Chapter 4

                     Chapter 4

Gautam’s POV

Malhotra Group — Office

I was working.

At least, that was how it appeared.

Files lay open on my desk, emails waited to be answered, meetings filled my schedule—yet my mind was nowhere near the office.

It was with her.

I leaned back in my chair, rubbing a hand over my face, and despite myself, my thoughts drifted to the first day I met Shivani.

Flashback — One Month Ago

I had caught only a glimpse of her before the lift doors closed.

Something about that fleeting moment made me press the button again.

The doors slid open.

She had already turned away, her steps hurried, but when she noticed the lift reopening, she paused and stepped inside.

“Thank you,” she said quietly.

My gaze went to her before I could stop myself.

She looked… simple. No unnecessary makeup, no effort to draw attention. Her hair was loosely tied back, a few strands escaping around her face, as though she hadn’t had the time—or the need—to fix them.

She wore a light-coloured kurta, unremarkable at first glance, yet it suited her with an effortless ease.

She pressed her floor number and stood beside me.

The space felt suddenly smaller.

Her eyes—deep brown, almost hazel under the lift’s harsh lights—held a quiet alertness. Not nervous. Not arrogant. Just observant. As if she noticed more than she let on.

I realized I was staring.

Not because she was beautiful in any conventional sense, but because there was something unsettlingly familiar about her. The curve of her face. The stillness in her expression.

She noticed my gaze.

“Hello,” she said, her voice calm but questioning.

I didn’t respond.

After a brief pause, she lifted her hand slightly and waved it in front of my face. That was enough to pull me back.

I looked away at once, my jaw tightening as I forced myself back into control.

She didn’t say anything after that.

When the lift doors opened, I stepped out quickly, my pace hurried. She followed, maintaining a careful distance—as if she already understood boundaries that hadn’t been spoken.

I went straight to my cabin, grabbed the bottle on my desk, and drank the water in one gulp. Only then did I realize how tense I had been.

Before I could collect my thoughts, there was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” I said.

Neil entered, followed by her.

“Sir,” Neil said, professional as ever, “this is Shivani Sharma. She’ll be assisting you as your PA while I’m away.”

He glanced at her briefly before turning back to me.

“She’s efficient and quick to learn. I think you’ll find her work satisfactory.”

Before I could respond, he added, “I’ll brief her on the rest,” and left the cabin.

The door closed behind him.

She stood there for a moment—composed, cautious.

“Good morning, sir,” she said softly. “I’m Shivani Sharma. I’ll do my best to meet your expectations. Thank you for the opportunity.”

She waited. Not impatiently. Not nervously. Just… steady.

I straightened in my chair, masking everything that threatened to surface.

“Welcome, Shivani Sharma,” I said evenly. “You’ll be assisting me temporarily. Do your work sincerely, follow instructions, and maintain confidentiality.”

She nodded immediately. “Yes, sir.”

“And,” I added after a brief pause, “if your performance meets the standards expected here, I’ll consider offering you a permanent position once Neil returns.”

Her expression shifted—just slightly—but I noticed it.

“Thank you, sir,” she said. “I won’t disappoint you.”

She turned and left the cabin without another word.

The door closed.

Present

I straightened in my chair, my gaze unfocused.

I hadn’t married Shivani out of love. I knew that with absolute certainty.

Perhaps I never could—because her face reminded me of what I had lost years ago.

A past I had buried deep.

A wound that never truly healed.

No one knew the real reason behind this marriage.

No one except me.

And once I found the truth—

This marriage would have served its purpose.

This marriage was never about love.

It was about answers.

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