The office was louder than usual that morning. Gossip, whispers, and half-suppressed laughter rippled across the floor. Aisha sensed immediately that something—or someone—was stirring the air around her.
Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw Tanya Mehra approaching, sharp heels clicking against the marble floor, a smug smile painted across her face.
"Ah, Aisha! There you are," Tanya said, voice too cheerful to be innocent. "Raj mentioned you'd be assisting him closely today. That must be… exciting."
Aisha forced a polite smile. "Yes… quite."
Tanya's eyes lingered on her a moment too long. "I hope you're ready for a challenge. He's… demanding."
Before Aisha could respond, her phone buzzed:
"Come to my cabin. Now. —RM"
Her pulse spiked. She left Tanya standing there, words hanging in the air like a warning she didn't need to hear twice.
---
Raj's cabin was silent when she entered. He was leaning against the window, arms crossed, eyes narrowed as he studied the cityscape.
"Sit," he said, not looking at her.
Aisha obeyed, heart hammering.
"You seem distracted today," he remarked softly, almost too quiet for the space. "By what?"
She hesitated. "No… nothing, sir."
He turned, eyes locking onto hers with a dangerous intensity.
"Don't lie to me," he said, stepping closer. The air shifted, oppressive and charged. "I can see it in your eyes. You're aware of someone else—someone who thinks she can compete for my attention."
Aisha's throat went dry. "Raj… it's not like that."
"Isn't it?" His voice dropped, a growl hidden beneath the calm. "Because if there's anyone in this office who even glances at me the wrong way, I notice. And I do not forgive distractions."
She swallowed. His possessiveness was a force, crushing and magnetic at once.
He circled his desk slowly, each step deliberate, measuring her reaction.
"Tanya?" he asked quietly, almost to himself.
"Yes," Aisha admitted softly.
Raj's eyes darkened further. He stopped in front of her, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from him.
"She's bold," he murmured. "But boldness doesn't impress me. It provokes me."
Aisha shivered. "Sir… I—"
He cut her off with a finger pressed lightly to her lips.
"You will understand, Aisha," he said softly, "that in my world, boundaries exist for a reason. You are mine. And no one else… will cross that line."
Her heart pounded. She had felt his obsession before, but this was different. More direct. More personal.
"And if I fail?" she whispered.
Raj's lips curved into a shadow of a smile.
"Then I remind you, gently… or forcefully, depending on my mood."
Aisha's breath caught.
He leaned in slightly, eyes fixed on hers, studying her every reaction. The tension in the room was unbearable, almost suffocating.
"You must always remember," he said softly, dangerously, "I notice everything. Every look, every word, every heartbeat."
Her pulse quickened at his words.
"And you," he continued, voice dropping, "will learn that my patience is finite. My obsession is infinite. And when I want something… I do not let it go."
Aisha's stomach tightened. She wanted to retreat, but she couldn't. Not from him. Not anymore.
Raj straightened suddenly, regaining the calm, controlled posture of a CEO—but the heat in his eyes betrayed the storm beneath.
"You may leave," he said, voice sharp, commanding. "But remember… this office, this floor, this space—you belong in my awareness. No one else has claim to it."
Aisha left, hands trembling, heart racing. Every step down the hallway was heavy, weighed down by the realization that Raj Malhotra's obsession wasn't just about her work.
It was about her.
And the knowledge made her simultaneously terrified—and unable to resist.