Kabir liked silence. It made the world easier to read.But lately, silence had started to feel… heavy. Especially when it followed Anaya's laughter.
Across the office, Veer leaned over her desk, explaining something on her screen. His tone was warm, low, threaded with casual ease. She was smiling again — that soft, unguarded kind that never appeared around Kabir.
"Veer's good with people," someone nearby murmured.Kabir didn't answer. Observation was safer than conversation.
A few minutes later, Anaya walked into his cabin, carrying a stack of reports. "Veer helped me cross-check the data," she said, placing them on his desk.
Kabir's eyes flicked to the papers, then to her. "You could've come to me."
Her brows knit. "You were busy. It wasn't a big deal."
"It's about precision," he said quietly. "Not convenience."
She hesitated. "I know. I just thought…" She trailed off, sensing the tension but not the reason. "You're reading too much into it."
Maybe he was. Or maybe everyone else was reading too little.
When she left, Kabir's gaze stayed on the door. Moments later, laughter drifted in from the hallway — Veer again. He'd said something funny, something harmless. The sound dug deeper than it should have.
That evening, as the team gathered for a quick debrief, Veer brought up the report casually. "Credit goes to Anaya," he said, flashing that effortless smile. "She caught a discrepancy before it hit Kabir's radar. Sharp eyes."
The room hummed with admiration. Anaya looked startled, then embarrassed. Kabir caught the shift — Veer had made it sound like a lighthearted compliment, but it planted a seed: Anaya corrected Kabir.
"Good work," Kabir said evenly, masking the static in his chest. "Next time, make sure you check with me first."
Veer raised his hands lightly. "Of course, man. Team effort, right?"
Everyone nodded, the moment dissolving in laughter — everyone except Kabir.
When the room cleared, he stayed behind, staring at the empty chairs. The air still carried Veer's presence, faint and infuriatingly pleasant.
Kabir replayed the scene in his head — the phrasing, the timing, the crowd's reaction. Veer hadn't said anything wrong. That was the brilliance of it. Every move was technically harmless. Every gesture perfectly placed.
And now Anaya looked at Kabir differently. Not with fear. Not with dislike. Just… distance.
The silence returned, but this time, it wasn't peaceful. It was a void Veer had quietly filled.