Ira stepped into the house, and the first thing she noticed was her mother pacing nervously in the living room. Her brow furrowed instinctively.

"Ma? Are you okay?" she asked softly, concerned.

Her mother turned at the sound, relief flooding her features the moment she saw Ira.

She exhaled, her shoulders sagging as if a weight had lifted, and walked toward her daughter.

"Oh, beta... you're okay." she said, voice gentle but tinged with lingering worry.

Ira raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Ma, I told you I'd be fine." she said lightly, stepping further into the house.

Her mother followed, sighing softly as she matched her pace.

"I'm just worried.." her mother admitted, a soft frown creasing her forehead.

Ira chuckled, shaking her head. "Well, look at me! First day on the job, and I survived." She gave her mother a playful glance, hoping to ease some of the tension.

Her mother's eyes softened, but the worry didn't fully fade. "Just... be careful, please, okay?" she said quietly, her voice gentle, almost pleading.

Ira nodded, smiling reassuringly.

"I will, Ma." She reached for her phone, and the screen lit up immediately, Kunal's name flashing across it.

Her lips curved into a wide, happy smile, and without thinking, she practically raced up the stairs.

"Hey, slow down, Ira! He isn't running away.." her mother called after her, teasing lightly.

Ira heart lighter with each step, not slowing even a little.

Reaching her room, she closed the door behind her, leaning her back against it as she lifted the phone to her ear.

"Hey, Kunal.." she said softly..

She heard a sigh on the other end. "What's with everyone sighing? I'm not dead." she teased, a soft laugh escaping her lips.

"Ira..." His voice was low "Gosh, you have no idea how worried I was. Are you okay? Did something happen? I hope you're not too stressed out."

Ira smiled and flopped onto her bed, running a hand through her hair as she settled in. "Kunal, relax. I'm fine. Really.." she said, her tone playful yet soothing.

"You can breathe. It's not that bad. I just helped Mr. Rathore with his schedule... nothing heavy."

There was a pause on the line, then he asked quietly, "Do you... feel comfortable?"

She giggled softly, shaking her head at the concern in his voice.

"Don't be silly." she said, her smile widening. "Well... the place feels like a cold, intimidating mansion because of my boss. But I promise, I'm fine. How about you? How's work?"

She could hear him sigh faintly. "Just some boring paperwork." he muttered, sounding drained.

Ira laughed softly, shaking her head. "You also call it boring?" she teased, "Come on, Kunal, it can't be that bad."

Her phone suddenly dinged, pulling her attention. She glanced at the screen and frowned slightly, an email notification.

Her finger hovered over the screen, but before she could check, Kunal's voice pulled her back.

"...Ira? Ira? Are you there?" His concern was audible, a thread of worry threading through each word.

"Yes! Sorry..." She straightened, quickly holding the phone a little farther from her ear. "Um... can I call you back?"

There was a brief pause, then his voice softened. "Okay... please call me back."

"I will." she promised, smiling warmly.

She ended the call.

Immediately, her attention shifted back to the email.

Her brow furrowed as she tapped it open, eyes scanning the name.

The email was from Mr. Devraj Singh Rathore.

Ira frowned as she opened it. A copy of the contract she had signed stared back at her from the screen.

Huh?

"He's... very weird.." she muttered under her breath, shaking her head in disbelief.

She was about to drop her phone when another ding caught her attention.

It was him again. This time, the email contained the details for her monthly payment.

Her eyes went wide as she scrolled through the numbers.

10 lakh rupees?!?

"Oh my God..." she whispered, blinking rapidly, unable to believe it.

This much to take care of him?? It's not even a full day..

But the sheer amount made her stomach flutter with excitement.

A smile broke across her face, bright and uncontrollable.

She hopped off her bed, still staring at the screen, and walked out of her room, her phone clutched tightly, the grin on her face refusing to fade.

Meanwhile...

Devraj's gaze was locked onto his laptop screen, watching the email he had just sent to Ira.

A flicker of hope passed through him, maybe she'd text back?

A thank you? Or okay sir?

But as moments dragged on, his expression darkened.

He snapped the laptop shut and let it fall onto the bed beside him.

Just then, a knock sounded on his door before it opened, his mother slipped in, balancing a tray of steaming soup.

Her smile was warm, the same one she always wore when she was trying to ease him.

She crossed to his bed, placing the tray gently on the small table beside him.

