After that unexpected encounter with my ex-enemy—the one who made my high school hell—was now officially my stepbrother. I escaped to my new room, trying to shake off the flood of emotions and memories he’d triggered. I threw myself into unpacking, hoping that arranging my things would help me ignore that smug face and the bitter memories he stirred up. High school was behind me, but seeing him here now felt like the universe was playing a twisted joke. If I had to live here, the least I could do was try to maintain a peaceful bond. Maybe time and distance would help us forget the past.
Before I knew it, the hours slipped by as I lost myself in organizing, and before I knew it, the sky had turned dusky. Just then, a knock at my door interrupted me. Someone was calling me downstairs for snacks, and the mention of food made me realize how hungry I was. The realization hit me—I hadn’t eaten since breakfast! All those memories of him had left me too distracted to even think about lunch.
I took a few minutes to freshen up before heading to the hall, where I found Dad on the phone, talking in his deep, businesslike voice, and Mom was cozied up in her chair, tapping away on her laptop. She was in her zone, working on her next novel. I admired her dedication her passion for her work; despite being a well-known author with countless fans, she always remained so grounded. Just watching her, I felt a warmth and pride in knowing she was my mom.
But before I could slip into the comforting atmosphere, My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by none other than Mister Devil himself I felt his presence even before I saw him, that unsettling mix of charm and mischief he seemed to carry with him everywhere.I whipped around, only to find him way too close, one hand on my shoulder, the other stuffed casually in his pocket, his trademark grin in place. “Hey sweetheart, what’s up?” he said.
I tensed and instinctively stepped back, his touch bringing back the sting of memories I thought I’d left behind. This was the same guy who’d twisted my wrist in high school, forcing me to clean the classroom on his day, just because he had a football match. His grip had left bruises , his fingers leaving red marks as he forced me to do his dirty work. He’d been cruel, manipulative, and heartless. And now? Now, he was calling me sweetheart like we were some long-lost friends.
But before I could slip away, he leaned in close, whispering near my ear, “You really do have a habit of zoning out, sweetheart.” Startled, I realized he was now way too close, his face inches from mine. His presence felt overwhelming, unsettling in ways I hadn’t expected. I took another step back, but he pulled me close by the waist, grinning. “Your stomach’s growling like a lion,” he whispered with a smirk.
Embarrassed, I shoved him away and rushed over to Mom, who was still immersed in her writing. My heart was racing, and I tried to calm the strange flutter in my stomach. His touch had left me rattled—not in anger, but with something new and confusing, a feeling I was both surprised and hesitant to explore.
As I was lost in his intense gaze, Mom's voice pulled me back to reality. I snapped out of it, realizing the confusion written all over her face. She asked if I was okay, and I managed to reassure her with a quick nod, eager to steer away from any suspicion. We moved to the dining table, settling down for snacks and a casual chat. Throughout the whole time, I made it a point to avoid looking at him—I couldn’t shake the strange changes in his behavior. He wasn’t acting like the brat I knew in high school, the one who used to bully me until I was in tears. Instead, he seemed different, almost as if he was… flirting. No, I thought to myself, that couldn’t be it. This was the same guy who hated me, and I felt the same about him. Surely, he was just messing with me as usual.Putting my chaotic thoughts aside, I focused on the rare quality time with my mom. Just then, Dad joined us at the table, pulling his chair beside Mom’s with a contented smile. Raj walked in after him, casually taking
Saira's povI knew he was playing a game, pretending he didn’t remember me as the girl he used to torment, like we’d only just met. He looked at me with what I’d almost describe as a respectful gaze, speaking politely, standing close enough that I could almost convince myself he’d had a change of heart. But I knew better. He’d bide his time, maybe put on this nice-guy act for a while, but eventually, he’d be back to his old self the act would drop, ready to tear me down in front of everyone just like he used to. Now that I was his secretary, I knew he’d take full advantage of the opportunity, making every day at work an uphill battle. Now, I had no choice. I was jobless, and he knew it. He was all too aware that my hands were tied, and I’d have to tolerate every test he threw my way. A bitter taste rose in my throat as he laid down the terms in a formal tone: if I had any questions about my position or responsibilities, I could reach out to the HR manager. Tasks, salary, and additio
