ADITYA POV
She is art.
Trust me, that is the only thing that comes into my mind the moment I see her.
Art.
Because something like her can only be created once.
Her beautiful pupils look blurry, filled with fear and emotions I cannot understand. A soft pink blush spreads across her cheeks and nose, making her look even more delicate. And those lips—
That perfect shade of pink.
For a second, I just stare at them.
Lost.
Completely lost.
What the fuck am I thinking?
The sudden warmth on my palm pulls me back to reality.
A tear.
Her tear.
I look down at my hand and suddenly realize what I am doing.
Immediately, I loosen my grip and free her.
The moment I let go, she almost collapses onto the floor. She sits there, trying to steady herself, taking deep breaths one after another like she has been holding her breath for too long.
I keep staring at her silently.
Her trembling hands.
Her uneven breathing.
The redness around her eyes.
Without saying anything, I pick up a glass of water from the table and hand it to her.
She snatches it quickly and drinks it almost desperately.
Her eyes are red now.
Cold.
Filled with anger.
"You bastard..."
"Idiot..."
And probably many more abuses she wants to throw at me.
I can see it clearly on her face.
But she says nothing more.
Not even for a second do her eyes leave mine.
Interesting.
I slowly bend down, lowering myself onto one knee in front of her. My fingers move toward her chin, tilting it upward so she is forced to look at me properly.
So she can admire me closely.
So she understands exactly who I am.
"Don't ever try to come into my personal life," I say through gritted teeth.
The words are simple.
Very simple.
But my voice—
The hatred in it is enough to make anyone shiver.
Enough to completely shatter her.
I feel her hand suddenly gripping my wrist lightly, as if trying to stop me.
But instantly, I throw her hand away.
But then—
I suddenly hear a sob.
A soft, broken one.
Typically... a woman crying.
I turn around and look at her.
For a moment, I just watch her silently.
Then my eyes follow her movements, drifting downward—
And I notice she is standing on her toes slightly, trying not to put pressure on one foot.
My brows furrow instantly.
And then I see it.
A huge cut on her thumb.
Fresh blood slowly slips down her skin.
For a second, I freeze.
Then realization hits me.
My cabin.
The broken glass.
The mess.
It looked like hell.
Without wasting another second, I immediately walk toward my personal bedroom attached to the office and open the drawer near the bed, taking out the first-aid box.
I don't even know why I am doing it.
But something inside me refuses to ignore her injury.
I walk back quickly—
But before I can hand her the box...
Before I can bandage her wound...
She is already gone.
I stop in my tracks.
My jaw clenches.
My eyes drift downward and land on the small drops of blood she leaves behind on the floor.
Red.
Bright.
Visible.
Something inside me snaps.
I punch my knuckles hard against the wall and growl under my breath, anger burning through my veins.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath.
A long one.
Trying to control myself.
Trying to calm the storm inside me.
Then I walk out of the cabin and follow her.
But I don't need to make much effort.
She is already standing near the lift, waiting for it.
Her back is facing me.
And for some reason... I keep staring at her.
But before I can reach her—
The lift doors open.
And she leaves.
Just like that.
"Fuck... why am I even caring?" I mutter to myself.
"Let it be."
I force myself to turn away.
...
After a few minutes, once I finally regain control over my emotions, I light a cigarette and walk toward the large glass window of my office.
The ocean outside looks strangely peaceful.
Still.
Silent.
The birds flying near the border of the water chirp softly, their sounds almost fading into the dangerous weather surrounding the city.
Dark clouds cover the sky.
The atmosphere feels heavy.
Unpredictable.
I have never really noticed things like this before.
Or maybe...
I grew up carrying too many responsibilities to ever pay attention to beauty.
I take another drag of my cigarette before pulling out my wallet.
My fingers slowly open it.
A family picture stares back at me.
Everyone is smiling.
Beautiful smiles.
Real smiles.
For a moment, my expression softens.
I slowly brush my thumb over the picture... then press a soft kiss against it.
A tear escapes from my eyes before I can stop it.
"Mr. Birla..."
I whisper darkly.
"You coward motherfucker..."
The rage burning inside me is terrifying.
"Trust me... even your ashes won't be found by your family."
IRA POV
I put a bandage on my thumb and sit quietly in a Chinese restaurant. Slowly, I start eating the food I order, but my mind keeps replaying the entire day again and again.
So much tiredness fills my body that I do not even know how many more days I have left to survive like this. Everything feels exhausting.
I take a deep breath and somehow try to normalize myself.
The man sitting in front of me starts talking to me, but my mind is completely surrounded by only one person.
That man.
That bastard.
"Hey, are you okay?" he asks softly.
"Not today, please," I say quietly.
Without even thinking much, I grab my purse and leave the restaurant immediately.
"Message me if it's important... or call," I say a little loudly before walking away.
Finally, I come home.
My body feels heavy and drained.
I take a shower, letting the cold water run over my skin, hoping it washes away the stress inside my mind.
But nothing changes.
Without thinking much, I lie down on the bed, trying to sleep.
Yet the sleepiness feels dead somewhere inside me.
Even after so much tiredness, my eyes refuse to close peacefully.
Still, I force myself to rest and quietly take my sleeping pills.
7:30 PM — MUMBAI, SEA LINK HALL
I am wearing a deep burgundy full-length gown with a side slit on one leg. The dress fits my body perfectly, elegant yet bold. My makeup is soft but flawless, just the perfect amount, and my curled hair falls beautifully over my shoulders.
Damn.
I look beautiful.
I sit inside my car, waiting to reach Mr. Aditya.
But suddenly, I hear a knock on the window.
My lips part slightly the moment I see him.
God.
He looks unreal.
He is wearing a branded black suit, perfectly tailored to his body. His sharp eyes, his perfectly maintained beard, and that small diamond earring in his ear make him look even more dangerous.
And his hair—
Oh my God.
One day, I will seriously die because of this man's beauty.
As I step out of the car, my eyes first fall on his hand... then slowly rise toward his face.
For a second, I do not understand why he is looking at me like that.
His gaze feels intense.
Different.
But I ignore it.
I look around and notice many rich and powerful men already present there. Even the atmosphere itself screams money, power, and status.
The air feels expensive.
This is one of the biggest parties hosted for business tycoons, an event that happens only once every four years.
Everything around me feels grand.
Luxurious.
Untouchable.
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