Hearts In Conflict

Chapter 4: Tashan at the Café

Kiara pushed open the door to her favorite café, sighing as the familiar warmth enveloped her. The soft hum of conversation, the clinking of mugs, and the comforting smell of freshly brewed coffee always seemed to calm her nerves. Today, she needed that comfort more than ever.

"Ek cappuccino, please," she said to the barista, flashing a polite but tired smile.

She was drowning in deadlines and expectations. As the CEO of her startup, her days were packed with back-to-back meetings, conference calls, and sleepless nights over financial forecasts. Her life was like a treadmill she couldn’t get off.

While waiting for her coffee, she leaned against the counter, glancing absentmindedly at her phone. Tara had messaged her again.

"Kiara, you're overworking yourself. We need a break, yaar!"

Kiara’s lips curved into a small smile. Tara was always her grounding force, reminding her that life wasn't just about business. "I know. Maybe brunch this weekend?" she texted back.

Just as she was about to tuck her phone away, the café door swung open, and a gust of wind blew in. The little jingle of the bell at the entrance made her glance up. And there he was.

Aayansh Mehta.

She stiffened on instinct, her heart doing that annoying little flip it always did when she saw him. Damn it. Why was it always him?

Before she could slip out unnoticed, he spotted her. A smirk immediately curled on his lips as he walked over. Great. Just what she needed.

"You again," she muttered under her breath, trying to ignore the sudden tightening in her chest.

Aayansh moved beside her, his presence magnetic and annoyingly confident. "Kya baat hai, Kiara," he teased, his deep voice sending a shiver down her spine. "We keep running into each other. Fate much?"

Kiara let out a low huff, rolling her eyes as she grabbed her cappuccino. "More like bad luck."

He chuckled, leaning against the counter casually. "Or maybe you’re just following me around. I get it—main hoon hi itna charming."

"Please," she shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I have better things to do than waste time on you."

"Achha?" Aayansh raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by her irritation. "Like drowning in emails?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, ready to snap, but then he said something unexpected.

"Though I have to admit," he added, his tone softening slightly, "you look like you could use a break. Sab theek hai?"

For a moment, his words caught her off guard. Beneath all that smug arrogance, was there actual concern? No. She wasn’t going to fall for that. She straightened up, her defenses quickly back in place.

"I'm fine," she said flatly, her walls up again. "And for the record, I don't need your concern."

"Suit yourself," Aayansh replied, unfazed. He reached out to pick up his own coffee, but just as he did, their fingers brushed against each other. It was a brief, almost electric touch, and Kiara jerked her hand back as if she'd been burned.

Great. Now even his touch was annoying her.

She could feel her cheeks flush with frustration, not wanting to give him any satisfaction that he’d gotten under her skin.

"Careful," he said, his smirk returning. "Hot coffee can burn."

Kiara glared at him, tempted to throw the entire cappuccino at his perfectly groomed face. "You know what really burns? Dealing with people like you."