Destiny: Time To Fall In Love

Chapter 18 - Beyond Logic

The sun seemed brighter today. Even the morning traffic didn't bother me. As I walked through the glass doors of the office, I found myself humming the melody of the song.

I didn't realize that the entire office had come to a grinding halt. My employees were staring, their jaws practically on the floor. To them, I was the "Ice King," the cold CEO who only spoke in deadlines and quarterly reports. Seeing me walk in with a wide smile was probably more shocking to them than a stock market crash.

I didn't care. I was in my own world, my mind replaying the way Aashi looked at the moon, the innocence she carries within her.

I was turning the corner toward the elevators when I saw a familiar silhouette. The height, the hair—it had to be her. I felt that same spark of excitement in my chest.

I almost collided with her, but I managed to steady myself just in time. "Aashi! Are you alright?" I asked, the words tumbling out with a bright, eager smile.

The girl looked up at me, her eyes wide with total confusion and a hint of fear. "Yes, I'm alright... but I'm not Aashi, sir. I'm Naina! Naina Mehra from accounting."

The world suddenly came back into focus. I blinked, looking at the girl again. She looked nothing like Aashi. What was wrong with me?

"I'm... I'm so sorry, Miss Mehra," I stammered, the heat rushing to my face. I adjusted my tie, feeling incredibly awkward. "My apologies."

"It's okay, sir," she said quickly, scurrying away as if she'd seen a ghost.

I stood there in the middle of the hallway, rubbing the back of my neck and looking down at my shoes. A helpless, private smile tugged at my lips.

"What are you doing to me, Aashi?" I whispered to myself. "Now I'm seeing you in everyone I meet."

Veer's POV

I was in my cabin, the world outside silenced by my noise-canceling headphones, and I found myself humming along, lost in the memory of the moonlight on the car bonnet.

Suddenly, a loud thud vibrated through my desk. I jumped, pulling my headphones off to find Vikram standing there, looking like he'd just survived a catastrophe.

"When did you come?" I asked, trying to regain my composure.

"When you were busy doing noise pollution!" Vikram snapped, rubbing his ears. "Veer, you're a brilliant businessman, but please, for the love of God, never sing again. My poor ears are about to go deaf."

I scoffed, ignoring his dramatic flair. "Shut up, Vikram. Tell me why you're here."

"Signature. Now," he said, sliding a file across.

Once the paperwork was done, I felt a sudden urge for caffeine. "Let's grab a coffee," I suggested. But as we stepped out of the cabin and into the main office area, my good mood vanished instantly.

A group of junior employees was huddled around Aashi's desk. They were laughing, and Aashi was smiling—that beautiful, genuine smile that I thought was meant only for me. A hot surge of irritation—no, jealousy—flared in my chest.

"DO I PAY YOU ALL FOR GOSSIPING HERE?" My voice boomed across the floor, cold and thunderous. "IF YOU LIKE GOSSIPING SO MUCH, JOIN AN ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY! YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORK HERE!"

The entire office froze. The boys flinched, their faces turning pale. "We're sorry, sir! So sorry!" They scattered like ants in a blink of an eye.

Aashi stood there, her head bowed low, looking like a scolded child. As she tried to walk past me, I reached out and caught her arm. Her skin was warm, and she looked up at me with wide, apologetic eyes.