[Aarav’s POV]
The soft hum of the central air-conditioning is the only sound in my cabin, broken occasionally by the faint clicks of my keyboard. My gaze kept drifting away from the open documents on my laptop to the monitor on the corner of my desk.
Priya.
She is sitting on the sofa in the penthouse living room, the morning light spilling through the glass wall behind her. The high-definition feed caught every detail, the way her shawl was wrapped around her shoulders, the way she absently twisted her fingers when she thought no one was watching.
Of course, she didn’t know she is being watched. She didn’t know I had placed cameras in every corner of the penthouse before bringing her there yesterday. Every corner except her bedroom and washroom, I wasn’t here to invade that kind of privacy. Not yet.
I leaned back in my chair, tapping a pen against my palm. My father’s words from that morning, the day she had her accident, echoed like a warning I couldn’t shake. “Ten days, Aarav.That’s all I’m giving you. After that, you do exactly as I say.”
Five days had already passed. Which meant I had only five days left before he would expect me to bend to his will.
My lips curve in a slow, deliberate smile. If I proposed to Priya before then, if I made her mine, officially then whatever came next would be on my terms. I’d take the leash from his hands before he could tighten it around my neck.
On the screen, she shifted slightly, brushing her hair behind her ear.
Five days. That’s all the time I needed to change everything.
[Priya’s POV]
I sat in the living room, legs tucked to one side, absentmindedly tracing patterns on the sofa fabric. My eyes kept drifting to the clock. Tanya had said she would come as soon as she could.
Last night, she called me, her voice full of questions. "Why aren’t you coming to the office? It’s been days, Priya!"
So I told her everything. About the accident, about the hospital and about how Aarav sir brought me here. How he insisted that I stay here so I could recover quickly. She was silent for a while, then she said she'll come to see me today.
The sound of the front door opening pulled me out of my thoughts. One of the maids appeared, escorting Tanya in. She was in her usual jeans and loose kurta, but her expression… it wasn’t her usual teasing smirk. It was worried.
When she saw me trying to stand up, she almost panicked. “No—sit, sit!” she said, rushing forward before I could even take a step.
Her eyes swept over me, my head bandaged, my left arm in a cast, the bruises visible even under my clothes. Her face twisted and before I could say anything, she blurted out, “Why the fuck didn’t you tell me sooner, Priya? Do you have any idea how—” Her voice broke, and to my shock, she started crying. “I hate you for this. I really do.”
“I’m sorry,” I said quickly, again and again, my voice small. “I didn’t want you to worry—”
“You think I wouldn’t worry if I found out later?” she snapped, wiping at her face. “God, Priya.”
I reached for her hand. “Please… don’t be angry.”
She let out a heavy sigh, pulling me into a hug. “I have a big heart, you know? I’m forgiving you. This once.”
I couldn’t help smiling against her shoulder, feeling a strange relief settle inside me.
We talked for a while, and inevitably, the topic turned to Aarav sir.
“So… Mr. Senior Manager himself,” Tanya began, her tone curious, almost amused. “Taking care of you here, in this gorgeous place? I mean, wow.”
I gave a small shrug.
Tanya nodded, no doubt in her expression. “But still, Priya… do you realize what it means? This man didn’t just make sure you got home after the accident, he brought you here, arranged everything so you’d be comfortable. That’s not just being...... nice. That’s… personal.”
I frowned a little. “You’re reading too much into it.”
“No, I’m not,” she said, leaning closer, her voice softer now. “Priya, people don’t go to this length unless they truly care. He’s not your brother, not your old childhood friend, not someone with a lifelong obligation to you. Yet he’s acting like your wellbeing is his top priority.”
I looked down at my lap. “Maybe he’s just… kind.”
Tanya shook her head. “No. This is more than kindness. This—Ahhh How do I explain this to you?" she gestured around the living room "—this is him crossing the line from professional to personal. And honestly? It feels like he’s already crossed that line in his heart.”
I stayed quiet, unsure how to respond.
“Priya,” she sigh and continued gently, “sometimes love doesn’t start with roses and grand speeches. Sometimes..... it’s in the way someone shows up for you when you’re hurt. In this way they make sure you eat, take your medicine, rest because they can’t stand the thought of you struggling.”
Her words sank into me, heavy and lingering.
“Maybe,” Tanya added with a little smile, “he’s already in love with you and this is his way of saying it without actually saying it.”
I couldn’t bring myself to answer. My mind was already turning her words over, wondering if there was truth hidden in them.
Tanya hasn’t let go of my hand since she came in. It’s warm, steady, like she’s holding me in place so I won’t slip away again. Her eyes keep darting around the living room over the tall ceilings, the smooth marble floor that reflects the light, the shelves lined with books and art pieces I’ve never even seen in real life.
“Sooo… whose penthouse is this?” she finally asks.
I don’t even have to think. “I asked him yesterday. He said it’s his friend’s place.”
Tanya lets out a short laugh, almost as if she’s relieved. “Of course. That makes sense. I mean, how can a manager afford this much? Just the rent here must be insane.” She turns her head slowly, taking in every corner like she’s memorising it. “Whoever this friend is, they must be loaded.”
Her gaze returns to me, softer now. “Still… the fact that he brought you here, made sure you had everything, it says a lot about how much you mean to him.”
I glance away, pretending to adjust the blanket over my legs, but my chest feels tight.
“No one puts in this much effort unless they genuinely care,” Tanya goes on, her voice certain in a way mine never is. “Maybe he hasn’t said it out loud yet, but… Priya, I think this man’s already fallen for you.”
I couldn’t bring myself to answer. My mind was already turning her words over, wondering if there was truth hidden in them.
