SCENT OF FLAME

"Oh, you're using sir now? How polite of you. Did a fairy bite you overnight?"

She didn't even blink.

"No, but apparently I needed to remind myself how to behave in the presence of egotistical bosses."

I smirked again. Fire. Always fire with this girl.

"You call that a reminder? You stormed into my cabin like it's a wrestling ring."

Her eyes blazed like I'd challenged her to a duel.

"Because that's what this job feels like lately. Wrestling with my sanity."

"Then maybe you should quit before you embarrass yourself."

"Oh no, sir. Quitting is for the weak. I stay. I slay. And I collect pay."

That caught me off guard. I let out a short laugh genuine, rare.

"Is that a quote from your diary or from others' dairy?"

She rolled her eyes but didn't budge.

"You think this is funny? Humiliating me every second day? Whispering threats in an elevator like we're in some psychological thriller?"

I stepped closer, voice dropping.

"You think I care about you or what you think?"

Silence.

"You wore the other perfume today."

"Oh, you noticed."

"You have nothing to notice."

The air shifted-tense, dense. Even my breath slowed.

"Sorry, I didn't know your nose was on the board of directors."

I stepped even closer, locking eyes with her.

"Careful, Mannat. You're in my territory now."

But she didn't even flinch. Just whispered with deadly precision

"And you're in mine, every time you talk like that."