing in loops.
The door creaked open. Ritvik strolled in, holding a file in one hand, eyebrows raised like he had a juicy secret. "You got a second?"
Aarav nodded. "Yeah, what is it?"
Ritvik dropped the file on the table, but didn't sit. Instead, he folded his arms and tilted his head.
"You were on the fifth floor around 3:30," he said casually. "Wearing that intense face like you're on a secret mission. Ring any bells?" Aarav's eyes narrowed. "You were there?"
"Yup," Ritvik said, finally dragging a chair across and flopping into it. "Was meeting Raghav's team for a quick alignment. And guess who I see ducking near a desk like a schoolboy avoiding homework?"
Aarav sighed, already regretting his life choices.
"And then," Ritvik continued dramatically, "he bends down to tie his shoelaces. Shoelaces that were already tied."
"I wasn't avoiding anyone," Aarav muttered.
Ritvik leaned in, smirking. "You stood still like a statue until that girl, whoever she was, turned her face away. Then zoom, you dashed back to the elevator like you were in some spy movie. Bro, what was that?"
Aarav looked away, jaw tight.
"Don't even try to deny it now," Ritvik said, more curious than mocking. "There's something going on. I've seen you focused before, but this, this is a distraction in a three-piece suit."
Aarav finally looked at him, eyes serious. "Just... drop it, Ritvik."
"Not a chance," Ritvik said, chuckling. "You've got that look. Like something or someone is under your skin. And judging by your escape mission earlier... you don't know what to do about it."
Aarav didn't reply.
He leaned back, resting one ankle over his knee, eyes glinting with mischief.
"Do you..." Ritvik drawled slowly, "do you like her? Or maybe lov—"
"Are you mad?" Aarav cut in sharply, the words almost too fast. "There's nothing like that."
Ritvik raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Then why were you staring at her like that, huh? Like she holds the missing pages of your unfinished book?"
Aarav looked away.
Ritvik's voice dropped slightly, the teasing giving way to something more serious.
"Do you remember what happened the last time you dated someone?" he asked quietly.
"I'm not dating anyone," Aarav said, his tone suddenly clipped, guarded. "It's not like that."
"Then stop acting like it is," Ritvik replied. "Because right now, you're halfway to where you were years ago and we both know how that ended."
Silence settled between them thick and heavy.
Ritvik sighed, softening. "Look, I'm not judging. I'm just... keeping an eye on my idiot best friend before he crashes headfirst again."
Aarav didn't reply right away. His eyes remained on the coffee mug on his table, the one he hadn't touched since returning.
The silence between them lingered, not awkward, but loaded. Ritvik studied Aarav's face, the crease in his brow, the way his jaw tightened like he was wrestling more than just Ritvik's teasing.
"You're still thinking about it, aren't you?" Ritvik finally said, his voice dropping lower. "What she did to you... the way it ended."
Aarav didn't answer, but his hand curled slightly into a fist on the desk.
"She almost destroyed everything," Ritvik continued, no longer smiling. "That false complaint, the legal notice... she wanted to see you behind bars, man. And for what? Just because you walked away?"
Aarav's eyes stayed locked on the mug. It's cold now. Forgotten. Like the lunch he hadn't really touched.
"She was obsessed," he muttered. "Possessive, manipulative... I should've seen it coming."
"You did," Ritvik said. "But too late."
Aarav shook his head. "And now here I am spiraling. Over what? A girl I barely know, who probably doesn't even remember my name?"
Ritvik exhaled. "Maybe not Or maybe she does, and you're just scared of what that could mean."
Aarav gave him a dry, humorless look.
Ritvik, ever the mood-lightener, smirked and added with mock warning, "Just be careful, man. If she finds out you've been sneaking around floors and watching her like a stalker , she might file a complaint. You know what happens then, right?"
He leaned forward dramatically, eyes twinkling.
"You'll be forced to leave the company. Imagine that Mr. Aarav, marched out by HR in front of the interns."
Aarav's lips twitched despite himself. "Not happening."
Aarav just leaned back in his chair with a small smirk.
Ritvik chuckled. "Right. I forgot. Some rules bend for certain people."
"Exactly," Aarav muttered, sipping the last of his cold coffee, voice calm but not exactly joking.
Ritvik studied him for a second then backed off. "Anyway, try not to scare the poor girl. And maybe next time, don't hide behind office furniture. You're too tall for that."
"So," Ritvik continued, softer now. "If she's making you feel something... just be sure. Because this time, you won't survive another blow like that. Not with the responsibility you carry."
Aarav leaned back, finally exhaling like he'd been holding his breath for hours. "I don't even know what I feel. That's the problem."
Ritvik studied his friend's face for a second longer aarav's jaw tense, eyes distant, coffee long forgotten on the side table. Then his phone buzzed.
Ritvik glanced at the screen and sighed. "Duty calls. My team's having a minor crisis. Again." Aarav gave a faint nod, still lost in thought.
