Meeting ke baad officially dono opposite sides pe the.
Unofficially?
Woh same battlefield pe wapas aa gaye the.
Rithvik apne office ke glass window ke paas khada tha.
City lights neeche blink kar rahe the.
Seven years.
Aur Apurva ka tone abhi bhi uske dimaag mein echo kar raha tha.
"You didn't either."
Woh line simple thi.
Par meaning heavy.
Meanwhile.
Apurva apne apartment balcony mein khadi thi.
Laptop open.
Malhotra Industries ke financial data screen pe.
Professional reason.
Bas professional.
Phir bhi uska mind boardroom ke ek moment pe stuck tha —
Jab Rithvik ne uska naam slow repeat kiya tha.
"Ms. Sharma."
Jaise test kar raha ho ki reaction aata hai ya nahi.
Three days later.
Unexpected twist.
Government tender condition change hua.
Now — both firms must temporarily collaborate for regulatory approval.
Joint working committee.
Meaning —
Late meetings.
Direct interaction.
No escape.
First late-night strategy session.
Conference room empty.
11:47 PM.
Baaki staff chala gaya.
Sirf woh dono.
Apurva file close kar rahi thi jab Rithvik ne door lock kar diya.
Not threatening.
Just privacy.
She noticed.
"Transparency ke liye door open rehna chahiye," she said calmly.
"Trust issues abhi bhi hain?" he replied.
That hit.
She stood up.
"You questioned me."
"You walked away."
"You let me."
"You didn't stop."
Silence thick ho gaya.
Yeh argument past ka tha.
Par tone present ka.
Rithvik uske closer aaya — professional distance ke andar, personal distance ke edge pe.
"Tumhe pata hai sabse irritating kya hai?" he said quietly.
She didn't move.
"That I never stopped competing with you."
Her breath slowed.
"Competition khatam ho gaya," she replied.
He looked straight into her eyes.
"No, Apurva. Bas level change hua."
Darkness yahan obsession nahi thi.
It was intensity.
Unfinished emotions.
Unresolved ego.
Woh ek second ke liye aur close hua.
Not touching.
Bas enough to make space smaller.
"You still calculate everything," he murmured.
"And you still hide everything," she replied.
Pause.
Electric.
But controlled.
He stepped back first.
"I don't mix personal with business."
She picked up her bag.
"Neither do I."
Door unlock hua.
She walked out.
But iss baar…
heart rate steady nahi tha.