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Author's pov

The scene of meeting!

Vardhaan, I need someone loyal from your office to ensure smoother coordination," Omkar requested, his gaze direct and unwavering.

"I'll assign someone," vardhaan replied, already mentally sifting through the trusted individuals within my organization.

"I want him," Omkar insisted, his eyes flicking towards Veer, a subtle smirk playing on his lips.

"It'll be safer this way." Technically, he was right. An outsider, no matter how competent, carried an inherent risk.

"Okay, Veer will be working for you as a joining unit, a collaborator between our operations," vardhaan announced, his eyes meeting Veer's. But the way Omkar was smirking, a predatory glint in his eyes as he looked at the younger man, is something new.

"Veer, tell me immediately if he ever troubles you," vardhaan said, his voice firm, protective because Veer quiet and introverted nature making him vulnerable.

"Okay, bhai," veer replied softly, his gaze downcast. 

Veer's POV

The meeting had just concluded, and we spilled out of the conference room.

"Mr. Yaduvanshi, I'll be taking my employee with me," that arrogant man declared, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"He is a coordinator, not your employee, Om!" Relief washed over me as , my brother, stood firm for me.

"But I have some pressing work for him," the man persisted, his gaze unwavering, locking onto me with an intensity that made me want to shrink away.

Vardhaan bhai turned to me, his eyes filled with a brother's concern.

"Veer, are you alright to go with him?"

Having no other way out, I could only offer a small nod. Vishal gave my shoulder a reassuring tap, a moment of comfort before he walked away with Rudra, Prithvi, and Vardhaan bhai, leaving me in the unsettling presence of Omkar bhai. A wave of loneliness washed over me as their figures left.

"Shall we go?" Omkar bhai said, his eyes fixed on me.

I trailed after him to his car, I slid into the passenger seat, bracing myself for the journey to his office.

"Veer, how are your studies progressing?" he inquired, breaking the heavy silence as he started the car. His voice, though seemingly casual, held an authority that made me uneasy.

"They're going well," I replied.

His aura was undeniably imposing, creating an uncomfortable distance between us. The silence that followed unspoken tension, each passing moment amplifying my anxiety.

"Why didn't you ask Vishal for this? He would have been more interested," I finally asked, the question was a desperate need to understand his unusual focus on me.

He turned to me, a wide, unsettlingly warm smile spreading across his face.

"But I'm not interested in him, beta!"

The endearment struck an odd. I wasn't family, nor a close friend, so why the sudden familiarity? A shiver of uneasiness traced its way down my spine. I pushed the thought aside.

Vardhaan bhai ne kaha fasa diya mujhe!

(Vardhaan bhai, what have you gotten me into!)

The car halt in front of a building. We stepped out, and as Omkar bhai moved , the staff's greetings washed over me. I couldn't help but trail behind him, his presence the only familiarity in this alien environment. My feet felt heavy, each step echoing the reluctance in my heart.

He led me into his office, a space that exuded power and authority. He settled into his chair behind a large desk, leaving me standing awkwardly before it, feeling like an unwelcome intruder. The polished nameplate on the desk screamed his title: CEO - OMKAR RANAWAT.

"You are in your final year of computer engineering, correct?" he asked.

"Yes," I managed to reply, the single syllable barely a whisper, betraying the turmoil churning within me.

"You have to give me all details of each and every agreement between Yaduvanshi and Ranawat companies," he commanded, his authority pressing down on me.

"My desk? And old files?" I asked. The volume of work implied felt overwhelming.

"I have already arranged it. And about the files, the staff will assist you to the storeroom where all material and data have been kept for the past twenty years," he replied, his tone offering no room for argument.

"Okay, sir," I mumbled.

"Hey! Don't call me sir, call me Omkar or Om," he said, a flicker of something unreadable in his intense gaze.

"You are much older than me," I blurted out, the thought of using his first name feeling incredibly awkward, "Vardhaan bhai will kill me if he gets to know about this. How about 'bhai'?" I offered, hoping for an alternative.

"'Sir' is better," he stated flatly, destroying my small attempt to minimise the gap.

"Ronak!" he called out, his voice sharp.

"Yes, sir!" A young man appeared instantly.

"Show Veer sir his desk and the storeroom," he commanded, the emphasis on "sir" a deliberate action that made my jaw clench.

Ronak and I left his imposing office. My desk was situated directly in front of his door, an open invitation for constant intrusion. A nameplate already sat there: VEER YADUVANSHI.

