Then, later he went from there with rishi.
He had another meeting with foreign client.
Inside devika room
Now, her health is getting better, she sat upright her back touch headboard of bed. Cheeks pale but not that much. Karan was sitting on carpet with his laptop, ishaan sat on the couch reviewing numbers. Arshi was sitting on bed and scolling her emails.
"Do you want soup?" Arshi asked
Devika shook her head."i am fine now."
"Sure?" Karan didn't look up."because, you look like a ghost that skipped makeup."
Devika glared at him weakly,"your face is ghost."
"Okay, she is fine and alive." Ishaan said, looking at devika.
Devika rolled her eyes and leaned forward to sip water. Her body felt little weak.
For two or three hour, the room was peaceful
Until Arshi froze."hey where is the tender file?."
The room went stilled and silent.
"What file?" Ishaan asked.
"The contract draft." She replied." The final file for the tomorrow morning last meeting."
Karan lifted his head," i didn't move it."
"I saw it few days ago" devika said,"on the table after i came from lobby"
Arshi checked again, papers, laptop bag and drawer.
Nothing found.
Ishaan said, low voice," check suitcase."
They opened bags.
Devika's, Arshi's, karan's. Zippers, folders, pockets and everthing.
Nothing found.
Devika heartbeat fastens, not after all this. Not after she worked so hard to beat vikram.
She replayed the hours, wining challenge, the pain, the chills, collapsing on the bed--. Her mind had been foggy.
She hadn't touched anything after that.
"Okay, don't panic" Ishaan said, trying to sound calmly." It has to be here."
"Its not " karan muttered," and we leave at 7. AM."
Devika fingers trembled. Her throat tightened. This contract was not simple paper. It was the main reason she came here. The reason, she challenge vikram in first place.
If this file disappear, they will lose everything they had achieved.
Her forehead pressed against her palm and kneel down ."No..No..No..No."
Arshi kneeled beside her," hey, breathe. We will find it."
Devika noded, but she didn't breathe. Instead, her pressed lips tight together, her eyes burning.
For months she had built this team.
For months she ahd fought people who said she wasn't enough.
For months she had carried everything without letting anyone see her knees shaking.
And now, one missing file could tear it apart.
Devika suddenly stood up." I will check the meeting hall. Maybe the staff moved it."
"Devika" Arshi grabbed Devika's wrist." You are barely recovered."
"I am fine." She said, voice breaking.
Ishaan also stood up," we will go--"
The door knocked.
Karan opened door
Vikram stood there.
White shirt, sleeves rolled, expression again unreadable. He was not wearing his tie and few botton of shirt was open.
Rishi stood behind him with folder in his hand.
And vikram eyes, straight to devika like magnet.
"You are awake" he said, deep voice.
Devika stiffened,"yes."
The room went silent.
Then vikram takes folder from rishi. And place it on table.
"You left it at the lounge," he said, steady voice." I asked staff to hold it until i retrieved it."
Every pair of eyes in room widened. Devika stared at the file like it was oxygen.
For long moment she couldn't speak.
Vikram watched her carefully.
Not mocking.
Just observant.
Like he was studying how she would break.
She blinked twice, "you..brought it.?"
Vikram said,"you worked too hard to throw it away in one careless moment."
His words wasn't cruel. It was the truth she didn't want to hear.
"I wasn't careless" she whispered.
*You were sick" he replied," you barely knew where you were standing that night."
Arshi stepped closer to devika," she was fine until--".
"No" devika said, she cut her in between his sentence. Devika eyes locked with vikram," he is right."
Vikram's jaw tightened. As if he didn't expect her to agree with him. As if her honesty pressed something sharp inside him.
Ishaan exhaled slowly.
Karan sat down again
Vikram slid his hands into his pockets
He didn't remind her that she had beaten him.
He didn't ask how she was feeling.
He simply stood there.
Devika finally looked away from him." Thankyou."
Two simple word.
But she hate how shaky were words sounded.
Vikram didn't respond immediately. He watched her like she was puzzle with missing peices.
Then, he said." I don't like repeating myself. I told you yesterday to rest."
Devika, said." I did rest."
Vikram raised one brow."that's why your pulse was 102?"
Her breath hitched.
So he had checked.
She didn't know when he measured, or how.
But suddenly, memories flashed his cold hand on her wrist, the way his jaw clenched.
He didn't just send soup.
He didn't just send medicines.
He was worried.
He cared. But he was terrifed of the fact that he cared. And that made him cruel.
She opened her mouth to argue, but he cut her in between.
"If you collapse tomorrow during meeting, i am not dragging you to hospital myself." Vikram said, cold voice.
Her cheeks get red with anger and humiliation," i won't collapse." She said
"I don't gamble with liabilities" he said
The words cut deep.
Her chest squeezed.
She felt herself shrink.
Arshi stepped forward," she us not--"
"Arshi" devika whispered, stopping her.
Her eyes were fixed in vikram.
She wanted to yell at him.
She wanted to ask why he was always like this.
But instead she said nothing.
Because vikram didn't speak from emotions.
He spoke from fear. Fear of losing control. Fear of making mistakes. Fear of letting someone matter.
When he turned to leave, he paused at door.
And said without even looking back.
"Tomorrow, your team will not attend. Only you and i."
Her stomach twist,"what?."
"You challenged me." He replied."Now, you will stand beside me."
Then,
He left.
Leaving the room with deadly silence.
Next morning.
Devika stood near, she was ready in her formal outfit for today's meeting.