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“I want to talk to you... so much... very much.”

~~~~

Jhankar slowly opened her eyes. It felt as though she had been asleep for a long time. Rubbing her face with her hand, she blinked and tried to focus. A sudden jolt of shock ran through her as she saw Vikrant sitting nearby. Her eyes darted around the unfamiliar room—it wasn’t his house. Alarmed, she swiftly stood up and headed towards the door, only to be halted by the recollection of last night. She turned to face Vikrant.

“Last night...”

“Shalini lied to you,” Vikrant said calmly. “She’s one of those people who trap girls and find ways to reach them.”

Jhankar stared at him, stunned by how much he seemed to know. Vikrant stood up, walked to her, and met her gaze. He said.

“I am the CEO of V INTERNATIONALS. If you want proof I have many.”

Jhankar’s eyes widened with surprise. Vikrant could see that she had many questions, so he began answering them before she could even ask.

“You’ve been around me long enough to know a lot. Dhanraj Industries was a gift from my father. It’s a legacy that began with my grandfather, and we’ve carried it forward. I’m proud of that, but I wanted something of my own. You know I have connections with the mafia, but I wanted to build something clean and simple. That’s how this company started. Gradually, it gained popularity, I got favorable deals, and with the hard work of the team, it flourished. For the first time, I had something of my own—and I would rather not tell my father. He would have been angry. He believed I should focus on our family business and maintain control over the mafia empire. Any distraction, in his eyes, could cause it all to fall apart. That’s why I kept this company a secret.”

After hearing all this, Jhankar replied without hesitation.

“I told you before—I don’t want any favors. You knew I was desperate for a job, and you used that. You deliberately gave me a job in your company just to keep me under watch.”

“No, Jhankar. That’s not true. My father didn’t want you to work. No matter how progressive he pretends to be, after what happened with my mother, he doesn’t trust women. He used his power to threaten every company so you wouldn’t get hired anywhere.”

Jhankar’s mouth parted slightly in shock. She looked around in disbelief, then angrily pointed a finger at Vikrant to speak—but before she could, he gently caught her hand.

“You got the job at V INTERNATIONALS through your own merit. I had no part in it. I only said that if there were anyvacancies, they should be announced. You cleared the interview and met all requirements. It was your qualifications that earned you the job.”

“I don’t want your support anymore,” she said firmly, pulling her hand away and heading toward the door. She would rather not stay, because after finding him here, she is somehow feeling weak. Just seeing Vikrant made her heart flutter; she felt things she didn’t want to feel. She didn’t want to be trapped by emotions, by illusions.

“Jhankar, I love you,” Vikrant said suddenly.

Her footsteps halted. Her breath caught. A strange brightness appeared in her eyes, but she didn’t turn around. Her heart was full, but a silent fear kept her rooted. She dashed outside and froze in shock.

There is only darkness.

Even though she wants to move forward, she can’t, because there is too much darkness ahead. And like always, this darkness frightens her. She wants to gather the courage to take a step forward, but the moment she takes the first step, it feels as if the darkness begins to consume her, forcing her to retreat immediately. Staggering back, she nearly lost her balance, but two strong arms caught her in time. She didn’t fight. She felt weak around him, emotionally and physically. Her pride didn’t allow her to admit it, and so she simply muttered, not meeting his eyes:

“Where have you brought me? I need to leave.”

“If we leave from here, we’ll go home together,” he said softly.

“You made a mistake, Mr. Dhanraj…”

Before she could finish, Vikrant pulled her close and kissed her deeply. Jhankar was too stunned to react. Her eyes searched his, but when his lips touched hers, she felt herself melt for a moment, until reality hit. She pushed him away with determination.

“I’m sorry,” Vikrant said immediately.

“I don’t want your apologies, Mr. Dhanraj. Your actions make me feel distant from you. I can’t tolerate that.”

“I don’t care how you feel about me anymore. I just want to be honest.”

“Let me go, Mr. Dhanraj.”

“I know I’ve hurt you… And that hurts me. But if you leave me too, I’ll break.”

Jhankar looked at him quietly. For the first time, she saw a version of Vikrant she had never seen, a broken man, stripped of ego and pride. He held her hands gently and said,

“I don’t want your sympathy. I want your love. I know you care about me, but you're holding yourself back because of me. Please, just listen to what I have to say once. Just once.”