When did he even have the time to arrange this? The thought was unsettling.

"Sir, this way," Ronak said, leading me to the storeroom. He gestured vaguely at the towering piles of dusty files before quickly retreating, leaving me alone amidst what felt like a historical archive of their companies' dealings.

I'll be buried alive analyzing all of this, I thought, a wave of resentment washing over me. He's deliberately doing this, burying me under paperwork. I'd always considered Vardhaan bhai strict, but this man was a whole new level of demanding... and strangely annoying and arrogant.

The air in the room was thick with dust, making me cough. I instinctively folded up my sleeves, preparing for the task ahead, my only motivation to escape this suffocating room as quickly as possible.

Just as I was about to pick up the first file, my phone buzzed. It was Naina, my ever-dramatic friend from college.

"Yes!" I answered, trying to keep the irritation out of my voice.

"Bhai, yrrr, can you please send me your last assignment?" she pleaded, her voice laced with her usual theatrical desperation.

"Ask your boyfriend," I teased, a small smile tugging at my lips. She had a massive crush on someone who was oblivious to her existence.

"Veer! You are my boyfriend!" she exclaimed dramatically.

"Bro, leave me, I want a peaceful life," I retorted, already bracing myself for her inevitable outburst.

"Jab kisi ladki ka number chahiye, tab aana tum mere paas, phir batati hu," she threatened, her tone laced with mock anger.

(When you need a girl's number, then come to me, then I'll tell you.)

"You didn't even give me anyone's," I pointed out dryly.

"Bro, you literally wanted the number of that senior didi! Tell me the truth, do you have any mommy issues?" she asked, erupting into laughter.

"And you have a loneliness issue," I shot back, a familiar banter we often engaged in.

"You know, mere periods chal rahe hain, don't make me angry and send the assignment in five minutes!" she declared, leaving no room for argument.

(You know, I'm having my periods, don't make me angry...)

"Okay, okay, stop shouting, baba," I relented, cutting the call to quickly send her the required assignment.

As I turned back to the piles of files, a voice startled me.

"I thought the Yaduvanshi brothers were too dedicated to their work, but here the story is different." Mr. Ranawat stood in the doorway, his presence suddenly filling the dusty space. The file in my hand slipped, hitting the floor with a thud. My heart pounded against my ribs.

"Don't you dare say anything about my brothers," I countered, my voice rising defensively.

"Then what the hell are you doing? This is my office, not your brother's playground," he retorted, his voice sharp and laced with impatience.

"I expect you to talk nicely, sir, because I also know how to raise my voice," I stated, my own anger flaring, meeting his gaze with a defiance.

He took a step closer, his presence suddenly overwhelming.

"Baby, do your work diligently. Is this nice enough for you to not slack off?" he said sarcastically, his eyes glinting with an emotion I couldn't quite describe.

"I'm not BABY," I shot back, the endearment sending a strange, unsettling shiver down my spine.

"You are, you just don't know that yet," he said.

He was weird, undeniably, intensely weird. And somehow, amidst the annoyance there is strange possessiveness in his tone.

"Let me do my work!" I said, irritation lacing my voice at his unwavering gaze, which was moving from top to bottom. What the hell was he staring at?

"I'm not stopping you," he replied.

"Don't you have work to do, or are you so idle that you wander the whole office?" I asked.

"I'm just wandering around you," he replied, his tone reflecting something profound that I couldn't quite decipher.

Ignoring his presence, I immersed myself in the files and documents, creating a separate section specifically for the deals between our two companies. Stretching my hand, I tried to pull a document from a high shelf. Unfortunately, the file tumbled down and hit my head, causing a sharp sting. I instinctively caressed the spot.

I heard a chuckle and looked at the intruder, who was still there.

"What are you laughing at? Accidents happen; it's not something new," I said, but his smirk and raised eyebrows were enough to fuel my anger. I wanted to punch his face.

"You are cute!" he said and approached me, but I backed away before he could touch my head. "What?" I questioned his actions.

"Let me see if there's any swelling," he said.

"No, I'm fine, and I'm not some fragile girl who'd get hurt by a mere file," I stated firmly.

"Don't be stubborn, Veer!" he said and held my head. His proximity made me deeply uncomfortable. Who the hell cares for a man like this? I think there's something wrong with him, indescribably wrong.

A knock interrupted his examination, Relief washed over me as he reluctantly backed away, his attention diverted as his secretary's voice filtered through the door, calling him for some urgent reports. He finally turned and left, and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

It had already been four hours since I arrived, meticulously classifying these documents. After grabbing almost ten more files, I returned to my desk. If I could finish these, it would be a good day's work.

