It was 7:35 pm, and Emma and I were sitting in front of our monitors, focused on the work at hand, yet I couldn't shake the conversation from my mind.
"Emma, you don't have to worry," I said, trying to reassure her, though I was unsure of my own words. "He's the CEO of 15 companies. Does he only use one lighter? Come on."
I rolled my eyes and smiled at her, but Emma didn't seem convinced. She seemed lost in thought for a moment, nodding back at me with a faint smile. Then, her expression suddenly shifted. She grabbed my arm, her grip firm and urgent.
"But don't risk yourself!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with concern. "He would never hesitate to kill you."
Her words hit me like a ton of bricks, and I froze, unable to process what she had just said. Kill me? Kathir? I stared at her, speechless for a moment.
"Kathir kills people?" I asked, trying to make sense of it. "You mean, Sir Kathir?"
I blinked a couple of times, waiting for her to tell me I was hearing things wrong. Emma immediately nodded, her eyes wide with a seriousness that only made my confusion grow.
"I'm not sure," she said in a hushed tone, looking over her shoulder as if to make sure no one was listening. "But people have told me that he's committed three murders."
I could hardly believe what I was hearing. My mouth went dry, and I placed my palm on my lips, trying to absorb the weight of her words. I stared at her, but my disbelief was too much to hide.
"Haha, you must be kidding me, right?" I managed to chuckle nervously, trying to play it off, even though inside, my heart was racing.
Emma's face remained serious, and she shook her head. "No, Vidya. You know that I'm terrified of him. I try to avoid him. I don't want you to get involved with him and end up dead. You're the only friend I have." Her voice softened. "Please don't tell anyone. This secret is between us, okay?"
I wasn't sure how to respond. Should I laugh? Should I cry? My heart pounded in my chest as I thought of how many times Kathir had tried to approach me. I had no idea about his past, his intentions. I couldn't shake the questions that were swirling in my head.
"No way!" I blurted out. "Where are his parents? His wife and kids?"
I needed answers. What kind of person was Kathir Rathore, really?
Emma sighed, glancing at the floor. "Kathir sir is single. His parents don't live with him. I don't know much about his personal life, but I can tell you that he lives far away from them."
Her words made the confusion in my mind grow even stronger. Kathir was single? But wasn't he running his dad's business? Wasn't he supposed to be married with children? None of it made sense.
Before I could ask more, Emma patted my arm gently, bringing me back to the moment. "Let's focus on our work, okay?"
I nodded, but my thoughts were far from the screen in front of me. The idea that Kathir was involved in something as dark as murder gnawed at me, and I couldn't stop wondering: Why? How could he do that?
I couldn't concentrate. My mind kept drifting back to him.
Suddenly, I noticed a figure outside the large office window. I turned to look, and my breath caught in my throat. It was Kathir. He was talking to one of the employees. My eyes widened, and as if sensing my gaze, Kathir turned his head in my direction. The shock of our eyes meeting made my heart skip a beat.
I quickly turned back to the monitor, pretending I hadn't seen him, but my fingers were typing at an uncontrollable pace. I could feel the heat rising in my chest as anxiety settled in.
Then, I felt a presence beside me. A chill ran down my spine. Kathir was standing next to my desk. I barely had time to react before his gaze locked onto mine, his eyes intense, unreadable. My breath hitched.
"Sir Kathir?" I whispered, barely able to find my voice.
He didn't respond right away. His gaze was piercing, and then, in a low, calm voice, he asked, "Where is my lighter?"
I blinked, still in shock from the sudden encounter. My heart was racing. I glanced at Emma, whose eyes were wide with fear. I quickly turned back to Kathir.
"It's on the water dispenser," I replied, my voice trembling slightly.
Kathir inhaled sharply, exhaled, and clenched his jaw in frustration. I could see the anger building in him. Before I could say anything else, I quickly added, "I-I'll get it."
I jumped to my feet and rushed out of the office room, my heart hammering in my chest. I could feel Kathir's presence following me, the weight of his gaze pressing down on me with every step. I clenched my hands, trying to keep them steady.
