"Become my mistress"

Khushi stared at Arnav.

"What?"

Her voice was barely audible.

Arnav didn't answer.

One of his hands rested against the glass beside her head, while the other was still at her waist. He was standing so close that she could feel his warmth.

There had been a time when she would have welcomed that closeness. Now she only wanted to get away from him. She tried to step aside. Arnav caught her wrist.

"You think that's who I am?"

Her voice shook, but she didn't look away.

Arnav's fingers tightened slightly.

"That's exactly who I think you are"

Khushi stared at him.

She had wanted him to believe the worst of her six years ago. She had deliberately given him reasons to hate her.

But she had never imagined that one day he would look at her with so little respect. The tears gathering in her eyes suddenly seemed less important than the anger rising inside her. Before she could stop herself, she raised her hand and slapped him.

The sound echoed through the empty boardroom.

Arnav's face turned with the impact.

Khushi stood still, breathing unevenly. Her hand was trembling, and a red mark was already appearing on his cheek.

For several seconds, he didn't move.

Then he slowly turned towards her.

His expression was difficult to read. There was anger in his eyes, but something else too. For the briefest moment, Khushi thought he almost smiled.

She couldn't understand why.

"I don't know you anymore"

Arnav took a step closer.

"But I know exactly who you are."

Khushi shook her head.

"You know nothing"

He raised his hand and gently caught her chin, making her look at him.

"I know you chose money over love"

Khushi felt her eyes filling again.

"I know you destroyed everything we had"

His fingers tightened slightly when she tried to turn away. Then he said the one thing she had been dreading.

"I know you killed our baby"

Khushi froze.

She had expected him to bring up the past. She had expected him to accuse her of using him, of lying to him, of ruining their relationship.

But hearing him speak about their child was different.

Aarav's face came to her mind.

Her little boy, who had kissed her cheek that morning. Who argued whenever she called him little. Who looked so much like his father that sometimes she found it difficult to look at him without remembering Arnav.

And here was that same father, standing in front of her, believing his child had never been born.

Khushi wanted to tell him.

For a moment, the words were almost there.

He's alive, Arnav.

But she couldn't say them.

Tears began running down her cheeks.

"Stop"

It was barely a whisper.

Arnav looked at her.

Something in her expression seemed to affect him. For a moment, the anger in his eyes gave way to pain.

Then he released her chin and stepped away.

He walked towards the floor-to-ceiling windows and stood looking out over the city. A bitter laugh escaped him.

"You know the funny thing?"

Khushi wiped her cheeks.

Arnav didn't turn around.

"For years..."

He paused.

"I imagined seeing you again"

Khushi closed her eyes.

"I thought I would hate you"

He looked out at the city for a moment longer.

"I thought I would feel something"

There was a silence before he turned towards her.

The pain she had seen on his face moments earlier was gone. He looked calm again.

"But looking at you now..."

Their eyes met.

"I feel nothing"

Khushi looked at him.

She wanted to believe him. Perhaps it would have been easier if he really felt nothing for her anymore.

But she had seen his face when he spoke about their child. She had heard the way his voice changed when he remembered their past.

She knew Arnav and she knew he was lying.

He turned away again, making it clear that he had nothing more to say.

Khushi stood quietly for a moment.

She couldn't stay here.

She couldn't face him every day, knowing what he thought of her and wondering what he might say next.

"Arnav..."

He stopped. The sound of his name in her voice still affected him, although he wished it didn't. Khushi took a breath.

"I will quit"

For a moment, Arnav said nothing. Then he slowly turned towards her. Khushi waited for him to respond. She had made up her mind. Leaving the company was the only way she could put some distance between them.

But Arnav wasn't angry. A small smile appeared on his face.

Khushi recognised that expression. He had already decided something, and she knew from experience how difficult it could be to change his mind.

Only this time, there was nothing affectionate about it.

Arnav had spent six years looking for her and now that he had found her, he had no intention of letting her walk away again.