Chapter Thirty Three.
"Well, that was rude of you to interrupt," Alia said, as she paced around Devraj's massive desk.
Ira's frown deepened.
"Devraj, what is she doing here?" Advik asked, his voice dead-on with a sudden, biting anger as he stepped forward.
a flicker of concern crossing Ira's face.
She knew they didn't get along, but the level of animosity in his voice was startling.
How much does he hate her? she wondered. Even Devraj seems to despise her... what exactly did she do to them?
"Did you forget that I'm the brand ambassador?" Alia said arrogantly, leaning back against the desk. "I need to be here. With my Raj."
Advik let out a harsh, mocking scoff.
Ira's gaze shifted to Devraj. He hadn't said a word. He was simply staring at her...his eyes fixed solely on her face.
"What are you doing here, anyway?" Alia sneered, turning her venom toward Ira.
"Are you blind? Or just deaf?" Advik snapped back before Ira could even open her mouth.
"Didn't you see she's here to deliver something to Devraj?"
Ira looked at Advik and offered a small, grateful smile. That was the second time today he had stepped up for her.
Alia let out a short, dry laugh, her eyes narrowing as she caught the look between them.
"I see you've caught a new fish already, Ira."
Ira blinked, her confusion turning into an irritation. "Excuse me?"
Alia gestured toward Advik with a dismissive toss of her head, her lip curling.
"Can you see this, Raj? Your precious little caregiver is jumping from one man to the next. What an immoral woman."
Devraj's expression shifted instantly. A dangerous, cold fury ignited in his eyes as he glared at Alia.
"First, it was that man..what was his name again? Oh, right. Kunal," Alia spat the name with pure hatred. "And now, it's Advik. Are you that desperate?"
"She isn't you, Alia.." Advik countered, stepping closer to Ira instinctively, as if shielding her from Alia's words. "The only immoral woman in this room is you."
The movement triggered something in Devraj.
Suddenly, he pushed himself up from his chair. The metal of his crutches hit the floor with a clack
"Step away from her!" His voice was a thunderous growl.
Everyone flinched, the air in the room suddenly feeling too thin.
Advik's brow furrowed as he watched Devraj limp with his crutch toward them, his eyes burning with a possessiveness that felt almost lethal.
"Step away from her," Devraj gritted out again through clenched teeth.
Advik blinked, stunned.
He took a slow, confused step back. Devraj didn't even look at him.. his shadow fell over Ira.
"Both of you... leave," he commanded.
"What? Devraj, we have the-"
"Leave. When I'm ready for the meeting, I'll find you," Devraj snapped, his gaze still on Ira's face, tracing every flicker of emotion in her eyes.
Advik sighed and gave a reluctant nod.
Before turning, he looked down at Ira, his playful spark returning to his expression.
"Don't forget what we talked about, okay?" he said, and winked at her before walking out.
Ira couldn't help it; she offered him a small, genuine smile.
He really is a chill guy, she thought, relieved by his lightheartedness.
She didn't see Devraj's expression darken until it was too late. His features twisted into something truly terrifying.
"I am not leaving-" Alia began, her voice high and annoying.
But she didn't get to finish. Devraj, already fueled by a silent, internal fury, whipped his head toward her.
He gave her a death stare so cold that the words died in her throat. She gulped.
Without another word, she turned and hurried toward the door, throwing one last sneer of pure hatred at Ira before the door clicked shut behind her.
The moment the latch engaged, the silence in the office became deafening.
Ira looked up and instinctively flinched at the raw, jagged look in Devraj's eyes.
"S... Sir?" she whispered, taking a cautious step back.
The movement only seemed to incense him further. He hated that she was afraid of him, yet he couldn't stop the storm inside.
"What did you talk about with Advik?" he demanded.
Ira blinked, her heart hammering against her ribs. "Oh..n..nothing serious, Sir. Just... just normal talk-"
"What normal talk?" he pressed, his crutches thudding against the carpet as he stepped closer "I want to know. Every word."
Ira tried to maintain her personal space, taking another step back. "It was... um... just about being friends-"
"What friends?" Devraj hissed, the word sounding like a curse.
"He said he wants to be my friend. That was all we talked about." she said, her voice steady despite the way her heart raced.
Devraj leaned in, his gaze boring deep into hers, searching for any hint of a lie.
"Is that what you do now?" he asked, "Do you just become 'friends' with every man you meet?"
He nearly snapped the words, but he caught himself, his knuckles whitening as he gripped his crutches.
"What? No! That's not-"
"Do you want to be friends with him?" he interrupted, cutting her off before she could defend herself.
