“I’m coming, sir,” he snaps, before storming off, not before shooting Karan a deadly glare and giving me a long look that leaves my heart quivering.
“Amyra, I’m really happy to be here,” Karan says more softly now. “Especially since I’ll get to work with you.”
I return a small smile. “That’s great. I hope we work well together.” Maybe… This is a chance to rebuild a friendship after I rejected his proposal last year, something that still pricks my conscience.
And perhaps I’m overthinking the tension between the two boys. Reyansh has a girlfriend now. He should be less bothered. His protectiveness is always on account of me being the only girl close to him. Now he has someone else to focus on.
It feels logical. Reasonable. I want to believe it.
“Coffee?” Karan asks, pulling me away from my spiraling thoughts. I nod. Having someone new around might actually help me loosen the emotional knots I keep hiding.
As we walk into the elevator, my phone buzzes. I check the message notification.
Rey:
Don’t forget our meeting tonight with Aditi at the nightclub. Sharp 7 PM. And we need to finish our conversation.
My stomach drops. Not because he insists on continuing the confrontation…but because tonight I’ll see him with Aditi, together. I’ve avoided that sight ever since my heart broke, but Aditi insisted I come celebrate our first month at the company. And I gave in.
I silently pray I don’t end up shattering again… becoming the third wheel in their love story.
Chapter 14
Reyansh
I check my wristwatch only to see it’s already seven p.m., yet these girls are nowhere in sight. They must be taking forever to pick the perfect outfits for the nightclub. I slump onto the nearest sofa, eyes falling shut for a brief moment of peace only to have flashes of Karan holding Amyra by the waist this morning jolting me back to reality. I instantly sit upright, jaw tightening.
I always hated him hovering around her. After proposing to her back in university and now knowing he’ll be working with us, especially working with her, boils my blood.
I saw the spark in his eyes. He’s not here just for training. He’s here to win Amyra’s heart. I could feel it in every lingering glance he threw her way, every look still filled with admiration despite her rejection.
He’s on a mission. And now that we’re out of the college phase, Amyra has no reason to reject him again. She’s single, ready to move forward and that could mean dating Karan. That would not only inflate his ego, but it would also erase me from her life completely. She’s already acting indifferent toward me these days, which is not helping either.
God, Rey! You’re overreacting! Aren’t you already in a relationship? Amyra never complained, so why are you suddenly insecure about her dating?
Why does rage coil inside me whenever Karan is near her?Why am I terrified of losing her when she can still be my friend?
Just imagining Amyra and Karan together for the next few months feels like pure torment, but I can’t change reality, can I? And why the hell is my mind filled with Amyra when it should be Aditi?
Heat floods my face as my phone buzzes inside my jacket. Aditi’s name flashes on the screen.
“We are outside.”
“I’m coming. Stay there.” I reply, voice stiff, before hanging up. No way will I let them enter the club alone. I stride out and halt at the entrance, scanning the crowd for my girls. A light tap on my shoulder startles me. They’re already standing in front of me.
“Shall we?” Aditi asks.
“Sure,” I say, taking a moment to appreciate her look. A full-sleeved black shimmering cocktail dress skimming her knees, red lipstick, glittery eyes, and pointed stilettos, she looks stunning, perfectly fitting the night. A faint smile touches my lips… until my gaze shifts to the woman next to her.
My breath stutters.
A gold-hued sequin full-sleeved sweatshirt tucked into a black leather pencil skirt, her open hair frizzy yet glowing with glitter, light makeup highlighting her star-like features with pink-tinted lips and a soft blush warming her cheeks. My eyes trail to herperfectly sculpted waist, and a nervous gulp follows, my heart pounding wildly.
Absolutely breathtaking, but this is not how I am supposed to feel for a friend.What kind of inappropriate thoughts am I letting myself slip into?
I keep a poker face and silently lead them inside the club, guiding them to a corner sofa. The girls settle beside each other while I sit across from them, my gaze skipping toward Amyra more often than I’d like to admit.
“Get some drinks?” I ask, and the girls nod, listing their preferences. I head toward the bar to order three mocktails, using the moment to level my shallow breathing.
