Chapter 21

At first, it was just coincidence.

Sitting across from Mehul at lunch.

Working next to him in silence.

Finding excuses to talk to him, even when I didn't need to.

But after a week?

It wasn't coincidence anymore.

It was a habit.

And that?

That was dangerous.

By now, Mehul didn't even question it.

Every afternoon, I'd grab my tray, walk into the breakroom, and—without fail—end up across from him.

The first few times, he used to sigh. Give me a look. Ask, "Again?" like I was testing his patience.

But lately?

He didn't say anything.

He just let me sit there.

Like he had gotten used to me.

And I should not have liked that as much as I did.

I poked at my food, watching him scroll through his phone. "You know, normal coworkers actually talk during lunch."

Mehul didn't even blink. "I talk when necessary."

I scoffed. "Right. You say exactly three words a day."

Mehul took a sip of his coffee. "Four, actually."

I blinked.

Then, before I could stop myself—

I laughed.

It slipped out before I even thought about it, surprising me just as much as him.

And Mehul?

He looked up.

For just a second, his gaze flickered to mine.

Amber eyes, steady. Observing.

Like he was noticing something.

Something about me.

I forced myself to take a bite of my food, pretending that one glance didn't make my stomach flip.

This was bad.

This was so bad.

By now, working with Mehul was natural.

We had a system.

I handled reports. He checked calculations.

I fixed presentations. He made sure I didn't mess up.

It was effortless.

But the more time I spent next to him, the more I started to realize—

I wanted more.

More than just quiet lunches.

More than just routine meetings.

More than just his voice saying my name in that calm, detached way.

I wanted him to look at me like I wasn't just another coworker.

And that scared the hell out of me.

The night before the final presentation, we stayed late at the office, going through the last round of edits.

The conference room was quiet—just the sound of our keyboards clicking, the AC humming in the background.

I leaned back in my chair, stretching. "I think we're done."

Mehul skimmed the screen one last time. "Looks fine."

I watched him, waiting for… something.

A reaction. A comment. A sign that this project actually meant something.

But Mehul just saved the file, shut his laptop, and said, "Good work."

And that was it.

Like none of it mattered.

I exhaled, trying to ignore the weird weight in my chest.

"Yeah," I muttered, forcing a grin. "We make a good team, huh?"

Mehul paused.

And then—so casually, so effortlessly—he said, "I know."

I froze.

Because that?

That was acknowledgment.

Not just polite agreement.

Not just a dismissive response.

But Mehul actually admitting it.

And for some stupid reason, that meant everything.

Before I could even process it, he was already packing up.

"I'm leaving," he said. "See you tomorrow."

And just like that, he walked out.

I stared after him.

And in that moment, I realized—

It wasn't just the project that was ending.

It was my excuse to be close to him.

And I wasn't ready to let that go.