“Just one annoying jerk,” I sigh, pressing a hand to my forehead.
She rubs her hands together, her black eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Ooh, this sounds interesting. Tell me about it—was he handsome?”
I give her a reluctant smile. “Well, he was definitely good-looking, but his attitude wasn’t exactly charming. To be honest, he was more annoying than impressive.”
“Ah, the classic combination of good looks and a bad attitude. So, what happened?”
“I messed up his coffee,” I huff, recounting the story. “And he made a huge deal about it, tossing snide remarks. But in the end, he was just another customer with an inflated ego.”
She nods, her smile fading as a serious look takes its place. “I should have been there to handle him.”
“I managed that jerk,” I shrug. “It wasn’t the first time, and it definitely won’t be the last.”
She gives me a supportive smile. “Well, you’ve got a knack for handling difficult customers. I’m sure you did just fine.”
I open my mouth to say,‘Let’s put him behind us and focus on making the rest of the day great,’but as if sensing my prayer, a group of five teenagers bursts through the doors. And just like that, we’re busy for the rest of the morning, and luckily, no more customers like the jerk show up.
I guess he was truly one of a kind. With a sigh, I silently pray I won’t have to cross paths with him again. I don’t need his sour attitude in my life, no matter how attractive he was or how he made my stomach do some ridiculous flips.
Chapter 2
Aditya
My mother always said that not everything’s in your hands, that a single moment can flip your whole world on its head. I never bought it. I always believed I called the shots—running my life on my own terms. Until now.
Damn.I still find it hard to fathom how one seemingly ordinary moment could prove me wrong and make my mother’s words hit home. But then I saw her — just one look, and my heart slammed into overdrive, flipping my whole world upside down.
My mind hasn’t stopped replaying the moment.Who would’ve thought that running late to the office and making a simple detour for my morning coffee would lead me to a woman capable of driving me utterly crazy—in the most irresistible, maddening way imaginable?
Even now, standing just outside her café, I’m fighting the insane urge to turn around and walk right back in. Fuck, my heart is still racing — completely out of control. I don’t know what the hell it is about her, but all I know is, she didn’t just catch my attention — she left me completely undone. Damn, no woman has ever hit me with this kind of raw, electric pull atfirst glance. Everything about her screamed dangerously sexy — from her long, dark hair cascading in soft waves just past her shoulders, perfectly framing her flawless, radiant face, to those striking black eyes that shot daggers at me with a fiery edge. And damn, what do I even say about that body? Every curve was locked tight in those jeans, and that silky shirt made it impossible for me to look away.
Smirking under my breath, I recall how I tried to maintain a stoic, arrogant demeanour, yet I couldn’t ignore the way she rattled my core. And the moment she stood her ground with all that sass, my pulse hit a whole new damn high. She knew exactly how to keep me in check. There was definitely something about her beyond her stunning looks that had the power to jolt something inside me to life.
“What the hell is wrong with you, Aditya? You’ve been with your share of beautiful women, so why the hell are you acting like this? It’s just one damn meeting—nothing more. Doesn’t mean a thing. And definitely doesn’t mean she owns your thoughts or your heart. You’re better than getting tangled up over a glance. Clear your freaking head and get the hell out of here.”I mutter to myself, forcing myself to head towards my car.
Walking to my black Mercedes parked just outside her café, I glance back over my shoulder.Stop acting like a bloody teenager, I silently scold myself as I open the door and slide into the car. But instead of starting the engine, I grip the steering wheel tightly, turning my head to stare at the coffee shop door once again. Hoping... hell, I’m not even sure what I’m hoping for. I fucking know she won’t walk through that door. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to force her out of my mind, but her image burns behind my eyelids. My fingers itch to trace the curve of her rosy cheek, wondering if her skin is as soft as it looks. And those kissable lips… God, how I wish I could…
My phone buzzes in my pocket, jolting me out of my thoughts. I pull it out and groan when I see the name on the screen. Reyansh.
“What?” I snap.
“Good morning, sunshine. What’s with the grumpy mood?” Reyansh’s voice comes through on the other end of the line.
I don’t answer him. Instead, I ask, “What do you want?”
“Easy there, Mr. Grumpy. I just called to remind you we have a meeting at ten-thirty with our investors. And I didn’t want you to show up after it’s over, with me having to make excuses to the investors on your behalf, something you’ve made a habit of,” he taunts me. Reyansh Kundra isn’t just my business partner; he’s also my best friend who always has my back. Together, we started our own IT company, ApexTech, while simultaneously managing our family businesses—his dad’s telecom firm and my father’s export-import venture. What’s more, over the years, even our parents have grown close, which has been an added bonus.
With a roll of my eyes, I start the car. “Chill, I’ve still got fifteen minutes. I’ll be there on time, so stop blowing it out of proportion. And just for the record, I was late for one damn meeting. You don’t need to keep biting my head off for it.”
“Right, just one meeting. If that’s what you’re calling it,” he says sarcastically.
“I’ll be there,” I reply, knowing he’s damn right but not wanting to admit it aloud. I do have a habit of showing up late for meetings.
“Fine. Just don’t make me regret trusting you on this. You know very well how important this meeting is for our company.”
I sigh. “I know. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“I also need a favour,” he adds, his tone turning serious now.
