Sinful contract (His sweet possession)

ch 7

The morning light streamed through the large windows of Kartikey’s penthouse, illuminating the sleek, modern interior. The silence was heavy, broken only by the occasional clatter of dishes from the kitchen downstairs as breakfast was being prepared. Kartikey, after a sleepless night filled with thoughts of Uma, slowly rose from his bed, rubbing his eyes and trying to shake off the weight of his restlessness. His mind, despite his best efforts, kept drifting back to the same place—the park, her laughter, the way she made him feel out of control.

He frowned, frustrated that he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her. The emotions she stirred in him were unfamiliar, unsettling, and he hated that. He hated feeling like he was at the mercy of his thoughts. He was Kartikey Singh, after all. A man who controlled his life with an iron grip.

After freshening up, he glanced at himself in the mirror. His jaw was set in a hard line, his eyes sharp with determination. He wasn’t going to let this distraction derail him. But even as he tried to convince himself of that, a part of him knew that it wasn’t that simple.

Dressed in a casual but perfectly tailored outfit—soft gray pants and a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up—Kartikey made his way downstairs, his steps measured but slightly slower than usual. The lingering tension from the night clung to him, and he wasn’t in the mood for small talk. As he entered the dining room, the familiar sight of Vivaan and Veeranshu greeted him.

Both were already seated at the long dining table, chatting casually while waiting for him. Vivaan, in his usual laid-back style, was leaning back in his chair, while Veeranshu, ever the more composed one, was sipping his coffee.

“Morning,” Kartikey muttered, taking his seat at the head of the table.

“Morning,” they replied in unison.

The three of them quickly fell into their usual routine, talking about business while the house staff served breakfast—plates of eggs, toast, fresh fruit, and coffee. They discussed upcoming deals, market shifts, and their companies’ growth plans, each contributing their thoughts with the ease of men who had spent years building empires together.

But despite the familiar conversation, something was different. Kartikey felt a strange undercurrent within him, a restlessness he couldn’t shake. He could feel the awkward tension building in his chest, and he wasn’t sure how to approach what had been bothering him since the night before.

“Everything good with Singh Industries?” Vivaan asked casually, raising an eyebrow at Kartikey’s slightly off demeanor.

“Yeah,” Kartikey said quickly, cutting into his toast with unnecessary force. “Everything’s fine.”

But his friends weren’t convinced. They knew him too well. Vivaan exchanged a knowing glance with Veeranshu, the hint of a smirk playing on his lips. Kartikey was rarely one to hide his thoughts effectively around them, especially when something—or someone—was occupying his mind.

As the conversation shifted back to business, Kartikey felt the tension inside him growing stronger. He wanted to go back to the café. He wanted to see her again. The thought annoyed him, made him feel foolish, but he couldn’t deny it any longer.

He took a deep breath, trying to sound casual, though his friends noticed the slight hesitation in his voice. “So… uh… do you guys want to go back to that café today? The one we went to last time?”

The moment the words left his mouth, Vivaan and Veeranshu stopped mid-conversation, both of them turning to look at him with raised eyebrows. Kartikey tried to keep his face neutral, his tone calm, but the awkwardness was evident.