"Become my mistress."

For a second, Khushi thought she had heard him wrong.

The words didn't make sense.

Not coming from him. Not from Arnav. Not from the man who once promised to spend the rest of his life loving her.

The world seemed to stop.

The city lights beyond the glass faded into nothing.

The boardroom disappeared.

Everything disappeared except the man standing in front of her.

One hand braced against the glass beside her head.

The other still resting at her waist.

Close enough that she could feel his warmth. Close enough to remember.

"What?"

The word left her lips as a whisper.

A plea. A prayer. Anything except belief.

Arnav didn't move.

Didn't look away. Didn't take it back.

Tears filled her eyes. Not because she was weak.

Because he had just taken everything they once were and dragged it through the dirt.

She tried to step away. Instinctively. Desperately.

His hand shot out and caught her wrist. Not rough. Not gentle. Just automatic.

As though the idea of her leaving was unacceptable.

"You think that's who I am?"

Her voice shook.

Not from fear. From betrayal.

Arnav's fingers tightened slightly around her wrist.

His eyes never left hers.

Not even for a second.

"That's exactly who I think you are."

The words hit harder than any slap ever could.

Because they came from him. Because after everything...

He still believed the worst version of her.

Khushi stared at him. Shattered.

Then something inside her snapped.

The tears stopped. The fear disappeared.

The heartbreak burned away.

Leaving only anger.

Pure. Blazing. Righteous anger.

Before Arnav could react—

SLAP.

The sound echoed through the empty boardroom.

Sharp. Violent. Final. Silence.

His head turned from the impact.

A red mark blooming across his cheek.

Neither moved. Neither looked away.

Slowly, Arnav turned back toward her.

His eyes were darker now. Dangerous. Alive. And for one brief second—

Khushi could have sworn he almost smiled.

As if part of him was relieved.

Relieved that she still had fire.

Relieved that she wasn't broken.

"I don't know you anymore."

The words hung between them.

Heavy. Painful. True.

Arnav took another step closer.

Because distance suddenly felt unbearable.

"But I know exactly who you are."

"You know nothing."

For the first time something cracked.

Not in Khushi. In him. His hand rose.

Slowly, His fingers closed gently around her chin.

Forcing her to meet his eyes. Forcing her to look at him.

"I know you chose money over love."

Khushi's eyes filled instantly.

"I know you destroyed everything we had."

The grip on her chin tightened slightly.

Not enough to hurt.

Enough to stop her from looking away.

Then came the wound that never healed.

The one neither of them survived.

"I know you killed our baby."

The world shattered. Khushi froze.

Every drop of blood leaving her face. Every breath leaving her lungs.

The tears came immediately. Hot. Uncontrollable.

"Stop."

The word barely existed. Almost a whisper. Almost a prayer.

For a second Arnav simply stared at her.

Watching her break. Watching himself break with her.

Then he let go. He turned away.

Walking toward the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Toward the city. Toward anywhere except her.

A bitter laugh escaped him.

The kind of laugh that sounded more like pain.

"You know the funny thing?"

Khushi wiped at her tears.

But she couldn't stop them.

Arnav stared out over the city lights. Refusing to look at her.

Because looking at her was harder.

"For years..."

His voice lowered.

"I imagined seeing you again."

Khushi closed her eyes.

"I thought I'd hate you."

His jaw tightened. A memory hitting him. A younger Khushi. A happier Khushi.

A future that died six years ago.

"I thought I'd feel something."

Silence. Then he turned. The softness vanished. The vulnerability vanished.

The mask returned. Cold eyes. Cold face. Cold control.

"But looking at you now..."

Their eyes met.

And Arnav told the biggest lie of his life.

"I feel nothing."

Khushi's heart shattered.

Because she could see the truth. Because she knew him. Because despite everything... He was lying.

And somehow, that hurt even more.

Arnav turned away again. Walking toward the window.

Trying to regain control. Trying to breathe. Trying not to remember. Conversation over. Finished. Dead.

"Arnav..."

He stopped instantly. The name still affected him. Damn him for it.

Khushi swallowed. Tears still on her face. Voice shaking.

"I'll quit."

Silence.

Then. Slowly, Arnav's eyes narrowed.

Possessive. Dangerous. Interested.

A smile appeared. Not warm. Not kind. Not forgiving.

The smile of a man who had spent six years searching for her.

The smile of a man who had finally found her.

And had absolutely no intention of letting her go.