My breath caught. Slowly, I pressed two fingers to my lips before lifting them toward him in a silent signal. “Smile,” I mouthed.
His chest rose with a quiet exhale, and the corner of his mouth deepened into a genuine smile. He kept on speaking, that beautiful expression never wavering, and his eyes never once leaving mine.
I pointed to the camera in front of me. “Camera, look over here,” but he didn’t.
The INDTV cameraman beside me shifted uncomfortably, confused by Zioh’s fixed gaze. Zioh was supposed to acknowledge every camera and every angle, yet he stared only at me. I gestured toward the INDTV cameraman. “Look over here, too,” I mouthed again.
And yeah… he didn’t listen.
His gaze only deepened and pulled me in further. I sank into that rich, dark brown and lost myself in it, especially as the fluttering sensation rose in my stomach.
The tension bled from his shoulders as he spoke, his voice finding a steady, rhythmic cadence. The flashbulbs and the muffled whispers of the crowd dimmed into a blur, until the room felt empty of everyone but him. It was a strange, grounding thing—the way his gaze stayed locked on mine, feeling less like a look and more like a steady hand anchored firmly against my back.
Smiling, my hands slipped from the tripod, and I’d miss the signals my team beside me was giving.
« -- * --»
The press conference ended with thunderous applause, flashes, and a whirlwind of formalities. As the hall emptied, executives, press, and guests began to file out. I gathered my gear and headed for the lift. I reached out to press the button, but the man beside me beat me to it. Aditya. Instinctively, I dipped my head in a small greeting and shuffled to the side, desperate to put a few inches of distance between us.
He glanced at me. “How was it? Everything fine, Tshabina?”
I nodded. “Yes, sir. Everything went well.”
He studied me. “Who are you going home with?” His voice lowered. “I noticed Mr. Tsabinu is still speaking with colleagues in the back. Why don’t I drive you instead?”
The question hit me like ice. His tone was soft, but it made my skin crawl. I forced a smile, shaking my head. “That won’t be necessary, sir, I—”
I couldn’t even finish because he leaned in, far too close for comfort. I stepped back, but his hand was already reaching for my face. “There’s something—”
Before his fingers could graze me, his wrist was seized in a bone-crushing grip. The sheer force sent Aditya stumbling back, his balance shattered.
A gasp escaped me, my eyes widening in shock.
Zioh.
His face remained a mask of stone, but his eyes—they hardened into something lethal.
“Watch your hand, Aditya,” his voice cut through the air. “We don’t touch a woman carelessly. Especially when she’s clearly uncomfortable, don’t you think?”
The weight of his words froze the air around us. Seeing Zioh’s cold behavior towards him, Aditya freed his hand from Zioh’s grip.
He glanced at Zioh then at me.
My heartbeat quickened, and I looked left and right.Please, we can’t cause a scene.I can’t!
Aditya tried to recover, his face stiffening. “You misunderstand, sir. I had no bad intentions.” He held his gaze on Zioh, then on me for a long moment before he spoke again. “Besides, Tshabina and I are close colleagues—”
A sharp, dry laugh left Zioh’s lips. The sound alone made me gulp.
Dark.
Zioh was in his black phase.
He stepped closer to Aditya, lowering his face until their eyes met, speaking in a low, deep whisper. “Listen carefully, Aditya.” He raised his hand and rested it on Aditya’s shoulder. “Take your hands off her before I make sure you’llnevertouch her again.”
No… he couldn’t have just said that.
Aditya flinched, his lips snapping shut.
