𝐆𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬

Chapter 24

You know that moment when you're just dying to punch someone? Yeah, I'm having that moment. Right now. Except instead of just one person, it's an entire clan of Oberois. I mean, why stop at one when you can be pissed off at the whole group, right?

Let's start with Vikram. Lovely, brooding Vikram. He found Aisha yesterday. FOUND HER. And, naturally, he didn't tell me a single damn thing until Neha informed me because why bother informing the guy who actually loves her?

But wait, hold your applause, it gets better. Aisha—our darling queen of secrets—has apparently decided today is the day to introduce us to someone "important."

So here I am, sitting in Arjun Bhaiya's office, while everyone else is doing a fantastic job of pretending I don't exist. Oh sure, ignore Rivaan, it's not like he's fuming or anything. Why ruin a perfectly good silent treatment, right?

Gaurav breaks the awkward tension with his usual calm. "Where's Ayush?" he asks.

Aditya chimes in, "He probably got up late. Must be on his way."

I don't care about Ayush or anyone else right now. All I care about is Aisha.

Where has she been? Why the hell didn't she tell me what was going on? And why do I always find myself last in line when it comes to her?

Also, they told us—Aisha cleared up the horrible misconception that had been clouding my every thought. She wasn't... raped.

Relief crashes into me like a tidal wave, but it's quickly followed by heartbreak. It's almost worse knowing that still knowing she was molested, because that means whatever happened to her was a different kind of hell. One she faced alone.

The door finally creaks open. My heart stops.

There she is—Aisha. With that smile. The same angelic, heart-flipping smile that has no business messing with my head right now. But it does. It always does.

The tension in the room dissolves the second she walks in. Everyone jumps up, their expressions softening, faces breaking into smiles as if seeing her is the antidote to the poison we've all been drinking. She's been missing for days, and the sight of her is a relief for all of them. A balm for their worry.

But for me?

I'm ready to explode. All I can think about is walking over there, grabbing her by the waist, and kissing her senseless until she forgets whatever the hell she's been doing for the last few days. Until she remembers me.

But I don't. Because I'm Rivaan Malhotra. I'm supposed to be cool, controlled. Collected.

So I sit back, fists clenched so tightly I'm pretty sure I'm cutting off circulation to my fingers. My jaw aches from how hard I'm grinding my teeth.

And then—because the universe apparently has a sick sense of humor—someone else walks in.

He's tall, with a mask over his face like he's stepped out of some cheap action movie. My eyes zero in on him instantly. He's got his arm draped casually over Aisha's shoulders like he owns her.