Two weeks had passed since Ayaan had discovered Zara, and she had been under his direct radar 24×7. He wanted to understand her intentions. The day after the elevator incident, he saw her in the lobby and couldn’t help but notice the way her attention had briefly turned to him as he entered. Something felt off, and later that evening, he spotted her again in the lobby as he exited the office. He realized it wasn’t a coincidence.
In the following days, he noticed her presence both when he arrived and when he left the office. It became clear, Zara had been secretly watching him. He cursed himself for not realizing earlier that someone had been observing him all this while. Despite having his men follow her, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
Every day, as his car halted at the office porch, before stepping out, he would turn on the lobby CCTV feed on his mobile. He would watch the screens covering his entry and spot Zara pretending to be on a call or talking to Shalini. Each morning and evening, he noted the way her gaze subtly shifted toward him.
As for Zara, nothing had changed in her routine except for secretly admiring Ayaan and clutching his chain and pendant as she fell asleep each night. She had no idea she was being watched so closely.
The routine continued. That morning, Ayaan entered the office, his eyes fixed on his mobile. Zara was in the lobby, holding a file in her hand. She wore a black pencil skirt that revealed her long, smooth legs, paired with a peach shirt that hugged her curves perfectly. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail. For a few fleeting seconds, her eyes drifted toward him as he entered the elevator, and then she smiled softly before heading to her cubicle.
Ayaan stepped into his office, turned on the CCTV feed on the TV, and plopped into his seat. His PA informed him that Ishaan had arrived. He immediately turned off the feed, focusing instead on the report displayed on his laptop screen.
The door opened and Ishaan entered with his ever-charming smile and sat on the couch, his right ankle resting over his left knee.
“What’s up, bro? You came all the way here to meet me? Is everything fine?” Ayaan asked, swirling his seat slightly to look at Ishaan, who chuckled at his brother.
“All fine. How are you doing? You haven’t visited home in almost two weeks. Is everything okay?” Ishaan asked. Ayaan shrugged and moved to sit beside him. Ishaan patted his back, and Ayaan gave him a weak smile.
“Thought I would check on you… and remind you of Ved’s birthday.” Ishaan said.
“I would never forget my little munchkin’s birthday, bro. I’ve cleared my schedules, and I’ll be there for him. What did he want this year?” Ayaan asked with a smile, knowing well about Ved. Ishaan chuckled, turning to face him.
“He’s got a long list this year. He invited his friends, wanted a floral theme, and a three-layer car cake. Seems like he’s got an admirer from his class already, so he’s curious to have her over and show his things to her. He’s got some special dolls as return gifts this year. Too much excitement in his eyes,” Ishaan said.
“Arghhh… damn this Rey blood gene. No wonder it’s happening. Please don’t tell me he wanted a pink shirt too,” Ayaan groaned. Ishaan shook his head.
“Not yet, I believe,” Ishaan replied, ruffling Ayaan’s hair. Ayaan quickly set it, glaring at him.
“Bro, please don’t do that. You know Zara hates my messy hair,” he said. Both men froze at his words. Ayaan gulped, and Ishaan pulled his brother into a hug.
“You have us, and trust me, Ayaan, Zara wouldn’t be happy seeing you like this. She would only want you to move on. I know it’s difficult, but give yourself a chance. You don’t have to forget Zara forever, but you can always make space for someone new. Keep the door open, and the right person will walk in to light up your life. You deserve all the love, and it hurts to see you in pain. Amma, Appa… we all want to see the real Ayaan—the chocolate boy who doesn’t worry about anything. Don’t give up,” Ishaan said.
Every time Ishaan spoke about Zara, Ayaan’s mind flashed with the image of her—the Zara he was now hell-bent on destroying. He shut his eyes to rid himself of her image and pulled back from the hug, flashing a smile at his elder brother.
“I’m fine, bro. I will be,” Ayaan assured.
Ishaan glanced at his watch and rose to his feet. “I’ll leave, but I really hope you give yourself a chance,” he said, walking out of the room.
Ayaan returned to his seat and turned on the TV to watch Zara. She was smiling, talking with Shalini. He grit his teeth and clenched his fist at the sight of her happiness.
“It’s a sin… that you can smile while I’m in pain, without my Zara. You don’t deserve that smile while my family lost theirs three years ago. You don’t deserve any good in your life,” Ayaan mumbled, pushing the vase off his table.
“I will sink my claws into you and snatch every bit of that smile. ” he growled.
By evening, Zara impatiently watched the time on her watch. Ayaan usually left the office at 6:30, and that was her cue to leave as well. But today, he decided to test her patience and stayed in his office, observing her.
Exactly at 6.15, Zara packed her things. Ayaan watched her pause by her desk, seemingly talking to herself before leaving her cubicle. He switched to the live CCTV feed of the lobby and watched her move toward the corner couch. She pretended to be on a call, though Ayaan already knew she had no contacts beyond a few colleagues.
She stood with her hands trembling as if nervous. At 6:30, she rose to her feet and discreetly wiped her palms on her skirt. A drop of sweat trickled down her temple to her cheek, and she wiped it quickly. By 7, she struggled to stand, slowly making her way out of the office, holding her handbag and briefcase for support.
