After finishing her lunch, Naina returned to her cabin, where Lola handed her a stack of work.
Immersed in her tasks, she was jolted by the sharp ring of the office phone. Picking it up, she heard Anamayâs voice.
"Naina, come to my cabin," he instructed.
"Okay," she replied, quickly gathering her iPad and a few files that required his signature.
Knocking softly on his door, she waited for his response.
"Come in," came the familiar voice.
Pushing the door open, she stepped inside, only to find Anamay standing with another man. The stranger had his back to her, and she didnât see his face at first.
"Naina, meet Mr. Rivaan Raghuvanshi," Anamay said, gesturing toward the man, who turned around to face her.
Her breath hitched. It was himâthe man from the break cabin. Her heart sank.
"This is Rivaan, the chairman of our company, and..." Anamay paused, a smile on his face, "...my elder brother."
Naina froze. Brother?! She hadnât even known Anamay had a sibling, let alone someone like Rivaan Raghuvanshi.
Rivaanâs lips curled into a smirk as he noted her shocked expression, but he didnât mention their earlier encounter. Instead, he leaned slightly against the desk, crossing his arms, his sharp eyes never leaving her face.
Trying to regain her composure, Naina handed the file to Anamay, her hands trembling slightly. As he reviewed the documents and signed them, she found herself stealing quick glances at Rivaan. To her dismay, she caught him watching her with an amused expression, his smirk growing wider each time their eyes met.
When Anamay returned the signed files, she mumbled a quick, "Thank you," and practically bolted from the cabin, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.
Anamay frowned at her strange behavior but shrugged it off and resumed his conversation with Rivaan.
---
Back in Her Cabin
Once Naina was safely back in her cabin, she slammed the files on her desk and threw herself into her chair. Her hands flew to her head as she tried to process what had just happened.
"Ee ka drama ho gayil? Ka karta ta hum? (What kind of drama was this? What was I even doing?)" she muttered, her eyes wide with disbelief.
She sat up, mimicking her earlier panic. âHaye Bhagwan! Ete smart aur arrogant man! Upar se hum dekhat rahe jaise murga ke ande dekh rahi hoon! (Oh God! Such a smart and arrogant man! And I was staring at him like I was looking at a chicken egg!)â
She groaned and leaned back, smacking her forehead. âAur bhaag kaisan kiye? Lagal jaise koi chooha billi se bhag rahi ho! (And the way I ran! It looked like a mouse running from a cat!)â
Grumbling, she shook her head, tapping her desk in frustration. âArrey humra dimag kharab ho gayil hai. Humke ka dhyan de ke ka zarurat hai? Oho Naina, bas! Humne bas kaam kare ke chahi. (Iâve lost my mind. Why am I even paying him so much attention? Oh, Naina, stop! You just need to focus on your work.)â
---
Later at Her Apartment
Naina stirred her dal aggressively, still replaying the awkward encounter in her mind.
"Ee humra bas ke baat nai hai. Humse na ho payega. (This is not something I can handle. I just can't do it!)," she muttered, shaking her head as if Rivaan's smirk were still taunting her.
Then, putting her spoon down, she burst out, "Bas ek din hui gail , aur lagal jaise hum kisi Bhojpuri film ke heroine bani gail hoon, jahan villain aur hero dono ek hi hai! (Itâs just been one day, and I already feel like the heroine of a Bhojpuri movie where the villain and hero are the same person!)â
She sighed dramatically and said, âHumke bhaave na , bas ee Rakshas ke ekdam ignore kari. Ee hamri life mein hero ban ke na aay sakela. (I donât care. I will just ignore this demon. He canât come into my life and act like a hero!)â
But as she sat down with her plate of dal and rice, her thoughts betrayed her. Rivaan's piercing gaze flashed in her mind again, and she groaned.
"Hume lagta hai humri life bas kaam-kaj se nai chal payegi. Yeh Rakshas ab to dimag ke chhaap ke rakhi. (I think my life wonât run peacefully with just work. This demon has now imprinted on my brain.)â
She shook her head with a laugh, muttering under her breath, âEe toh drama ke shuruat lagat hai. (This feels like just the beginning of some drama.)â
She knew this wouldnât be the last time Rivaan Raghuvanshi would occupy her thoughtsâor her life.
---