Before I could even think about tackling the fifth file, his annoyingly persistent presence  before my desk, making me look up.

"What do you want, sir?" I asked, the formality dripping with a hint of reluctant respect.

"Let's go. I'll drop you; it's quite late," he stated, his tone leaving no argument.

"It's okay, I have to finish this work," I insisted, the words trembled out because the thought of leaving these documents incomplete irritated  me. I wanted to be done, either to finally move into Bhai's office or, better yet, to start carving my own path.

"I never asked you to do it all in one day, and Vardhaan entrusted your responsibility to me," he said, a thread of impatience lacing his voice. But the urgency within me remained rooted.

When he didn't budge, a sigh escaped my lips, and I reluctantly agreed to go with him, my own car being inconveniently parked elsewhere. We settled into the  leather seats of his car, but as we drove, I noticed we weren't heading towards my familiar route.

"This isn't the way to my house," I reminded him, a flicker of confusion turning into unease. Maybe he'd simply forgotten.

"You're staying with me until you complete your work. I already spoke with Vardhaan," he announced, his gaze fixed on the road.

"No, I won't," I stated firmly, the thought of interfering in his life and mine also unsettling me.

"Why are you so stubborn, Veer? It's for your own benefit; your house is quite a distance from the company," he reasoned, and I couldn't deny the logic in his words. Yet, the idea of occupying on his personal space felt wrong.

"My belongings..." I began, hoping to find some middle ground.

"You can ask your brother about it; he'll send them over tomorrow," he replied, as if ready for my every objection. A sigh escaped me. He had clearly thought this through.

Anyway, I reasoned with myself, we're both men. Sharing an apartment for a few days shouldn't be a problem. I'll just consider him an older, temporary flatmate.

He pulled his car up to a  modern building, and soon we were ascending to the top floor – his penthouse. He unlocked the door, and I stepped inside,  A vast glass wall dominated the living area, offering a breathtaking sight of the  city lights. I found myself drawn to it, gazing out at the glittering urban landscape.

The kitchen was impeccably clean, the hall meticulously maintained, and I noted two closed doors leading to other rooms.

"What do you want to eat?" he asked, his voice suddenly close behind me, making me jump.

"Can't you make some noise before sneaking up on me? You scared me half to death!" I exclaimed, my hand instinctively reached to my vigorously thumping heart. He chuckled softly and ruffled my hair.

"Hey! Don't treat me like a kid. I'm a grown man," I protested, taking a step back, a  annoyance bubbling within me.

"Okay, okay. Now tell me what you want to eat," he repeated, a hint of amusement in his tone.

"As if you're cooking," I retorted.

"Yes," he replied simply.

"Oh, you know how to cook?" I asked, genuine curiosity popped. Vishal and I were indifferent to kitchen,  pampered by Bhai and our parents after Kunnu...so cooking was a foreign concept.

"Yes, I do," he confirmed.

"Then make whatever is quick; it's already late," I replied.

"Alright. You should take a bath in the meantime. Let me show you our room," he said, leading the way. Wait, our room? Surely a slip of the tongue. He guided me to a spacious room that was clearly his.

"Where's the guest room?" I inquired.

"There isn't one. One room is my study, and the second is the bedroom," he informed me matter-of-fact.

"Wear my clothes for now," he stated, before turning and leaving me alone in his personal space.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Naina's number.

"Dude, can't you let me sleep in peace?" she grumbled the moment she answered.

"Naina, yaar, I'm stuck," I blurted out, the frustration evident in my voice.

"Kya hua?" she asked, her tone immediately shifting to concern. I recounted the entire evening's events. Vishal, would never have listened with such unwavering patience.

Growing up with a silver spoon meant navigating a world where trust was a rare commodity. In college, most students were either envious or too intimidated to approach us. Naina was a genuine exception.

"Is he hot? Can I come over? I'll feast my eyes," she asked, her characteristic cheekiness evident in her playful tone.

"I'm hotter than him," I shot back defensively.

"Veer, consider it a work trip. Don't overthink it," she advised, her voice softening with understanding.

"I'm not thinking, but I want to go home. Should I ask Bhai?" I asked her , a familiar dependence on my brother in everything creeping in.

"Do your work properly, and don't be a coward, Veer. You can't always stay in your brother's shadow," she said firmly, her words hitting my core. I knew she was right.

