Yet despite all those maybes… I can’t stop the quiet thrill rising inside me at the thought of finally being near him again.
Chapter 16
Reyansh
Keep going, Rey! You shouldn’t care enough to stop at her cubicle just to check if she’s there!
I leave my mentor’s cabin and head toward my cubicle. My fists curl tight, fighting the urge to halt before her workspace, but each step feels suffocating without even a glimpse of her. My resolve of the last seven days finally slips and I rush to her cubicle only to find it empty. Anxiety heightens as I stride to Amyra’s mentor’s cabin. I peer through the small gap in the tilted glass door and confirm her absence. Ms. Shanaya sits alone, eyes glued to her laptop.
A sudden suspicion spikes through me and panic flares. I take the stairs two at a time down to the sixth floor and head straight to Karan’s cubicle which is also empty. My heart hammers against my ribs. Earlier, my mentor mentioned Amyra and Karan being assigned to lead a campaign together.
Hearing that a few minutes ago only intensified the dull ache that’s been lingering all week. I can’t imagine seeing them together every single day. Are they already on it? Meeting somewhere to start working together?
Clinging to one last hope, I take the elevator to the ground floor and hurry to the canteen.
There she is! Sitting in the corner, smiling into her coffee. My gaze shifts to the man across from her, and the color drains from my face.
He’s the reason for her smile. And I hate it.
Minutes pass as they laugh over something, and my pulse spikes with sharp anger. I hate that Karan can make her laugh like that while I’ve been busy avoiding her all week. That should be me, the one making her smile, drawing out her laughter and caring for her. But the ease with which Karan brightens her mood churns something deep in me.
And the worst part? She looks so comfortable with him.
My brows pull into a tight frown, my throat thick with unspoken emotions, heat rushing up my face. I force myself to breathe, slow, deep and controlled. My eyes drift back to Amyra, and my body jerks forward, ready to run to her as she bumps her knee against the table. But I freeze when Karan immediately wraps an arm around her shoulders, steadying her and gently guiding her back to her seat.
My eyes sting. I look away, unable to bear the sight of her in his arms. Why does it bother me this much when she’s with another man, especially Karan, who probably still has feelings for her?
Aren’t I just a friend? Shouldn’t I support her, especially if she’s moving toward a relationship?
Then why does it feel like I’m supposed to be the only man by her side?
When Karan suddenly stands and walks away, leaving her alone, I lose the last bit of restraint. I need her just to feel like I can function again.
Her gaze meets mine, her expression shifting into something unreadable but close to surprise… and excitement. If I hadn’t chosen to avoid her after the nightclub incident, I would’ve run straight to her and pulled her into my arms by now. The desire to find peace in her embrace feels so real. I can already imagine it happening.
I finally reach her side and help her stand up. She hesitates but follows, my arm looping around her shoulders as her hand instinctively grips my waist for support. A sudden chill races down my spine at her touch, but I keep a neutral expression while guiding her out of the canteen and toward the elevator.
“Where are we going?” she whispers, but I stay silent until we reach the seventh floor. Stepping out, I find her stumbling, and my arm finds her waist automatically, her fingers clutching my shirt. We freeze, staring at each other, our breaths tangling in the space between us.
“You should be careful while you walk, Ames,” I murmur, melting into her alluring almond-shaped hazel eyes.
“Aren’t you here to take care of that for me, Rey?” she counters softly, her gaze roaming over my face. Her words hit like cold water, reminding me how I’ve been ignoring my best friend these past days. My eyes turn glossy, another annoying habit I’ve developed lately, so I tear my gaze away and continue leading her to my cubicle, my arm again steady on her shoulders.
Inside, I gently settle her in my swivel chair. I take the one opposite and rummage through my desk, retrieving what I need and setting it beside me, on the counter.
“Let me check if your knee is scraped.” She nods, so I kneel down and roll up the loose fabric of her trousers, revealing a small abrasion on her right knee.
“How do you manage to be this clumsy? Hold your trousers up while I apply the ointment.” My voice turns sharper than intended, slightly commanding because seeing her hurt always rattles me.
She cooperates, folding the fabric higher, and I dip a cotton swab in antiseptic before touching the wound. She winces in pain, breaking my heart.
“Sorry, but cleaning is necessary,” I mutter, applying ointment and sealing the band-aid before adjusting her trousers back down. I return to my chair while her gaze lingers on me, and I look everywhere else before finally meeting her eyes.
“How have you been lately? Busy balancing work and relationship?” The slight sarcasm in her voice makes her complaint clear, like she’s upset that I haven’t given her attention. A week ago, if someone said I’d distance myself from Amyra, I would’ve laughed. But after the nightclub, I had to face an uncomfortable truth.
I’m the kind of person who gives everything to the relationship I’m in. Emotional loyalty matters for me, and I hated myself for thinking about Amyra when I’m already dating Aditi. Aditi deserves full devotion, honesty, and commitment, especially after she understood my perspective and settled things calmly the next morning, despite our heated argument the night before.
When I analyzed my behavior that night, I realized Amyra was right, any girlfriend would feel upset if her boyfriend prioritized another woman. Taking care of Amyra and craving her presencehas been my routine for so long that I wasn’t giving Aditi a fair chance. So I decided to stay away from Amyra for a while, hoping distance would help me adjust to Aditi’s place in my life. And since Amyra had already stepped back from me, it felt like I was simply matching her distance.
