Chapter 5

Kabir had sat through countless meetings in his life—billion-dollar negotiations, boardroom wars where words were sharper than swords, and deals that made or broke legacies. But this, this was different. This was a pitch meeting, something he had attended a hundred times before, yet as he adjusted his cufflinks and leaned back in his chair, he could feel it in his gut—this was a game he wanted to play. And his opponent? Aria Vijay.

She walked in precisely on time, her posture straight, her expression unreadable. Not a single sign that she had spent the last few days trying to avoid him. Not a flicker of hesitation. If he hadn't known better, he would've thought the flowers, the note, the emails—none of it had ever happened.

But he did know better. And that was what made this so much fun.

Paul, her assistant, walked in beside her, expression carefully neutral. The rest of her team followed, setting up quickly, arranging their laptops and printouts, whispering final confirmations amongst themselves. It was a well-oiled machine, one she had built, one she commanded with nothing more than a look.

Aisha, standing beside him, leaned over. "You're enjoying this."

Kabir didn't bother denying it. His lips curved in a small smirk. "Observant as always, Aisha."

Her sigh was barely audible. "Try not to be insufferable."

He chuckled, but his attention was already back on Aria.

She finally turned to him, nodding politely. "Mr. Oberoi."

The formality. The restraint. If she had clenched her jaw any tighter, he was sure she'd crack a tooth.

"Ms. Vijay," he greeted, slow and deliberate, taking in the way her fingers curled slightly at her sides. He wanted to push. Just enough to watch her regain control, to watch her recover, because that was what he enjoyed most about her—her resilience.

Aria gestured towards the screen. "Shall we begin?"

He sat back, gesturing for her to proceed. "By all means."

She launched into the pitch smoothly, walking them through Meraki Co.'s vision for Veda Islands. Her voice was clear, measured, the confidence in her tone absolute. Her team followed her lead seamlessly, presenting ideas that were both innovative and deeply rooted in storytelling.

But Kabir barely heard a word. He was too caught up in the way she carried herself, in the slight tilt of her chin when she emphasized a point, in the way her hands moved—controlled but expressive.

At one point, she glanced at him directly, as if daring him to break eye contact.

He smirked. Held her gaze.

Aria didn't falter. Not even for a second. She simply continued, as if he were nothing more than another client in the room.

Damn, she was good.

The tension between them wasn't missed by the two people who knew them best. Paul's gaze flickered between them, wary but unsurprised. Aisha, on the other hand, had crossed her arms, her lips pressed together in a way that told him she would have words for him later.

And then came the part he had been waiting for.

A strategic pause in the presentation.

Aria turned towards him, expectant. "Thoughts, Mr. Oberoi?"

He let the silence stretch just a second too long. Enough for the air to tighten, for her team to shift slightly in their seats. Then, finally, he leaned forward, elbows on the table.

"I'll admit," he said, his voice low, almost lazy, "I expected nothing less from you, Ms. Vijay. Thorough. Well-researched. Bold, even."

A muscle in her jaw twitched. "But?"

He smiled. "But is such a strong word. Let's call it… curiosity."

She arched an eyebrow. "Curiosity?"

He tapped his fingers against the table, his gaze never leaving hers. "You make a compelling case for storytelling, for building an emotional connection with the audience. But tell me, Ms. Vijay, if we strip away the grand narratives, the aesthetics—what truly makes this campaign different from what Veda Islands has already done?"

There it was. The challenge.

For a fraction of a second—so brief that no one else would have caught it—Aria stilled.

Then she smiled. Slow. Sharp.

"Mr. Oberoi," she said smoothly, "you're a man who understands the power of control. You like knowing every detail, every angle before making a decision. So let's put it this way—if Veda Islands wants the safe, expected route, we're not the agency for you."

A murmur went through the room.

Kabir felt his pulse quicken.

Aria continued, her voice unwavering. "But if you want a campaign that doesn't just sell luxury but makes people crave the experience, if you want something that doesn't just follow the market but redefines it, then Meraki Co. is your answer."

The silence that followed was thick.

Kabir could feel the weight of his team's eyes on him, waiting for his reaction. He should have been irritated at her audacity. Any other agency head speaking to him like that would have been shut down in an instant.

But Aria Vijay wasn't just any agency head.

She was the only person in a long time who had managed to make his heart hammer against his ribs with something other than ambition.

Slowly, he leaned back, a slow grin forming. "Bold, indeed."

Aria didn't respond, simply meeting his gaze with that same unyielding confidence.

Paul cleared his throat. "We'd love to hear your thoughts, Mr. Oberoi. We value collaboration and—"

Kabir held up a hand, cutting him off gently. His attention was still on Aria. "Let's discuss this further."

Aisha shot him a look. He ignored it.

Aria's eyes narrowed, but she nodded. "Of course."

The meeting wrapped up soon after, with arrangements made for a follow-up discussion. The moment Aria and her team stood to leave, Kabir felt an inexplicable urge to stop her, to say something, to—

She was already turning away.

"Ms. Vijay."

She paused, her spine straight, but she didn't turn.

Kabir let a small, knowing smile curl his lips. "Don't throw these away."

She frowned slightly, glancing down—only to see a single white rose placed neatly at the edge of the table.

Her fingers curled at her sides, the only betrayal of emotion, before she exhaled and walked out.

The moment they were outside, Paul snatched the flower, holding it up with a smirk. "You know this means war, right?"

Aria rolled her eyes but didn't argue.

Back in the boardroom, Kabir sat down, entirely too pleased with himself.

Aisha sighed, rubbing her temples. "You're impossible."

Kabir smirked, stretching back in his chair. "Tell me something I don't know."