I reached the water dispenser, only to find that the lighter was missing. Kathir followed closely behind me, his presence casting a shadow over me. He eyed the dispenser, then turned back to me with a fierce glare.
"Where?" he asked, his voice stern, his eyes narrowing.
I was panicking now, trying to recall exactly where I had placed it. Hadn't I just put it there? My mind raced, but I couldn't remember.
"I-I kept it here," I stammered. "Where did it go?"
I could feel the tension rising. Kathir's gaze burned into me, and his voice was cold when he spoke again. "I want my lighter back. If you can't find it, I will rip off your skin alive."
His words sent a chill through my entire body. I stared at him, speechless, unable to comprehend the threat.
"Do you hear me?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
I nodded quickly, my throat dry, and his gaze held me in place for a moment longer before he let go of my wrist, his eyes still furious. He turned and left, climbing up the stairs without another word.
My body trembled from the intensity of the encounter. Rip off my skin alive? Did that mean what Emma had warned me about was true? Where had his lighter gone? And what did he mean by that threat?
I could feel the weight of the day pressing down on me as I searched for the lighter, but it was nowhere to be found. The office was beginning to empty as the workday came to a close, but I was still rattled, my mind racing.
I rubbed my forehead, trying to calm myself, but the fear that had gripped me was hard to shake. My heart was still pounding, and I felt like I was on the edge of something much darker than I could have ever imagined.
Emma's voice echoed through the office as she turned to leave, her bag slung over her shoulder. I felt a sudden urge to follow her, to escape this suffocating place and its dark, looming presence.
"Hey, aren't you coming?" Emma called, pausing in the doorway.
I glanced at her, the decision weighing heavily on my chest. If I left without returning that lighter to him, I knew what would happen—he'd blackmail me again. But if I stayed, there was a more terrifying possibility—he might just kill me. My throat tightened as the thoughts collided in my mind.
I opened my mouth to speak but was too lost in fear to form the words.
"Vidya?"
Her voice snapped me back to reality, and I looked up at her, startled. Trying to calm myself, I let out a deep breath and mustered the courage to explain.
"Umm... E-Emma, you go first and I-I..." I stammered, my hands trembling as I fumbled for an excuse. "W-will you accompany me to the toilet?"
It was a weak request, but I couldn't bear the thought of being left alone in the office with him. Emma looked at me, a concerned frown creasing her brow, but she nodded in understanding.
"Of course," she said with a reassuring smile, walking with me toward the restroom.
I entered the toilet, Emma waiting just outside. The moment I stepped inside, I quickly locked the door behind me. I took a few deep breaths, trying to steady my nerves. The eerie quiet of the office beyond the bathroom felt oppressive, the shadows stretching longer with each passing second.
After a moment, I stepped back in front of the mirror, inspecting my face. The flickering fluorescent lights above cast a cold glow, making my reflection look pale and tired. I sighed, leaning my forehead against the cool glass.
And then I felt it—someone was standing behind me. I froze, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. I turned slowly, my heart hammering in my chest, and my breath caught in my throat.
Kathir.
He was leaning casually against the bathroom door frame, a look of amusement playing on his lips. My entire body went cold. My mind screamed at me to run, but my feet felt glued to the ground.
"Sir Kathir," I gasped, my voice shaky. "Wha-what are you doing in the ladies' toilet?"
His lips curled into a slow, mocking smile, his dark eyes never leaving mine. "So?"
I took an involuntary step back, my pulse racing. He raised an eyebrow, stepping closer. His presence seemed to fill the entire small space, suffocating me.
"Where is my lighter?"
My heart skipped. I hadn't found it yet. I knew he would come looking for it sooner or later.
"I-I still haven't found it yet," I stammered, my voice barely a whisper. "But I will find it, I swear! Please… stop there."
He didn't stop. Instead, he grinned wider, as if my fear was something he relished. He took another step forward, and I instinctively stepped back, my legs trembling beneath me.