Ritvik stood and straightened his shirt. "Just... don't overthink it to death, alright? Not everything is a battlefield, Aarav."
With that, he walked out, leaving Aarav alone in his silent office, sunlight slanting across the floor as the clock ticked toward the end of another day.
The workday ends quietly for Priya. She packs up her things with a small smile, feeling lighter than usual. No stress, no awkwardness, just a normal day.
As she walks out, her phone buzzes. It's a message from Savitha Akka inviting her for dinner. Priya quickly replies with a yes.
There's peace in her steps tonight. A simple evening with warm food and kind people.
And for now, that's all she needs.
[Priya's POV]
After getting off the office shuttle, I walk straight to the little department store near my apartment. It's become a habit now, scanning the shelves not just for myself but with Savitha Akka's kids in mind. I picked out two Dairy Milk bars and a small box of rasgullas. I know they'll squeal the moment they see them. I grab a packet of banana chips too, something to nibble on later while scrolling mindlessly on my phone.
By the time I reach my flat, the sky's fading into soft evening hues. I throw my sandals off and head straight to the bathroom. The cold splash of water on my face feels like a reset button. After changing into my comfy cotton kurti and tying my hair in a loose braid, I hear my phone buzz.
Akka: ["Priya! Come quickly! Dinner ready... Kids are already waiting! You late!"]
I smile and grab the little bag of goodies before locking up and heading to her door. I knock once barely and the door swings open.
Akka stands there with her hands on her hips. "Ayyyo, what is this now?" she scolds, eyeing the bag in my hand. "Why bring sweets? You waste money, ah?"
I laugh. "Not waste, Akka."
The house smells of amazing spices, curry leaves, and warmth. I follow her inside, and the kids nearly drag me to the table. Everything is laid out hot rotis, aloo fry, rice, sambar, and even kheer in a steel bowl that's already half-empty thanks to the kids' sneak attacks.
We all take our seats, and Akka immediately starts serving. I reach for the ladle to help, but she swats my hand gently.
"You sit. You are a guest," she says, in her firm, no-nonsense tone. "Let me do."
I try insisting again, but there's no point she's already piling food onto my plate like a protective elder sister. A moment later, her husband walks in from the other room, his shirt untucked, phone still in hand.
I stand slightly, offering a respectful smile. "Good evening, Anna."
He gives a small nod and sits at the head of the table. "How's work going, Priya? Which company did you join?"
"Infinitum Tech Solutions," I reply, my mouth full of rice and sambar.
His brows knit for a second. "Infinitum... Hmm," he says slowly, like he's trying to match the name with something in his mind. "That big one in Electronic City, right?"
"Yes, Phase 1."
He goes quiet, eyes still on his plate, and then mutters something under his breath too soft for me to catch. I glance at him, but he's already refilling his glass of water like nothing happened.
Dinner continues peacefully. Akka's food is exactly what my soul needs, comforting, full of love. I tell her so before getting up to leave.
"Akka, your aloo fry should be sold in gold plates," I joke. "I might skip the office tomorrow and just come here for breakfast." She laughs.
As I step out, Anna follows me quietly to the door. Just before I turn the key to my flat, he speaks up.
"Priya," he says, voice low but serious, "be careful at your office. If anything feels off... anyone bothers you... you tell me, okay?"
I blink, caught off guard. "O-okay, Anna. Thank you."
"I'm a police officer. You can trust me."
I nod quickly, the weight of his words sinking in. "I will. Thanks again. Goodnight."
I shut the door behind me and lean against it for a second.
Why did he say that?
[Author's POV]
The city hums outside, but the mansion Aarav calls home sits in quiet contrast, serene, sprawling, and far removed from the noise of the world.
He stands near the tall glass window of his room, hands in his pockets, staring into the dim horizon where city lights flicker like distant stars. Ritvik's words echo in his head, over and over.
["Just be sure... because this time, you won't survive another blow like that."]
Aarav closes his eyes briefly, his jaw tightening. He hates how accurate Ritvik is.
He doesn't want to feel anything, not after the last time. Not after the threats, the cold, trembling fear of losing everything he had built just because he let his guard down for once.
She had almost sent him to jail... and his name—his family's name—had nearly been dragged through mud.
And yet... Priya.
Just a few days, a few interactions, and somehow she's already occupying space in his mind she didn't earn. Laughing with her friend, eyes lighting up like she had no idea someone was watching. Like she hadn't just crashed into his world and left it tilted at an angle that made no sense.
He sighs and rubs his temples. What the hell am I doing?
He should be focusing on the new product launch. On his team. On staying invisible, like he promised. Not crouching behind office desks to avoid a smile.
He lets out a dry chuckle at the memory of his own ridiculousness today. Tying shoes that were already tied? Really, Aarav?
But the smile fades quickly.
This isn't a game. He knows better.
Still... something about her feels different. Uncalculated. Unaware of who he really is. And that, that is dangerous.
Because it makes him want to step closer. Even when he knows he shouldn't.
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To be continued.......
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