“You’re either very brave or completely insane,” Kavya whispered. “No one defies him. Ever.”
Ishani returned to her seat, placing the bear beside her desk where it loomed like a plush bodyguard. Her hands trembled slightly as she turned back to her computer, the adrenaline of her small rebellion still coursing through her veins.
What had possessed her to challenge him like that? It wasn’t like her to be defiant, especially not publicly. Yet something about his reaction to these gifts, his barely contained fury, his attempts to dismiss them, the way his eyes followed her whenever she touched them, pushed her to test the boundaries between them.
If Raghav was indeed the sender, as she increasingly suspected, then his public disapproval was just another layer of his game. And if he wasn’t... well, then she’d just defied her boss for no reason other than stubborn pride.
Throughout the day, she caught colleagues stealing glances at her, some concerned, others impressed. No one approached Raghav’s office. His blinds remained closed, a clear signal that he wasn’t to be disturbed.
By late afternoon, Ishani had almost convinced herself that the incident was over. But as she reached for a file, her hand accidentally brushed against the bear’s fur. The moment she touched it, Raghav’s blinds twitched. Just enough for her to catch a glimpse of him standing there, watching her with that same intense focus.
He’d been tracking her all day, even hidden behind those blinds.
Ishani fought a small smile as she deliberately stroked the bear’s arm, a tiny gesture of continued defiance.
Tomorrow was February 13th—Kiss Day. The thought sent a flutter of anticipation through her stomach. What would he send next? And how would she respond?
The game between them was shifting, evolving into something dangerous and thrilling. And despite all logic and professional sense, Ishani found herself looking forward to the next move.
Chapter 13
Kiss Day
February 13th arrived with deceptive calm.
After yesterday’s oversized teddy bear and the confrontation that followed, Ishani had told herself she was prepared for anything.
She was wrong.
Just after lunch, the elevator doors opened. A delivery man stepped out carrying a large wicker basket draped in red-and-white checkered cloth.
Ishani’s shoulders dropped slightly.
A basket. Fine. Manageable. Certainly better than a five-foot stuffed animal. Then the basket moved. And whined. The cloth shifted as something beneath it pushed upward. Her relief vanished.
No.
He wouldn’t. He couldn’t have. But the soft, unmistakable yip answered that question.
“Delivery for Ishani Rao,” the courier announced, making his way toward her desk. The basket wriggled in his hands.
Every nearby head lifted.
Ishani stood slowly as he placed it in front of her. The cloth twitched again, accompanied by an impatient little whine.
“You’ll need to sign here,” the courier said, holding out an electronic pad. He grinned. “And just so you know… this might be the cutest thing I’ve delivered all year.”
Her fingers felt oddly numb as she signed.
The office had gone silent.
She reached for the cloth. The moment she lifted it, two bright eyes blinked up at her from a small, cream-colored face. Floppy ears. A brown patch on its chest.
Exactly like Kaju. Not a toy. A real, breathing puppy.
“Oh my god,” she breathed.
The puppy yipped excitedly, tiny paws scrambling against the basket’s edge, desperate to climb out. A small red collar circled its neck. A cream envelope was attached neatly to it.