Vikram eyes narrowed instantly.
Devika turned, irritated.
Man smirks at her." Hey beautiful, dance with me"?
"No" she said firmly.
The man reached for her hand--
And beforw devika reacted--
Vikram caught the man's wrist mid-air.
Not hard.
Not violent.
But with silent warning.
"She said no" vikram said, deadly cold voice.
The man scoffed," who are you? Her boyfriend?
"No" vikram eyes sharpens."i am the last person you want to test"
The man pulled his hand back and walked away muttering something.
Devika stared at vikram, stunned.
"You didn't have to do that" low voice.
" I did" he said,
"Why" she said, low voice
His jaw clenched
He didn't answer.
Because he coudn't tell her--
Because i know you.
Because i have been watching you in the office.
Because you are not safe here..
Instead, he said coldly, " you attract trouble"
Devika gasp softly, "Excuse me"?
"You heard me", vikram said, cold voice
"You don't even know me!" Devika said, confuse
"I know enough", he murmured.
"And what exactly do you know"? She challenged.
He looked at her for a long moment.
Then--
"You get careless when you drink. Your friends are also distracted" vikram said.
" And you don't know how vulnerable you look right now" he said, looking into her eyes.
Devika felt her heart beat fasten.
Why was he noticing her this closely?
Why was he here at all?
"Why are you talking like you are responsible for me ?" She whispered
He didn't blink.
"Because someone needs to be" he said, cold voice.
She felt something
Dangerous
Almost protective.
But she didn't know him.
She didn't trust him.
" I don't need protection", she said, firmly.
One corner of his mouth lifted
Barely a smile.
"You do tonight" he said.
Ishaan came their.
Suddenly his hand grab her hand.
"Devika! What the hell is going on?" Ishaan voice was filled with worry.
Devika turned." I was just--
"No, you weren't", ishaan said, glaring at the stranger. "Why are you standing so close to her? Step back.
Vikram didn't move.
Not even an inch
Ishaan stepped forward, "i said step back"
Karan rushed in too, holding Ishaan's shoulder."calm down--"
Vikram's eyes didn't leave Devika's.
"Is he always like this? Vikram asked her, cold voice.
Devika swallowed."he is just protective"
"Overprotective", vikram corrected.
Ishaan, cold voice" who are you to comment on that?"
Vikram finally turned his head slightly, giving ishaan a cold, unreadable look. "A man who knows more than you think"
Karan whispered,"bro, let's just go home".
But ishaan wasn't listening. "Devika, we are leaving".
"Wait--" she began.
Ishaan pulled her away.
She looked back once--
Vikram was still standing there.
Still watching her.
Still unreadable.
His gaze didn't soften.
Didn't follow her in a helpless way.
If followed her like warning.
This isn't over.
Outside the club--
The night air hit her face.
"Ishaan, you overreacted", Devika muttered.
"You were drunk and he was too close--" ishaan said.
"He was just trying to help!", devika said.
"Help?" Ishaan scoffed. " He looked like trouble".
Devika looked down at her hands nervously.
He did look like trouble
But he also looked like someone who noticed more than he should.
Someone who saw things others missed.
And that scared her more than the argument.
Later that night--
Devika reached her apartment and changed into pajamas, head still spining from the night. Arshi fell asleep instantly, but devika couldn't.
Her thoughts keep returning to him--
The stranger
The way he looked at her
The way he held that man's wrist.
The way he said, "you are vulnerable tonight"
She shouldn't care.
But something felt wrong.
Something felt...unfinished.
Then...
She went towards balcony for fresh air.
And froze.
Because across the street--
Behind the tinted window of parked black car
Someone was sitting.
Watching her.
Her heart jumped into her throat.
The same man from the club.
The same man she argued with.
The same man who said she attracted trouble.
Vikram oberoi.
He was watching her apartment.
Watching her.
And then his phone ring
He answered call
His lips moved.
Devika couldn't hear him.
But she could read one word clearly.
"Found"
Found?
Found who?
Found...her? She said, whispers
Before she could react--
The car engine turned on and the vehicle drove away silently.
Leaving Devika frozen on the balcony.
Her heartbeat fasten.
Why was he watching her?
How did he know where she lived?
Who exactly WAS he?
She didn't know.
Not yet.
But she would.
Because tomorrow morning...
She would walk into company office--
And learn the truth--
That the man she fought with,
The man who held her hand to stop danger,
The man who watched her from a car.
Was not stranger....at all.
He was...
Vikram oberoi.
Her boss.
Her CEO.
And the man she was never supposed to cross.
Next morning
The company announcement comes.
"CEO Vikram oberoi will visit the banglore branch today"
And devika starts feeling nervous.
Because she knows, she will have to face ceo.
And he already knows...everything about her.