The morning at Malhotras Innovation began like clockwork — silent elevators, the muted click of heels on marble floors, and the smell of fresh brew in the air.

Meher had reached early — as always.
Her desk was already organized, her calendar updated, and Arav's day prepped hour-by-hour.

At precisely 10:04 AM, her phone screen blinked.

Internal Message – Mr. Arav Malhotra:

Bring me coffee. Now. Black. No sugar.

No greetings. No "please."

Just an order.

She stood immediately, smoothed her kurti, and made her way to the executive lounge. As she stirred the coffee — exactly how he'd asked — her fingers trembled slightly.

Not out of fear.

But the chill in his tone still hadn't stopped stinging.

When she entered his cabin, she found Arav standing by the window, his back to her, arms folded, gaze fixed somewhere beyond the skyline.

"Your coffee, sir," she said calmly, placing it gently on his desk.

He turned halfway, eyes scanning her just once.

"Next time, don't take four minutes," he said, his voice low but pointed.

She blinked. "I apologize. I wanted to ensure it was made as requested."

"You're not here to impress me with your care. Just follow instructions," he replied without meeting her eyes.

Something in her chest twisted — not because he was harsh, but because he didn't see her.

Not really.

Just an assistant.

Just a name on payroll.

"Understood, sir," she said softly, her tone neutral.

He took the cup, took a sip, then sat down without another word.

The silence in the cabin was cold, heavy — and yet, Meher stood straight.

She wasn't the girl from a few weeks ago anymore.

She walked out of the cabin, back to her desk.

But even as she sat and resumed her work, one thing remained on her mind.

Not his coldness.

Not the order.

But the fact that he refused to look her in the eyes.

What are you hiding behind that calm, Arav Malhotra?
Because I can feel it... something about me unsettles you.

The digital clock on Arav Malhotra's wall blinked 12:17 PM.
His cabin was quiet — the calm before the strategic storm.

He was seated at his desk, one hand tapping a pen against his temple, eyes fixed on the quarterly projections on his screen. A major partnership deal was hanging by a thread, and every number in front of him looked like a question mark.

He hated uncertainty.

Until—
The door opened without a knock.

"Bro, you really need a life outside those profit graphs."

"Or at least a couch in this sterile room. It's like a boardroom threw up in here."

Aditya and Karan — his two childhood friends — stormed into the cabin like they owned the place.

Arav looked up, mildly annoyed.

"I don't remember putting out an open-door invite."

Aditya flopped onto the couch dramatically. "Oh, we invited ourselves. We heard from Devika aunty you've become colder than the company servers again."

Karan leaned against the wall with a grin. "We thought it was time for a system update. Version 'Arav with feelings'."

Arav sighed, leaning back in his chair. "You two never change."

"And we never will," Aditya grinned. "Unlike you. Seriously, what's with this fortress attitude lately?"

Arav didn't answer. His mind drifted for a second — not to the numbers — but to the girl who now sat outside this very room. The one who didn't flinch even when he was being stone cold.

Before the silence could stretch, he picked up the intercom and pressed the button.

"Miss Sharma," he said, voice firm.
"Three coffees. One black, two with milk. No sugar. Now."

There was a short pause.

Then: "Yes, sir."

He hung up and looked at his friends.

"Since you both are so jobless, you might as well drink something useful."

Aditya smirked. "Oooh, is that the assistant you hired? What was her name? Meher, right?"

Karan wiggled his brows. "The one who fixed your pitch deck overnight?"

Arav gave them a look that said: Don't even go there.

"She's efficient. That's all that matters."

Karan chuckled. "Relax, Mr. CEO. No one's asking you to write poetry."

Before Arav could throw a comeback, a soft knock came at the door.

Knock. Knock.

"Come in."

Meher walked in, holding a tray with three mugs — graceful, silent, composed.

She placed the mugs gently on the side table, her eyes barely lifting.

"Black for you, sir. Milk no sugar for the guests," she said politely.

Aditya and Karan turned to look at her. For a moment, even their teasing paused.

She had a presence.

Simple. Sharp. And far from ordinary.

"Thanks," Karan said casually, giving her a friendly smile.

She nodded slightly and turned to Arav. "Shall I close the door, sir?"

"Yes," he said without looking at her.

She left as quietly as she came.

But the air inside the room wasn't quiet anymore.

Aditya raised an eyebrow.

Karan leaned forward.

"You sure she's just an assistant, Arav?"

Arav sipped his coffee, stone-faced.

"That's all she needs to be."

But his friends didn't miss the way he lingered one second longer at the closed door.

The air in the cabin had shifted.

The once casual laughter over coffee now simmered under a layer of silence and glances.

Aditya and Karan exchanged looks.

Aditya leaned back, arms crossed, watching his best friend.

"Okay, seriously, what's going on with you?"

Karan added, "You were perfectly normal yesterday... still brooding but functional. And now suddenly it's like someone pressed your 'freeze emotions' button."

Arav didn't lift his eyes from the file he was reading.

"Nothing's going on," he replied coldly.

Aditya scoffed. "Cut the corporate tone, Arav. We've known you since you wore Power Rangers boxers and cried over losing ludo."

A muscle in Arav's jaw twitched. "Don't bring Meher into this."

Karan smirked. "Ah, so it is about her."

That was it.

Arav snapped the file shut and looked up — eyes cold, sharp.

"It's not about her. It's about me. And my decisions."

"Last month, I trusted someone — someone inside this company. Gave her more than just authority. She walked out with sensitive data and nearly handed it to our competitors. It cost us a deal worth crores."

His voice dropped.

"I won't let myself be distracted again. Not by anyone. Especially not by another employee."

The room fell silent for a beat.

"She—Meher—is efficient. That's it. No teasing. No connections. Keep your mischievous theories about me and her to yourselves."

Aditya leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"We're not teasing you to annoy you, Arav. We know you. You're pushing everyone away... again. And we've seen that look before."

Arav didn't flinch.

"This isn't about heartbreak anymore. It's about control. Focus. Discipline."

He stood up, facing the window again, his back to them.

"I have a company to protect. And a reputation that can't survive another betrayal."

Karan sighed. "Just... don't let your past ruin the chance of seeing good in people again."

But Arav said nothing.

Only gripped the edge of the window frame a little tighter.

Outside, the city kept moving.

Inside, Arav's world stayed guarded.

And his friends — for the first time — couldn't break through.