Rishi stepped forward, he said" breakfast will be delivered soon."
Rishi pulled out his phone, texted the hotel staff, and then went near table to check water bottle. Making it sure it was filled fully.
All three of her team members. Arshi, Ishaan, and karan were already dressed in professional formals. Files were in their hands, they must have got ready silently, while she struggled with fever and migraine.
Ishaan adjusted his collar, still watching Devika closely.
"We will handle the meeting", Ishaan said gently to her, "You just rest."
Devika shook her head slowly, " No...you don't know the numbers like"
"We do." Karan cut her sentence." And even if we didn't, we will find it out."
She looked like she wanted to scream. Her lips trembling, but she couldn't lift her head properly without feeling dizziness.
Vikram glance at them."you are leaving in ten minutes." He said, cold voice.
Ishaan looks at vikram," yes. Sir."
Karan noded quickly,"Okay. Sir."
Vikram gaze landed on Arshi.
"You staying with devika" he said.
Arshi blinked, "I."
"You will message me if her condition changes."
Arshi noded," i will take care of her."
Then vikram looks at devika and walks toward her bed. He looked at her the way a storm looks at the coastline.
"After breakfast." He said, cold voice."you will eat medicines."
Devika stares at vikram, " i know how to--"
"I am not asking if you know." He said.
Devika still staring at him, her chest goes up and down rapidly, as the breathing was heavy.
"You will take them on time." Vikram said, cold voice.
Rishi stood near the entrance, quieting waiting.
vikram was scanning devika face, pale cheeks, trembling hands, eyes heavy. His jaw tightened. Then he looked away.
He didn't say anything more. When he was about to leave.
"Message if anything happens." He said, cold voice.
"I will." Arsh whispered.
Vikram noded and walked out.
The door close behind him.
All three of them exhaled only when he disappeared.
Arshi touched devika cheek gently,"rest, baby. Please."
Devika turned her face towards window, eyes full of stubborn tears, that also she refused to let fall.
The man she hated most in the world.
The man she competed against.
The man who even walked in colder then winter and commanded the room like a general.
He was the same man who sent soup and medicine without telling her.
Who even called his family doctor in middle of night and make him flew in night.
Who didn't even sleep.
Who pretended not to care.
Her chest was burning with fever or something else she didn't understand.
Outside, in hallway
Vikram was slowly breathing until the elevator shut.
Rishi stood beside him."sir" he said."you should rest too."
Vikram didn't reply.
His expression was still same.
Vikram had been terrified.
Terrified of how pale she had looked.
Terrified of how cold her hands were.
Terrified of how she didn't argue the way she usually did.
And terrified that he had no right to care this much.
Then
Vikram straightened his coat and said," lets go."
And the first time since he became Vikram Oberoi, the untouchable CEO.
He felt weak
Not because he was losing control.
But because that woman,
Laying under blanket, and breathing uneven.
Conference hall
The meeting room was cold.
Ishaan stood behind the podium, slides open.
Karan was handing printed darfts to table
They both were tensed but they moved. Their voice didn't shake. They were devika's people. They have watched her fight their way into every deal these past one year. They had been molded by her pressure,and her expectation.
Now they both spoke like devika.
Sharp and fearless.
When the one executive asked sudden technical question, regarding profit projections, ishaan answered without blinking.
And when the finance head questioned last quarter's risk margin, karan pulled up graph Devika had designed and explained it with clarity.
They weren't Devika
But they were trained by her.
They carried her fire.
Somewhere in the middle of the room, vikram sat silently.
He shouldn't have attended the meeting.
But he did. Not because he needed to. Presentation wasn't even his domain today.
But because if he didn't show up. Then he would have stayed standing outside Devika's hotel room like a helpless man.
So, he sat in second row, gaze sharp
From the outside, he looked like a CEO supervising a business deal.
Inside?
He was listening for his phone.
Waiting. Watching.
He even hated how restless he felt.
How wrong it looked on him.
How much control he didn't have.
Rishi sat a chair behind him. Pretending to take notes but he was keeping one eye on vikram. Because no one in the company ever seen Vikram Oberoi like this.
Back in the room.