Arvi's pov:

It was nearly 2 AM.

The silence in the Oberoi Mansion was absolute so still that even my own breaths felt too loud. I sat on the edge of the bed, knees pulled to my chest, staring blankly at the moonlight stretching across the floor. Sleep felt impossible, and my thoughts wouldn't stop racing.

Then I heard the softest sound.

A click.

My heart stilled.

The door creaked open, slow and deliberate, and in stepped him.

Rayaan.

My body froze.

He didn't knock. Didn't say a word. Just walked in like the space belonged to him and maybe in some twisted way, it did. Because the moment he entered, the air changed. Thickened. The kind of silence that made your skin prickle.

He shut the door behind him. Quietly.

"Why did you say you like gentle, calm people?" His voice wasn't loud. It didn't need to be. It carried weight on its own.

I stared at him, wide eyed. My throat tightened. "What?"

He stepped forward. "You said it earlier. That you like calm people. Gentle ones."

Another step. Another breath knocked out of my chest.

He didn't stop until he was right in front of me, towering, shadows playing over his sharp features. I felt small. Like he could see every single fear I'd ever tried to bury.

"You don't think someone like me could ever fit that, do you?" he asked, voice low... but there was something unspoken beneath it. Hurt? Anger? I couldn't tell. It scared me.

But what scared me more was how my body reacted to him.

The closer he got, the faster my heart raced. My skin tingled. My breath came shallow. My fingers clenched the blanket, trying to anchor myself.

He leaned down. Close. Too close.

His presence was overwhelming.

I could smell his cologne intoxicating, dark, and so distinctly him. His hand braced against the wall next to me, his eyes holding mine like a force of gravity. His voice was a whisper now, almost cruel in its softness.

"Tell me, Arvi. Do you flinch around me because I scare you... or because I make you feel something you don't want to admit?"

I hated how right he was.

My mouth opened, but no sound came out. The butterflies in my stomach were wild now, chaotic, as if my whole body was betraying me. I looked away, embarrassed by how warm my cheeks felt, how weak I suddenly was in his presence.

He didn't touch me. But he didn't have to.

Rayaan Oberoi had the kind of impact that stayed in the room long after he'd left.

He pulled back slowly, like he knew he'd left a mark. Like he could feel the way my world was still spinning.

"I'm not the man you think I am," he said, gaze intense. "But maybe I'm the one who gets under your skin the most."

And then he left.

No dramatic exit. No slammed door. Just a quiet departure and the ghost of his presence lingering all around me.

I sat there, still breathless, every nerve in my body lit like fire.

He didn't just affect me.

He shattered something inside me I didn't even know existed.

Rayaan's pov:

I closed the door behind me, slow and quiet. Not because I cared hell no but because slamming it would've meant I felt something. And I didn't. Or at least, I shouldn't.

I clenched my jaw, walking down the hallway like I wasn't two seconds away from turning around and demanding answers from her all over again. My fists were tight. My heart was louder than it had any right to be.

This is why I hate her.

Because somehow, without even trying, she makes me lose control. Makes me walk into her room in the middle of the damn night, just to ask her why she likes calm people. What kind of question is that? What the hell is wrong with me?

I stopped near the railing, trying to shake her face out of my head.

She looked scared. Good.

She should be scared of me. That's what I wanted, right? That's what I told myself the moment I saw her living under my roof like she belonged here. Like she hadn't gotten fired because of me. Like she wasn't a walking reminder of everything I didn't ask for.

But then... she looked at me like that.

Wide eyes. Silent lips. That trembling breath when I got too close.

Not defiant. Not angry.

Just... soft. Fragile. And worse she didn't push me away.

I scoffed, running a hand down my face.

Pathetic.

She plays innocent. She always has. Like she doesn't know what she's doing. Like she isn't aware of the effect she has on people on me. But I see through her. That's what I told myself since day one. She's a game player. A gold digger. Just another pretty face trying to cash in on a last name.

