Chapter 44

Hey cutiees 💞
How are you all?
I hope you all are well.
So here’s the chapter update
I was little caught up in my college activities so i couldn’t edit soon.

Thank you for you your patience
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Xoxo>3💓

I stood outside my door, keys clenched tight in my palm. My bag slipped slightly off my shoulder, but I didn’t bother adjusting it. The silence of the corridor pressed down on me, my breath uneven. My fingers hovered over the handle of my own door-just one twist and I could be inside, away from the chaos his presence stirred in me

But instead… I froze.

My chest tightened. Against every ounce of logic, I turned, my heels clicking softly on the tiled floor as I walked two steps across. My gaze fell on his door. Nav’s.

Before I could second-guess myself, my finger pressed his doorbell.

I bit my lip, waited, and pressed again. Still silence.

“He’s not home,” I whispered to myself, relief and disappointment colliding in my chest. I was about to head back, but then I looked at the little key dangling from my keychain

the one Nav had given me casually, smugly, as if he knew someday I’d use it.

I shouldn’t

And I wouldn’t

I shouldn’t

But my hand moved on its own, before ny thoughts can make me stop The key slid into the lock. Click. The sound echoed like a heartbeat in my ears.

I shouldn’t.

The door creaked open

Inside, Nav was lay lazily across his sofa, phone in hand. His hair was messy, like he’d just showered. His head tilted when he saw me in the doorway, and that slow, dangerous smirk tugged at his lips.

“Well, well,” his voice low and teasing, “look who finally couldn’t stay away.”

My jaw tightened. “Don’t flatter yourself. I knocked. You didn’t open.”

He set his phone down, stretching, his muscles shifting under his plain black t-shirt.

VANI YOU SHAMELESS FREAK
my inner voice scolded me

“And instead of going home, you used my key. That’s not desperation at all.” he said

I narrowed my eyes. “I came to tell you to stop-whatever this is. All this-this-” My hand waved in air, not knowing if he should point a finger at gim, or stay back with me,
.
he smirked with dangerous ease

“It needs to stop.” I repeated, but my eyes flicking at his muscles.

Nav rose slowly, deliberately, closing the distance between us. Each step was unhurried, like he was savoring the moment, savoring my restlessness.

“And yet,” he murmured, stopping just inches away, “you’re in my apartment, Vani. Not yours.” His gaze lingered on my lips before meeting my eyes again, wicked amusement gleaming there.

“So tell me… which part exactly should I stop? The part where I talk to other women and make you jealous? Or the part where you keep coming back?”

Heat flared up my neck. “I am not jealous.”

His smile turned sharp. “Then why does your voice shake when you say it?”

I glared, forcing steel into my tone. “You’re insufferable. I regret coming here.”

He leaned just a fraction closer, enough that I could feel the warmth of his breath near my ear. “No, you don’t. If you did, you’d already be gone.”

My heart hammered wildly, but anger steadied me. It took a so kuch effort not to close my eyes, but I shoved his chest, making him stumble back a step. “you are just my business partner” he raise his eyebrows amusingly ” I am not jealous Navver. And stop it, I am not affecting at all”

Before he could reply, I turned on my heel, storming out and slamming the door behind me.

But even as I reached my own apartment, my hand trembling on the handle again, I knew I hadn’t shut him up. I only gave him more reason to smile.

OHHH VANIII, why are you like this.
I curse myself

✧

“you are just my business partner” he raise his eyebrows amusingly ” I am not jealous Navver. And stop it, I am affecting at all”

Her words rings in my mind

I chuckled

“yeh mujhe bta rahi thi, ya apne aap ko?”

( “Were she telling that to me… or to herself?”)

” and seriously? She is not affecting at all? Jhuth ki bhi had hoti hai vani ji.
Accept it that you started to like me. Par meri ariyal kareli kahan accept kregi?”

( “And seriously? She’s not affecting you at all? Even lies have their limits, Vani ji.
Accept it-you’ve started to like me. But my stubborn kareli (bitter gourd), on’t admit it.?”)

I took a pause, staring at the door

” par mai hu na. Accept krva dunga.
Dekhti jau vani ji, anne vale koch din apko dikkat dene vale na ho.”
I internally smirked, and dialed rhena.

( “But don’t worry, I’m here. I’ll make you admit it.
Just wait and watch, Vani ji-the coming days might not be so easy for you.”)

All day, my phone stayed blank.
No messages, no calls, not even a single “are you alive?” text from him.