"So?" she asked brightly, almost too brightly. "What do you think of Ira? She is good right? And so diligent. She is so focused."

Devraj's gaze lifted slowly his eyes...dark amber, heavy, rested on her.

Empty. And almost too cold.

"Where are her details?" His voice was flat.

His mother blinked, her smile twitching at the corners. "What?"

"Ira's details." he repeated, eyes still on her.

She frowned, the lightness in her face faltering. "I already have them. She's no trouble. I ran a background check myself."

But the way his eyes darkened, this made her chest tighten.

For a moment, she felt like a stranger standing in front of her own son.

And this feeling always creeps in, whenever Devraj was on that cold mood.

Surely he might not speak much, but he is dangerous and she knows not to step on his temper.

Everyone in the mansion knows that.

"She's only working seven hours." he said after a beat, his tone almost accusing.

Her brows drew together. "Devraj, what is this interrogation? She did her job well, right?"

Still, his gaze pinned her, unrelenting.

"I know you don't like company in your room.." she rushed on, "That's why I arranged her hours carefully. Just seven, the hours you'll actually need help. The rest, you won't have to see her at all. You won't feel intruded."

He hummed, low and dismissive, but his eyes didn't soften.

"Here." She tried again, gently nudging the tray closer.

"I brought you soup. And later, I'll come up to take you down for dinner... in three hours, alright?"

Another hum.

Her heart pinched at his indifference. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper now.

His eyes slid back to her, hard and impenetrable. "I want to be alone, Ma."

It wasn't a request..

Her lips parted, as if she wanted to push back, but the look on his face silenced her.

She nodded quickly, "At least... drink this." she murmured, motioning to the soup.

Devraj glanced at it once, then lowered his gaze back to the laptop on the bed and he picked it up.

His long fingers tapped the keyboard once, twice, like he was done with the conversation.

Her chest sank. With a small sigh, she turned and walked out, pulling the door closed behind her.

The moment the latch clicked, the stillness in the room thickened.

Devraj froze, his hands suspended above the keyboard.

His jaw flexed, Then without hesitation, he navigated to his email inbox..

His finger hesitated over the trackpad before finally clicking into a message buried a week deep in his inbox.

Advik's mail.

The file blinked open, and there she was again. Ira.

Her green eyes stared back at him from the screen, unflinching, alive.

For a moment, it felt less like a photograph and more like she was looking at him.

His jaw locked as he leaned forward, drinking in every detail of her face.

Branding her into his mind.

His chest rose, fell. He swallowed hard, then forced himself to scroll down, tearing his eyes away.

Lines of text filled the screen, everything Advik had dug up.

He skimmed quickly, clinical, detached.

But then he froze at the unopened attachment at the bottom. Basic Information.

His lips pressed into a thin line. With a sharp hiss through his teeth, he muttered under his breath,

"I just need to know a few things. That's all."

He clicked.

Her name appeared first, neat and simple.

Name: Ira Verma

Age: 25

Parents: Sunita Verma and Mahesh Verma

Brother: Raghav Verma

Best Friend: Ritika Sharma

Each word crawled under his skin. He scrolled deeper. Where she studied. Where she worked.

He paused, frown cutting across his face.

Dismissed? Or did she walk away?

Scroll after scroll, Advik had peeled her life bare. Her travels, her addresses, her number, things no one but she should ever hold.

All of it now his.

And then he saw it.

His breath stilled.

Relationship: Kunal Mehra.

The words seared into him. His hand curled slowly into a fist, knuckles whitening against the laptop.

His jaw ached from how hard he was clenching it.

His eyes remained fixed on the name. Over and over again.

As if the letters themselves mocked him.

"Stupid woman." he spat through gritted teeth.

A cruel burn coiled in his chest. He scrolled back up, stopping again at her picture.

Her eyes. That damned smile.

His own reflection flickered in the glow of the screen, sharp and hollow.

"Stupid woman.." he muttered again, harsher this time.

The name Kunal Mehra echoed in his head, each repetition slicing him open.

The file snapped shut with a sharp click. His inbox blinked blank, but the rage in his chest didn't fade.

