“He can’t come here,” she replies. “But he wants to meet me to talk about something. He insisted we meet at Helix Bridge, near our hotel.”
“And what did you say?”
“I said yes.” Anxiety hits instantly, goosebumps rippling across my skin. Talking about something sounds dangerously vague, and I hope it’s nothing like what my mind is already racing toward.
We continue to eat dinner. Boat Quay glows under warm lights, the river calm and dark beside us. We choose a small café by the water, candlelight flickering between us, casting soft shadows across her face. The city noise fades into a distant hum, leaving us cocooned in something intimate. Conversation flows, then slows. I find myself watching her, the way she traces the rim of her glass, the way she looks up when she senses my gaze. Silence settles, not awkward, just expectant.
Despite the weight of the day, she still glistens like moonlight, ethereal, impossible to look away from. My gaze drifts to her lips, bare now, the pink faded, making them all the more tempting.
“Rey?” She tugs my arm gently. “I’ve been calling your name for minutes.” I blink back to reality. The day we shared has come to an end.
“Sorry. Let’s go.” The ride back to Marina Bay passes in comfortable silence, my attention fixed on her until the glowing curve of Helix Bridge comes into view. The bridge arches over the water, steel spirals lit against the night sky. After a brief call with Karan, we spot him waiting at a distance.
“How was your day? Had dinner?” Amyra asks.
“Yes. It was tiring,” he says, “but seeing you helps. Can we stroll and talk?”
“In private.” He stresses the last word, his gaze flicking toward me. Amyra understands immediately. She leans closer and whispers in my ear.
“Can you step away for a few minutes? You can even head back to the hotel. We’ll be back soon—”
“I’ll wait in the cab,” I interrupt quietly. “Call me when you’re done.” I glance once at Karan before turning away, a dull ache spreading through my chest as worst-case scenarios crowd my mind. What could require a private conversation?
It’s not about work, so it must be personal.Is this his love confession?
I know she’ll reject him… but there’s always that tiny, terrifying chance she won’t.
How can he let himself fall for her again, after she made her disinterest clear from the very beginning, and especially after rejecting him once?
Love really is a curse for those trapped in unrequited feelings, and the pain it carries is just as merciless.
Chapter 30
Karan
“So what do you want to talk about, Karan?”
Amyra turns her head towards me just as a rush of cool air brushes her face, tinting her cheeks red while her hair slips forward, veiling half of her face. Without thinking, I lift my hand to move the hair strands aside, but she nudges back, untangling them herself. I pull my hand away, embarrassed.
“What’s the matter, Karan?” she repeats, her expression settling into seriousness. I inhale deeply, finally ready to say the words I’ve been rehearsing all week.
“My internship will be over once we return to India. This conference is the final milestone of my training before I leave B&T Corp and join my father’s company.” I keep my tone neutral, though I catch the soft gasp that escapes her.
“Why, Karan? Aren’t you completing the internship with us?” she asks, shock flickering across her face.
“No, Amyra. Dad’s plan for me was to have six months of training at B&T Corp before I returned. That time has already passed. I don’t have a choice anymore.”
“That’s… really sad,” she says quietly. “I thought we’d finish together. I don’t think work will feel the same without you.” It’sthe first time I’ve seen such intensity in her voice, and the idea of leaving seems to affect her more than I ever expected.
I assumed my departure wouldn’t matter to her much, but knowing I mean something stirs an unfamiliar warmth inside me.
Still, I can't keep my feelings tucked behind the mask of friendship. If not now, I may never get another chance. I need to take that one brave step to speak my heart before I disappear from B&T Corp.
“But that’s not why I asked you to meet me, Amyra,” I add. “There’s something else I need to confess.”
Her eyes widen at the word confess, and she watches me silently, waiting for me to continue.
Okay, Karan. You’ve done this once. You can do it again.