But if that's true...

Why do I keep seeing the fear in her eyes?

Why did it feel like I wasn't the one in control tonight?

I pushed away from the wall and started walking again, jaw tight, chest heavier than I wanted to admit.

This doesn't change anything.

She still makes my blood boil.

She still makes me want to slam every door in this mansion.

And I still hate her.

But then why does the silence after leaving her room feel louder than anything she's ever said?

Dining hall-OBERIO MANSION

The morning sun streamed through the tall windows of the Oberoi Mansion's breakfast room, casting a golden glow on the pristine dining table. The air smelled of freshly brewed coffee, buttered toast, and Sulekha's favorite jasmine tea.

The family trickled in slowly, some dressed sharply for work, others still wrapped in the haze of sleep. Rayaan sat in his usual place, dressed immaculately in a navy-blue suit, silently scrolling through his tablet as he sipped his black coffee. His expression, as always, unreadable.

Arvi walked in quietly, her nerves barely hidden beneath the soft beige kurta she had picked for her first day at Oberoi Industries. She offered a polite nod to Sulekha and the others before settling into a corner seat. Her hands trembled slightly as she reached for a slice of toast.

Vivaan was cracking a joke with Arekha, and the soft clatter of cutlery filled the room until Mukesh Oberoi, calmly folding his newspaper, broke the rhythm.

"Rayaan."

Everyone instinctively looked up.

Rayaan didn't glance away from his tablet. "Yes?"

Mukesh reached for his cup of tea. "Drop Arvi to the office today."

The room fell into sudden stillness.

Arvi froze, her toast halfway to her mouth.

Rayaan looked up now, brow raised. "Why?"

"She starts at Oberoi Industries today. You're heading to the same building. Take her with you," Mukesh said, like it was the simplest thing in the world.

Rayaan's lips pressed into a thin line. "She can go with the driver."

Mukesh didn't waver. "I said you'll take her. That's final."

Sulekha looked between the two but said nothing. The cousins, usually too chatty for their own good, found sudden interest in their plates.

Arvi wished she could disappear into her coffee mug.

Rayaan held his father's gaze for a beat too long, then gave a stiff nod. "Fine."

Mukesh returned to his tea like nothing had happened. But Arvi's heart was pounding like it wanted to leap out of her chest.

No one said anything more but one thing was certain.

The car ride ahead was going to be quieter than the silence that just filled this table.

In the Car

The Oberoi Mansion gates opened slowly, and the sleek black Mercedes slid out onto the road. Inside, the silence was thick almost suffocating.

Rayaan sat behind the wheel, one hand on the steering, the other tapping the window frame absentmindedly. His jaw was tight, sunglasses in place, his posture cold and composed.

Arvi sat on the passenger side, clutching her bag to her lap like a lifeline. She kept her eyes trained on the passing streets, stealing glances at him only when she was sure he wasn't looking.

The air conditioning hummed low. Neither of them had said a single word since leaving the mansion.

She cleared her throat quietly, attempting courage. "Thank you... for the ride."

Rayaan didn't respond for a moment. Then, without turning his head, he said, "Don't thank me. You didn't have a choice. Neither did I."

Her lips parted slightly, then closed again. She nodded to herself. Right.

A few more minutes of silence passed.

"You're not going to last there," he muttered suddenly.

Arvi turned to him, startled. "Kya?"

Rayaan's eyes stayed on the road. "Oberoi Industries isn't kind to amateurs. Especially not ones who walk in with sympathy and favors tied to their names."

Arvi sat up straighter, the sting of his words like a slap. "I didn't ask for favors."

He chuckled under his breath, humorless. "No, but you didn't turn them down either."

She looked away, biting the inside of her cheek to stop herself from snapping back. Not today. Not on her first day.

"I'll prove myself," she said quietly, more to herself than to him.

Rayaan didn't reply. But something in his expression shifted a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes.

