Chapter 3: A Mysterious Connection

The office was abuzz with quiet murmurs as the morning briefing began. My boss, Keshav, stood at the front, flanked by a striking young woman. Her presence immediately commanded attention. She had long, cascading black hair, almond-shaped eyes that sparkled with life, and cheeks kissed with a natural rosiness. Her delicate features were framed by a serene smile, but it was her voice—gentle, melodic, and yet full of confidence—that truly captured the room.

"Nice to meet you all," she said, her silvery voice ringing clear. "My name is Kiara Mehra. I'm looking forward to working with you."

Harsh leaned over to me, muttering under his breath, "Whoa, she's beautiful."

I didn't respond. I couldn't. My gaze had locked onto her the moment she began speaking. It wasn't her beauty alone that held my attention—it was something deeper, something I couldn't quite place.

"Sai," Harsh teased, nudging me. "You're staring so hard, you're going to burn holes in her face. What's with you? Love at first sight?"

His words jolted me back to reality. Heat crept up my neck as I fumbled for an excuse.

"N-no, nothing like that," I stammered. "She just... looks like someone I've seen before. A celebrity or something."

"Yeah, right." Harsh smirked. "Lucky you, though. You get to be her mentor."

Keshav's voice cut through the chatter, pulling my attention back to the front. "Sai, you'll be working with Kiara to help her learn the ropes. She'll be sitting at the desk next to yours. Why don't you introduce yourself?"

Kiara turned toward me, her eyes locking onto mine. As I opened my mouth to greet her, she suddenly froze. Her gaze softened, and then, to my shock, her lips curved into a radiant smile.

"I found you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper but filled with certainty.

The words hit me like a lightning bolt. Found me? Confused, I glanced around, half-expecting she'd mistaken me for someone else. But no, her eyes were fixed solely on me.

"Huh...?" I managed, my voice laced with bewilderment.

"You don't remember me?" she asked, taking a step closer. Her tone wasn't accusing but hopeful, as though she wanted to coax a memory out of me.

"What...?" I repeated dumbly, my mind scrambling for answers.

She closed the remaining distance between us, and I caught the faint scent of flowers—soft and sweet, like jasmine in the evening breeze. Her voice was warm, almost tender, as she leaned in slightly and said, "I'm your wife from a previous life."

The room went silent, save for the collective intake of breath.

"My... what?" I croaked, my throat suddenly dry.

"Your wife?" Keshav echoed, his usually composed voice tinged with disbelief.

The room erupted into chaos.

"What?!" Harsh exclaimed, his voice louder than anyone else's. "Sai, you're married? And you didn't tell me?"

"No! I'm not married!" I shot back, panic rising in my chest.

Kiara's eyes filled with mock hurt, and she sniffled theatrically. "That's so mean. Was I just a toy to you in our previous life?"

The whispers around the room grew louder.

"Wow, Sai's that type of guy?"

"He didn't even tell his best friend about his wedding?"

"This is like something out of a movie!"

My carefully built reputation was crumbling before my eyes. I turned to Kiara, desperate to clear the misunderstanding. "Miss Kiara, please explain what you meant by that. You're confusing everyone!"

Kiara's smile returned, and she spoke with an almost dreamlike quality. "I've had these dreams for years. In them, I'm married and incredibly happy, treated like a princess. The man in my dreams looks exactly like you. So I'm convinced they're memories from my past life."

Her explanation only deepened the murmurs, though the tone shifted.

"That's so romantic!"

"Destiny, for sure!"

I groaned inwardly as Harsh chimed in, his voice dripping with mock enthusiasm. "Dude, this is straight out of a love story. You've got your past-life wife right here!"

"Harsh," I muttered through gritted teeth, "just shut up."

Turning back to Kiara, I tried to reason with her. "Miss Kiara, I'm sorry, but I've never had dreams like that. I don't think—"

She interrupted, her gaze unwavering. "Then it's because you don't remember yet. But I'll wait. I'm sure the memories will come back to you someday."

I looked helplessly at Keshav, silently pleading for intervention. Thankfully, he clapped his hands and addressed the room. "Alright, everyone, back to work. Let's not get too distracted, okay? Chop, chop!"

As the crowd dispersed, Harsh threw one last remark over his shoulder. "Let's talk later, Kiara. You've got to tell me more about this past life of yours!"

Kiara laughed. "Of course!"

Keshav sighed, clearly exasperated. "Miss Kiara, please focus on work. Sai, show her to her desk and help her settle in."

As I led Kiara to her desk, the whispers continued to trail behind us. Throughout the day, I introduced her to the team and tried to focus on work, but her words lingered in my mind.

She smiled constantly, her excitement bubbling over with each new interaction. It wasn't just her beauty that drew people to her—it was her warmth and genuine joy. And yet, every time I caught her looking at me, her gaze seemed to hold a secret.

By the end of the day, one thought echoed in my mind: Who is Kiara Mehra?

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