The silence she left behind—
Didn't go away.
It stayed.
In his cabin.
In meetings.
In every space she used to fill without even trying.
Arman Khurana had handled pressure before.
Big deals.
High risks.
Impossible decisions.
But this?
This was different.
Because for the first time—
He couldn't fix it with control.
He sat in his cabin, staring at his phone.
Unread messages.
Unread emails.
But the only thing he noticed—
Was the absence of one name.
No texts.
No arguments.
No "Arman…"
Nothing.
And that silence—
Was louder than anything else.
Across the office—
Anika was working.
Like always.
Focused.
Calm.
Untouchable.
Just like he used to be.
He watched her through the glass.
The way she spoke in meetings.
The way she handled clients.
The way she didn't look at him.
And suddenly—
He understood something.
She hadn't become distant.
She had just…
Stopped expecting anything from him.
That realization hit hard.
"Sir, the client is waiting," Meera said.
He didn't respond.
"Sir?"
"I'll handle it later."
That wasn't like him.
At all.
Because Arman Khurana never delayed work.
But today—
He walked out of his cabin.
Not toward the meeting.
But toward her.
Anika noticed.
Of course she did.
But she didn't react.
Didn't stop working.
"Anika."
She paused.
Then looked up.
"Yes, sir?"
That word again.
Sharp.
Distant.
It did something to him.
Something he couldn't ignore anymore.
"Can we talk?"
She held his gaze.
Calm.
Controlled.
"Is it work related?"
A pause.
"No."
Then she shook her head slightly.
"Then I'm busy."
And went back to her work.
That—
That hurt.
Because this time—
She was the one walking away.
Arman took a step closer.
Lowered his voice.
"Please."
That word…
Didn't belong to him.
Anika froze for a second.
Because she had never heard him say that.
Slowly—
She looked up again.
"What is it?"
Arman didn't speak immediately.
Because for once—
He didn't know how to start.
Then finally—
"I was wrong."
Silence.
Her expression didn't change.
"I shouldn't have pushed you away," he continued.
"I thought I was protecting you…"
A pause.
"…but I was just making things worse."
Anika listened.
Quietly.
"I don't like this distance," he admitted.
"I don't like you ignoring me."
A faint, almost bitter smile touched her lips.
"Now you don't."
That hit.
Because he deserved that.
"I didn't realize it before," he said honestly.
"But I do now."
Silence.
Anika stood up slowly.
Now facing him completely.
"You had your chance, Arman."
His chest tightened.
"I didn't leave," he said.
"You pushed me away."
Her voice wasn't loud.
But it carried weight.
"And now you're here… because it's affecting you."
He didn't deny it.
"Yes," he said.
"And because I miss you."
That word—
Soft.
Real.
Anika's eyes flickered slightly.
But she stayed strong.
"Missing me doesn't fix anything."
Arman stepped closer.
Carefully.
"Then tell me what does."
A pause.
Long.
Then she said—
"Effort."
Silence.
"Not when it's easy," she continued.
"Not when you feel like it."
Her eyes locked with his.
"But when it's hard."
That hit deeper than anything else.
"Can you do that?" she asked softly.
For a moment—
Arman didn't speak.
Didn't overthink.
Didn't calculate.
He just answered—
"Yes."
And this time—
It wasn't about control.
Or pride.
Or fear.
It was about her.
And he wasn't ready to lose her anymore.