Always & Forever (Billionaire Love- Virat Kohli)

|07| The Publishing House.

The publishing house was nothing like Anushka had imagined.

Though it had desks and chairs like any other office, the atmosphere was noticeably different. All the employees appeared to be young, around Virat's age, and their lively chatter and enthusiastic energy contrasted sharply with the more subdued offices Anushka had seen before.

When Anushka and Virat entered the office, an unexpected wave of attention washed over them. Every employee stood up in unison and greeted Virat warmly. The women, in particular, cast furtive glances at Anushka, their eyes reflecting a mix of curiosity and envy.

Anushka couldn’t blame them. Every girl who knew Virat harbored some kind of desire to be close to him, whether as a friend or something more.

Despite recognizing the jealousy in their gazes, Anushka chose to ignore it. After all, why should she be concerned? She wasn’t his girlfriend, nor was she sure they were even genuine friends.

As Virat greeted his employees, Anushka took the opportunity to survey the office.

The walls were painted in calming shades of blue and white. A series of names adorned the walls, and as Anushka approached them for a closer look, she realized she recognized several of them. They were the names of new authors, including a few who were her personal favorites.

"That’s a tradition at our publishing house," Virat’s voice came from behind her, breaking her concentration. "We write the names of the authors we publish as a sign of respect for their work."

Anushka turned to face him, a smile spreading across her face. She appreciated the gesture and admired the thoughtfulness behind it.

"Mr. Editor, that’s one commendable tradition," she said, genuinely impressed.

Virat grinned, his playful side shining through. "Ah! What can I say? Being good comes naturally to me."

Anushka couldn’t help but laugh. His playful banter was something she had come to expect, and it brought a sense of ease to the moment.

"Come on, I’ll show you to my cabin," Virat said, motioning for her to follow.

He had arranged everything beforehand. The day before, after dropping off Anushka and Giya at their apartment, Virat had returned to the publishing house. He had explained the situation to his employees, including the real editor, and they had all agreed to assist him. They believed that their boss was in love, given the extent to which he was going to help some random girl.

Unaware of the speculations about him, Virat led Anushka through the maze of cubicles to his cabin, which was situated in a quiet corner of the office, away from the main workspace where the other employees worked.

Upon reaching the cabin—newly designated for Virat’s use—he opened the door for Anushka. The cabin was spacious, even larger than the main bay where the other employees worked. It was furnished with a large desk, complete with Virat’s nameplate, and another desk on the right side, adjacent to it.

Anushka wondered if she would need to share the cabin with Virat.

"This will be your desk. We’ll be sharing the cabin," Virat said, as though reading her thoughts.

Anushka remained silent, processing the information.

"Do you have any issues with that?" Virat asked, his tone laced with concern.

He was worried she might already be having second thoughts about the job.

"No, why would I?" Anushka responded, reassuring him. "I’m perfectly fine with it."