Ayaan arrived at the office earlier than usual and switched on his laptop and the plasma opposite to his table. He opened the photo of Zara and her father side by side on his laptop and studied the two faces until the room blurred.
“I’m doing this for my Zara, she doesn’t deserve to be dead. I didn’t deserve to be left all alone. I will ruin everyone who was behind her death.” he whispered to the empty room, each repetition a vow.
On the plasma, the lobby feed flickered to life. Zara stepped out of the lift exactly on time dressed in black shirt, a light blazer, tailored trousers, hair pulled back in its habitual ponytail. Even at a distance she carried that quiet, careful poise that made her stand out among the morning crowd. Ayaan watched the way she paused by the closed door to his office, how her fingers smoothed the lapel of her blazer as if trying to compose herself. She bit her lip, a small, almost private gesture, and for a moment the color rose in her cheeks.
She was biting her lips and blushing, and Ayaan instantly knew she was thinking about last night. The moment her lips had brushed against his still replayed in his mind, taunting him, testing his resolve. His jaw tightened, knuckles whitening as he gritted his teeth. He couldn’t afford or didn’t want to feel anything for her… not when every touch, every smile reminded him of the enemy’s blood that ran in her veins.
At her desk, Zara tried to steady herself. Her heart had been racing since she’d stepped out of the elevator.
“I hope you still stick to your words, Ayaan… no regrets. Please don’t crush this tiny bit of hope you’ve given me. ” she murmured under her breath.
She walked to the pantry to make his morning coffee but today her hands refused to obey her mind. Lost in the memory of last night, she absentmindedly added milk to his coffee and more sugar, not realizing she was ruining his usual bitter black coffee.
She looked at her reflection in the small mirror above the counter.
“Get a grip, Zara,” she whispered and picked up the cup. She inhaled deeply, and made her way toward his cabin.
She knocked gently on the door and stepped inside. Ayaan stood beside his table, eyes fixed on his phone. Zara walked forward, her heart thudding softly in her chest, and placed the cup on his table with a shy smile.
Ayaan looked up and froze for a second captivated by her smile but quickly recovered himself and returned her smile and lifted the cup. He took a sip and then stopped almost immediately, the faintest smirk curving on his lips.
“You wanted to remind me of sweet things, Ms. Ramkumar?” he asked, arching an eyebrow.
Zara’s lips parted, but words refused to come out. She bit her lip, her nervousness giving her away. Ayaan’s low chuckle filled the air.
“Relax, maybe it’s a sign I should switch to milk coffee… but how many sugars should I say, hmm?” he said softly, setting the cup down.
His teasing tone made her cheeks burn as she lowered her gaze, staring at the polished floor. The silence between them thickened until she heard his slow, deliberate footsteps closing the distance.
Her breath caught when his shoes stopped right in front of hers. He reached out, his fingers brushing her cheek, lifting her face to meet his gaze.
Her eyes met his ……… deep, dark, and unreadable. The mix of her brown and black shimmered under the soft office light, drawing him in. All restraints in him shattered, and the world beyond that room simply ceased to exist.
” You successfully ruined my sleep. Don’t you think you should be punished for that?” Ayaan’s voice was low, rough, and deliberately close, his lips barely brushing against her ear. His heart thudded fiercely as he inhaled her fragrance, a scent that felt like home and desire woven together, sending his senses spiraling.
Zara’s eyes fluttered shut, her breath hitching as a shiver ran down her spine from their proximity. Before she could process it, Ayaan’s hand snaked around her waist, pulling her against him and she gasped involuntarily. His jaw tightened, his eyes dark and intense, as though he had been holding everything inside…waiting and yearning for this very moment.
“Tell me to stop,” he murmured, his breath brushing her lips, teasing, demanding.
Zara froze, caught between fear and desire, unable to form a single word and silence was her surrender.
Ayaan didn’t hesitate. His lips descended onto hers with a fierce urgency, a kiss that devoured and demanded. Zara’s hands fisted the fabric of his shirt, clutching him tightly as if anchoring herself to reality.
Ayaan pulled back from the kiss, his chest heaving as he studied her flushed face. Her lips were swollen and the way she looked vulnerable yet intoxicating made his pulse spike. He cursed himself and leaned in impulsively, capturing her lips again, unable to resist. His mind shouted for him to stop, but every nerve in his body was enthralled, every instinct captivated by her.
Finally, with a frustrated grunt, he stepped back, running a hand through his hair, trying to steady himself. Both of them were panting, their breaths shallow, hearts racing. His gaze fell to the photo frame on his desk, the image of his girlfriend, the love he had lost, the promise he had once made. It felt like a cold slap across his face. His skin paled for a fleeting moment, but Ayaan quickly masked it, forcing his composure back into place.
He turned his attention to the woman before him, the one he had vowed to ruin, yet inexplicably, she was unraveling him instead. Her presence, her mere existence, was a battle he was losing without a fight.
“I think… we should get back to work,” he muttered, his voice low but steady.
Zara nodded, her legs slightly wobbly, a faint heat lingering in her cheeks. She took a deep breath and quietly stepped out of the room, leaving Ayaan staring after her, wrestling with the chaos she had stirred inside him.
Ayaan barreled into the washroom of the relaxation suite and plastered his face with cold water. The taste of her lips still lingered, clouding his senses, and in frustration he slapped himself.
“I’m sorry, baby… I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed her but I couldn’t stop myself. I didn’t mean to betray you” he muttered, fingers gripping his hair. When he closed his eyes, all he could see was Zara’s flustered face, from his kiss, the same woman he had planned to destroy. His eyes flew open, panic and guilt colliding in his chest, and he stumbled out, struggling to pull himself together.