“Tanya…” I began slowly, my voice barely above a whisper, “even if I wanted to… get into this… I can’t.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Why not?”
I hesitated. My eyes drifted to the floor, tracing the pattern of the carpet, anything to avoid her gaze. My lips parted, but the words tangled somewhere in my throat.
“Priya…” Tanya’s voice softened, but there was a hint of suspicion beneath it. “Are you still hiding something from me?”
I froze. For a moment, I thought about brushing it off, making some vague excuse, but her eyes were fixed on me, searching, waiting. The silence between us grew heavier, pressing on my chest.
Finally, I took a deep breath. “I never told you everything about… about my family.”
She didn’t interrupt, just leaned back slightly, giving me space to speak.
“My father… he’s a farmer and head of Panchayat in our village. But he’s also a man who believes the world should stay exactly as it was fifty years ago. For him, a daughter’s life has one purpose marry early, stay close to the village, be… obedient. Education was already a fight. The idea of a career, of living in the city… that’s unthinkable for him.”
The words started coming faster now, like a river I couldn’t hold back. “When I got the offer to work in Bangalore, I knew he’d never agree. I tried to talk to him, to explain, but instead… he locked me in my room. He said that I'll bring shame upon the family.. Said no man would marry a girl who works far away, living alone.”
Tanya’s mouth tightened, but she stayed quiet, letting me continue.
“My mother… She's very kind, but she’s under his control. That night, she helped me escape. She called my cousin and told him to take me to the railway station before my father found out. I left without telling anyone else. By the time my father realized, I was already on my way here.”
I swallowed hard, my fingers twisting in my lap. “The truth is… I’m not just a girl living her dream. I’m a girl who ran away from home. And if my father knew I was involved with someone, especially men, he’d… he’d never forgive me. Maybe he’d even come here to drag me back.”
The room felt smaller after I said it, the air thicker.
“That’s why, Tanya,” I finished quietly. “Even if Aarav sir feels something for me… even if I start feeling something… I can’t. Not without risking everything.”
Tanya didn’t say anything for a long moment. She just stared at me, her brows drawn together, her lips pressed into a tight line.
When she finally spoke, her voice was low but steady. “Priya… you’ve been carrying all of this alone?”
Her expression shifted, the sharpness in her eyes replaced by something fierce—protectiveness. “Listen to me. You’re not going back there unless you choose to. No one drags you anywhere, not while I’m around.”
A shaky breath escaped me. I didn’t realize until now how much I needed to hear those words.
She squeezed my uninjured hand. “Your father’s world is not the whole world. And I know you’re scared… but fear shouldn’t decide your life for you.”
I looked away, not trusting my voice.
“And about Aarav…” she added, her tone gentler now, “I’m not telling you to run into his arms. But don’t shut him out just because of where you came from. If he ever tells you what's in his heart, tell him about your situation, I'm sure he'll understand.”
Her words lingered in the air, warm but unsettling. Because deep down, I wasn’t sure if his kind of courage was something I should trust… or fear.
Tanya was still holding my hand when my phone, resting on the coffee table, started to ring.
The name flashing on the screen made my stomach tighten.
Aarav Sir
Tanya raised her eyebrows. “Speak of the devil,” she murmured, her lips twitching in a half-smile.
I hesitated, staring at the phone like it might burn me if I touched it.
“Aren’t you going to answer?” she asked, tilting her head.
My fingers hovered before I finally picked it up. “Hello?”
His voice came through, smooth and direct. “Have you taken your medicine?”
For a second, I forgot Tanya was right beside me, listening. “I… yes,” I said, glancing at Tanya.
“Good,” he replied, like it wasn’t a casual check-in but an order fulfilled. “And eat something now. I’ll know if you don’t.”
Tanya’s eyes widened slightly and I turned away from her, clutching the phone tighter. “I’m with a friend right now,” I said quietly.
There was a short pause on his end, then, “Who?”
I froze. “Tanya.”
“Hmm,” he hummed, the tone different this time, calculated. “Don’t tire yourself talking too much. You’re still recovering.” And without waiting for me to say more, the line went dead.
I lowered the phone slowly, feeling Tanya’s gaze on me.
“That,” she said, leaning back with a little smirk, “is not how a man talks to just an employee.”
Her words might have been teasing, but my heart was still racing and I wasn’t sure if it was from irritation… or something else entirely.
[Aarav’s POV]
I end the call and lean back in my chair, eyes still fixed on the monitor in front of me. Tanya sits cross-legged with Priya on the couch, phone in hand, talking animatedly about something.
I knew she was there long before I dialed. The cameras told me hours ago. The reason for the call was simple. I wanted to hear it from her. To see if she would tell me that Tanya had come to meet her without me asking her directly.
And she did, clean, honest, no hesitation.
The faintest smile touches my mouth. Not the kind people see in photographs, but the kind that stays hidden, a quiet confirmation that things are moving exactly as I’ve calculated. She’s learning.
I watch as she laughs at something Tanya says, her posture loosening, shoulders no longer drawn up like they usually are when she’s alone. It’s good for her to talk to someone. To feel safe in that place. That matters more than she knows.
For a moment, I let the satisfaction settle in my chest before I closed the feed and turn my attention back to the work in front of me.
But my mind doesn’t linger there for long.
Because in two days, I’m going to change everything.
She’s here now, resting under my roof, every movement of hers within my sight. It’s the perfect setting not just for her recovery, but for something far more permanent.
I can already picture it, the city lights spilling through the glass, the quiet hum of the skyline behind her, her breath hitching when she realizes what I’m doing.
Two days. That’s all I’ll wait for.
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To be continued……..
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