Chapter 3 -
The sun had barely set as Geet sat quietly on the edge of the luxurious sofa in Maan’s private study. The space was vast and sterile, adorned with the sharp elegance of someone who had the world at his feet. Yet, despite its opulence, there was something cold and empty about the room - much like the man who owned it.
She had expected things to be difficult, but this... this silence felt heavier than anything she’d imagined.
Maan Singh Khurana wasn’t the kind of man who indulged in pleasantries. The moment she entered his world, she had known it would be a business transaction, no more, no less. Her debts. His solution. It wasn’t about feelings, and it certainly wasn’t about love.
And yet, as the days passed, she found herself returning to the mansion more and more often, fulfilling the unspoken agreement that had been set between them.
She wasn’t quite sure what Maan wanted from her - he hadn’t explicitly said. In the beginning, it was clear that he only needed her for one night, for one fleeting moment of indulgence. A night where nothing else mattered but the rawness of desire. But that didn't came till now.
But now, as she sat there waiting for him, her mind couldn’t help but wonder if something had shifted.
A light knock on the door broke her train of thought.
“Come in,” Maan’s voice called from the other side.
The door opened, and in walked Maan, looking as immaculate as ever. His crisp black suit clung to his tall frame, and his hair, usually perfectly styled, now fell slightly tousled over his forehead. He had been working late again, she could tell. His eyes were sharp, calculating -yet, when they landed on her, there was a flicker of something deeper. Something unspoken.
He didn’t say anything immediately. Instead, he walked past her to his desk, picking up a few papers and placing them in a folder. Geet didn’t move, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her dress. For the first time in days, she wondered what this was between them.
“Do you need something, Geet?” he asked, not looking up from his work.
The way he said her name - so casual, so indifferent - made her heart ache, though she couldn’t quite explain why.
“No… just waiting for you,” she replied softly, hoping her voice wouldn’t give away the emotions she was trying to keep hidden.
Maan glanced up, his eyes catching hers for the briefest of moments. “You can leave if you’re not needed, Geet.”
The words were so simple, so dismissive, yet they hurt more than she wanted to admit. He didn’t want her here for anything other than the deal. She was here for his convenience, nothing more.
But then, why did her heart flutter when his gaze lingered? Why did she keep coming back?
Geet nodded, her throat dry. “I… I can stay a little longer.”
Maan didn’t respond right away. Instead, he stood up from his desk and walked toward her, his footsteps echoing through the vast room. As he approached, she instinctively straightened, a wave of nervous energy sweeping over her.
“I’m not used to waiting, Geet,” he said, his voice now softer, but with an edge she couldn’t quite decipher.
She opened her mouth to speak but stopped herself, unsure of how to reply. He wasn’t exactly asking for her opinion. This wasn’t about comfort; this was about what he wanted, when he wanted it.
And Geet knew, deep down, that she would give it to him.
Maan came to a halt in front of her, his eyes studying her intently. “You’ve been here for a while, haven’t you? Getting used to my world.”
“I’m just doing what’s expected, you are calling me since a week just for timepass Maan ji?” she replied, her voice steady despite the fluttering of her heart.
Maan’s lips curled into a faint smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’ve never been one to play games. I made it clear from the start - this is a one-time arrangement. But...”
His voice trailed off, and he seemed to be thinking for a moment, as if considering something more. Geet was about to speak, but he raised a hand to stop her. “But I can’t ignore that you’re... different. You’re not like the others, Geet. You don’t fall into the usual patterns. You’re not here just for money, and you’re not here for me either, are you?”
Geet’s heart raced. Was he seeing through her, understanding what she was too afraid to admit? That somehow, despite herself, she was beginning to crave his presence? To crave him?
“I .. ” she began, but she quickly swallowed her words. She didn’t want to admit it. She couldn’t.
Maan’s expression softened, just a little, before he turned away from her to look out the window. “I didn’t expect this from you. You’ve been patient, reserved. No demands. No tears.”
He paused, as though unsure of his next words. “And that’s... intriguing.”
Geet could feel the walls she had built around herself slowly crumbling under the weight of his words.
“I don’t want to complicate things,” he added, his voice quieter now, almost as if he were talking to himself. “I never wanted anything more than a night. But with you, it feels different... in ways I don’t understand.”
Her breath hitched at the raw honesty in his tone.
Maan didn’t turn around. Instead, he remained facing the window, his hands resting on the edge of the glass. “Maybe it’s just desire. Maybe it’s something else. But I don’t know if I can give you more than this, Geet. And I don’t know if I want to.”
There it was - the truth, raw and unfiltered. He was afraid. Afraid of what could happen if he let his feelings for her grow any deeper.
She had known it all along, but hearing it from him made her feel both relieved and... heartbroken.
But she didn’t give up. Not yet.
“I don’t expect anything, Maan ji,” she said softly, her voice steady. “I’m just here... with you. That’s all I want.”
Maan’s gaze flickered toward her for a brief moment before he nodded, as if coming to some silent agreement with himself. He didn’t say anything more. He didn’t have to.
For now, Geet knew that this was the beginning. The beginning of something that neither of them fully understood. She wasn’t just here for money anymore. She was here for him - for this moment, for whatever it was between them.
And though Maan seemed indifferent, detached, she couldn’t help but hold onto the hope that one day, he might feel something for her too.
Maan moved forward slowly. He took her face in his hands. The agreement needed to be fulfilled right?
Edited by nushhkiee - 6 days ago
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