Morning came—
But not with clarity.
Sasmita stood in front of the mirror, her reflection calm, composed… perfect.
Just like always.
But her eyes—
Told a different story.
Because last night—
Didn't feel like a coincidence.
The message.
The timing.
The way everything… stopped.
Too precise.
Too controlled.
And there was only one person—
Who fit that pattern.
Aarav.
Her fingers tightened slightly.
"No," she whispered to herself.
Because accepting that—
Meant accepting everything else too.
And she wasn't ready for that.
At the office, the atmosphere hadn't improved.
If anything—
It had gotten worse.
The data leak investigation continued.
The pressure increased.
And whispers—
Didn't stop.
But today—
Sasmita wasn't focused on them.
Her eyes moved unconsciously—
Toward him.
Aarav stood near the window, reviewing documents, his posture relaxed, his expression unreadable.
As if last night—
Never happened.
As if he hadn't been there.
But she knew.
Or at least—
She thought she did.
She walked toward him.
Not fast.
Not slow.
Deliberate.
Aarav looked up the moment she stopped in front of him.
For a second—
Neither of them spoke.
Because something had shifted again.
"You sent those messages," she said.
Direct.
No hesitation.
Aarav didn't react immediately.
"Which ones?" he asked calmly.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Don't do that," she said.
Silence.
"The warning," she continued.
"The exit."
A brief pause.
"You knew."
Aarav held her gaze.
But he didn't confirm it.
And he didn't deny it either.
That silence—
Felt familiar now.
And frustrating.
"Why?" she asked.
A faint shift in his expression.
"To keep you safe," he said.
Simple.
But not enough.
"That's not your responsibility," she replied.
Aarav's eyes didn't leave hers.
"It is."
The answer came instantly.
Without hesitation.
Without doubt.
And that—
Changed everything.
Sasmita's breath stilled slightly.
Because this—
Wasn't about the contract.
Not anymore.
"You keep saying that," she said quietly.
"And you keep ignoring it," Aarav replied.
Silence.
Because again—
He wasn't wrong.
Her gaze dropped for a brief second—
Then lifted again.
"You were there," she said.
Not a question this time.
A statement.
Aarav didn't answer.
But this time—
His silence wasn't empty.
It was confirmation.
Sasmita exhaled slowly.
"You keep saving me," she murmured.
A faint pause.
"And you keep asking why," Aarav replied.
The tension between them shifted.
Not sharp.
Something else.
Something deeper.
For a moment—
The world around them faded.
No office.
No pressure.
No danger.
Just—
Them.
"Tell me the truth," Sasmita said softly.
Her voice—
Different now.
Not demanding.
Not controlling.
Just asking.
Aarav looked at her.
And for the first time—
There was hesitation.
Because this—
Wasn't about secrets anymore.
It was about her.
"If I tell you," he said slowly,
"you won't be able to go back."
The words landed quietly.
But their meaning—
Was heavy.
Sasmita didn't look away.
"I'm already there," she said.
Honest.
Too honest.
A step closer.
The distance between them disappeared again.
Not by accident.
Not this time.
"Then trust me a little longer," Aarav said.
His voice—
Low.
Steady.
But softer than before.
Sasmita's heart skipped slightly.
Because that—
Wasn't an answer.
But it felt like one.
"Why you?" she asked quietly.
A faint pause.
"Why do you keep choosing me?"
The question hung between them.
Personal.
Too personal.
Aarav's gaze softened.
Just slightly.
"Because I already did," he said.
Silence.
Because that—
Wasn't logical.
It wasn't strategic.
It wasn't part of any plan.
It was real.
For a moment—
Neither of them moved.
The space between them—
Charged.
Something unspoken—
On the edge.
Sasmita's lips parted slightly.
As if she was about to say something.
Something important.
Something that would change everything.
But then—
A voice broke the moment.
"Miss Sasmita!"
The spell shattered.
She stepped back instantly.
The distance returned.
Too quickly.
Too suddenly.
Reality came rushing back.
Work.
Danger.
Truth.
Everything they had been avoiding.
Aarav stepped back as well.
His expression returning to calm.
Controlled.
As if nothing had happened.
But it had.
Sasmita turned away first.
Because staying—
Would make it harder.
But as she walked—
One thought stayed.
Clear.
Unavoidable.
She wasn't just searching for the truth anymore.
She was holding onto him.
And that—
Was the most dangerous part.