"Stupid woman." he whispered one last time, though it sounded less like anger now.

~~~

︎

"Babe? That's a lot of money!" Ritika's voice squealed from Ira's laptop screen, her eyes widening as she sprawled dramatically across her bed.

Ira chuckled, shaking her head.

"Are you sure this payment isn't for three months?" Ritika pressed.

"Nope. Just one." Ira leaned back against her pillows, amused. "I sent you the screenshot. Check it again."

Ritika snatched up her phone, scrolling fast before dropping it beside her with a groan.

"Girl, you're lucky. And rich! To hell with that perverted boss you used to work for."

Ira laughed softly, shaking her head.

But then Ritika's expression shifted, her lips curling into a mischievous smirk.

Ira immediately narrowed her eyes.

"What is that face for?" Ira asked warily.

Ritika tilted her head, eyes glittering. "Was he handsome?"

"What?" Ira blinked, thrown off.

"Oh, don't play dumb! I'm talking about Devraj Rathore himself!" Ritika leaned closer to the screen, her tone suddenly dreamy.

"Do you know how many articles there are of him online? Girl, his pictures online? A walking, talking, brooding devil. Rich, powerful, and those eyes...Handsome doesn't even cover it." She sighed dramatically, clasping her hands.

Ira stared at her like she'd sprouted horns. "Riri...He may be rich and all, but he's dangerous. Emotionless. The man's reputation isn't exactly flattering."

"Emotionless makes him hotter.." Ritika countered without hesitation, a dreamy smile tugging at her lips. "That whole untouchable, dangerous aura? Mm. Definitely my type."

"Seriously??"

"Seriously!" Ritika's grin only widened. "He's thirty-three, tall, ridiculously handsome... Admit it, Ira. You were secretly happy to see him."

Ira sighed. "Happy? Please. The man barely talks like a human being. He's... cold.. Half the time he looks at you, you feel like you've done something wrong."

Ritika sighed dramatically, as if that only fueled her crush. "Oh, come on. That just makes him even more my type."

Ira gave a baffled little laugh. "Your type? Riri, that man is..he's..not your type at all! Trust me, you wouldn't last five minutes around him."

But Ritika only smirked deeper.

"Oh, come on, he's handsome, babe. I'm sure you must've at least looked at him dreamily too, at least for a second." Ritika teased, eyes twinkling through the screen.

Ira exhaled, unimpressed. "He's my boss, Riri. And no, I didn't look at him dreamily. Why would I? The only look I gave him is sympathy to be bound on a wheelchair. Yes... he's handsome, I guess...in his own way?." Her tone made it clear she wasn't sure why they were even having this conversation.

"In his own way?" Ritika gasped like she'd just heard blasphemy. "Girl. He's hot. Period."

Ira lifted her shoulders in a small shrug. "Um... okay? If you say so."

Ritika narrowed her eyes, moving even closer to the screen. "Wait. Hold up. Are you okay?"

"I should be asking you that." Ira gave her a pointed look.

"No, Ira. You don't sound impressed. Not at all."

"You sound like you're disappointed.." Ira said flatly.

Ritika pouted. "Because I am! You don't sound impressed at all."

Ira sighed, dropping her voice a little. "You really want to hear me out?"

"Always.." Ritika said, already grinning like she was about to hear juicy gossip.

"Riri, He's thirty-three, yes, maybe handsome too. But he's cold, harsh, and barely talks and when he does, it's like... an order you can't refuse.. Sure, he's rich, powerful, whatever the world worships him for. But Just one day with him and I know this much...he's a workaholic, and I don't think the man has smiled in a decade." Ira paused, her voice firmer now. "Don't fall for the surface, Riri. You need to know someone deep down before you love them."

By the time she finished, Ritika's jaw had dropped. She just stared at Ira, scandalized and amused all at once.

Ira rolled her eyes. "Don't look at me like that."

"Wow!" Ritika exclaimed, eyes wide.

Ira sighed, already bracing herself.

"I'm guessing you figured all this out before you went and fell head over heels for Kunal.." Ritika teased, her smile sly.

Heat crept up Ira's cheeks, and Ritika burst into laughter.

"You're right though.." Ritika said once she caught her breath, "but that doesn't change the fact that your boss is damn handsome."

Ira chuckled softly, shaking her head at her best friend's dramatic flair.

"You want me to pick you up tomorrow?" Ritika asked.Ira nodded with a small smile. Before she could say anything else, a knock sounded at her door.

"Ira? Come down for dinner." her brother's voice called.

"Okay, Bhai!" she answered back.

She glanced at Ritika on the screen. "Goodnight, Riri."

"Goodnight, babe.." Ritika said, blowing her a kiss.

Ira laughed, returned a playful wave, and ended the call.

Closing her laptop, she stood, smoothed her hair, and left her room.