The next morning, Myra walked into the executive suite with a heavy heart and a desk full of blueprints. Her old corner in the bullpen was now a distant memory. Her new "desk" was a sleek, glass-top table placed squarely in the far corner of Reyansh's massive office—a corner that still felt entirely too close.
Reyansh was already there, impeccably dressed in a dark suit, his attention fixed on the panoramic view of the city from his floor-to-ceiling windows. He didn't acknowledge her entrance. The silence in the opulent room was broken only by the soft click of her heels and the rustle of her papers.
Myra sat down, feeling like an exhibit in a very expensive museum. The tension was palpable. Every time she shifted in her chair, every time she typed on her keyboard, she felt his presence, even though he was across the room. It was like trying to work in a lion's den with the lion watching her every move.
Hours passed in an agonizing ballet of feigned indifference. Myra buried herself in the Seafront project, trying to ignore the way Reyansh's eyes would occasionally drift from his documents to her. She could feel the weight of his gaze, a phantom touch that made her skin prickle.
Around noon, Shanaya Singhania swept into the office without knocking, her usual entourage trailing behind her. She looked furious.
Reyansh! Your HR department is a joke!" Shanaya fumed, her voice echoing. "That common architect, Myra, is being accused of... scandalous behavior in the office! Do you know what this could do to our merger's reputation? People are gossiping!"
Myra shrank in her seat, bracing herself for the inevitable insult.
Reyansh finally turned from the window, his expression unreadable. "Shanaya, please lower your voice. Kapoor is right here. And she is now under my direct supervision. The matter is handled."
Shanaya's eyes widened as she finally noticed Myra, tucked away in the corner. Her gaze sharpened, flickering between Myra's pale face and Reyansh's stern profile. "Under your supervision? Reyansh, are you insane? You're bringing a scandal into your own office? She should be fired immediately!"
"Shanaya, the decision has been made," Reyansh said, his voice laced with an icy finality that cut off any further argument. "Kapoor is indispensable to the Seafront project. Her... personal life is being contained. Now, if you're here to discuss the charity gala guest list, we can, but if you're here to micro-manage my HR decisions, you can leave."
Shanaya scoffed, but she knew better than to cross him when he used that tone. She shot Myra a venomous glare that promised future torment before turning back to Reyansh with a sickly sweet smile. Myra could feel her plotting, even across the room.
The rest of the day was a slow torture. Reyansh made her sit in on every meeting, even those unrelated to her project. He would occasionally ask her pointed questions, testing her knowledge, pushing her to her limits. He ate lunch at his desk, and she ate at hers, the silence between them thicker than any wall.
As the evening approached, Reyansh stood up and walked over to Myra's desk. Myra's heart hammered against her ribs.
He didn't touch her. He simply picked up a discarded pen, his fingers brushing the edge of her hand. "The reports for the North Tower need to be finalized by 9:00 PM, Miss Kapoor," he said, his eyes drilling into hers. "And remember... there are no 'boyfriends' allowed on these premises. If you need anything, you ask me."
He turned and walked toward his private elevator, leaving her alone in the massive, echoing office. He was a master of psychological warfare. He had caged her, not just physically, but emotionally. He wanted her to crave his touch, even as he denied her comfort. And Myra, trapped in his gilded prison, knew that this was just the beginning of her ruin.
Author's Thought
THE PLOT THICKENS! 😱 Shanaya is officially onto them! And Reyansh is using the scandal to keep Myra in his sight 24/7. This forced proximity without intimacy is driving me crazy!