Whispers of the Heart

Chapter 10

The next day Kiara and the team spent getting her well deserved rest and Kian had almost recovered, he reviewed the detailed reports and the measures Kiara and the team had implemented. He was immensely proud of them, especially Kiara, whose leadership and technical prowess had been essential  in safeguarding their company's data. He was grateful to them and asked his PA to send each of them a personalized gift and a Thank you note on the company's behalf by evening. But, he faced a huge problem.

Kian's POV

After instructing my PA, I asked him to get my Vietnamese cold coffee and dessert from the café Kiara used to get it. I had become so addicted to them that my day wouldn't start without them—and without her.

God, what am I thinking? Kian, have you lost it? What is wrong with you, huhhh?? why would my day not start without her??

The day seemed especially longer; nothing I did could get her out of my mind. Our fights... She was the only one I ever lost my temper with. She made me feel and do things I would never usually do with anyone else. In these three months, there were times when she had been extremely professional and had ignored me. I didn't seem to like it, and only today am I realising the importance of her mere presence in her absence. 

She was really good at her work, my family loved her, I was aware of it all along, but I didn't know what I was feeling today, at the moment, she was not here beside me. The care and concern in her eyes for me... But she hadn't seen the side of me that the world and everyone else feared. Something in me told me she would embrace me for who I am and be by my side even when the whole world is against me and my family. 

What am I thinking, Kian? Why should she embrace you? I told myself. That's when I heard a knock, and my PA entered with my coffee and dessert. He placed it on my table and left. I took a sip of it, expecting the same taste, but it tasted nothing like what Kiara brought for me every day. I tasted the dessert, and it was so bad—it had no connection to the ones Kiara brought.

I was frustrated. How could this happen? My coffee and the dessert were a disaster. I called up my PA to come in.

The minute he stepped in, I tried to take a deep breath and control my temper. "Why does my coffee taste like a disaster?"

My PA was nervous, and I could sense it. He said with great difficulty, "Sir, I didn't know the place Kiara ma'am got your coffee, so I just got it from the closest place. I'm so sorry, sir. I'll go get one right away." 

I was about to say something when Aditya entered without knocking, as usual, with a small bag in his hands. He asked my PA to leave, and I gave him a glare. He shamelessly came and sat in front of me with a grin. "Bhai, you'll not get the coffee and dessert Kiara di brings for you."

"Why?" I asked, frustrated. 

Sensing my anger rising, he said almost immediately, "Because she makes the coffee herself and also bakes the desserts all by herself. She brings them for you because she's worried about your health getting spoiled from eating outside. And before you ask how I know it, it's because once I saw her plating it for you and asked her. From that day onwards, she brings desserts for me too. I'm here to give you this and make sure you have a look at it before you continue your work. She's so nice, yet you... Anyway, I have a meeting scheduled now. Bye."

I was shocked and touched at the same time. She had been doing so much for me for the past three months without saying a word. It felt so nice, yet so conflicted. Her actions touched a part of my heart that I had locked away since my parents' death. For others, it may seem very little, but for me, her gesture meant a lot because no one other than my family had ever gone out of their way to do things for me. And even if they did, it was always for their own selfish reasons.