The morning air was crisp, but inside, the office hummed with its usual monotony. Kabir moved like a shadow, precise and measured, eyes scanning everything, noticing nothing others would care about.
Veer, on the other hand, seemed to float through the space. Every handshake, every laugh, every casual comment carried warmth, ease — the kind of presence that made people lean in without realizing they were drawn.
"Morning, Anaya," Veer greeted as she approached her desk, a genuine smile lighting his face. "I grabbed you your coffee. Hope I didn't steal the wrong one."
Anaya blinked, surprised, then smiled brightly. "You didn't have to…"
"I insisted," Veer said lightly, setting it on her desk with a small flourish. "It's on me. You've been working late these past few days."
Kabir's gaze lingered, cold and calculating. Simple gestures, he thought. Nothing notable. Yet the way Anaya relaxed around Veer, how she laughed at his small jokes, how her fingers brushed his accidentally-on-purpose… he cataloged everything.
Veer's attention drifted toward Kabir. He approached casually, leaning against a nearby cubicle. "Hey, Kabir. I was looking over the report you submitted yesterday — good job. But there's a tiny section you might want to tweak. Makes it read cleaner."
Kabir raised an eyebrow. A correction? From Veer? The warmth in his voice made it hard to be annoyed. "Noted," Kabir said flatly, masking the twitch of irritation his analytical brain detected.
Veer laughed softly, a sound easy and natural, as if he hadn't just nudged Kabir toward the exact conclusion Veer wanted. "I know you've got it under control. Just thought I'd help."
Anaya glanced up from her desk, watching the exchange, her expression unconsciously approving. To her, Veer looked helpful, considerate, completely harmless.
Kabir's mind, however, was a storm. Every word, every smile, every micro-gesture was being logged, analyzed, calculated. Veer's warmth was a mask, yes, but what mask hid the most dangerous intentions?
Lunch came, and Veer suggested a table for three — a casual inclusion. Kabir wasn't supposed to notice, but he did. Subtle seating arrangements, light conversation topics, laughter timed to relax Anaya… Veer orchestrated it all with the effortless grace of someone who'd practiced for years.
By the time Kabir left the table, Veer's influence was already working. Anaya smiled more, laughed easier, walked taller. Kabir, in contrast, felt a tightening in his chest he didn't like.
Later, alone in his office, Veer's fingers tapped lightly against the desk, a smile playing on his lips. He had said nothing overt, done nothing overt. Yet the pieces were moving exactly as he wanted.
They trust me already, he thought. Even the careful ones.
Outside, Kabir stood at the window, silent, mind racing. He knew Veer was no ordinary rival. And he knew this was only the beginning.