Just as our lips were barely an inch apart, a voice from behind snapped us back to reality. "Sir, where should we put these?" It was one of the workers, standing there with a large stack of boxes. Raj scrambled to his feet, offering me a hand. I refused, pushing myself up with as much dignity as I could muster, giving him a look that said, I don’t need your help, thank you very much.Unfazed, Raj gestured toward the workers holding boxes filled with clothes and other items. "These are a few formal outfits and essentials to get you started. And don’t forget the file I gave you." He said it so nonchalantly, but my eyes caught sight of the label on the top folder: New York Fashion Week.I nearly did a double-take. New York Fashion Week? I’d seen it on TV, read about it in every fashion magazine, and dreamed of it from the sidelines. The biggest names in fashion, the latest trends that would set the tone for the entire industry—I could barely contain my excitement. "Is this… the actual Ne
“Oh no, what am I going to do now?” I panicked, clutching the empty space where the file should have been. Raj had drilled it into my head that this file was crucial for today’s meeting, stressing the “severe consequences” if anything went wrong. Determined not to mess up on day one, I held onto it like my life depended on it.Now, just my luck—on day one, I’d managed to lose it.And then came the real problem: Sofia, the manager. She’d had a strange air about her from the start, almost as if she was out to get me. Her expressions, her smirks, and now, she’d have even more reason to put me down.Two Hours Earlier…The car ride had been… tense. After that overly flirty call Raj received, a heavy silence filled the air. I’d cranked up the music in my earbuds, hoping to escape the awkward atmosphere, but the tension still hung thickly. Finally, we pulled up to Eclipse Fashion House and entered the private parking garage—a sleek space customized for Raj as CEO. Typical Raj, always with th
Saira hurried down the hallway, dreading what new task Sophia had in store for her. She entered the office, where Sophia sat behind her desk, a stack of files scattered in front of her.“Ah, there you are,” Sophia said, barely looking up. “I have a task for you.”Saira took a deep breath, bracing herself. “Yes, ma’am?”Sophia crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, smirking. “I need you to gather data on last quarter’s client acquisition, summarize the trends, and organize it into a comprehensive report. And it needs to be ready for director to present in—” she glanced at the clock, a look of smug satisfaction crossing her face “—forty-five minutes.”Saira’s stomach dropped. A comprehensive report on client acquisition in that short time frame? It would usually take days to compile something that detailed. She didn’t have access to all the data readily available, and she hadn’t been briefed on the latest acquisition trends, either.Sophia continued, her eyes narrowing. “I assu
Saira hurried down the hallway, her mind racing as she replayed every step she’d taken since she first held that critical file. How had it disappeared? She had been so careful, almost obsessively so. Now, with only minutes left, panic was setting in.Sophia’s words echoed in her mind: “I assume that shouldn’t be a problem for you, considering you’re the CEO’s secretary now.” Saira hadn’t expected things to be easy, but the pressure of this role was proving more intense than she’d imagined. And Sophia’s satisfaction at her struggling made it worse. Her heart pounded as she checked the clock—twelve minutes until the meeting.Determined not to lose her nerve, Saira took a deep breath and retraced her steps in her mind. She remembered gathering data files from Raj’s office, creating the report, and setting up in the boardroom. She’d left the files there briefly… had someone else taken it? Her eyes darted around and spotted an unmarked door nearby, recognizing it as a storage room she hadn
Saira POVAs the last board member left, Raj’s gaze shifted slowly to me, intense and unreadable. “Come to my office,” he ordered, his voice low and firm. I followed him out of the boardroom, and out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Sophia gritting her teeth in anger. I didn’t dwell on her strange behavior, though; I was too focused on keeping up with Raj.Once inside his office, the door closed behind us with a soft click. I barely had a moment to register the silence before Raj’s hands were on me, pinning me gently against the wall. He raised my arms above my head, his face only inches from mine, his dark eyes holding me captive. His gaze felt as if he were looking straight into my soul, peeling back my defenses. He leaned in close, his lips just brushing my ear as he spoke in a low, almost tender tone. “You should have told me about the problem you were facing. But you chose to handle it alone… why?”His warm breath sent shivers down my spine, and I felt a flutter of
