Two weeks slipped by in a haze of stolen kisses and whispered moments behind closed doors. In the quiet corners of Ayaan’s office, Zara found her little world of happiness, his touch, his laughter, the rare softness in his eyes. She could see love in his eyes and believed that Ayaan, too, would eventually realize it as love rather than mere attraction. Every time he held her, she felt hope blooming , the kind that made her heart flutter and ache all at once.
For Ayaan, however, each touch was a war. His heart betrayed him with every stolen glance, while his mind screamed for control. It was a never ending war between his heart and mind but every time his heart won.
Zara stepped out of the washroom, a towel wrapped snugly around her, humming softly as she twirled in front of the mirror. Her heart felt lighter than it had in years. Days with Ayaan were a blissful dream, and the nights apart were a quiet ache she had learned to live with. They hadn’t crossed any lines beyond hugs, kisses, and stolen cuddles on his couch, yet to her, that was enough. Each touch, each glance, felt like a promise.
She opened her wardrobe, fingers brushing through the neatly arranged clothes, her lips curling into a smile.
“What color shirt would Ayaan wear today?” she wondered and a playful thought flashed through her mind. “Let me wear his favorite ….. blue.”
Pulling out a crisp blue shirt, she paired it with white pants, admiring the way the color brightened her mood. She picked up a blazer but dropped it with a grin.
Standing before the mirror, she reached to tie her hair into her usual ponytail but paused. Slowly, she let it fall free over her shoulders. Her reflection smiled back, softer, more confident.
“I hope you’ll like how I look today,” she whispered with a shy giggle.
Grabbing her bag, Zara stepped out of her apartment, her heart racing with anticipation as she couldn’t wait to see him again.
Ayaan got into his car earlier than usual, the morning air heavy with purpose. On the way, he called one of his most trusted men, a handler who took orders only from him and his PA, Rohan. “Have a bouquet delivered to my office before I arrive,” he instructed curtly before hanging up.
Two months had already passed since his plan began, and he knew he couldn’t let emotions blur his goal any longer. It was time to end the charade and to speed things up before he lost himself completely.
As soon as he reached his office, Ayaan shut the door behind him and dialed his Chief Security Officer. The call was answered on the first ring.
“I want every record about Zara erased, Everything except the detail that she was dropped at the orphanage. That part stays.” Ayaan said, his tone calm but commanding.
There was silence on the other end, and Ayaan’s voice hardened. “My father and Ishaan bro might start digging into her background soon. When they do, I don’t want them finding a single trace of who she really is. You’ve always been loyal to my father and my brother, and I respect that but this time, your loyalty lies with me. I won’t risk my family. Not again. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir,” came the quiet reply from the CSO.
Ayaan leaned back in his chair, the weight of his own deceit pressing against him. He looked at the photo frame on his desk and guilt pressed down his chest. He mumbled sorry before he placed the photo in his draw and locked it.
Zara arrived at the office, her hair bouncing lightly with every eager step toward the elevator. Inside, she caught her reflection in the mirror and tucked a stray strand behind her ear, her lips curving in a nervous smile.
The moment she reached her desk, she dropped her bag and hurried to the pantry to prepare Ayaan’s recent favorite sweet milk coffee. Holding the cup carefully, she walked to his cabin, her pulse quickening with every step. She paused, took a deep breath, and knocked softly before stepping in.
“Good morning, Ayaan,” she greeted, her voice gentle but edged with nervousness, aware of how her change in outfit might draw his attention.
Ayaan, who had been standing by the glass wall, turned at the sound of her voice and froze. For a fleeting second, he forgot to breathe. The blue shirt hugged her curves perfectly, and the way it was tucked neatly into her white pants drew his gaze to the elegant lines of her waist. The sunlight streaming through the blinds caught the shine of her hair, making her look almost ethereal.
Zara stood there, shy yet radiant, unaware that she had just set his carefully built control on fire while Ayaan’s mind drifted to the past.
