I opened my eyes to the familiar ceiling of my room, blinking away the drowsiness that clung to my mind. A frustrated sigh left my lips as I sat up, rubbing my temples. Another morning, another day wasted waiting for a call that never came.
My eyes flicked to the calendar hanging on the wall, and a sharp pang of anxiety clenched my chest. It had been three days since Sanjay told me about the debt—three days of restless thoughts, endless searching, and unanswered prayers. That meant we had only two days left. Just today and tomorrow. Then, everything would be gone. Our house. Sanjay's office. Our lives as we knew them.
The weight of that realization pressed heavily on me, making it hard to swallow. I had to do something. I needed to find a solution.
Dragging myself out of bed, I shuffled toward the bathroom, my body feeling heavier than usual. Even as the warm water cascaded over me, washing away the fatigue, my mind refused to let go of the only thing consuming my thoughts—money. The cruelest necessity of life.
After drying myself off, I slipped into a white long-sleeved dress with black polka dots, the fabric soft against my skin, but it did nothing to ease the suffocating pressure in my chest. Stepping out of my room, I descended the stairs and found the house eerily quiet.
Mom was at the dining table, wiping its wooden surface with slow, deliberate motions. The absence of sound only amplified the growing lump in my throat.
I stopped for a moment, my gaze drifting across the familiar walls, the framed pictures, the furniture—every little detail that made this house a home. And yet, within two days, all of this could slip away like sand through my fingers. My eyes burned with unshed tears, but I swallowed them down, inhaling a sharp breath.
I couldn't let this happen. I wouldn't.
"Mom, I'm going to the nearest shop," I said, adjusting the strap of my white handbag over my shoulder. My voice sounded steadier than I felt.
Mom glanced up, her expression neutral but warm. "Okay, Vidya. I'm making chapati for dinner today, alright?"
I forced a small smile and nodded. "Okay, Mom."
Without another word, I stepped out of the house, hailing a taxi. The drive was quiet, my thoughts loud.
The moment the taxi came to a stop in front of the towering glass building, a shiver ran down my spine. I had sworn I'd never step foot here again. I had felt free after leaving. But fate had other plans.
I exhaled, steadying myself before pushing through the heavy glass doors. The interior was as pristine as ever, the air thick with the scent of expensive cologne and fresh coffee. I made my way to the reception desk, where Elsa was tapping away at her keyboard.
"Hey, Elsa," I greeted, forcing a polite smile. "Can I meet Mr. Kathir?"
Elsa lifted her gaze, momentarily surprised before nodding. She picked up the office phone and dialed a number.
"Hello, Kathir sir? Vidya has come to see you… Okay, sir."
She placed the receiver back and turned to me. "He asks you to wait. He might be in a meeting right now."
I nodded in understanding. "Sure, I'll wait."
Taking a seat on one of the leather couches, I scrolled through my phone absentmindedly. Minutes stretched into an hour, then another. My patience wore thin.
Two hours?
I clenched my jaw, tapping my fingers against my knee. Was the meeting really taking this long? Or was he deliberately making me wait?
Frustration clawed at my nerves, making me restless. I shifted in my seat, rubbing my forehead, just as Elsa's voice called out, "Kathir sir has asked you to come to his office."
About time.
I made my way to the third floor, stopping in front of his office door. I knocked lightly, and after a brief pause, his deep voice responded, "Come in."
Pushing the door open, I stepped inside, my gaze immediately falling on him.
Kathir Rathore.
There he was, seated behind his desk, an iPad in his hands. His hair was tousled like he had just woken up, and irritation flared in me. Did he seriously make me wait for two hours just to lounge around?
I forced my expression into neutrality as I approached his desk. "Good afternoon, sir."
His dark eyes lifted from the screen, raking over me from head to toe before a slow smirk curved his lips.
"Good afternoon," he replied smoothly. "What's the matter? It's only been six days since you left. Miss me already?" His eyebrow arched in amusement.
I clenched my fists, my jaw tightening. "No way," I shot back, keeping my voice even. "I came to ask about Sanjay's project. There haven't been any updates from your company, so I—"
"Are you Sanjay?" he interrupted, his brow furrowing.
I blinked at the sudden question. "N-no, but Sanjay is my br—"
Kathir exhaled sharply, locking eyes with me. His jaw clenched as if he was barely holding back irritation. "Excuse me, Miss Vidya Nadar, do you have some kind of memory loss disease?"
His words caught me off guard. My lips parted in confusion. "W-what?"
He leaned back in his chair, his sharp gaze unwavering. "I wish you did," he murmured, almost mockingly. "But since you clearly don't, let me remind you—you're already disqualified from this office. You have no right to ask about anything related to my company."
His voice was cold, dominant, each word slicing through the air like a blade.
"This is my office," he continued, his tone laced with authority. "My project. My clients. I know when and how to handle things. So don't you dare question me."
I stood there, speechless.
I searched for words, anything to retaliate, but my throat felt dry. My fingers curled into the fabric of my dress, frustration bubbling inside me.
His eyes flickered back to his iPad, his jaw tightening.
Something on that screen had just caught his attention. Something serious.
I frowned, my heart pounding against my ribs.
What was he looking at?