Sophia’s sarcastic voice cut through the darkness, mocking me. “No, Saira, we’re just having fun in here, obviously! What do you think?”I took a deep breath, trying to ignore her mocking tone. But the truth was, the dark, enclosed space was suffocating. My chest tightened, and I felt an all-too-familiar fear creeping in—a fear rooted in a nightmarish memory I’d tried so hard to forget.Flashback…That day had been nothing short of disastrous. I’d poured my heart into a project, sacrificing sleep and giving it my all for the past four months. But just as success felt within reach, everything came crashing down. I found out another department had stolen my work, and my own manager accused me of plagiarism. The humiliation, the anger—it took hours to clear my name, hours of watching my hard work crumble in front of me.By the time everything was resolved, I was drained. There were no cabs in sight, so I ended up walking home, each step weighed down with frustration and exhaustion. I eve
𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗮'𝘀 𝗣𝗢𝗩The car came to a halt in front of the house, and I wasted no time. The moment the engine turned off, I unbuckled my seatbelt and bolted out, slamming the door shut behind me without sparing Raj a glance. I didn’t need to deal with his mood right now. My mind was already spinning with everything that had happened today. I’d thought about telling him what I heard back at the office—the cryptic threat about kidnapping—but what was the point? He’d probably just dismiss it or, worse, blame me for getting involved in things that weren’t my business.And let’s be real: he was likely already gearing up to scold me for what happened with Saniya. The memory of slapping her brought a small smirk to my lips, but it quickly vanished. If he thought I’d apologize for standing up for myself, he had another thing coming.I hurried inside, ignoring the sound of his footsteps trailing behind me. The tension between us hung in the air, but I refused to acknowledge it.I pushed open
𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗮'𝘀 𝗣𝗢𝗩The office was eerily quiet as I shut down my computer and closed my cabin door. The soft hum of the fluorescent lights above was the only sound accompanying my footsteps as I made my way to the elevator. It was past work hours, and the building was nearly deserted. I wrapped my arms around myself, a slight chill running through the empty corridors.I headed toward the lift that would take me to the parking area where Raj's car was waiting.As I walked, my mind was preoccupied with thoughts of the day.Just as I reached the elevator, a muffled voice reached my ears.“I will execute the second phase now, and you have to be careful while kidnapping them. You know whom to hurt.”The words froze me in my tracks. My heart thudded against my ribcage as I turned my head, trying to pinpoint where the voice was coming from. The office was supposed to be empty, so who could possibly be here, saying something so sinister?I glanced around, my curiosity getting the better of me
𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗮'𝘀 𝗣𝗢𝗩The cold breeze brushed against my skin as I stood on the rooftop of the office building, a steaming cup of coffee in my hand. The city stretched out before me, its lights twinkling like tiny stars against the dimming sky. But my gaze wasn’t really on the view; it was distant, unfocused, as my mind replayed the heated confrontation with Sophia and Saniya.The conversation weighed on me, dragging me back to memories I wished to bury. I remembered my previous job—the relentless demands, the suffocating deadlines, and my manager was a tyrant, always finding faults, taunting me for every little mistake. It felt like I could never do enough to satisfy him. The suffocating work environment had made me question everything—my abilities, my choices, even my worth.I sighed, taking a sip of my coffee, letting its warmth ground me. But before I could delve deeper into those bitter memories, a voice broke through my thoughts.“It’s hard to tackle someone like Sophia, but you
𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗮'𝘀 𝗣𝗢𝗩 Saniya leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms with a smug grin. “You really think everything revolves around you, don’t you?”I tilted my head slightly, giving her a mockingly thoughtful look. “No, but it’s hard to ignore when people like you scream their insecurities loud enough for the whole building to hear.”Sophia cleared her throat, clearly uncomfortable but trying to maintain her composure. Her tone turning saccharine. “Saira, let’s not blow this out of proportion. Sometimes people talk, and well… you’ve built a bit of a reputation for being difficult to approach.”“Difficult?” I repeated with a dry laugh. “How convenient. I call it standing my ground, but I suppose that’s a foreign concept for people who thrive on pandering and backstabbing.”Sophia’s expression hardened, but she kept her voice level. “You know, Saira, relationships are everything in a workplace. Maybe if you spent less time being so... rigid, people would find you easier to work wit
𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗮'𝘀 𝗣𝗢𝗩 The office was buzzing with its usual energy as I finished the last of my tasks. Papers neatly stacked, emails sent—Work for the day was done, and I grabbed the finalized report as I made my way toward Sophia’s cabin.Walking through the corridor, I felt the unmistakable weight of people’s eyes on me. A group of employees—mostly women—whispered and giggled, glancing my way as though I was the star of some juicy gossip session.My brows furrowed. What’s so interesting that they can’t take their eyes off me?Their eyes darted toward me again, their hushed voices not subtle enough to be missed.Shrugging off the nagging feeling, I focused on reaching Sophia’s cabin. But as I approached, I heard laughter echoing through the door.Sophia’s voice was unmistakable, ringing loud and clear. “She’s always acting like she’s better than everyone else. Like she’s above it all.”Another voice chimed in, equally smug and derisive. “Exactly! The audacity of some people. It’s ridi
𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗮'𝘀 𝗣𝗢𝗩 I sat at my desk from my office, trying my best to immerse myself in the task Sophia had dumped on me, but my mind was a mess. No matter how hard I tried to focus, my mind kept drifting back to the kiss—Raj’s boldness, his smirk, and those infuriating words that echoed in my head. "Don’t look at me like that, Saira. You’ll make me lose control.” The memory of his smirk made my blood boil. What was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I push it out of my mind and concentrate on work?I tapped my pen against the desk, frustrated with myself more than anything else and clenched my fists. I shook my head, attempting to clear the lingering sensation of his lips against mine and trying to push the memory aside. Just as I managed to get back to typing, my cabin door flew open with a loud bang. I looked up, startled, to see Saniya storming in like a hurricane. She didn’t even bother to knock—just barged in, her face twisted with anger. "What the hell is your problem?” I snap
𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗮'𝘀 𝗣𝗢𝗩 I sat on his lap, begrudgingly reviewing the project on the screen. Despite my frustration with the situation, I couldn’t deny it—the idea was brilliant. It was the kind of concept that could make waves, and as much as I hated to admit it, Raj had outdone himself.Without thinking, I glanced at him, unable to hide a flicker of admiration in my eyes.He caught my gaze, and I immediately regretted it. His smirk widened, and he tilted his head slightly, his dark eyes gleaming with mischief.“Don’t look at me like that, Saira,” he said, his voice low and teasing. “You’ll make me lose control.”My heart skipped a beat,My cheeks flamed at his words. The audacity of this man! As if sitting on his lap wasn’t bad enough, now he was throwing lines like that at me? I squirmed, trying once again to stand, but his arm around my waist refused to budge.“Raj,” I snapped, trying to push against his chest to stand. “You’ve already gone too far. Let me go.”He ignored my protests,
𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗮'𝘀 𝗣𝗢𝗩 I sat at my desk, staring at the endless stack of files Sophia had dumped on me the moment I stepped into her cabin. My fingers ached from typing, my eyes burned from staring at the screen, and my patience was dangling by a thread. Sophia had assigned me more tasks in a single morning than I thought humanly possible. If that wasn’t bad enough, she kept calling me every fifteen to twenty minutes, adding small “urgent” tasks or nitpicking over the ones I had already completed.By the third call, I wanted to scream. By the fifth, I started questioning whether she had a personal vendetta against me. “Does she think I’m a machine?” I muttered under my breath, rubbing my temples. The woman was relentless, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was doing this on purpose.As I worked on yet another modification, my phone buzzed again. Of course, it’s her, I thought bitterly, but when I checked the screen, it wasn’t Sophia this time. It was Raj. I stared at the nam
Raj’s arms held me tightly, his warmth enveloping me as we lay tangled together. His hand started to move, trailing along my back with slow, deliberate strokes. My breath when he placed a gentle kiss on my head, I felt butterflies erupt in my stomach.My heart raced I hesitated, then tilted my head up, meeting his gaze. His dark eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, everything else faded away. There was an intensity in his look that made it impossible to look away.His eyes flickered to my lips, and I saw him swallow hard. The tension between us was undeniable, a pull I couldn’t explain but felt powerless to resist. Against my better judgment, I felt myself leaning closer to him, and he mirrored the movement.Our breaths mingled as the distance between us disappeared, our lips just a heartbeat away—Bang, bang, bang!The sound of a fist pounding on my door shattered the moment.“Saira! Open this door right now! Is Raj in there? Open it!” Sanya’s sharp, commanding voice echoed throu