MY MOON

CHAPTER 21: ALYA

The lawn was buzzing with energy, laughter, and the clinking of glasses as colleagues and clients mingled in celebration. The party was in full swing, a glamorous affair to mark the successful launch of the new supercar design—my design. I had poured my heart and soul into this project, and tonight was supposed to be a testament to that effort.

I had chosen a striking red bodycon dress for the occasion. It hugged my curves perfectly, its bold hue making me stand out in the crowd. The dress had a sophisticated neckline and delicate, lace-trimmed sleeves, exuding both confidence and elegance. I had paired it with black stilettos and simple, yet dazzling, earrings. I wanted to feel powerful tonight, to bask in the glow of my accomplishment.

As I entered the party lawn, I spotted Dev leaning towards Casy, his eyes twinkling with mischief. He was saying something to her, a playful smirk on his lips. "You are almost the fantasy of every guy—a perfect boss lady," he teased, his voice carrying over the chatter.

"Dev?" I called out, interrupting their moment. He turned to face me, and his eyes widened in appreciation.

"Oh my god, you look so hot," he exclaimed, his gaze sweeping over my dress.

"Thank you," I replied, forcing a smile.

Casy laughed, nudging Dev lightly. "I guess your boyfriend is drunk. He's been flirting with me for the past twenty minutes. Now he's your headache," she said, winking at me before heading off to mingle with others.

I turned to Dev, feeling a wave of irritation wash over me,"Flirting?" I asked.

"Healthy flirting," he corrected.

"Healthy flirting, really?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Come on, Alya. It's just harmless fun," he shrugged, looking a bit too nonchalant for my liking.

"Is there even such a thing as 'healthy flirting'?" I retorted, crossing my arms.

"You never minded before," he reminded, genuinely puzzled.

The truth was, something had changed. Over the past few days, I had been grappling with doubts about my relationship with Dev. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how hard I was trying to make our relationship work. Seeing Dev flirt with others had never bothered me before. Maybe because deep down, I knew I didn't care enough. It was yet another sign that our relationship was built more on comfort than on genuine love or passion.

I sighed, glancing around the room, trying to push the thoughts away. Tonight was supposed to be about celebrating my success, not about my unresolved relationship issues.

"Let's just enjoy the party," I said, attempting to shift my mood.

As I moved further into the room, mingling with colleagues and receiving congratulations, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered at the back of my mind. I was surrounded by people, but my thoughts were miles away, lost in the complexities of my heart.

Just then, a hush fell over the room, and I saw Alex just entering. He was impeccably dressed in a tailored navy suit, his presence commanding and charismatic. As he stepped onto the stage, the room quieted, and all eyes turned to him.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Alex began, his voice clear and confident, "I want to thank you all for being here tonight to celebrate this incredible achievement. The launch of our new supercar design is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team. This wouldn't have been possible with your overtime work. And there's one person in particular we need to thank for this amazing design is—Alya Rastogi."

He looked directly at me, his gaze intense and filled with an emotion I couldn't quite place. "Alya's vision and creativity have been the driving force behind this project. We are incredibly fortunate to have her on our team. So, let's raise our glasses to Alya and to many more successes to our company in the future."