The day started off awkwardly.
I had to take Lucy shopping—something I didn't want to do. But making the old man angry was never a good idea. He had a way of retaliating that bordered on monstrous. At first, I thought I could get out of it, but true to her legacy, Miss Blossom was already talking nonstop. For someone who supposedly hated this arranged situation, she sure knew how to fill the silence. If not for the contract binding us, I'd have ignored her the moment she opened her mouth.
We ended up at a mall close to my office. I needed to swing by and check on some files. Spending an entire day with her wasn't part of the plan. If she hadn't been forced into my life through this twisted setup, I wouldn't even acknowledge her existence.
Inside, she dove headfirst into a shopping spree, and I followed like a bodyguard on autopilot. Anytime she asked for my opinion, I barely looked up from the game I was playing on my phone. Just as we got into the clothing section, my phone buzzed. My father. Perfect timing.
"Father," I answered, not bothering to mask my irritation, "how have you been?"
"You sound annoyed," he replied casually. "Don't take it out on Lucy. Be kind to her. Treat her to a good meal today, will you?"
"I'm already shopping with Miss Blossom," I said, making sure he heard the sarcasm. "Didn't your watchdog tell you? The one tailing me from the house? You're still the same, Father. Never could trust me. Just like when I was dating Kiara—the cabinet minister's daughter. You had your spies then, too."
As if on cue, I heard a familiar voice behind me—melodic, calm. A voice that reminded me of Kiara.
But before I could turn, I noticed Lucy causing a scene in the store. It was chaos. Voices rose, and then—a slap. Loud enough to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand. When I stepped in, Lucy immediately switched to playing the victim, expecting me to defend her.
That's when I saw her—Emma.
And everything stopped.
She had this quiet elegance, like she belonged in another world. Ethereal. Men nearby couldn't stop staring at her, and for reasons I couldn't explain, it made my blood boil. I wasn't even sure why I cared. I didn't want to argue in public, not now. I'd wait until she started work—then she'd understand who she was dealing with.
Lucy tried to tug me back into her drama.
"Are you not going to stand up for me?" she whined.
"Maybe you're unaware," I said coolly, "but I just saved you from more embarrassment. If they'd pulled the surveillance footage and you were at fault…" I trailed off and walked out. She wasn't worth the headache.
Back in my car, my mind went back to Emma's face. Calm. Innocent. Striking. If I were a pervert, I'd have dragged her off right then and there. God, what was wrong with me?
I shook the thought and called my two annoyingly loyal friends.
"Yoh, bro! Long time! You still mad at us about last time? We're sorry, man—" Josh's voice exploded through the phone before I could say a word.
"We're cool," I cut in. "You and Justin up for a boys' night? Come over. We'll crack open that '67 wine."
Josh never says no to wine.
When I got home, I noticed Abhishek—my assistant—waiting near the garage. He looked drained and tense, as if burdened by something heavy.
"You alright, Abhi?" I asked.
He had been with me since day one. Loyal. Sharp. I hadn't promoted him yet, not because he wasn't ready, but because I wasn't ready to lose him.
"Good afternoon, sir," he said nervously. "Can we talk inside?"
"Of course," I nodded. "Let's go to my study."
I poured him a glass of water as he sat. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.
"So? What's going on? Thought today was your day off."
He looked down. "I got a call from India. My mother… she's sick. I'm the only one in the family with a stable income. I need to go back. I was hoping you'd approve my leave."
I didn't answer immediately. I just watched him. Thought about everything he'd done for me—how far he'd come. Maybe it was time.
"Abhi," I said slowly, "you've proven yourself over and over. I think it's time I promote you."
He blinked.
"You'll take two months off, and when you return, you'll manage our Pune branch. I trust you. You're moving into the villa in the city, and you'll finally get to build something close to home."
Tears welled up in his eyes.
"Thank you, sir. Thank you. This means everything to me."
"No, Abhi. Thank you—for your hard work. Now go sign the paperwork. HR's waiting. Have a safe trip. And tell your mom I'm wishing her a speedy recovery."
"Thank you once more, sir," he said, clinging to my hand.
"If you keep squeezing like that, I might change my mind," I teased.
We both laughed, but as he left, I felt the hollow ache of saying goodbye to a friend, not just an employee.
Luckily, my two devils showed up soon after. They brought whisky, and we had a small braai in the backyard, talking business and laughing like old times. Then, I told them about Lucy—and what she'd said.
"She said she's not into you? Bull," Josh barked. "That girl's always had a thing for you. If Kiara hadn't been in the picture, she would've made a move years ago."
The mention of Kiara made me tighten my grip on the wine glass—until it shattered in my hand.
"Damn, Alex! You're bleeding," Justin cried, rushing over with the first aid kit.
They wrapped my hand, both of them watching me with worried eyes.
"Bro," Justin said gently, "you've got to let go. Open your heart again. Living like a hermit isn't helping you."
"Yeah," Josh added. "Maybe Lucy's not all bad. Maybe this setup isn't the worst thing. You need to stop spiraling every time her name comes up."
I sighed.
"Fine. I'll try," I said. "But not with Lucy. I'm done with girls like her."
"Fair enough," Justin grinned. "Now let's watch some football."
"Yeah, and if my hand weren't busted, I'd beat the crap out of both of you for that lecture," I smirked, grabbing another bottle. "Let's just enjoy the wine."