Ayaan chuckled at the subtle disappointment in her expression. He loosened his tie, rolled up his sleeves, and instructed his driver to get the car ready. Just as Zara approached the exit, she noticed Ayaan’s car pulling up. Relief washed over her, knowing she might see him any moment. She quickly moved to stand near the plants, her mobile pressed against her ear.
Ayaan stepped out as usual and got into the car. He turned to see Zara watching him, and a smirk played on his lips.
Zara reached the parking and got into her car with a smile. She drove to her apartment and shut the door, her eyes lingering on the few seconds she had stolen watching Ayaan.
“I love you, Ayaan,” she mumbled, collapsing onto the couch to calm herself.
Meanwhile, Ayaan reached his villa. He discarded his clothes and stood under the shower, eyes closed, his palm pressed against the glass wall of the cubicle. His mind replayed the way Zara’s eyes had searched for him, the way her lips had curved as if in a sigh of relief.
“Love has never been my weakness… now it is the weapon I will use to destroy you,” he muttered.
Ayaan stepped out of the steamy bathroom, a towel loosely wrapped around his waist, droplets of water tracing down his chest. He grabbed his mobile from the nightstand and dialed Rohan’s number, pacing near the window overlooking the city skyline.
Rohan answered promptly.
“Listen, I need you to take a long break. Apply for leave three months ” Ayaan said in his deep, composed tone.
There was a brief pause on the other end. “Three months, sir?” Rohan asked, slightly startled.
“Yes. You’ve been working non-stop, and I thought you might need a break, maybe a vacation. Don’t worry, I’ll sponsor it. Take the time off, travel, rest, do whatever you want. Your job will be waiting when you return,” Ayaan assured him.
Rohan exhaled in relief. “Thank you, sir. I really appreciate that.”
Ayaan continued, walking toward his desk and switching on his laptop.
“Before you sign off, draft an email to the finance head stating that I need someone from his team to take up the position of my personal assistant for the next three months. Make it clear that the candidate should have strong knowledge of finance, budget strategy, and asset planning. He or she will be working directly with me, so only serious professionals should be recommended. I’ll personally choose the one who best fits my requirements,” Ayaan instructed.
“Yes, sir. I’ll send out the mail immediately,” Rohan replied immediately.
“Good. Make sure the deadline for responses is tonight. I’ll personally review the profiles tomorrow morning. Understood, sir. Anything else?” Ayaan asked, glancing at the clock.
” No sir ” Rohan replied him.
“That’s all for now. Enjoy your time off,” Ayaan said before hanging up.
He placed the phone down, a small smirk curving his lips. He already had an idea of who might fit the role or rather, who he wanted to see walk into his office.
“Alright, now time to pick a gift for my munchkin,” he said, opening the message from Ved, who had sent his list of gifts. Ayaan chuckled as he read the list and immediately forwarded it to Rohan to arrange everything.
At Zara’s home, she felt too weak to cook, so she ordered pizza and went to the bathroom in her bedroom for a hot shower to wash away her fatigue. She walked out in a robe and looked at the photo of Ayaan on the wall opposite to her bed and the one beside the vanity mirror.
“You looked so tense, Ayaan. What happened? Is everything okay? I wish I could stand by you and ease your worries, but I’m not lucky to be your girlfriend, the one who has all your love even after leaving the world. It’s not your fault, love. Only if you knew the truth. ” she whispered with a smile and kissed the photo on his cheek before picking her night outfit.
The doorbell rang, and she opened it just enough to receive the order, then shut the door immediately. She turned on the TV, chose a romantic movie, and settled down with her pizza. Making a coffee, she sat cross-legged, watching the film, crying at the loss and smiling at the happy ending.
For once, she imagined herself as the female lead and Ayaan as the male lead. She smiled from her heart as she watched the pair hug on screen.
Just then, her mobile rang, startling her. It had been a while since she received a call that late. Glancing at the screen, she saw the name flashing, it was her Finance Head so she quickly answered, “Hello, sir.” she said instantly.
“Hello Zara, I hope I didn’t disturb you. I just received an email from Mr. Ayaan,” came his composed voice from the other end.
Her fingers instinctively tightened around the phone. “No, sir. Please tell me,” she replied.
“He needs someone from our department to work as his personal assistant for the next three months, It’s a temporary assignment, but it’s directly under his supervision. The person will handle confidential financial briefs, asset planning, and budget reports. Naturally, it’s a big opportunity and a demanding one.” the Finance head said.
Zara swallowed hard, her heartbeat quickening. “I… see, sir.” she mumbled.
“I’ve shortlisted three names to recommend and you one among them. You’ve got the sharpest financial instincts in the team, Zara. Your attention to detail might be exactly what he’s looking for.” he said casually.
For a moment, Zara froze, her breath catching in her throat. Ayaan? The name echoed in her mind like a thunderclap. Of all people — him?
“I’ll be sending the profiles to him within the hour. If he picks you, you’ll report to him directly starting two weeks from today but you will get to be trained by his PA. Be prepared for anything, he’s known to be… particular about his standards.”
Zara’s lips parted, but no words came out. “Yes, sir,” she finally managed to whisper.
As the call ended, her phone slipped from her trembling hand onto the couch. Her mind buzzed with disbelief, her pulse racing. She stared blankly at the wall, a thousand thoughts swirling through her, shock, confusion, and something else she couldn’t quite name.
Ayaan? Her boss?
The very idea left her breathless.
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