Page 75 of Strictly Solo
“Fine, let them bury you, I’ll pull you out afterward. Just give me the damn address.”
“That’s not funny, Ruhaan. Anyway, I’ve got to go. I’m dropping Pinky at school. Take care.”
Before Ruhaan could protest further, the line went dead. He cursed loudly, hitting the wheel with the heel of his hand. The ache in his chest was unbearable. The thought of never seeing them again was something he couldn’t, wouldn’t, accept.
He’d thought he was strong, someone who could walk away from anything or anyone without a second thought. But Naina and Neil had him feeling trapped, like he couldn’t breathe without them. He’d spent his entire life believing that he didn’t need anyone, that he was better off alone. But Naina had changed everything.
“Dammit,” he muttered, rubbing his temples. He had to fix this. He couldn’t lose them.Ever.
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Naina’s Office - An hour later
Naina hurried into her office, out of breath. She was already late, her morning thrown off schedule by Neil’s late wake-up, the usual struggle of getting him ready and dropped off at school, and the snail-paced Mumbai traffic. The moment she steppedinto her cabin to drop off her bag, Deborah appeared at the door with a frown.
“Naina, what’s going on? You’re late, and Bakshi is already here,” she chided.
“I’m so sorry, Deby,” she apologized, adjusting her hair and quickly gathering herself. “I got held up with Neil and then...well, the traffic.” She straightened her top and smoothed out the creases in her pencil skirt. “But don’t worry. We’re going to impress the client, I promise.”
Deborah led her down the hallway towards the conference room.
“Just remember, this meeting is pivotal for us. Bakshi’s company isn’t easy to impress, but this BBB campaign could seal the deal and boost our credibility.”
Naina nodded as they reached the door, taking a deep breath before pushing it open. Inside, a group of clients and colleagues were already seated around the table. Naina plastered on a confident smile as she walked in beside Deborah, her eyes sweeping over the group, nodding in greeting at the familiar faces. She focused on Mr. Bakshi, an older man with a welcoming smile, who stood up to greet her.
“Naina, finally,” Bakshi smiled warmly as he shook her hand. “We’ve been waiting for you. I’d like to introduce you to a special guest in this campaign,” he said, glancing to her side.
She turned, a polite smile forming on her lips. But as she looked to her side, that smile faltered, freezing on her face. Her gaze met a pair of dark, familiar eyes that stopped her in her tracks. There, standing next to Bakshi, was Ruhaan Singh, looking every bit as surprised to see her. He was dressed sharply in a tailored suit, looking at her like he just found some treasure.
Relief and happiness flooded his gaze, making it abundantly clear that this reunion was just as unexpected for him as it was for her.
“Naina,” Bakshi continued, oblivious to the silent storm brewing between them, “meet Ruhaan Singh, my late friend’s son and a well-respected businessman in his own right. His company will be taking over mine by the end of this year, so I thought it only made sense to bring him onboard for this campaign.”
Ruhaan extended his hand toward her, his smile widening just a touch as he took in her stunned expression. “Hi, Naina.”
For a moment, she stood motionless, her mind racing to process the situation. He’d been calling her, trying to reach her, and she’d avoided him at every turn. And here he was, standing before her like some answer to a question she’d been too afraid to ask. She forced herself to take his hand in a brisk, professional shake.
He didn’t release her hand right away, letting it linger just long enough to send a message only she could understand—a wordless acknowledgment of all that lay between them.
Ruhaan’s pulse raced too. After a week that had felt like an eternity of dead-end efforts to contact her, here she was. Fate had finally intervened in his favor.
Her cheeks heated as she finally managed to pull her hand free. Clearing her throat, she forced herself to speak. “Shall we begin?”
Deborah, noticing the brief tension between them, simply nodded, though there was a curious glint in her eye. “Of course,” she replied.
Naina took a deep breath, centering herself and preparing to focus on the meeting. But Ruhaan’s presence was distracting. He was here, so close, his gaze never straying far from her. It was as though he were studying her, gauging her reactions. And that faint smile playing on his lips was of pure relief…of finding her.
Naina had no idea how this was going to work with Ruhaan here, especially with her client. His presence was the last thingshe needed in an already critical meeting, and having him close, watching her every move, was far from good for her.
Chapter 22
Naina’s Office
Naina took her seat at the head of the table, arranging her papers with slightly shaking hands. She focused on her agenda, determined not to let him rattle her. She hadn’t known Bakshi and Ruhaan had any connection. How could she? Ruhaan and her never talked about her work or his.
The presentation started, and she took charge, outlining their strategy for the BBB campaign with her usual confidence. Yet every time she glanced around the room, her gaze inevitably met Ruhaan’s, whose eyes never left her. She stumbled once but quickly covered it.
Finally, as Deborah continued explaining their plans, Naina risked a glance at Ruhaan, catching him watching her intently. There was an unspoken apology in his eyes, one she refused to answer here.
