Sidharth ran a hand through his hair, frustration curling at his lips as he muttered under his breath, “Yeh ladki pagal ho chuki hai... pata nahi kiske saath ghoom rahi hai.”
He dropped into the chair opposite Shehnaaz’s desk, the sharp scrape of wood echoing louder than he intended. His eyes found hers instinctively, and when she met his gaze, he smirked and winked. But she quickly looked down, pretending to focus on the papers before her. The corners of his mouth twitched in amusement.
The conference room was bathed in soft yellow light filtering through the blinds, cutting sharp slits across the polished wooden table. The air carried the faint scent of freshly printed documents and warm coffee. Around the long table sat the clients, their expressions unreadable, while the Z-Tech team waited patiently for their turns to present. A low murmur hovered in the room , the rustling of papers, the clink of water glasses, and the occasional cough.
Sidharth sat confidently at the far end of the table, his posture relaxed, one arm resting lazily over the back of the chair beside him. From this angle, he had an uninterrupted view of Shehnaaz.
Shehnaaz stood, adjusting her scarf and gathering her notes. Her steps toward the whiteboard were steady but slightly hesitant, as though she was holding something back. She reached the front and turned, her eyes scanning the room before they inadvertently landed on him.
Sidharth was already looking at her. There was no smirk on his face this time. No teasing, no sarcasm. Just quiet attention. And it shook her more than any smirk ever had.
She quickly looked away, trying to find her rhythm as she began the presentation.
"Good morning everyone. I'm Shehnaaz Gill, the project lead for the... uh..."
She paused, her mind going blank as the words scattered like leaves in the wind. Her fingers tightened around the paper in her hand, her breath catching.
"...this model is on the building..." she said again, her voice barely steady. She coughed lightly, trying to mask the tremble. But it didn’t go unnoticed.
Sidharth narrowed his eyes, leaning forward just slightly. He knew this woman. He had watched her handle dozens of boardrooms like a pro. She had argued with engineers twice her age, convinced skeptical clients, led teams in high-pressure pitches. But right now, she was unraveling, and no one else could see it.
Except him.
Her voice shook again.
"...the projected outcomes can be... uhm..."
She blinked hard. Her hands fidgeted. Her eyes were moving too fast, searching the board, the paper, anything that would help her center herself. But it wasn’t there.
Sidharth could see the familiar signs, the tight line of her lips, the rising panic in her eyes, the slight tremor in her fingers. His jaw tightened.
Then she glanced at him again. Just a flicker. And that was all it took.
He stood up calmly, breaking the rising tension in the room with his smooth, confident voice.
"Rukiye Shehnaaz," he said, offering a polite smile to the clients. "Actually, meri presentation pehle aani thi. Aap tab tak paani pee lijiye."
The client gave him a confused look. "But sir, does it really matter now? She’s already started."
Sidharth’s eyes didn’t move from Shehnaaz. His tone was gentle but firm.
"It does. To me."
Without waiting for further comment, he walked up and stopped beside her. The closeness made her breath catch. She refused to look up, but she could feel the intensity in the air shift. It was like standing too close to a fire.
He leaned in slightly, his voice barely above a whisper, just for her ears.
"Apni izzat utarvaana chahti ho kya? Waise toh tumhari bolti kabhi band nahi hoti. Ab kya ho gaya? Jaake paani piyo... aur dhang se presentation do."
There was no mockery in his voice. Only something sternly protective. A kind of concern that he didn't know how to soften, so he disguised it with annoyance.
She blinked, momentarily stunned, and walked back quietly. Her heels echoed faintly as she made her way to her seat beside Zain. Her heart was still thudding, but it wasn't because of fear. It was something else. Something only he could trigger in her, even now.
Zain leaned closer to her, his voice low.
"Kya ho gaya Sana? Nervous ho gayi thi? Main de doon presentation?"
She shook her head. "Nahi. Main de dungi."
Zain looked unconvinced. "Thik hai... par is baar usse mat dekhna. Mujhe bhi uska ghoorna ajeeb lagta hai... jese kha hi jaayega."
She chuckled softly, her nerves beginning to settle. She glanced at Sidharth, who was now in full control of the room, speaking with clarity and conviction, commanding attention like only he could.
Her voice turned quieter, almost a murmur meant only for Zain.
"Haan, par... kya tum meri ek help karoge?"
He turned to her, eyebrows raised. "Kaisi help?"
She hesitated before saying it.
"Bas kuch time ke liye... mere boyfriend ban jao. Please."
Zain blinked, shocked. "Kya?"
"Usse farq pad raha hai tumhare mere saath hone se. Mujhe... usse door karne mein aasani hogi. Dekho Zain... bas thodi der ke liye. Tumhare hone se main control mein reh paungi."
Her eyes were pleading now. And Zain, despite the alarm bells in his head, understood. Understood that this wasn’t about love or games — it was about her protecting herself.
Zain sighed and looked away, unsure.
"Tu pagal hai kya? Tu bhi jaanti hai na... hum dono ke beech sirf dosti hai. Upar se tu meri boss bhi hai. Main aisa nahi kar sakta. Sorry."
"Please. Mana mat kar. Bas kuch waqt ki baat hai."
Before he could respond, she stood and walked back toward the whiteboard, this time with a calmer pace and more certain hands.
Sidharth had noticed it all. Her glance toward Zain. Her secret little plea. And it burned something deep inside him, but he said nothing.
He simply watched her.
Like he always had.
_________
YOU ARE READING
can you mend the broken✓(Editing)
Fanfiction•°•°•★Cover by: @AmreenShaikh6 Sidharth Shukla married Shehnaaz Gill After one week of marriage, he left the city due to some important work at his office. When he came back after 6 months, he found his wife living like a corpse. From the doctor, h...