The car pulled into the Oberoi Industries' grand entrance. Security guards stepped aside, and the heavy iron gates swung open.

He stopped the car with smooth precision and finally turned to her.

"You'll take the elevator on the left. HR is on the 8th floor. Don't get lost."

She opened the door silently, stepping out with her heart pounding.

Just as she was about to shut it, his voice came again.

"Miss Arvi."

She looked back at him.

"Don't embarrass my name in there."

And with that, the door shut between them, and the car pulled away leaving Arvi staring up at the towering glass building that held her future...

Arvi's pov:

I stood outside his cabin for a full minute before knocking. My palms were slightly sweaty, the folder I was holding felt heavier than it should've, and my heartbeat? Loud enough to hear in the silence of the corridor.

You've got this, I whispered to myself and finally knocked.

"Come in," came his deep, clipped voice.

I pushed the door open, stepping into the sleek, glass-walled cabin. It was minimalistic, modern cold. Just like him. Rayaan Oberoi sat behind the massive black desk, flipping through a file, his jaw set like stone.

He didn't look up.

"Sir," I said, hating how my voice wavered ever so slightly.

His eyes flicked up, finally acknowledging me. He didn't offer a greeting, not even a chair. Just a glance. One that felt like it dissected every layer of confidence I had.

"I assume you're not here to waste time," he said, setting the file down.

"No," I said quickly. "I'm ready for work."

He nodded once, then slid a file across the desk toward me. "Good. You'll review this vendor proposal, highlight discrepancies in the cost sheet, and prepare a summary. I want it on my desk before lunch."

I took the file, flipping it open quickly. My eyes scanned the first page it was dense, full of numbers, contracts, comparisons. Way more intense than anything I expected on Day One.

"It's a proposal from Bedi Enterprises," he added, watching me like a hawk. "We've had issues with their billing practices. I want to know if this one's worth our time."

I swallowed, keeping my tone firm. "I'll go through it carefully."

"Don't go through it," he said, leaning back in his chair. "Understand it. If you miss something obvious, I'll assume you're not ready to work in my company."

My company. Not our company. Not even the company.

I nodded, gripping the folder tighter. "Understood."

He raised an eyebrow, almost amused. "You're surprisingly obedient this morning."

"I'm not here to argue," I replied, matching his tone. "I'm here to prove myself."

There was a flicker of something in his eyesinterest? Curiosity?before it vanished.

"Let's see if you do," he said simply, returning his attention to the paperwork on his desk.

I turned and walked out, my heels clicking against the tiled floor, the file in my hand and the weight of his expectations heavier on my shoulders than I cared to admit.

But one thing was certain I wouldn't mess this up.

Not for him.

Not for anyone

Rayaan's pov:

I don't usually waste my time watching the office feed. That's what the security team is for. But today, I found myself staring at the monitor on the wall, one split screen catching my eye more than it should've.

There she was.

Arvi.

Standing by the coffee station with a file clutched to her chest, talking to someone some guy from finance. Rohit, I think. The kind who talks too much and works too little.

I narrowed my eyes, watching.

He said something. She smiled. Not that polite, distant smile she wears around me but a real one. And then she laughed. Actually laughed.

Something twisted in my chest.

And then she reached out her hand.

He shook it.

My jaw clenched before I even realized it. My fingers tightened around the pen in my hand.

What the hell was I doing? Watching a handshake like it was a goddamn security threat?

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she spoke again soft, graceful, unaware of the fact that someone was watching. Unaware that I was watching.

And I shouldn't be.

This wasn't personal.

She wasn't personal.

She was an employee. A new recruit. Nothing more.

But the sight of her standing there, smiling like she actually belonged... it did something to me. Something I didn't like.

There was a knock on my door.

"Sir, the Bedi proposal is ready for review."

I didn't even look away from the screen. "Leave it on the table."

The door clicked shut again. On the screen, Arvi turned to leave, walking down the hallway still talking to him.

I watched her until she disappeared from view.

