Chapter 4

Kabir didn't dwell on things. He made decisions and moved forward. That was how he built his empire—by knowing what he wanted and getting it.

So why the hell was Aria Vijay still on his mind?

It wasn't just the way she looked, though that would've been reason enough. She had a quiet confidence, an effortless command over the space around her, and an infuriating ability to act like he was just another man in the room.

He wasn't.

Most people bent around him, adjusted themselves to fit his presence. Aria? She barely acknowledged him. And when she did, it was with sharp remarks and irritation, as if he were an inconvenience rather than the owner of the very resort she was about to pitch for.

That should have been the end of it.

Instead, it only made him want to push further.

His office door opened, and Aisha stepped in, perfectly composed as always. "Meraki Co. has confirmed their pitch for Veda Islands," she said, tapping her tablet. "Aria Vijay will be leading the presentation."

Kabir leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled together. "Good."

Aisha arched a brow. "You sound pleased."

He didn't respond. Instead, he reached for his phone and scrolled to his last email to Aria.

I hope you enjoyed the arrangement. I chose them myself.

No reply.

Not that he expected one.

Aisha sighed. "You do realize she threw the flowers away?"

His grip on the phone tightened, but his expression remained unreadable.

"She didn't even keep them long enough to read the card," Aisha added, watching him closely.

He should be annoyed.

Instead, a flicker of amusement curled in his chest.

"She read the email," he said simply.

Aisha rolled her eyes. "Are you going to tell me this is still about business?"

His lips curved slightly. "What else would it be about?"

She didn't dignify that with a response. "You want me to confirm your presence at the pitch?"

"I'll be there."

She tapped her screen. "Done. Anything else?"

"Get me everything we have on Meraki Co.'s previous campaigns."

Aisha smirked. "You planning to make an informed decision or just trying to get under her skin?"

Kabir simply smirked back.

She shook her head and left.

The moment the door closed, he leaned forward, elbows on his desk, staring at the screen.

Aria Vijay.

She wasn't just another agency hoping to land a lucrative account.

She was a distraction.

And he wasn't sure if he hated it or wanted more.

That night, the city stretched before him, endless and glittering beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows of his penthouse. He should have been reviewing financial reports, approving expansion plans.

Instead, his mind kept circling back to her.

Aria.

The way she had looked at him—unaffected, unimpressed.

The way she had dismissed his flowers without a second thought.

The way she commanded a room without even trying.

She made him want to push, just to see how far she would push back.

His fingers traced the rim of his whiskey glass, slow and deliberate.

She wasn't just beautiful.

She was sharp. Focused. Unshakable.

And that unshakable composure made him wonder how she'd look if she let it slip.

Heat coiled in his stomach at the thought.

His hand slid lower, unhurried.

He thought about the way her lips had parted that night at Veda Islands, the brief flicker of something in her eyes before she masked it.

The way she stood her ground, chin lifted, refusing to be drawn in.

He exhaled, slow and controlled, rolling his shoulders back.

But his body had already decided for him.

His grip tightened as his mind filled with images of her—Aria losing that damn control, unraveling, just for a moment.

She wouldn't give in easily.

And that only made him want her more.

The sudden vibration of his phone shattered the moment.

His jaw clenched, breath steadying as he pulled his hand away and picked up the device.

Aisha's name flashed across the screen.

Aisha: Meraki Co. has confirmed all details for the presentation. You're expected at the pitch.

His lips curved.

Of course, he was.

Kabir: Wouldn't miss it.

He set the phone down, rolling his neck.

Two days.

Two days until he saw her again.

And this time, he was going to enjoy every second of it.