The office was busy again.
Deadlines. Meetings. Calls.
Everything looked normal.
But for Arman Khurana—
Nothing felt normal.
His eyes kept drifting.
Again and again.
To one place.
Anika Kapoor.
She was in the discussion area.
With the same client consultant—
Rahul.
They were laughing.
Again.
Talking casually.
Comfortably.
Too comfortably.
Arman's jaw tightened.
He tried to ignore it.
Opened a file.
Closed it.
Picked up his phone.
Put it down.
Looked again.
Still there.
Still smiling.
"Sir, the 12 PM meeting—"
"Cancel it."
Meera paused.
"Sir?"
"Reschedule."
His tone left no room for questions.
Across the floor—
Anika was reviewing something when Rahul said,
"You know, you're actually very easy to talk to."
She smiled lightly.
"That's rare feedback in this office."
"Maybe people are just intimidated."
"Maybe," she shrugged.
"And maybe," Rahul added,
"they don't know you the way I'm starting to."
Anika looked at him—
Not uncomfortable.
Just… neutral.
But from a distance—
It didn't look that way.
That was enough.
"Anika."
His voice cut through everything.
Deep.
Controlled.
Sharp.
She turned.
And instantly knew.
This wasn't normal Arman.
This was something else.
"Inside. Now."
No explanation.
No discussion.
Inside his cabin—
The door shut.
A little harder than usual.
Anika crossed her arms.
"What is your problem?"
Arman didn't answer immediately.
He walked toward his desk.
Then turned.
"Keep your focus on work."
"I was working."
"With him?"
"Yes."
"Looked more like a conversation."
"It was."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"That's not part of your job."
She stared at him.
"Excuse me?"
"You're here to handle the project."
"And I was doing exactly that."
"With a lot of smiling."
That did it.
Anika stepped closer.
"You don't get to tell me how to behave."
"I do when it affects my work environment."
"No," she said firmly.
"You don't."
Silence.
Tense.
Sharp.
Then she said it—
"Why does it bother you so much?"
Arman didn't respond.
But his expression—
Gave him away.
Anika took another step closer.
"Say it."
His jaw tightened.
"I already did."
"No," she said softly.
"You didn't say it properly."
That hit something.
Because this wasn't the first time she had asked him to say it.
Arman moved closer.
Now there was barely any space between them.
His voice dropped.
Low.
Controlled.
But raw.
"I don't like it."
Her breath slowed.
"Why?"
A pause.
Long.
Then—
"Because I don't like someone else looking at you like that."
Silence.
Her heart skipped.
"And how is he looking at me?" she asked quietly.
Arman's gaze didn't move.
"Like I want to."
That changed everything.
The air shifted instantly.
He had crossed a line.
And he knew it.
Anika's voice came softer now—
"And how do you want to look at me?"
Arman didn't answer.
But his eyes—
Said enough.
For a second—
Neither of them moved.
Neither of them spoke.
Then Anika whispered—
"You're not making this easy."
"I'm not trying to."
Another step.
Closer.
Closer.
And then—
She said something that stopped him completely.
"Do you even realize what you're saying?"
Silence.
Arman stepped back.
Just slightly.
Control returning.
Walls going back up.
"This conversation is over."
His tone—
Back to normal.
Cold.
Professional.
Anika stared at him.
Frustrated.
Confused.
"Of course it is."
She turned and walked out.
Leaving behind—
A very controlled man.
Who had almost lost control.
Across the office—
Rahul looked at Anika as she returned.
"You okay?"
"Yeah," she said shortly.
But her mind—
Was still inside that cabin.
Because what Arman said—
Wasn't just jealousy.
It was something deeper.
Something real.
And next time—
He might not stop himself.