Ira hesitated, her lips parting but no words coming out. "Umm..."
"Do you want him to fall for your charms, too?"
Ira blinked, her brain momentarily short-circuiting at the accusation. "What? Sir... what are you even talking about? What charms?"
"You will not be friends with him.." he stated. It wasn't a request.
Ira let out a soft, weary sigh and nodded.
He's his best friend, after all, she reasoned. It's better not to get him more angry than he already is.
"And you won't be friends with any other man, either." he added.
Ira froze. She blinked at him, her confusion finally outweighing her nerves.
"What? Sir, is there... is there actually a reason for that?"
"Is there a reason to be friends with other men at all? Huh?" He moved even closer.
Ira gulped, "S... Sir... I-"
"Stay away from Advik," he hissed, his face now inches from hers. "You can't be his friend. And stay away from my brother, too. I don't want you anywhere near either of them."
Ira stared at him, her mouth slightly agape. A storm of words bubbled up inside her..shocks, questions, and a growing sense of defiance.
He was crossing a line, and for the first time, the silence beneath his anger felt like it was screaming.
Stay away from them? Ira's mind raced. Does he think I'm not high enough status to even speak to his circle now?
"I can understand staying away from Advik if that's what you want." Ira said, her voice trembling slightly. "But Vivaan? Why him?"
Devraj's pupils dilated, his eyes turning into dark, bottomless pits of fury. "What? Is there a problem with that instruction?"
"Vivaan is... he's a friend of mine, Sir. It's-"
"Oh, I didn't know friends touched each other like that!" he snapped. The sudden roar of his voice made Ira flinch, her shoulders hunching instinctively.
Devraj looked completely possessed by anger now.
"What?" Ira frowned, her heart thumping. "Sir... touch? When did I-" She stopped, her eyes widening as the memory finally clicked.
"Sir, is this still about the day Vivaan had a fever? I... I explained that! I wasn't touching him like that. I was checking his temperature. Your... your mother even said it was perfectly normal!"
"Normal?" he repeated, the word coming out like a hiss. He looked unhinged, "It's normal to touch, is it?"
Ira gulped, her throat tight, but she managed a small, hesitant nod.
"Okay," he whispered. He stared at her for a long, suffocating moment before abruptly turning away, the thud-clack of his crutches echoing against the floor.
"Sit over there.." he commanded without looking back.
Ira scanned the vast, cold office and spotted a leather couch near the far end.
She nodded, though he couldn't see her, and walked softly across the room to sit down.
Meanwhile, Devraj was spiraling. Every muscle in his back was corded with tension.
Normal? he thought, his hand tightening on the handle of his crutch.
How many other men has she touched and called it 'normal'?
Ira peeked over at him and noticed his frame trembling slightly. The sight was so intense, so frightening, that she quickly looked away..
She pulled out her phone and opened WhatsApp. With a soft, weary sigh, she tapped on Kunal's name, her thumb hovering over his profile for a moment of comfort before she began to type.
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The day blurred into a whirlwind of activity. It was Ira's first time inside the heart of Devraj's empire, and she found herself assisting him with several tasks.
Between the tension and the silence, she realized something she hadn't seen at home...
Devraj was an incredibly hardworking man, s workaholic. There was a relentless, quiet brilliance in the way he ran his world.
By the time early evening arrived, a heavy stillness settled over the place.
Ira stepped out of the lobby alongside Devraj. As they moved toward his waiting car, a low rumble of thunder vibrated through the air. Ira looked up at the sky..the clouds were thick and dark, and a sudden, cold breeze began to whip through her hair.
It's going to pour, she thought, hugging herself.
They reached his car and she turned to him, "See you tomorrow, Sir.." she said, offering a polite, final nod.
"Get in. I'll drop you.." Devraj's voiced leaving no room for argument.
Not today sir.
Ira gave him a tight, strained smile. "You really don't need to bother, Sir. It's out of your way."
Devraj's brow furrowed into a deep, dark line. "Get in, Ira."
"Really, Sir, you don't have to worry," Ira insisted, trying to maintain her boundaries.
Devraj's jaw tightened, "It is going to rain any second.." he said.
Ira nodded. "I know, Sir. But you really don't have to drop me. I already texted someone to pick me up."
A visible twitch sparked in Devraj's expression "Who?"
"Kun-"
"Ira!"
The voice interrupted. Ira turned, her whole expression softening instantly. Kunal was climbing out of his car, waving as he started jogging toward her with a bright, easy smile on his face.
