Page 33 of Entangled Vows (Destined Diaries #2)

“Sure you don’t, honey,” Ishika teased, laughing.

Mahika ended the call mid-laugh, shaking her head as Ishika’s voice faded into the silence.

Her gaze dropped to the glowing tablet in front of her.

Her fingers hovered over the screen, but her thoughts had drifted elsewhere.

She couldn’t help but wonder what would Vikram say if he ever found out about her secret passion?

Just then, the door opened, and one by one, her team members trickled in. Everyone exchanged quick greetings and settled into their respective seats. The air buzzed with quiet conversation.

Behind her, the screen came alive with the soft flicker of the outreach strategy presentation. Mahika straightened, tapped her tablet, and began.

“Good afternoon, people. Let’s dive in,” she said, her voice firm but confident.

“We’re not here to create another flashy campaign that looks great on a billboard and feels fake in real life.

What we are building should appeal to people, should resonate with them.

It needs to feel authentic and true to its target communities. ”

Kritika nodded in agreement. “We can start with storytelling. Use real people, capture real moments. Authenticity should be our focus.”

“Exactly,” Mahika said, her gaze moving across the table.

Aadya frowned. “What should we push first … how convenient it is, or how luxurious?”

Mahika replied, “Both, but keep it subtle. This isn’t just a feature we’re selling. It’s the whole experience. The feeling of being cared for in a luxurious setting, without even needing to say anything.”

Ishan leaned forward. “Let’s get in travel influencers and weekend vloggers to promote it. Let them try it and share their experiences. A mix of influencers, local campaigns, and engaging reels will get us traction fast and hook people quickly.”

“Perfect,” Mahika nodded.

She tapped her tablet and pulled up the next slide. “Here’s the plan. We’ll launch in three phases: first, a soft launch at selected hotels with invite-only guests. Next, targeted digital ads for urban audiences. And finally, the big push—a video ad during the IPL and on streaming platforms.”

Right then, the door swung open.

There was no knock. Just a sudden burst of energy that disrupted the rhythm like a badly timed music beat. Mahika looked up, startled, to see her husband walking towards the empty seat across from her.

She released a slow breath. Why had he come here now? He had been distant lately, and no matter how hard she tried to ignore it, he still filled up her mind.

He didn’t just walk in; he owned the space around him.

His jacket was gone, and his shirt hugged him in a way that was dangerously appealing.

His sleeves were rolled carelessly to his elbows, revealing forearms that looked sculpted to perfection.

He surveyed the room with a quiet authority, as if he could feel its energy.

Mahika kept her voice composed. “This is a department meeting, so no outside teams please.”

Vikram settled in his chair, unbothered. He rested an arm on the table, his face a picture of perfect calm. “Good thing I’m the CEO, then.”

The team members exchanged uneasy glances, some avoiding eye contact altogether.

Mahika, however, stayed quiet. She didn’t understand what he was up to, and that unnervingly composed tone of his only made her more wary, especially after weeks of distance and the tension that still lingered between them.

Her stylus hovered in mid-air for a moment before she spoke again, as if nothing had happened. “Right. As I was saying, phase three focuses on cross-platform visibility. The IPL spot is crucial —”

“It is too expensive,” he cut in smoothly. “Last IPL season, two competitors doubled their marketing budgets on this and barely got half the results. You don’t need to chase trends. You need to set them.”

Mahika turned towards him slowly, unimpressed. “Thanks for the unsolicited advice, but we’re here to discuss strategy, not budgeting.”

“Someone has to see the bigger picture. You’re too caught up in the details,” he countered.

She forced a tight smile. “And you’re so far above it all, you waltz in here acting like you’re not just the CEO, but some Boardroom God.”

The room was filled with discreet coughs and awkward throat-clearings, and Mahika caught every bit of it. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Vikram didn’t raise his voice or utter a word.

He didn’t need to. He just leaned back, tipping his chair just enough to look unnervingly relaxed, his fingers moving with methodical ease as he pushed his sleeves higher.

The writer in her melted at that small, careless gesture, because watching him like that was temptation wrapped in sin.

That cocky glint in his eyes said he’d been waiting for this moment.

“Relax, will you, baby?” he drawled, his lips curling into an arrogant smirk. “I’m just saying… check the analytics before you waste time repackaging failure.”

Mahika froze. Did he just call her ‘baby’?

Her spine straightened, but not before her face betrayed her. Her cheeks flushed crimson and her full lips parted instinctively before she could stop herself. For a moment, her mind went blank. Damn it!! The words tangled as she spoke.

“I… uh…” She cleared her throat, her eyes flicking to her laptop, then darting away. “We already have the data…” she began, her voice breathless.

The team had gone stone silent. A few people exchanged glances. One brave soul sitting beside Mahika coughed again, but Vikram just sat there looking maddeningly calm, like he hadn’t just dropped a grenade and lit a fire beneath her skin.

Mahika blinked rapidly and avoided Vikram’s eyes as she lowered her stylus slowly. “We’re exploring potential here, not chasing meaningless numbers.”

He was really getting a kick on seeing her flustered. “This company runs on results, not empty metrics, baby.”

Mahika inhaled sharply and tapped her tablet, shutting down the presentation. “That’s all for today. I’ll share the revised campaign rollout by EOD.”