"What if I can't?" he asked, his voice smooth, almost playful.
I was trapped. There was nowhere to go, and no one to help. My mind raced, but all I could do was keep retreating as he closed the distance between us.
"Sir Kathir, I-I will find your lighter! Let's get out of here," I pleaded, my voice barely audible.
He leaned in slightly, his breath warm against my skin. "Why? Are you scared of me?" He let out a soft chuckle, eyes glinting with something dark and dangerous. "That I might do something to you?"
His words sent a shiver down my spine. I had no idea what he was capable of, but the way he looked at me—so calm, so certain—made my skin crawl. My heart raced faster with every word he spoke.
As I stood there, frozen, he chuckled again, rubbing his thumb against his eyebrow as if I were some amusing puzzle.
"Nah," he said, looking me up and down. "You're not my taste."
I was too shocked to respond. He stepped forward, and in a sudden motion, grabbed my arm, yanking me toward the door.
"Sir, leave me!" I gasped, trying to pull away. But his grip tightened, unrelenting. He shoved me against the wall with force, and pain shot through my arm. My breath hitched as I clutched my wrist, unable to stop the tears from welling up.
"If you can't find my lighter," he whispered with chilling calmness, "I will kill you and bury you here secretly. Nobody will find your dead body."
The words hit me like a slap, sending a wave of cold terror through my body. My throat went dry, and I struggled to find my voice.
"But… but sir, you're the CEO of 15 companies," I managed to choke out. "You can buy another lighter. Why are you so obsessed with this one?"
His jaw clenched at my question, and without another word, he grabbed my arm again, pulling me closer to him. I could feel his breath against my ear as he leaned in, whispering in a low, menacing tone.
"I don't need to explain to you," he said, voice dripping with authority. "I want my lighter back."
The whisper sent a shudder through me, and I felt goosebumps rise on my skin. His grip on my arm loosened for just a moment, and I backed away, gasping for breath.
"You only have 20 minutes," he said, his tone suddenly more serious. "Your time starts now."
I didn't have time to respond before he turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing through the empty hallway. I stood frozen, my mind racing, my chest tight with panic. The weight of his words pressed down on me like a vice.
I had to find the lighter. Now.
I rushed back into the office, frantically searching through every drawer, every surface. My hands shook with fear as I overturned papers, dug through the trash, and moved files around, but it wasn't there.
Ten minutes passed. His voice echoed in my mind.
"10 more minutes."
I looked up, my eyes blurry with tears. It was pointless. I wouldn't find it in time. I felt a knot tighten in my stomach, the despair weighing heavily on me.
I couldn't give up. I couldn't. Not now.
I continued searching, desperation creeping into my movements. The minutes seemed to stretch into eternity.
Finally, I heard him again, his cold, mocking voice filling the air.
"Time's up, Vidya."
I collapsed into the nearest chair, panting heavily, my body drained. My vision blurred, and I felt like I might pass out. I looked up, my eyes meeting his.
"I-I can't find your lighter," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
He didn't say a word. Instead, he grabbed my wrist, yanking me to my feet with such force that I stumbled. He dragged me across the room, my legs weak and unsteady. I tried to break free, but his grip was unyielding.
I held onto the table next to the water dispenser, hoping for some kind of miracle. And then, I saw it—the lighter. It was hidden under a pile of files on the table. My heart leaped in my chest.
"Sir, I found your lighter!" I shouted, hoping to stop him before he dragged me any further.
He paused, turning to look at me, and for a brief moment, there was a flicker of something in his eyes. He let go of my wrist, and I quickly ran to the table, grabbing the lighter.
"Here is your lighter," I said, my voice shaking.
He took it from my hands, his jaw clenched in frustration. "What a waste of my time," he muttered before turning on his heel and walking away.
I stood there, my body trembling from the adrenaline and fear. My chest heaved as I struggled to breathe, the weight of the encounter sinking in. I took a moment to steady myself before grabbing my bag and running out of the office.
I had to get away from him before he found some other way to torment me.