Devraj's entire frame twitched, a violent tremor of rage running through him.
Kunal reached Ira, his face lighting up with a gentle, relieved smile.
"Ira, I'm here! Sorry, did I keep you waiting too long? I'm so sorry..." he said, a bit breathless. Ira couldn't help but giggle.
"It's okay, Kunal. You actually got here just in-"
She didn't get to finish. Before she could take a step toward Kunal, Devraj's hand shot out.
His fingers clamped around her arm, jerking her back toward him and away from Kunal. Ira gasped, her heart leaping into her throat as she looked up at Devraj.
He was already staring down at her, his eyes wild.
"I told you not to let him onto my property," Devraj sneered. His voice was thick with fury and a desperate, hidden fear.
Kunal's smile vanished instantly. His gaze dropped to Devraj's hand, which was white-knuckled and tight around Ira's arm.
A sharp pang of jealousy and protectiveness tightened Kunal's chest.
"Sir, this is your place of business, not your private estate," Ira said, trying to stay professional even as her voice shook.
"Besides, I didn't want to trouble you, so I texted him to pick me up." She let out a small hiss of pain as Devraj's grip tightened even further.
The sight of her with Kunal made him feel like the ground was crumbling beneath his crutches.
To him, every second she spent with this man was a second she was slipping further out of his reach.
"Let her go! You're hurting her!" Kunal yelled, stepping forward, his voice echoing across the parking lot.
Devraj trembled, his fingers finally recoiling as Ira pulled herself free. Kunal immediately reached out, pulling Ira close to his side in a possessive embrace.
"I... Ira, come," Devraj's voice was uncharacteristically thin, trembling with a vulnerability he couldn't hide.
He tried to take a step toward her, his crutch scraping harshly against the pavement. "I... I will drop you home. I don't mind the drive."
"Sir, you really-"
"Oh, Raj!"
They all turned to see Alia stepping out of the lobby, a smile on her lips.
"Oh, thank God you're still here!" Alia chirped, her voice sickeningly sweet as she glided toward Devraj.
She knowingly ignored Ira and Kunal, "Could you please drop me at my apartment, Raj? The rain is about to start."
"Let's go, Ira," Kunal whispered, his hand firm but gentle on her shoulder. Ira offered a small nod, ready to escape the suffocating tension.
"Ira!"
The desperation in his voice made her stop. She turned back and saw Devraj's eyes..they looked... shattered?
A flicker of profound sadness swam in those dark depths, though she couldn't be sure.
"Oh, you're still here?" Alia asked, finally spared Ira a glance, her tone dripping with fake surprise.
"Sir... you should get going," Ira said softly, ignoring Alia. "The rain will be here any second." She gave him one last polite smile before turning to walk away with Kunal.
As they walked, Kunal glanced over his shoulder. He saw the way Devraj was watching Ira, not as a boss watches an employee, but as a predator watches something he's lost.
A surge of possessiveness hit Kunal, and he pulled Ira closer to his side.
Ira looked up at him, and when Kunal met her eyes, his expression softened. They shared a small, private smile that seemed to shut out the rest of the world.
Kunal opened the passenger door for her, waiting until she was safely inside before rounding the car to the driver's side. As he went to open his door, he caught Devraj's gaze. Devraj was glaring at him with a murderous intensity, his entire body trembling with suppressed rage.
Kunal frowned, a chill running down his spine. What a weird man he thought.
He slid into the driver's seat and pulled away, the tires kicking up a light spray as the first few drops of rain hit the pavement.
Devraj took a shaky step forward, watching the taillights fade into the distance. "Ira..." he whispered, her name a broken plea against the wind.
"Whatever," Alia huffed, stepping into his line of sight. "So, Raj, about that ride-"
He didn't even acknowledge her existence. He moved toward his own car, his movements stiff and robotic.
His driver scrambled to open the door. Devraj tossed his crutches into the footwell and hauled himself inside.
"Drive," Devraj commanded, his voice hollow.
The driver slammed the door shut and hurried to the front.
"Hey! Devraj! Raj!" Alia shouted, her perfectly manicured nails drumming against the tinted glass of his window.
Inside the car, Devraj couldn't hear her. His heart was hammering against his ribs.
He leaned his head back against the leather seat and closed his eyes as the car sped away.
Alia stood on the curb, let out a frustrated groan, and stamped her heel.
"It's okay," she hissed to herself, her eyes narrowing with a dark look. "All I need is to get you into bed. Once you sleep with me, you'll be mine."
She watched the empty road, her jaw set. "I'll make sure of it. I am not losing you..or this fame.."
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