ℂ𝕆ℂ𝕂𝕋𝔸𝕀𝕃𝕊 𝕎𝕀𝕋ℍ ℂ𝕌ℙ𝕀𝔻

𝟲𝟵

𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙼𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝙽𝚘𝚝 𝙱𝚎 𝚂𝚎𝚎𝚗

>>>>–––– 💘 ––––<<<<

Everything was going as usual. The kind of usual that had settled into Ananya’s life like clockwork—calculated, silent, and carefully controlled. She had arrived early at the office that morning, dressed in crisp formals, her mind already racing with the points she had to cover for the major client presentation scheduled. The floor was still mostly empty, the air thick with the scent of freshly brewed coffee and printer ink. She liked it like this—quiet, predictable, safe.

She was in full swing, typing away furiously, adjusting slides and cross-checking figures, when she heard footsteps near her desk.

Ananya

Shruti, her colleague, called out softly.

Ananya didn’t look up immediately, her fingers flying across the keyboard.

Hm?

I just needed—

Shruti stopped mid-sentence.

Ananya finally looked up, frowning.

Yenna?

(What?)

Shruti was staring at her. Not at her face, though. Slightly below.

Ananya instinctively followed her gaze—and froze.

Her thaali—the nuptial chain—had slipped out from beneath her shirt collar and now glinted boldly against her black blouse, unmistakable and damning. Her breath hitched.

For a moment, both women just stared at each other. Then Ananya, without missing a beat, forced a tight smile and blurted,

Shruti, unna anga yaaro kupadhranga paaaru!

(Shruthi, I think someone just called you there!)

Shruti blinked, she turned toward the corridor, distracted, and turned slightly. That was all Ananya needed.

In one swift motion, she shoved the chain back into her blouse, tugged her collar sharply, and adjusted her coat. When Shruti turned back around, Ananya was sitting as though nothing had happened—smiling coolly, cursor blinking on her screen.

Shruti looked slightly confused but shook her head.

Naa oruthi, thukathula yedhedho yosichitu iruken. Anyway, indha nee ketta file.

(Look at me, imagining things. Anyway, here’s the file you asked for.)

Ananya nodded politely.

Thanks, Shruti.

As soon as her colleague walked away, Ananya let out a silent breath of panic and pressed her hand flat against her chest, making sure the chain was hidden deep.

>>>>–––– 💘 ––––<<<<

Avi was at his desk, going over the speaking points for the presentation. His door was locked as usual—though Ananya knew the code, she had never entered without knocking first.

Until today.

He heard the click of the lock and looked up, surprised.

Ananya—?

But she didn’t answer. She brushed past him, handbag clutched tightly, and disappeared into the suite attached to his cabin. Straight into the washroom. Something about her face unsettled him. She was usually composed—detached, even—but today, there was a frantic edge to her. A quiet panic stitched into every movement.