Before she could say another word, Vikram turned to the team. “You heard her. The meeting’s over.”

No one needed a second dismissal. Chairs scraped back in haste as the team filed out with murmured goodbyes, leaving behind the awkward energy that trailed after two sparring alphas.

By the time the door clicked shut, Mahika was already on her feet, her arms folded tightly across her chest as she paced.

Then she leaned forward and planted her palms firmly on the table in front of him. “How dare you? You had no right to derail my meeting like that,” she fumed.

“I had every right,” Vikram countered, his gaze dipping to her lips and then to the delicate hint of cleavage at her neckline. “And technically, I saved everyone thirty minutes of circling dead ideas.”

Mahika looked down where he was looking, and heat rushed through her when she realised he was openly checking her out.

She straightened and arched a brow. “Do you do this often?”

“Do what?” he replied lazily as he leaned comfortably, not bothering to hide the fact that he was checking her out.

“Invade meetings that aren’t yours?”

He gave a slow, wicked smile. “Only when I know the person hosting it secretly enjoys it.”

She exhaled sharply and shook her head. “You’re—”

Her phone buzzed. Twice.

She paused as another team’s notification popped up. The third one in a row. Her brows knit together in confusion. She unlocked the screen, and the messages from her team chat glared back at her.

Kritika: Hey, Mahika! Since your two-day leave is in, just a quick update. Aadya is covering the Singhal review meeting with your notes, Ishan is handling the Fabelle launch comms, and I’m taking over the Orion campaign with Analytics. Everything’s sorted. Don’t you worry. Hope you enjoy the break.

Her brain stalled. What leave? What break?

Mahika opened her Sent Mail, and there it was. An email sitting smugly like a landmine. A leave request, sent two hours ago.

What. The. Actual. Fuck?

She hadn’t applied for any leave. In fact, the idea hadn’t even crossed her mind. And there was no way in hell she’d done it by mistake.

“What the heck...” Mahika muttered, grabbing the phone to call IT. But she paused mid-sentence the moment her eyes landed on Vikram.

The way he was looking at her made it clear this was not a coincidence. Smugness radiated from his expression, and he wasn’t even trying to hide it.

Mahika slowly set the phone down and narrowed her eyes. “You did this.”

Vikram tilted his head slightly, his gaze thoughtful as he considered the question.

“Did what?” His voice dripped with mock innocence, though the performance was too half-hearted to convince anyone.

“You put in my leave for two days. I never applied for it.” Her frown deepened as her gaze locked on him. “Did you… forge my leave request?”

Vikram gave a casual shrug, his shoulders barely moving. “Forge is such a dramatic word. I prefer to call it ‘applying for leave by proxy.’”

“You can’t just do things like that,” she exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief. “You are not my boss, Grizzly.”

He smirked slowly. “Maybe not… but I am your husband… the one you are hell bent on seducing every night by wearing those microscopic nighties. Ring any bells?”

Mahika’s cheeks flushed instantly, and she crossed her arms over her chest. “Rubbish! I am not seducing you.”

“Of course not,” Vikram responded sarcastically. “You’re just parading around in silk and lace for your own comfort. Totally innocent. Consider this as payback. You need to cool off, so take a break.”

“You can’t hijack my calendar just because your willpower is slipping. Is this about the kiss… you know, the one you initiated?”

“My willpower is perfectly fine, thank you. But actions have consequences, Momo.” He stood up and leaned forward, his palms digging into the table.

“This is about everything you’ve been doing since that kiss.

Every little bedtime performance. Do you think I haven’t noticed how you stretch before crawling under the covers in those barely-there nighties?

Do you expect me to stay calm through that? You’re driving me insane.”

“That is my routine. It helps me sleep.” Her glare was sharp, but the blush rising to her cheeks completely ruined the effect. She touched her face, trying to cool the sudden heat.

“It helps me not to sleep,” he muttered.

“You’re crazy. You wrecked my entire week just because you can’t keep your eyes to yourself.”

“I know exactly where to look, trust me. I just… don’t. For your sanity and mine. And for the record, your team actually looked relieved when I showed up. You were driving them half mad.”

“Whatever. I am calling HR,” she huffed, reaching for her phone.

“Go ahead and call the President of the United States if you want. You’re still out of the office for the next two days. End of discussion.”

“Oh, just shut up.” Mahika crossed her arms and studied him carefully.

She couldn’t figure out what his endgame was. First, he bulldozed her meeting, then he interfered with her calendar, and now he had orchestrated forced time off?

“And what exactly am I supposed to do with this break?” she asked, clearly suspicious.

Vikram just dusted imaginary lint from his sleeve and gave her that infuriatingly cool look. “Relax. You’ll get an alert.”

“Huh? What alert?” she asked, narrowing her eyes as he reached the doorway. “What are you talking about, Grizzly?!”

But he was already gone, striding away like he had just closed a business deal, not executed a personal ambush. She stared after him, irritation burning beneath a rising tide of curiosity.

One thing was certain. Vikram never acted without intent. She knew that much about him. And whatever he’d just set in motion… it felt bigger than their usual back-and-forth.

It felt intentional…and damn, it intrigued her.