The office was almost empty.
Again.
But tonight felt different.
Quieter.
Softer.
Anika sat at her desk, staring at nothing in particular.
Her eyes were slightly swollen.
Not obvious.
But noticeable.
She had tried to get back to work after… everything.
But her mind refused to cooperate.
A cup of coffee was placed in front of her.
She looked up.
Arman Khurana.
"Drink it," he said.
No arrogance.
No command.
Just… simple.
Anika looked at the cup.
"I didn't ask for it."
"I know."
"Then why—"
"Because you need it."
She didn't argue this time.
Slowly, she picked it up.
Took a sip.
Warm.
Comforting.
Arman pulled a chair and sat across from her.
Not too close.
Not too far.
Just enough.
"You should go home," he said.
"I still have work."
"No, you don't."
She frowned.
"I do."
"I reassigned it."
"What?"
Her eyes widened.
"You can't just—"
"I already did."
Her irritation flickered.
"You're impossible."
"And you're exhausted."
That shut her up.
Silence settled between them.
But this time—
It wasn't tense.
It was… calm.
After a moment, Anika spoke quietly,
"I don't like feeling like this."
Arman didn't ask what she meant.
He already knew.
"You won't feel like this forever."
"You don't know that."
"I do."
She looked at him.
"How?"
"Because you're not someone who stays down."
His tone was steady.
Certain.
And somehow—
That mattered.
Anika looked down at her coffee.
Then said softly,
"You make it sound easy."
"It's not."
"Then why say it like that?"
Arman leaned back slightly.
"Because overthinking won't fix anything."
She sighed.
"I hate when you're right."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Get used to it."
A small silence.
Then—
"Arman."
He looked at her.
Her voice was softer now.
"Why are you being nice to me?"
The question was simple.
But the meaning behind it—
Wasn't.
Arman didn't answer immediately.
For once—
He didn't have a ready response.
Instead, he said quietly,
"Does it bother you?"
"No."
"Then don't question it."
"That's not how it works."
"It does with me."
She studied his face.
Trying to understand him.
But he was still…
Complicated.
After a moment, she stood up.
"I should go."
Arman stood too.
"I'll drop you."
"No, it's fine—"
"I wasn't asking."
She exhaled.
"You really need to stop doing that."
"And you need to stop arguing."
They walked out together.
Side by side.
No rush.
No distance.
Outside—
The night air was cool.
The city quieter than usual.
As they reached the car—
Anika suddenly stopped.
Arman turned.
"What?"
She hesitated.
Then said softly—
"Stay."
He frowned slightly.
"What?"
"Just… stay like this."
She gestured lightly between them.
"No fighting. No attitude. No ego."
A pause.
"Just… normal."
The request was simple.
But for Arman—
It wasn't.
He looked at her.
Long.
Deep.
Then—
"Okay."
One word.
But it meant more than anything he had said before.
And for the first time—
They weren't rivals.
They weren't enemies.
They were just…
Two people.
Standing side by side.
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