“Zara, I got us matching outfits.”
“Ayaan, please don’t tell me they’re blue shirts. Why can’t you like any other color? It always feels like we’re wearing a school or navy uniform”
“Baby, just this once, please. I promise … no more blue after this. One last time, love.”
“Fine… only this time. I love you, but I still hate blue.”
Ayaan pushed back those memories and stepped toward Zara like a predator stalking its prey. His gaze locked onto hers—dark, intense, unreadable. Without breaking eye contact, he took the tray from her trembling hands and set it aside on the desk. Then, in one swift motion, his arm slid around her waist, pulling her against him.
“Seems like you already have some plans, Tell me, are you planning to kill me already?” he murmured, his voice low and teasing, his breath brushing against her skin.
Zara’s heart pounded in her chest and slowly, she placed her palm over his mouth, her eyes glistening.
“Don’t ever say that, Ayaan. Please, I’ve been alone all my life… and for the first time, you’ve made me feel like someone actually cares. I don’t want to lose that. I don’t want to lose… you.” she whispered, her voice breaking with emotion.
Ayaan froze. For a second, something inside him wavered. Her words hit a place he didn’t want touched. He clenched his jaw, fighting the unfamiliar ache in his chest, and buried his face against her neck, hiding the turmoil in his eyes, tears brimmed unknowing to him but he snapped out of those thoughts quickly refusing to believe her words.
“What an act, If I hadn’t already known the truth about you… I would’ve actually fallen for this.” he thought bitterly.
” As if you haven’t fallen already ” his hear and mind snapped at him.
He pulled back from the hug, a playful smile tugging at his lips, and gently led her to the couch. Reaching for the large bouquet of red roses resting on the table, he turned to her with a soft gleam in his eyes.
” I didn’t know you’d surprise me with your new look, but look at me, I came prepared. These beautiful flowers, for the most beautiful woman.” he said, his tone warm and teasing.
Zara’s cheeks flushed as she accepted the bouquet, the rich scent of roses filling the air. She smiled, brushing a petal with her fingers before looking up at him.
” They’re gorgeous, Ayaan… thank you,” she whispered.
He watched her for a moment, his expression turning a shade more serious. Then, leaning slightly closer, he asked, “Would you go on a date with me?”
Zara froze, her eyes widening as if she wasn’t sure she’d heard him right. ” Are you serious?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper and Ayaan simply shrugged, his smile returning, softer this time.
She stared at him for a moment, her heartbeat racing before she finally smiled. ” Yes… of course, I’d love to go on a date with you, Ayaan. But what if someone sees us? I don’t want you getting into trouble because of me.”
“Don’t worry, I already have a place in mind. And come on, when has there ever been a task that Ayaan couldn’t handle? Tomorrow’s Saturday so how about we go on our first date then? ” Ayaan said with a confident smile, his voice low and assured
Zara blinked, caught off guard, yet her heart fluttered at his words. The warmth in his eyes, the way his tone softened on the word first made her pulse race.
Before she could find her voice to respond, she leaned in and pressed a soft, fleeting kiss to his lips as her silent answer and before she could pull away, Ayaan’s hand slid to the back of her neck, holding her gently yet firmly in place. He deepened the kiss, his lips moving with unspoken hunger and tenderness. His palm found the curve of her waist, tracing it slowly, drawing a quiet moan from her lips.
The world outside seemed to fade..no noise, no time, just the two of them lost in the rhythm of their heartbeats.
Ayaan pulled her onto his lap. and he leaned back against the couch, his arm still wrapped tightly around her. Her breath hitched when he traced slow circles along her waist, his touch firm yet tender. The air around them grew heavy, each heartbeat echoing the pull they could no longer ignore.
Her soft mounds pressed against his chest ignited his manly needs and Zara gasped feeling his hardness against her abdomen. Finally they broke the kiss and Ayaan raked his fingers through her silky hair.
