Chapter 15 - The Challenge

The venue visit had been surprisingly eventful, and if Adhya was honest, she had enjoyed it. Not that she would ever admit that to Reyan.

But today? Today was war.

Because it was presentation day.

Adhya had worked tirelessly on the Gucci project, and now it was time to present her ideas. She walked into the office dressed like a woman on a mission—wearing a sleek black jumpsuit, heels that meant business, and a bold red lip.

She was ready.

Well, almost.

Because the moment she stepped into the conference room, she realized something.

The entire top management was there.

And so was Reyan.

Seated at the head of the table, in all his cold, unreadable glory, he barely glanced at her.

Adhya's heart did a little nervous dance, but she squared her shoulders and walked in.

One of the senior executives gave her a nod. "Adhya, we're excited to see what you've put together."

Taking a deep breath, she pulled up her presentation. "Good morning, everyone. Today, I will be presenting my concepts for the Gucci launch event."

The lights dimmed as she clicked the first slide.

And just like that, she was in her element.

She spoke with confidence, detailing her vision with passion, showcasing every meticulous detail she had worked on. The room was engaged, nodding along, some even whispering about how fresh and creative her ideas were.

All except one person.

Reyan.

He sat there, expressionless, watching her with dark, unreadable eyes.

And for some reason, it irritated her.

Was he impressed? Was he bored? Did he think she was wasting his time?

Her jaw clenched, and just to spite him, she turned to him directly.

"Mr. Malhotra, do you have any comments?"

A pin-drop silence filled the room.

Everyone turned to look at Reyan.

He leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping lightly against the table. His gaze locked onto hers, making her heart stutter for just a second.

Then, after a long pause, he finally spoke.

"It's good."

That was it.

That was all he said.

Adhya narrowed her eyes. "Just 'good'?"

Reyan didn't flinch. "Would you like me to lie and say it's extraordinary?"

She resisted the urge to throw her laptop at his head.

"No, but a little more enthusiasm wouldn't kill you."

Someone at the table coughed awkwardly, clearly enjoying this little battle.

Reyan's lips twitched, just slightly. "It's well-researched. The concept is strong. The execution will be the real test."

Adhya folded her arms. "You mean the execution that I'll be handling?"

He met her gaze, something flickering in his eyes. "Exactly."

A challenge.

She could feel it in the air.

She wasn't sure if she wanted to slap him or—nope. Definitely slap.

Still, she refused to back down.

She turned to the rest of the executives. "Thank you, everyone. I look forward to making this event a success."

A small round of applause followed, and she let out a breath of relief as the meeting wrapped up.

But just as she was gathering her things, Reyan's voice stopped her.

"Adhya."

She turned, only to find him standing right behind her, too close.

Her breath hitched. When did he get so close?

Reyan looked down at her, his voice low and firm. "Meet me in my office in five minutes."

And just like that, he walked out.

Adhya scowled. What now?

Adhya was still smug about her little victory when they returned to Reyan's office. She was expecting him to be his usual cold, broody self, but the moment he shut the door behind them, something changed.

The air in the room felt thick, charged with something unspoken.

She barely had time to react before his voice—low, firm, and edged with warning—filled the space.

"Don't ever challenge me in public like that again."

Her smirk faltered for just a second. "Excuse me?"

He took a step closer, eyes dark and unreadable. "I won't tolerate it. If you have something to say, say it to me in private."

The way he said private made her stomach flip.

Her heart thumped in her chest, but she refused to let him see that. Instead, she tilted her head, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh?"

He didn't react. He just kept looking at her, that intense, consuming gaze pinning her in place.

"You can do whatever you want to me in private."

Oh. Oh.

She wasn't sure if it was the way his voice dropped lower or the way he took another step toward her, but her skin felt like it was on fire.

Still, she wasn't about to let him have the last word.

Licking her lips, she leaned slightly closer, her tone deliberately teasing. "Whatever I want, huh?"

Something flickered in his expression. A warning. A challenge.

He didn't step back.

Instead, his eyes dropped—just for a second—to her lips.

Adhya's stomach flipped again.

She had teased him before, but this? This was different. This was dangerous.

Still, she pushed her luck, a wicked grin on her face. "So if I want to mess up your hair—" she lifted a hand toward his perfectly styled hair "—I can do that in private?"

Reyan caught her wrist before she could touch him.

His grip was firm, possessive.

Her pulse went wild.

"Try it and see what happens, Adhya." His voice was low, almost a growl.

She really shouldn't be enjoying this.

But damn it, she was.

Swallowing hard, she gave him her most innocent look. "You said I could do whatever I want."

He exhaled sharply, releasing her wrist, but not before brushing his thumb across her skin—slow, deliberate.

She sucked in a breath.

He smirked. "Keep pushing me, sweetheart. Let's see how far you get."

Oh. Hell.

For the first time, Adhya realized something.

She might have been playing with fire all this time...

But Reyan Malhotra? He was the kind of fire that could burn her alive.

"I'm keeping your shoes."

His jaw tensed. "No, you're not."

"Yes, I am. They're mine now."

Reyan's eyes darkened. "Adhya."

She beamed. "Reyan."

A tense silence stretched between them.

Then, to her utter delight, his lips twitched.

Just for a second.

And just like that, she knew she had won.