It wasn't planned.
It wasn't dramatic.
And it definitely wasn't easy.
It just… happened.
Late evening.
The office had emptied out again.
But this time—
Neither of them tried to avoid it.
Anika stood near the terrace door.
Not outside.
Not inside.
Somewhere in between.
Like her thoughts.
Footsteps.
She didn't turn.
"You always find me here."
A pause.
"Or maybe you come where I am."
She smiled faintly.
"Maybe."
Arman Khurana stood behind her.
Close enough to feel.
Not touching.
Not yet.
Silence.
Heavy.
But not uncomfortable.
Then Anika spoke—
"We can't keep doing this halfway."
He didn't ask what she meant.
He already knew.
"No more almost," she said softly.
"No more stopping."
Arman stepped closer.
"Then don't stop."
She turned.
Now face to face.
Eyes locked.
No space left for excuses.
"I need to know," she said quietly.
"What?"
"What this is."
A pause.
"What we are."
Arman didn't answer immediately.
Because this—
This wasn't a moment he could control.
Not with logic.
Not with rules.
Anika held his gaze.
"I'm not doing this if it's just… temporary for you."
That hit.
Hard.
"I'm not something you can switch off when you walk into your cabin."
Her voice didn't break.
But it came close.
Silence.
Deep.
Then—
Arman stepped closer.
Slow.
Intentional.
"I don't switch you off," he said quietly.
Her breath slowed.
"I try to," he admitted.
That was new.
Honest.
Raw.
"And?" she whispered.
He looked at her.
No walls this time.
No control.
Just truth.
"I can't."
Her heart skipped.
"I think about you when I shouldn't."
"I look for you without realizing."
"And when you're not around…"
A pause.
His voice dropped.
"…it doesn't feel right."
Silence.
The kind that changes everything.
Anika's eyes softened.
"Then why do you keep holding back?"
Arman exhaled slowly.
"Because this isn't simple."
"I know."
"You work for me."
"I know."
"If this goes wrong—"
"It won't."
"You don't know that."
She stepped closer.
Closing the last bit of distance.
"Then stop thinking like that."
Silence.
Then—
Very softly—
"I like you, Arman."
The words landed.
Clear.
Unfiltered.
No hesitation this time.
"And I'm tired of pretending I don't."
Arman didn't move.
Didn't speak.
For a second—
He just looked at her.
Like he was finally seeing something clearly.
Then—
His hand moved.
Holding her face gently.
"You don't make this easy," he murmured.
A faint smile touched her lips.
"You don't either."
A pause.
One last moment.
Before everything changed.
Then—
"I'm not walking away from this," he said.
Not softly.
Not uncertainly.
But clearly.
Anika's breath caught.
"Then don't."
And that was it.
No confusion.
No half truths.
No almost.
This time—
When he kissed her—
It wasn't hesitant.
It wasn't questioning.
It was certain.
Because now—
They both knew.
This wasn't temporary.
This wasn't accidental.
This was real.
And there was no going back.