The next day—
Everything felt… off.
Not visibly.
Not loudly.
But quietly.
Arman Khurana was back to normal.
Too normal.
Meetings.
Decisions.
Cold tone.
Sharp focus.
Like nothing had changed.
Like everything had changed.
Anika noticed immediately.
Of course she did.
He didn't look at her the same way.
Didn't stay back after meetings.
Didn't send messages.
Didn't… try.
At first, she ignored it.
He's just busy.
But by afternoon—
It didn't feel like that anymore.
"Sir, the design revisions—"
"Send it through email."
Short.
Direct.
No eye contact.
That hurt more than she expected.
Later—
She walked into his cabin.
Didn't knock this time.
Didn't wait.
"Talk to me."
Arman looked up.
Expression controlled.
"There's nothing to talk about."
Her chest tightened.
"Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"This."
She gestured between them.
"This distance."
Silence.
Then—
"We need it."
That one sentence—
Felt like a slap.
Anika stepped closer.
"No. You decided we need it."
"Because it's right."
"For who?"
A pause.
Then—
"For you."
She let out a soft, almost disbelieving laugh.
"Don't say that like you're doing me a favor."
"I am."
Her eyes filled slightly.
But she didn't let the tears fall.
"You don't get to decide that for me," she said firmly.
"I'm trying to protect you."
"I didn't ask for that."
Silence.
Heavy.
Painful.
Then she said quietly—
"Or is this about your father?"
That hit.
Because it was true.
Arman's jaw tightened.
"He's not wrong."
That broke something.
Inside her.
"So that's it?" she whispered.
"You just… listen to him and walk away?"
"I'm not walking away."
"You already did."
Silence.
Loud.
Anika stepped back.
Her voice softer now.
But stronger.
"I knew this wouldn't be easy."
A pause.
"But I didn't think you'd give up this quickly."
Arman's expression flickered.
Just slightly.
"I'm not giving up."
"Then what is this?"
He didn't answer.
Because he didn't have one—
That wouldn't hurt her more.
Anika nodded slowly.
Understanding something she didn't want to.
"Right."
She turned to leave.
Then stopped.
Without looking back—
She said softly—
"I didn't think you'd be the one to make me feel like this."
And then she walked out.
Leaving behind—
A man who had faced every business risk without hesitation…
But couldn't fight this one.
Arman stood still.
Hands clenched slightly.
Eyes fixed on nothing.
Because this time—
He wasn't protecting her.
He was losing her.