At first, I told myself it didn’t matter.

But by afternoon, the silence felt weird,

I caught myself glancing at my phone every few minutes,

pretending it was just to check the time.

Why hasn’t he messaged?

By evening, I had already given myself ten reasons.

He was busy. He forgot. He was tired. He didn’t care.
The last one hit more than I wanted to admit.

When I reached home, the silence in my own apartment felt suffocating.

I hate him so so so much.

NEXT DAY

I am in his study.

Did anyone expected this?

No.
Obviously not.

But I had to.

The study smelled like freshly brewed coffee.

I was supposed to finalize the presentation slides before the conference call.

Nav sat across the table, perfectly composed as always, flipping through notes like the entire company’s weight rested effortlessly on his shoulders.

I was mid-sentence, correcting a figure, when the door opened without a knock.

“Nav, you’ll need this,” Rhenna’s syrupy voice came as she walked in like she owned the place. A tie dangled from her hand, navy silk.

I froze. My pen hovered mid-air.

Nav didn’t flinch. He leaned back in his chair, eyes still on his laptop, as though her presence was nothing unusual.

Rhenna, however, didn’t stop there. She crossed the room with unnecessary grace, stopping right behind his chair. “You have that online conference, don’t you? You can’t possibly wear that dull tie, Nav. This one suits you better.”

Before I could process, her hands were on his collar

straightening, brushing against his shoulder, fingers grazing his chest in a way that was anything but professional.

My blood boiled.

The audacity. In my presence. In our workspace.

” why is she calling you nav? And not sir?’ I nearly maintained ny rage.

” why does ut matter to you?” he said and

I tightened my jaw, forcing my eyes back on the screen. Numbers blurred. Sentences lost meaning. All I could see was her hand lingering where it didn’t belong.

Nav didn’t stop her. He didn’t even look at her. That calm mask of his made it worse, like he was silently daring me to react.

“Perfect,” Rhenna whispered, smoothing down the silk tie. “Now you look the part.”

That was it.

The volcano inside me erupted.

“Get. Out.” The words tore from me before I could stop them. Sharp, steady, and laced with fury.

Rhenna blinked, startled, but recovered with a smirk. “Oh, Vani… you don’t have to-“

“I said get out,” I snapped, rising from my chair. My voice echoed through the study, every syllable final.

The smirk slipped. Rhenna’s eyes flicked to Nav, maybe searching for backup, but he remained silent. With a huff, she dropped her act and stormed out, heels clicking against the floor.

There was silence in the room. Its almost heavy.

I sank back into my seat, cheeks burning, chest heaving.

Across the table, Nav finally looked up from his laptop. His lips curved, slow and deliberate, into the most annoying, satisfied smirk.

Exactly as planned.

Her fire, her jealousy

raw, and entirely hers. I wanted this, for Vani to claim her space without me lifting a finger. And she did

Good job rhena

I leaned back, studying her flushed face, the storm still raging in her eyes.

She thought she’d lost control. But to Me, it was the moment she proved exactly what I already knew-
Vani is mine.

Vani adjusted her chair, placing the file neatly on the table as if the very act could hide the spark of jealousy

I leaned back, loosening my tie just a little, eyes fixed on her with that smirk that always managed to annoy her the most.

“So…” his voice drawled, low and teasing, “madam CEO is already jealous this early in the morning?”

Her pen froze mid-note. “Jealous? Of what? Please, Mr. Brar, don’t flatter yourself. The meeting is about to start, and unlike you, some of us take work seriously.”

I chuckled, leaning forward, my elbows on the table. “Work, huh? Then why were your eyes burning holes into me when rhena fixed my tie?”

“I was not-” she shot back instantly, . “meeting is starting. Focus.”

But I wasn’t done. I loved this,
Every moment of it.

her eyes narrowing, her jaw tightening, the way she fought to stay composed when inside she was all fire.

“Relax, Vani. I’ll focus. But you know what?” His grin widened, boyish yet infuriating. “This whole day… I’m going to make sure you can’t.”

Her glare could have set papers on fire,

But mere pass pani hai isliye paper bach geya

Just kidding

She’ll kill me soon. Papar ki bari baad mai ayegi.

I leaned back again, satisfied. I had discovered something better than any victory in business-Vani Rathore’s jealousy.

And I love it so much

And she hated how much I enjoyed it.

Too bad vani. You’ll soon accept.
But this few days gonna be so bad for you.

Tsk tsk. I feel sorry.