ADHURI KAHANI: A tale of an amnesic bond

38. PLUM?

ISHAAN'S POV

When Tanvi left the company, it opened up a spot in the publication department. I had originally planned to offer it to Inaaya, but then I found out there was another employee who had been waiting for that position for over a year. He's done really well, and honestly, he deserves the spot. So, instead, the marketing team ended up with an empty position.

I was going to have the team hold interviews to fill it, but then I remembered Inaaya's idea about launching the magazine online first, and how successful that turned out to be. She's worked really hard these past six months, and I figured she's earned this opportunity. I made sure my personal feelings weren't clouding my judgment, and even ran the idea by the head of the marketing team, who agreed. So, I decided to offer the position to her.

Her reaction wasn't quite what I expected, but it intrigued me. She seemed completely caught off guard, even choking on her drink in surprise. A wave of panic rushed through me as I watched her face turn red, coughing uncontrollably, and for a moment, I felt helpless.

But then, just a few seconds later, as our hands brushed while we both reached to clean the spilled drink, I caught a glimpse of her wide, innocent eyes. In that moment, all the panic within me disappeared, replaced by an unexpected sense of peace. It was as though her presence alone could soothe my racing heart. Everything around us faded away, and my heartbeat seemed to quicken-but this time, it was only for her.

A smile crept onto my face as her image flashed in my mind, but I quickly wiped it away when I realized I was standing in front of the elevator. The same elevator where I saw her for the second time, when she stumbled back into me. I lifted my hand to check the time-lunch was almost over. My plan was to give her the butterscotch boba I'd picked up for her once she returned to her cabin. I don't usually step out during lunch, but today, I made an exception just to grab her favorite drink.

When I reached my cabin earlier, I realized I'd left my car keys in the car, so I had to run back to get them. Now, as I stood there waiting for the elevator, my eyes drifted around and then landed on a familiar sight-a pink kurta. It didn't take long for me to figure out who it was. I can sense her presence even from a distance, and seeing her now, it was obvious-it was Inaaya. But what caught me off guard was where she was headed. Why was she walking toward that side? That area only led to the godown, where we store nothing but old files.

I thought about calling her, but she was too far away, and if I called out now, I'd draw unnecessary attention-and that's the last thing I wanted. So, instead, I quietly followed her. As I suspected, I saw her from a distance entering the godown. My mind buzzed with questions-what could she possibly be doing there?

When I reached the godown, the door was slightly ajar. I stepped inside and immediately spotted her, her back turned to me as she stood precariously on a stool, rummaging through a stack of old files. My eyes dropped to her feet, and a wave of concern hit me. She was standing so dangerously on that stool-it could topple any second.

"Inaaya!"

And it did. In a split second, her foot slipped on the edge of her own frock kurta, and she stumbled, her hands desperately reaching out to grab the shelf for support. But instead of steadying herself, she yanked a few files loose, sending papers cascading around her. Panic surged through my veins as I watched her teeter dangerously, her balance slipping away. A gasp of pure fear escaped her lips, and in that instant, I knew she was going to fall.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath, bolting toward her, my heart racing. My arms reached out, trying to catch her before she hit the ground, but I was too late. Just as I grabbed her hand, her legs gave way, sending her tumbling off the stool.