Then, without thinking, I clicked the feed off.

"She's just an employee," I muttered.

But somehow, that lie tasted worse every time I said it.

Arvi's pov:

I don't know what it was exactly maybe the subtle nod Rayaan gave me when I handed him the corrected file, maybe the tiny shift in his tone that sounded almost like... respect but I couldn't help it.

I smiled.

I smiled all the way down the corridor, past the receptionist, and even when I stepped into the car waiting outside to take me home.

The city blurred past the window as I leaned my head slightly against the seat, hugging my bag to my chest like it held my pride inside. Today had gone better than I ever imagined it would.

I hadn't just survived Oberoi Industries I had held my ground. And somewhere in that sea of stern stares and tension, I had made him notice.

I didn't need his approval. But God, it felt good to earn it.

When the car pulled into the Oberoi Mansion, I stepped out and blinked up at the familiar grandness of it all. But today... it felt different.

It felt a little more like home.

"Arvi!"

Vanisha was the first to spot me as I entered the living room. She practically ran over, followed by Arekha, Aleesha, and Vivaan. The sound of their chatter filled the space, and suddenly, I was being tugged into the couch, handed juice, and bombarded with questions.

"You're glowing!" Arekha grinned. "Did something happen?"

"Did Rayaan bhai shout at you?" Aleesha asked dramatically. "Blink twice if you cried."

Vivaan laughed. "Or did he cry this time?"

I rolled my eyes, giggling despite myself. "He didn't shout. He... was strict, yes. But fair."

"Oh?" Vanisha raised a teasing eyebrow. "That's huge. He doesn't even say 'fair' to us when we lose board games."

"How was your first day though?" Jaya aunty's voice came from the hallway as she entered with a soft smile. "Everything went well?"

I looked at all of them this loud, nosy, unexpectedly warm family and nodded. "It went... really well. I feel like I actually did something right today."

"Of course you did," Sulekha aunty said from the staircase, watching me with that ever-knowing look. "You're not the kind who gives up, Arvi."

My heart swelled just a little. Not because of their words but because, for the first time since I stepped into this mansion... I wasn't the outsider everyone pitied.

I was the girl who came back from her first day smiling and that smile?

It was contagious.

Even Rayaan's name didn't feel heavy on my shoulders anymore.

I will prove him i am not a gold digger.

Rayaan's pov:

Riaan practically exploded out of the car the second we pulled into the driveway, already talking about how much he missed the "madness" of our home. "Man, this place better still have that unlimited dessert policy," he said, laughing as we walked in together.

The mansion was buzzing. Vanisha and Aleesha were hanging around the living room, music was playing faintly from someone's phone, and the scent of freshly made tea lingered in the air.

And then I saw her Arvi.

She was standing near the console table by the staircase, talking to Arekha, still in her work attire, her hair slightly tousled like she'd only just gotten home. Her eyes lit up when she laughed, like she was made to belong in moments like these effortlessly part of this place. My home.

Riaan's pace slowed when he saw her.

He turned to me, eyes wide. "Bro. Is that her?"

I didn't need to ask who he meant.

"Yeah," I said flatly. "That's Arvi."

Before I could even finish the sentence, he was already walking up to her. "Hey! You must be Arvi," he said brightly, sticking his hand out with that stupid grin he always uses when he's about to charm someone. "I'm Riaan. Rayaan's best friend, unfortunately."

She smiled, polite but warm, and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you. I've heard about you."

"Only the bad things, I hope," Riaan chuckled.

I stood there, watching the two of them interact like they'd known each other for years. The handshake lingered just a second too long, and her smile... that wasn't how she usually smiled at the others. Or maybe I was imagining it.

Jealousy hit me out of nowhere.

It was ridiculous, really. She wasn't mine. She worked under me at Oberoi Industries. She was living in this house because of my mother's kindness. That was it. That should be it.

But watching Riaan talk to her like that, seeing her smile at him like that, stirred something uncomfortable in my chest.