“Then we’ll pick this up later,” he says gently.
“Sounds good,” I murmur, my eyes starting to close. “Goodnight, Aditya.”
“Goodnight, sweetheart,” he replies. I can hear the smile in his voice, even through the phone. And just like that, my stomach flutters even more.
I end the call, my fingers lingering on the phone for a moment longer before I head to my room. I place my mobile on the nightstand and make my way to the bathroom,going through my nightly routine, my mind still replaying our conversation.
When I finally crawl under the covers, exhaustion begins to pull at me, slow and heavy. But no matter how much I try to shut off my brain and drift into sleep, Aditya’s face and his smile keeps pushing its way in. I squeeze my eyes shut tighter, hoping the darkness will take over, but damn, there he is again.
I roll over, pulling the blanket closer, a smile tugging at my lips despite myself. I surely can’t get rid of him.Stubborn man.
And so, with his thoughts on my mind, sleep slowly takes me under.
Chapter 14
Aditya
“I thought you were my friend. I was so wrong,” Sana accuses, storming into my office. Her face is flushed with anger as she slams a stack of documents onto my desk.
I don’t need to look at the papers to know what they are. I already know. The moment I found out Sana had applied for a loan, I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. The mere thought of her struggling while I’m right here to help doesn’t sit well with me—especially when I promised myself I’d stand by her through every battle. That’s why I transferred the money into her account to ease her burden.
She crosses her arms tightly across her chest and glares at me. Damn, she looks stunning in those black pants and that soft pink silk shirt neatly tucked in. But before I could say anything, her sharp voice snaps me out of my desire-filled thoughts.
“I thought I could trust you, but this…” She cuts herself off, her voice trembling slightly as she fights to keep control. “You know how I feel about you paying my bills.”
With my hands on the desk, I lean in. “I get it. I know exactly how your father raised you—tough, never owing anyone.But this isn’t about paying bills. It’s just one friend having another’s back.”
She shakes her head slowly. “You just don’t get it. You hurt me, Aditya.”
I close my eyes, drawing in a slow breath. For a week, our friendship had found its rhythm, something solid and real, but now, all of that threatened to slip away with my one decision. Still, I refuse to feel guilty. I did what I did out of care, not pity, and I won’t apologize for that.
Lifting my gaze, I meet her furious eyes head-on.
“Sana, calm down. I only wanted to help, and as your friend, I have every right to. Let’s keep it that way and end this conversation here.” I retort firmly, willing her to understand.
“No,” she snaps, her voice tight with frustration. “You’re the one who needs to understand—this isn’t something normal friends do.”
I push back my chair and rise to my feet, slowly moving around the desk until I’m standing right in front of her.
“Sana, it’s—” I begin softly.
But she doesn’t let me finish.
“Look,” she cuts in. “When you offered me your friendship, I genuinely thought you meant it. But now, I see it. You’re just throwing money around. First, it was to pay my mother’s hospital bills, but when I paid you back, you thought you could do it again by paying my loan. And it’s all just to satisfy your ego.… or worse, to get in my pants.”
And that’s all it takes. Something snaps inside me, and anger surges forward. Without thinking, my hands move to her shoulders and grip them tightly.
“Don’t you dare insult me like that,” I growl, fire burning inside me.
She jerks in my hold, trying to wrench free, but I don’t let her.
“Let me go,” she hisses, her eyes blazing with hurt and fury.
“Not until you listen,” I counter, my grip loosening just enough so she knows I’m not here to hurt her, but I won’t back down either. “You think this is about my ego? About some twisted ulterior motive? Sana, I helped you because Icare. Because you mean something to me!”
“If you cared, you would have respected my choice. I didn’t ask for your help!”
“And what? You’d rather struggle than accept it from someone who actually gives a damn about you?” My voice is rough, my emotions running high.
