Part 9

 MAHER POV 

I took a deep breath as I stepped out of the car, my heels clicking softly against the polished marble floor of Singhania Enterprises. The building stood tall and proud, just like the man who owned it. My heart pounded violently in my chest, an unbearable heaviness settling inside me.

I didn't want to be here.

Not today. Not ever.

But fate was cruel, and I had no choice.

"Welcome, Mr. Malhotra, Ms. Maher," a crisp voice greeted us. I turned to see a well-dressed man approaching us. He was Rudra's PA.

Kian nodded at him before turning to me. "You go ahead with Aman and meet Rudra. I need to make a call—I'll join you in a few minutes."

The air around me turned suffocating at his words. Meet Rudra? Alone?

No. I wasn't ready.

I opened my mouth to protest, but Kian had already stepped aside, his phone pressed to his ear. My fingers twitched at my sides as Aman gestured for me to follow him.

With reluctant steps and a racing heartbeat, I walked through the hallway, my nerves tightening with every step. My mind was screaming at me to run—to turn around and leave before it was too late.

But I didn't.

I kept walking.

And then, it happened.

Aman pushed the door open, and I stepped inside.

Only to feel my entire world collapse.

I froze. My breath hitched in my throat.

There, in the middle of the cabin—

Rudra and Isha.

Kissing.

My legs locked in place, the air punched out of my lungs.

No.

No, this couldn't be real.

This had to be some kind of cruel nightmare.

But it wasn't.

It was reality. A brutal, unforgiving reality.

I felt my entire body turn cold as I stood there, trapped in this horrifying moment. My heart, already fragile, shattered into a million pieces.

Rudra's hands were resting on Isha's waist. Isha's fingers were curled around the collar of his shirt, pulling him close.

It was intimate. Too intimate.

The world around me blurred, my ears ringing with a sharp, unbearable noise. I wanted to run. To escape. But my feet refused to move.

I didn't even realize when Kian appeared beside me.

His gaze followed mine, and I felt his body stiffen.

Aman, realizing what had happened, quickly pulled the door shut and turned to us.

"I—I apologize for this," Aman stammered, clearly flustered. "We should move directly to the meeting hall."

Kian's jaw clenched, but he simply nodded. "Fine."

I didn't say anything.

I couldn't.

I was lost in my own world, trapped in memories of what once was.

Kian must have noticed my frozen state because, without a word, he reached for my hand. His warm fingers curled around mine, grounding me, pulling me back from the abyss.

"Come on," he murmured, his voice gentler than usual.

I let him lead me.

I felt like a lifeless doll, my legs moving only because Kian was guiding me. My mind was somewhere else, replaying every moment I had ever shared with Rudra.

The way he used to look at me. The way he used to hold me.

The way he used to love me.

Had it all been a lie?

I swallowed back the lump in my throat as we reached the meeting hall. The large space was cold, professional, yet suffocating in ways I couldn't describe.

"I need a minute," I whispered.

Kian gave me a knowing look but didn't stop me. He simply nodded.

Without another word, I turned and walked away.

I barely made it to the bathroom before the first tear fell.

And then, I broke.

Silent sobs wracked my body as I gripped the sink, my reflection in the mirror looking just as broken as I felt. My carefully built walls crumbled, the pain I had buried for years rising to the surface.

I pressed my palm against my chest, trying to breathe. Why does it still hurt this much?

I had thought I was over him.

I had thought time had healed me.

But I had been wrong.

Terribly, painfully wrong.

Tears streamed down my face as I tried to compose myself, but the image of them together was burned into my mind. No matter how much I tried to push it away, it wouldn't leave.

After what felt like an eternity, I forced myself to breathe.

This isn't the time to be weak.

I wiped my tears harshly and splashed cold water on my face, trying to wash away the evidence of my breakdown. Taking a deep breath, I reached for my compact mirror and reapplied my makeup.

I had to look strong.

Even if I was crumbling inside.

With one last deep breath, I stepped out of the bathroom and headed back to the hall.

Kian was already there, his sharp gaze immediately landing on me. He studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable, but he said nothing.

I walked to his side and stood there, my body rigid.

Just then, the doors opened.

And Rudra walked in.

The room felt colder.

My eyes remained fixed ahead, refusing to look at him.

Refusing to acknowledge the man who had once been my everything.

RUDRA POV 

The meeting was finally over. The deal was signed, and yet, I felt no sense of victory. Instead, an unbearable weight settled in my chest, pressing down with every second that passed.

I bid farewell to Kian, not even sparing a glance at her—Maher. Ignoring her was harder than I thought, but what else could I do? She had done the same to me. She hadn't even looked at me once. Not a single glance. And it was killing me.

My steps were heavy as I walked toward my cabin, my mind clouded with thoughts of her—the way she had stood in that room, mere inches away, but feeling like she was an entire world apart.

As I opened the door to my cabin, a deep irritation surged through me. Isha. She was still there, sitting in my chair like she owned the place, smirking as if she was enjoying this game she was playing.

I had enough. Enough of her presence. Enough of her bullshit. Enough of everything she had caused.

Without thinking twice, I strode toward her, gripping her wrist tightly. Her eyes widened in shock, but before she could say anything, I pulled her up from the chair and dragged her toward the door.

"Rudra! What the hell? Let go!" she shrieked, struggling against my hold.

I didn't stop. My grip only tightened as I pushed her out of my cabin, my voice cold and sharp.

"Stay the hell out of my office. Don't you ever step in here again."

She looked at me, momentarily stunned. I could see anger in her eyes, but there was something else too—maybe a hint of hurt. Not that I cared.

Without waiting for a response, I slammed the door shut in her face.

A shaky breath escaped me as I leaned against the door, my body slowly sliding down until I was sitting on the floor. My hands clenched into fists, nails digging into my palms. My entire body trembled with emotions I couldn't contain.

And then, the first tear fell.

I hated this. I hated everything about this.

I hated how she—Maher—had looked at me as if I was nothing but a stranger. I hated how she hadn't reacted when she saw me with Isha, even though I wanted her to—I wanted her to get angry, to question me, to fight for me. But she didn't.

I had lost her.

And it was the most painful thing I had ever experienced.

Hello Guys,

So what do you feel think about Isha??

What about Rudra??

Please do tell me.

If find any grammatical error then do tell me.

Thank you