He grabbed the photograph from the desk and held it to his chest, breath uneven. “Why does she have to carry the same name?” he demanded of the silent room, anger tightening his jaw.
“I won’t let her play me, baby,” he muttered, clutching the photo tighter. But the ache in his chest refused to quiet. He opened the folder in his laptop that held the memories of his life with his girlfriend. He played the videos and watched the photos of them, laughter, stolen glances, her hand tugging at his collar, every frame hit like a punch. When her smile flashed on the screen, his lips curved helplessly. For a second, the lines between past and present blurred, he compared his girlfriend’s smile with Zara’s innocent smile and he couldn’t tell which Zara his heart was reacting to.
Meanwhile, at her desk, Zara sat frozen before her laptop, her pulse still racing. She had feared rejection, feared that Ayaan would push her away or dismiss their kiss as a mistake. But the way he had kissed her, desperate and raw, as though the world stopped breathing without her, had shaken her completely. Her lips still tingled as she stared at her reflection on the dark laptop screen.
“What’s happening to us? Should I talk to him… or stay silent?” The question hung heavy, unanswered, between two restless hearts.
Zara entered the room carrying his lunch, her movements quiet and cautious. Without meeting his eyes, she began setting the plate and water on the table with practiced precision. Ayaan watched her for a moment, then rose from his chair and moved to the couch.
” Whatever happens, I can’t let my guard down now ” he reminded himself and forced a composed smile.
As she turned to leave, he caught her wrist gently, pulling her down to sit beside him. “I know you have a lot of questions and we’ll talk, but only after lunch.” He said calmly and slid a plate toward her, his tone leaving no room for argument, even as his mind and heart waged a battle neither was willing to surrender.
An uneasy silence settled between them as they began to eat. Zara could feel the weight of his gaze, every second making her heartbeat quicken. Ayaan noticed her discomfort and chuckled softly.
“Don’t worry, I won’t kiss you… not until we’ve had that discussion.” he said, amusement flickering in his voice.
Zara froze, half embarrassed and half startled, while Ayaan continued eating, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
Ayaan rolled up his sleeves and casually perched on the edge of the tea table, directly opposite Zara. She sat on the couch, restless, her fingers twisting nervously in her lap, unable to meet his gaze. He studied her for a long moment before letting a finger trail lightly across her forehead, then brushing strands of hair she’d tucked forward over her shoulder. He found himself imagining her with her hair set loose, the vision stealing his breath before it even existed.
“You always tie your hair up, I think it would look even more beautiful if you let it fall freely.” he murmured, his voice low and husky. The words hung between them, warm and deliberate, sending a subtle shiver down her spine.
Ayaan drew in a deliberate, exaggerated breath, withdrawing his hand as though testing her composure.
” Lets talk. Ask me… whatever you want,” he said, voice soft but commanding, leaving the weight of the moment entirely in her hands.
Zara’s chest tightened, her mind racing, as she finally lifted her eyes to meet his which carried a mixture of fear, anticipation, and something she couldn’t yet name.
“Sir… I…I …. I mean, what’s happening between us? The kiss?” Zara stammered, her voice barely audible as she swallowed hard, unable to speak further.
Ayaan’s gaze softened, yet held that intensity she couldn’t look away from. “Do you want me to be honest?” he asked, and she nodded, her throat tight.
“I’m sure you’ve heard whispers about my past,” he began, voice low, almost hesitant. ” Zara…I mean Zara, my first love… she was taken from me in that blast. Losing her left a void I thought I’d never fill. Since then, I’ve buried myself in work, in business, in control… until you walked into my office for the first time to work as my assistant.” He paused, searching her eyes, as if to measure her reaction.
“Honestly, I don’t know what’s happening to me, but lately… I’ve been feeling more… alive. More myself. And you… you made that happen.” His voice dropped, husky with raw confession. “I… I think I like you. I tried to deny it, tried to push it down… but I can’t. Not with you. I’m losing myself around you. I can’t stop thinking about you. I… I want you. I want to see where this leads… where this takes us.” he said and his mind insisted he was saying it only to trap her, but his heart felt strangely at ease. “He’s being honest,” his heart whispered, taking control of him.
Ayaan reached for her hand, brushing it gently. “I don’t want to scare you. But if you feel the same… if you do, then… let’s try.”
Zara’s lips trembled as Ayaan’s words sank in. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined he would look at her this way, yet here he was, offering a chance, opening a door to something she had longed for in silence.
All the love she felt for him all these years surged forward, overwhelming her. She lost control, throwing herself into his arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck as sobs shook her. Warm tears stained his shirt, and for a moment, Ayaan stiffened, clenched fists fighting the urge to pull away but instead, he hugged her back.
“Why are you crying, Zara? Should I take these tears… this hug… as a happy sign? Do you want to try… us?” His voice was husky, searching, full of a rare vulnerability.
Zara smiled through her tears hearing him call her name for the first time and she could only manage a trembling, “Yes,” muffled against his chest.
Gently, Ayaan pulled her back just enough to brush away her tears, his fingers lingering on her cheeks. Her lips, soft and quivering, drew him in before he could stop himself. He captured them in a searing kiss, hunger and restraint mingling, and for a fleeting instant, the world narrowed to just the two of them.
“This… this is my next step for revenge“, he thought.
“Liar” his mind and heart screamed at the same time.
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A/N:
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