But Vera made him feel something he hadn’t in a long time.
Challenged.
His zeal to get Stork recognized as the top media house in Asia was less about work satisfaction and more about ego. He wanted to prove his father wrong. He was happy when his ideas showed growth, but he wasn’t interested beyond that to do anything more. Becoming a tycoon was a happy coincidence.
Vera though? He felt driven to best her. To figure her out. To strip her bare and glance inside so that he could assure himself that what he’d lost was not worth the pain he still felt.
Vihaan stood in front of the large windows of his office, looking out into the busy commercial district in downtown Mumbai, wishing that he too could get lost in the bustling city below, if only to escape this conundrum he’d invited into his life.
He sipped his mint tea, his preferred herbal alternative to any other warm drink. It surprised people when they found out he didn’t drink coffee, but he’d simply never developed a taste for it.
Unlike Vera. The thought caused him to pause with a grimace. She drank far too much coffee and ate not nearly enough food.
A knock on his door jolted him from his thoughts.
“Come in.”
As if he’d conjured her just by thinking of her, Vera entered his office, taking a few steps towards his desk before stopping. Her oval face twisted in confusion when she realised that the chair behind the desk was unoccupied. With a slight jerk, she looked to her right, finally spotting him by the windows.
“The SSI list has been finalised. If I could have your sign off, I’ll get them scheduled for shooting.”
She gestured to the purple file she’d brought with her, placing it atop his desk.
He allowed himself a moment to pull another swig of his tea, watching her from above the rim of his mug. Just when she looked like she was about to turn away, he called to her.
“Was there nothing else to say?”
She shrugged, annoyingly silent.
He pushed away from the windowsill, approaching her slowly.
“About yesterday?” he prompted once more.
Understanding settled upon her features.
“I suppose you didn’t lock me in there,” she admitted after a long minute, a little ungraciously.
“I didn’t.”
“If you’re expecting an apology—”
“I wouldn’t want you to bust a kidney.” He rolled his eyes, annoyed with the pace of their conversation. He thumped his mug down right at the corner of his desk, running a hand through his hair once before turning to look at her.
He pointed at her and opened his mouth. To his consternation, no words came out. Vera’s sights darted from the tip of his finger to his face and back, her pert nose scrunching in a look that was disconcertingly cute on a woman so vicious.
Rubbing the back of his neck, he released an irritated huff, trying once more.
“I want to address what happenedafterI found you.”
Her face went carefully blank. She stared at him, holding his gaze in some kind of an unspoken dare.
“I was angry, stressed, and you were there. It was a quick fuck to get my emotions to reset.”
The indelicate manner in which she put it felt jarring, considering he’d been trying his damndest to speak in nicer terms for her benefit. Why the hell had he bothered?
“It’s nothing I haven’t done before,” she added.
“Stop saying that.”