Beautiful disaster (completed)

Chapter 25 - Déjà vu

Kabir's POV

As I walked into the break room, I couldn't help but notice Kiara standing by the tea station, her brow furrowed in concentration as she waited for the electric kettle to boil. She looked up as I approached and before I could even say a word, she collided with me, spilling hot tea all over my shirt.

Thankfully she jumped back just in time, avoiding a splash of the scalding liquid herself. Déjà vu from her first day here flashed through my mind. Why does this keep happening whenever she's around?

I could see the panic in her eyes as she apologized profusely, grabbing a napkin and trying to soak up the tea spreading across my formerly crisp white shirt. I couldn't help but smile to myself at her flustered state, finding it strangely endearing.

"We have got to stop meeting like this," I joked, releasing my grip on her arm. "Are you okay?"

"Oh god Kabir, I'm so sorry!" she sputtered, dabbing at my shirt in vain as the stain continued to spread. "I wasn't looking where I was going and didn't see you come in and now your shirt is ruined and..."

"Kiara, it's okay, really," I said gently, taking the napkin from her trembling hands before she rubbed a hole right through the fabric. Our fingers brushed lightly and I had to fight to keep my composure at the jolt of electricity from even that casual touch.

We stood there in awkward silence for a long moment, neither knowing quite what to say. I knew I had to address the tension lingering between us after our confrontation the day before. I took a deep breath before finally speaking again.

"Listen Kiara, about what happened yesterday in the conference room..."

I opened my mouth to continue but before I could get another word out, Rahul came bounding into the break room, reminding me we had an important client meeting starting in five minutes.

"Come on Kabir, we're going to be late!" he called out impatiently.

I cursed under my breath. Trust Rahul and his impeccable timing to interrupt just as I was trying to clear the air with Kiara. With an apologetic glance back at her, I hurried from the break room, my mind churning. I knew I owed her an explanation for the way I acted yesterday. Questioning her judgment had been petty and uncalled for. But underneath it all lurked my frustration over her growing closeness with Dev. I shouldn't have brought him up like that. It was completely unprofessional and frankly, none of my business who she chose to spend her time with.

As we walked briskly towards the conference room, Rahul gave me a knowing look.

Inside the stark privacy of the washroom, I peel off the stained shirt, reaching for a fresh one. Rahul's reflection grins at me from the mirror, mischief dancing in his eyes. "Trouble in paradise?" he teases.

"Not now, Rahul," I snap, wrangling my annoyance. Laughter rumbles from his chest. "Seems I interrupted something," he notes with exaggerated innocence, leaning against the doorframe with a grin still plastered on his face.

"If I didn't know better," he said, with an annoyingly smug expression. " I'd say you have a little thing for a certain team member."

I scowled, quickening my pace. "Oh shut up Rahul"

He just laughed. "Touchy today aren't we? It's okay buddy, no judgment here. But getting involved with someone on your team can get messy, you know."

I rolled my eyes in exasperation. "For the last time, there is nothing going on between Kiara-"

"I never said it was Kiara," Rahul said, raising his hands in mock surrender, though the gleeful sparkle in his eyes gave him away. "But good to have that confirmation."

I bit back a curse, realizing he'd tricked me. But before I could respond, we'd arrived at the conference room. I had no choice but to turn my focus to prepping for this meeting, though my thoughts kept straying back to the unfinished conversation with Kiara. I resolved to pick things up with her later where we'd left off. We needed to clear the air between us, especially now that I suspected her of having feelings for Dev. Surely she couldn't be falling for him? A knot formed in my stomach at the thought. No, I wouldn't let her slip away without at least trying to make things right first.

The meeting dragged on for hours, my attention split between the clients' demands and questions and my swirling thoughts about Kiara. By the time we finally wrapped things up, most of the office had cleared out for the day.

I couldn't understand why Kiara's closeness with Dev upset me so much or why I constantly found fault in small things at work those days. Even Rahul complained I had gone from being strict to outright ridiculous.

Sinking into my chair one late evening, I sighed deeply. Enough was enough. I couldn't continue this way or risk ruining all my efforts with Kiara. Tomorrow I would talk to her, make her understand how much she meant to me.

How much I...cared for her? Loved her even?

I swallowed hard. Did I? Is that why Dev's arrival had me so unsettled? Because I was...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey, how's it going?😁😁

Check out this new update! !!!

This week, I'm gonna give you all an update on two chapters. Do you feel excited?

please do me a favor and vote and drop some comments 😇😇