The Silent Seduction

17. MAHIRA

I had barely settled into the day when Rohan's presence filled the room again. The last few days had been a whirlwind—between handling the project details with him and trying to navigate the unspoken tension with Arjun, I hardly had time to breathe.

But today, as Rohan walked into my office, I was determined to focus on the task at hand.

“Good morning, Mahira,” Rohan greeted me with that familiar, easy smile. It was hard not to return it, especially when he exuded such a relaxed, confident energy.

His presence was like a breath of fresh air, cutting through the usual heaviness that seemed to cloud my thoughts.

“Morning, Rohan. What brings you by today?” I asked, gesturing for him to sit.

“We’ve made significant progress on the project, but there are a few key aspects I think we should discuss in person,” he replied, taking the seat across from me.

He placed a stack of documents on the desk between us, leaning forward slightly. “I wanted to make sure we’re aligned before the final review.”

I nodded, reaching for the top file. “Good call. I’ve been reviewing these as well, and there are a couple of points I wanted to go over with you.”

As we dove into the discussion, I found myself more at ease. Rohan’s professionalism was something I could appreciate, especially after dealing with the stormy emotions that Arjun always seemed to stir up in me. With Rohan, everything felt straightforward, uncomplicated.

“You know, Mahira,” Rohan said after a while, his tone shifting slightly. “It’s really impressive how you’ve handled this project. Not many people could manage it with the level of detail and precision that you have.”

I looked up from the papers, meeting his gaze. There was something in his eyes—an admiration that felt genuine, and it warmed me in a way I hadn’t expected. “Thank you, Rohan. That means a lot, especially coming from someone with your experience.”

He smiled, leaning back in his chair. “It’s true. Your father spoke highly of you, but seeing it firsthand is something else entirely. I think you have a bright future ahead of you.”

His words were kind, but they also reminded me of the weight of expectations I carried. I forced a smile, trying to push aside the doubts that always lingered at the back of my mind. “I appreciate that. It’s not always easy, but I try to live up to those expectations.”

Our conversation drifted into lighter territory—Rohan shared a few stories from his experiences in the industry, and I found myself genuinely enjoying the exchange.

He was engaging, charismatic in a way that made it easy to forget about the stress of the job, even if just for a moment.

But no matter how much I tried to stay in the moment, a part of my mind kept drifting back to Arjun. I hadn’t seen him since the last meeting, and his absence gnawed at me in a way that I couldn’t quite explain. It was frustrating—this constant push and pull between us.

Just when I thought I had a handle on things, he’d come back into my life, unraveling all the progress I’d made in moving past whatever it was between us.

Just then, a knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked up, half-expecting Arjun to walk in, but it was someone else—a young assistant, his eyes darting nervously as he stood at the threshold.

“Ma’am, Mr. Kapoor is on his way to the office,” he announced, his voice shaking slightly as if he wasn’t used to delivering messages to people in our position.

“Thank you,” I replied, dismissing him with a nod.

Rohan raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “Your father’s coming in today?”