Chapter 7: Crossroads

Arjun sat alone in his sprawling office, the city skyline glowing in the night outside the glass walls. His hand rested on a crystal tumbler of whiskey, untouched. The faint sound of the clock ticking echoed in the silence.

He hadn't been able to shake Meera's defiant words from the party. Her fiery rejection played on a loop in his mind. "Whatever I felt -- it's over." The sentence felt like a dagger he couldn't pull out. He was hurt unknowingly.

Raj entered cautiously, holding a folder. "Sir, the board is asking for your decision on the new merger proposal. They're waiting."

Arjun didn't look up. "Tell them they'll have my answer when I'm ready."

Raj hesitated, eyeing his boss. "If I may, sir... you've been distracted lately. Is something bothering you?"

Arjun's grip on the glass tightened. "You're overstepping this time, Raj."

"I apologize, sir," Raj said quickly, but he didn't leave. "I only mean to say that you've always put your empire first. Perhaps focusing on it now would help clear your mind."

Arjun finally looked at him, his gaze cold. "You think I've forgotten how to prioritize my empire? Let me assure you, Raj, nothing -- not Meera, not anyone -- will ever come before what I've built."

Raj nodded stiffly and left the room, but Arjun's words didn't sit well even with himself. He downed the whiskey in one gulp and leaned back in his chair, his mind spiraling into darker thoughts.

If he couldn't have Meera, then he needed to erase her from his mind. Permanently.

Meanwhile, Meera was unlocking the door to her modest apartment when she heard a friendly voice behind her.

"Long day at work, huh?"

She turned to see Raghav, her neighbor, standing by his door with a warm smile. He was carrying a bag of groceries, his casual clothes and easy demeanor instantly putting her at ease.

"Yeah," Meera replied with a small smile. "But it's nothing I can't handle."

Raghav chuckled. "You're always so tough. Let me guess, you're going to bury yourself in work again tonight?"

She shrugged, a teasing glint in her eyes. "What else would I do?"

"Well, you could start by letting someone else cook dinner for you," he said, holding up the grocery bag. "I make a mean pasta. What do you say?"

Meera hesitated. Since leaving Arjun's company, she'd kept her life simple, avoiding unnecessary entanglements. But Raghav's genuine kindness was hard to resist. She couldn't deny.

"Okay," she said finally. "But I'm bringing dessert."

"Deal," he said, grinning.

An hour later, Meera sat at Raghav's small dining table, savoring a plate of pasta that was surprisingly delicious.

"This is just amazing," she said, glancing at him. "Where did you learn to cook like this?"

Raghav shrugged. "My mom. She always said a man should know how to take care of himself. Turns out, it's a good way to impress the neighbors too."

Meera laughed, the sound genuine and light. It felt good to be around someone who didn't expect anything from her.

As they talked, she found herself relaxing more than she had in weeks. Raghav was charming without being overbearing, his humor and sincerity a refreshing change from the tension that usually filled her interactions with Arjun.

Back in his penthouse, Arjun stood on the balcony, staring at the city lights. He thought about Meera's defiance, her independence, and how she had walked away without looking back.

The idea of her moving on with someone else filled him with a dark, possessive rage. He clenched the railing tightly, his knuckles got white.

"She doesn't get to walk away," he muttered to himself. "Not after everything."

For the first time, he felt an unfamiliar emotion: helplessness. He wasn't used to not getting what he wanted. And now, the thought of someone else -- anyone else -- claiming Meera made his chest tighten with jealousy.

But Arjun Malhotra wasn't a man who backed down. If she thought she could escape him, she was wrong.

"I'll show her who I am. " he whispered into the cold night air. "No one forgets me, Meera. Not even you."

As Meera walked back to her apartment later that night, Raghav walked her to her door, carrying their leftover pasta in a container.

"Thanks for dinner," Meera said, genuinely smiling. "I didn't realize how much I needed a break."

"Anytime," Raghav said, his voice soft. "You deserve more than just breaks, Meera. You deserve happiness."

For a moment, she didn't know how to respond. She could see the sincerity in his eyes, and it made her chest ache.

"Goodnight, Raghav," she said finally, retreating into her apartment.

As she leaned against the door, her thoughts drifted back to Arjun. No matter how kind and safe Raghav made her feel, the shadow of Arjun still lingered, refusing to let her go.

.

To be continue...