The Silent Seduction

29. ARJUN

The boardroom was ready—at least, that’s what I kept telling myself as I moved through the space, checking each detail for what must have been the tenth time.

The polished mahogany table gleamed under the overhead lights, the presentation slides were lined up perfectly on the projector, and the documents were stacked neatly at each place setting.

Everything was exactly where it needed to be. Yet, despite the apparent order, a storm brewed in my mind, unsettling and distracting.

Mahira.

Her name echoed in my thoughts, pulling me away from the task at hand. In the past three weeks, we had grown closer than I had ever anticipated.

We had shared moments—moments that were private, intimate, and more profound than I thought possible in such a short span of time. I had seen sides of her that I was sure no one else had seen, and with each new layer she revealed, I found myself more captivated.

But now, as the board members' arrival loomed closer, all I could think about was her. Was she as nervous as I was? Was she pacing her office, chewing on her lip the way she did when she was deep in thought? The idea of her being alone with her worries, of carrying all that weight by herself, was something I couldn’t bear.

I forced myself to focus, moving to the projector to test it one last time. It flickered on without a hitch, but I barely noticed. My mind was already elsewhere, already moving towards her.

The minute I was satisfied that everything was in place, I made my way to her cabin. The door was slightly ajar, just as I expected, and through the gap, I could see her. She was pacing, her movements quick and restless, a clear sign of her anxiety.

Her hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, a few strands escaping to frame her face. She was dressed impeccably, as always, but I could see the tension in her posture, the way her shoulders were stiff, her hands clenching and unclenching at her sides.

I watched her for a moment, taking in the sight of her. There was something about the way she moved, something about the way she carried herself, that tugged at something deep within me.

I had seen her in countless settings—in meetings, at events, in the quiet moments we shared—but there was something different about seeing her like this. Vulnerable. Uncertain. And yet, still so incredibly strong.

Finally, I stepped forward, knocking lightly on the doorframe. "Mahira," I called out softly, my voice breaking the silence.

She stopped abruptly, her eyes snapping to mine. For a brief moment, she looked almost startled, as if she hadn’t realized I was there. Then, she let out a small breath, her shoulders relaxing slightly at the sight of me.

"Arjun," she said, her voice soft, almost relieved. "I didn’t hear you come in."

"I didn’t want to disturb you," I replied, stepping into the room and closing the door behind me. "But I couldn’t let you go through this alone."

She smiled, but it was a tight, forced smile, and I could see the anxiety still etched across her face. "I’m just... worried," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "This meeting is so important, and I can’t shake the feeling that something might go wrong."

I moved closer, reaching out to gently touch her arm. "You’ve done an incredible job, Mahira," I reassured her, my voice firm but gentle. "Everything is perfect. The presentation, the preparations, all of it. You’ve covered every base. There’s nothing to worry about."

She sighed, her eyes closing for a moment as if trying to absorb my words. "I just want it to go smoothly," she murmured. "I want to prove that I can handle this, that I can make this company stronger."

"And you will," I said, moving even closer. "You already have. Everyone here knows what you’re capable of. You’ve shown them time and time again."

Her eyes opened, and she looked up at me, searching my face for reassurance. I held her gaze, letting her see the sincerity in my words. Slowly, the tension began to melt away, replaced by something softer, something warmer.

"Thank you, Arjun," she whispered, her voice laced with gratitude.

"You don’t have to thank me," I replied, my voice just as soft. "We’re in this together, remember? You don’t have to do this alone."

She nodded, her eyes shimmering with unspoken emotions. For a moment, we just stood there, the air between us thick with the tension that had been building for weeks. There was so much I wanted to say, so much I wanted to do. But I knew this wasn’t the time—not yet.

Reluctantly, I stepped back, giving her space to breathe. "Come on," I said gently. "Let’s get through this meeting, and then we can talk more."

She nodded again, taking a deep breath as if steeling herself for what was to come. She started to walk towards the door, but I couldn’t let her leave just yet. There was one last thing I needed to do.

"Mahira, wait," I called out, stopping her in her tracks.

She turned back to me, her eyes filled with curiosity and something else—something I couldn’t quite place. Without saying a word, I reached up and gently pulled the rubber band from her hair, letting it fall loose around her shoulders. Then, with a small, almost playful smile, I wore her rubber band on my wrist.

Her eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, she just stared at me, her cheeks flushing a deep pink. There was something so innocent about her reaction, something that made my heart swell with affection.

"You look perfect," I said with a grin, hoping to ease the tension in the air.

She bit her lip, trying to hide her smile, but I could see the corners of her mouth twitching upwards. "You’re ridiculous," she whispered, but there was no heat in her words—only warmth.

"Maybe," I replied, my grin widening. "But I made you smile, didn’t I?"

She shook her head, but she couldn’t stop the smile that finally broke free. "You did," she admitted, her voice soft.

"Then my work here is done," I said, stepping back and giving her space to leave.

She started to walk towards the door again, and my breath caught in my throat at the sight of her—at the sight of her letting her guard down, even if just a little.

She was stunning, as always, but there was something about seeing her like this, something so real and so raw, that made my chest tighten with emotions I wasn’t quite ready to face.

"You’re beautiful," I said, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

She turned around and blushed again, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of pink. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

For a moment, neither of us moved, neither of us spoke. The air between us was thick with unspoken words, with emotions we were both too afraid to name.

But then, slowly, she turned and left the cabin, leaving me standing there with a stupid grin on my face and my heart pounding in my chest.

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