“You have no idea what you do to me, Zara.” Ayaan’s voice dropped to a husky whisper, close enough for her to feel the warmth of his breath.
She swallowed hard, her pulse quickening as she whispered back, “Maybe I do.”
For a long, still moment, neither of them moved both caught between restraint and the magnetic pull of something deeper.
“Let me get back to work. You have a meeting today,” Zara mumbled shyly but Ayaan refused to let her go.
His mind screamed at him to let go of her but instead he pulled her, brushing his lips against her cheek.
” Don’t go ” he muttered tracing her face with his finger. Zara pinched his cheek and squinted her eyes pleading him and he reluctantly let her go. She adjusted her shirt and hair but could still feel his eyes on her.
“Stop staring,” she muttered, and Ayaan chuckled at her words.
“Not my problem when you’re this beautiful and have me completely under your spell,” he said. Zara shook her head and walked out, stealing one last look at him before leaving.
Ayaan locked the door behind her and ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
” This was supposed to be just revenge to save my family and punish everyone who killed my Zara, so Why am I losing control? ” he muttered to himself, and even saying her name made him shut his eyes.
“Why… why am I being punished so cruelly? The name I once loved calling over and over… and now I can’t even say it,” he whispered, his voice thick with anguish.
“Because that name doesn’t remind you of the past anymore,” his mind screamed at him.
Ayaan paced the room, fists clenched, his mind a battlefield. Every thought of Zara…..her laugh, her defiance, the way she looked at him with those innocent eyes before she walked out of the room moments ago was like fire coursing through his veins, igniting desires he had no right to feel.
“This… this isn’t supposed to happen, I am supposed to destroy her. She’s the reason for all this chaos, the reason my Zara…my real Zara is dead. I can’t… I won’t let myself feel anything else.” he growled, slamming his palm against the wall.
But then once again Zara’s face flashed his mind……………the spark, that unbearable pull, made his chest tighten and his control slip further.
“Damn it, every plan I make, every scheme I craft… and then she smiles at me, one look, one word, and it’s like I forget everything. I should hate her… I want to hate her” he shouted, pacing faster.
He stopped in front of the mirror, staring at his reflection. His dark eyes, stormy and unyielding, were betraying him. “I am supposed to use her… to break her. Not… not feel like this. I can’t. I won’t.”
He ran his fingers through his hair, pulling at it in frustration. “Why… why does my chest ache when I see her? Why does her voice linger in my ears when I want to erase her from my mind?”
Unable to fight his emotions, Ayaan decided to drown himself in work. Hours passed in a blur and Zara entered his room, carrying his lunch. Ayaan quickly tried to appear busy, pretending to be on a call, but his facade faltered the moment she fed him a bite, careful not to disturb his work. And just like that his mind reminded him of his past.
“Zara, I’m starving, baby. Let’s have lunch. You’ve been busy the entire time we’ve been here. This was supposed to be our day out.”
“I know, Ayaan… I’m sorry. Please, this is really important, I need to finish working on this data. How about you have lunch now, and maybe I’ll join you later?”
“Fine, carry on. I’ll feed both of us then.”
“No, Ayaan. I don’t want to be distracted so I’ll eat later once the work is done. You go ahead. I’m sorry, babe, for ruining our day out.”
His trance broke when he felt a gentle nudge. He looked up to see Zara gesturing for him to open his mouth. Long forgotten was the work, and like an obedient child he opened his mouth for her to feed him, his eyes never leaving her face. She gently wiped away a single grain of rice stuck at the corner of his lips, and when he finished, she held up a glass of water for him. He drank……still looking at her. A small, genuine smile crossed Zara’s face, and after ensuring he had eaten, she quietly walked out of the room, leaving Ayaan staring after her, his heart betraying him despite his efforts to remain composed.
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A/N:
I m rushing the plot to their marriage sequence so gear up.
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Take care and Thank you