After a much-needed shower, I dressed in his offered clothes – a black shirt that hung loosely on my frame and shorts that were surprisingly long but cinched comfortably at my waist thanks to the elastic. I marched towards the kitchen, the scent of something delicious wafting through the air.

"Sir?"

"Sir?"

"Sir?" I called out three times, but he remained unresponsive, his gaze fixed on my side, something unseen, lost in his own world. Approaching him cautiously, I gently tapped his shoulder.

"Oh, you were saying something?" he asked, finally snapping back to reality.

Pagal h ye aadmi!

(This man is completely lost in his thoughts!)

"Should I help?" I offered, feeling awkward just standing there while he was clearly busy.

"Just sit. I'll bring the food," he said, and I readily obliged.

He placed three bowls on the small dining table. One held a rich, fragrant rajma, another fluffy white rice, and the last gulab jamun.

"Why can't I call you bhai?" I asked, chewing  grain of rice.

"I don't like that word. You can use my name; I don't mind," he said, his eyes meeting mine across the table.

"No," I replied instantly, the formality feeling strangely comfortable.

We ate our meal in comfortable silence, the only sounds the clinking of cutlery. Afterwards, we placed the used dishes in the sink. He mentioned a maid would take care of them later.

"Okay, I'm coming. Don't let them go," he said into his phone, his tone suddenly urgent.

"Veer, I'm going out. You go and sleep. I'll lock up from outside, okay?" he asked, already heading towards the door.

"Okay, but when will you return?" I asked, the thought of being alone in his unfamiliar apartment making me uneasy. I still needed to arrange for my things from home.

"I'll be back soon, don't worry," he said, ruffling my hair again before disappearing out the door in a hurried manner.

I'm not worried, I told myself firmly. Why would I be worried?

I was well aware of Vardhaan Bhai's unofficial dealings and his connections.  His political influence was palpable, even reaching the legislative assembly. While Vishal found himself drawn to that world, I craved peace, a quiet existence away from the constant tension.

I wandered into his bedroom, the scent of his cologne lingering in the air, and lay down on the expansive bed. The day's unexpected turns and the unfamiliar surroundings soon faded as sleep claimed me.

The unfamiliar surroundings stirred me awake before dawn. My gaze drifted to Mr. Ranawat, who lay beside me, his breathing soft and even. A sense of unease settled within me. Sleeping in the hall from tomorrow onwards, I determined silently. This closeness felt… inappropriate.

Stepping onto the balcony, the air was moist and carried the stillness of the pre-dawn hours. The sun had yet to paint the sky with its hues. A peaceful, almost cozy ambiance enveloped me. I idly scrolled through my phone, but the digital world held no charm.

Inside the washroom, a brand new toothbrush caught my eye. He must have bought it, a small, unexpected gesture of thoughtfulness. Unwrapping it, I brushed my teeth and splashed water on my face.

Just then, the door creaked open, and he walked in without a knock. "Couldn't sleep?" he asked, his voice still thick with sleep.

"Yes," I replied, my tone clipped.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it in a few days," he stated, casually leaning against the doorframe beside me.

My eyes then noticed it – a raw wound on his forearm. "How did you get injured?" I asked.

"It's just a scratch," he replied nonchalantly, dismissing it with a wave of his hand.

Without a word, I took his hand, my touch surprisingly firm, and gently guided him out from the washroom. He followed without protest, an unexpected obedience in his demeanor. Vardhaan bhai would never have yielded so easily.

"Sit here," I instructed, my voice softened with a hint of urgency.

"And tell me where the first aid box is."

"Last drawer," he replied, his eyes fixed on me.

Retrieved the box, my heart pounding a little faster than usual. I knelt before him, the silence between us thick with unspoken emotions. As I reached for his injured arm, he spoke, his voice a low murmur, "Don't worry, I'm fine, baby."

The endearment, so casually dropped, sent a jolt through me. Baby? This man was truly crazy, calling a another man with this endearment. I decided to ignore his words and focused on cleaning the wound with antiseptic.

His gaze remained steady on me as my fingers worked gently,dabbing and bandaging.

Once finished, I looked up. He was smiling, a wide, unrestrained smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes. It was a smile that held a strange mix of tenderness and something else I couldn't quite decipher.

"Pagal ho gaye ho kya, dimag pr to chot nhi lag gayi?"  I blurted out.

(Have you gone mad or what? Did you hit your head somewhere?)

"I'm just happy," he replied, his smile unwavering, his eyes holding mine.

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Keya💛