The air in the executive office of Khurana Enterprises was thin and cold. Myra stood on the plush carpet, her fingers digging into the strap of her bag. She had spent the last hour convincing herself that the man in the penthouse was just a ghost, a one-night fever dream she would never see again.
Then, the chair turned.
Reyansh Khurana looked at her with the same predatory intensity he had in the club, but now, he was wrapped in the armor of a three-piece charcoal suit.
"Mr. Khurana," Myra began, her voice sounding small in the vast room. "I'm here for the designer position. I was transferred from the Delhi—"
"I know who you are, Myra," he interrupted. His voice was a low, smooth vibration that seemed to travel under her skin. He didn't look at her resume. Instead, he stood up and walked toward her
He stopped just a foot away, forcing her to look up. He picked up a gold fountain pen and leaned over his desk to sign her onboarding papers.
As Reyansh leaned over his desk to sign her papers, the scent of his cologne—sandalwood and cold spice—triggered a jagged memory. Myra's breath hitched as she suddenly recalled the weight of his body over hers in the penthouse, the way his voice had dropped into a dark command as he whispered, 'Don't look away.' She bit her lip, her face flushing a deep crimson. Her heart hammered against her ribs so loudly she was sure he could hear it.
He stopped writing. Slowly, he looked up, his dark eyes locking onto her burning face. He knew. He knew exactly what she was remembering. A slow, mocking smirk touched his lips.
"Sometimes wrong ms kapoor? You seem....out of breath"
"I'm fine," she managed to say, though her legs felt like jelly. "I just... the humidity in Mumbai is quite different from Delhi."
"Is that so ? I thought you perhaps you were feeling the weight of what you left behind this morning"
He reached into his pocket and pulled something out. He set it on the desk between them. It was the diamond engagement ring she had left on his nightstand. It caught the light, mocking her with the memory of Arjun's betrayal and her own recklessness.
"You left this," Reyansh said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Did you think I was the kind of man who lets people leave their trash in my home?"
"It's not trashtrash. It's... I just forgot it "
"No," he corrected, stepping even closer until she was backed against the edge of his desk. "You left it because you wanted to forget. But in my world, Myra, nothing is free. You used me to erase your ex. Now, you owe me."
He leaned down, his lips inches from her ear. "I've signed your contract for the company. Now, let's talk about the contract for me."
"You want to forget him, Myra? A girl like you can't do that with meditation. You need a distraction. I need a woman who won't ask for my heart, and you clearly don't have one left to give."
"What do you mean contract? Mr. Khurana. I've already signed my employment papers"
"That was for the company," Reyansh said, walking behind her to the door. He clicked the lock. The sound echoed like a final judgment. "This is for me."
"I don't do 'one-night stands,' Myra. I find them messy. But I find you... intriguing. You have a fire in you that your pathetic ex clearly didn't know how to handle."
Myra winced at the mention of Arjun.what the hell do you want from me Reyansh"
"I want an arrangement. A 'Sex Buddy' agreement, if you want to use the crude term. But I prefer to call it a Debt of Distraction." He pulled a single sheet of paper from his drawer. It wasn't a legal document; it was a list written in bold, elegant script.
"Read it "he commanded
Myra picks up the paper
THE RULES OF THE ARRANGEMENT:
Exclusivity: From this moment, no other man touches you. You belong to my bed and my bed alone.
Availability: When I call, you come. No excuses.
Discretion: No one in this office finds out. To them, I am your boss. To me, you are my habit.
The Absolute Rule: No feelings. No "I love yous." No domestic dreams. The moment you catch feelings, the deal is dead.
Myra looked up, her face pale. "And if I say no? If I just walk out and find another job?"
"He picked up the diamond ring, twisting it between his fingers. "...I could give you the promotion you've worked your whole life for. I can give you the power to make your ex crawl back to you just so you can spit in his face and also be able to forget him."
He stood up, walking around the desk until he was hovering over her. He reached out, his hand sliding into the hair at the nape of her neck, pulling just enough to make her gasp.
"Be my distraction, Myra. Let me ruin the memory of that boy for you. In exchange, I'll make you the most powerful woman in this industry."
Myra looked into his dark, hungry eyes. She thought of Arjun's betrayal. She thought of her empty bank account and her shattered dreams. Then she thought of the way Reyansh had made her feel last night—like she wasn't a victim, but a woman desired by a king.
One condition," Myra whispered, her voice gaining a sharp edge.
Reyansh tilted his head, amused. "A bird with conditions? Speak."
"When I'm done with you—when I don't need you to forget him anymore—I walk away with my career intact. No grudges. No interference."
Reyansh let out a low, dark chuckle that vibrated through her. "Agreed. But be careful, Little Bird. Most people find that once they've tasted the fire I offer... they don't want to go back to the cold."
He leaned down, his lips ghosting over hers. "Do we have a deal?"