Chapter 1
Chapter 1: The Cold Coffee
KK Pvt. Ltd. — 10:00 AM.
The official work hours had just begun, but inside the executive cabin, the atmosphere was thick with unrest.
Mr. K.K. sat behind his massive mahogany desk, his mind completely consumed by something that was tearing him apart from the inside. Beside his hand sat a fresh cup of black coffee—his ultimate daily energy boost—now slowly turning cold. Today, he couldn't care less about it.
Knock. Knock.
A soft tap against the frosted glass door broke the heavy silence. KK looked up to see his personal secretary, Miss Vaani Malhotra, entering with a heavy stack of files cradled in her arms.
"Good morning, sir," Vaani said, her voice crisp, professional, and entirely unbothered as she placed the documents neatly on his desk. "Please sign these when you have a moment."
Up until this second, everything seemed entirely normal. Professional. Distant.
"Thank you, sir," she added softly, turning on her heel to leave the cabin.
Before she could take a single step toward the door, KK reached out and caught her wrist, pulling her back toward him with a swift, desperate urgency.
Vaani froze. Her heart hammered against her ribs, but she instantly pulled her hand free from his grip and took a swift step backward, putting distance between them.
Silence fell over the cabin once more. They locked eyes—his filled with a sudden, raw fear of losing her; hers clouded with confusion, hurt, and a deep discomfort she couldn't hide.
Looking at her guarded face, KK felt a cold chill run down his spine.
How did they end up like this? To be contd...
