The man who refused to let go
Author's pov-
Divya thought that after last night, Purv would step back.
That maybe he would take her silence as the answer she wasn’t brave enough to say.
She was wrong.
Because Purv wasn’t backing down. Not this time.
—
The next morning, Divya walked into the office, expecting another regular day.
She was wrong about that too.
Because the moment she stepped into the conference room, there he was.
Purv sat at the head of the table, his presence impossible to ignore. The room fell silent as her eyes met his, a flicker of something unreadable passing between them.
And then he did the unexpected.
"Divya, sit next to me."
A few people exchanged glances, sensing the tension, but no one dared to question it.
Divya hesitated for a second before silently taking the seat beside him.
His cologne—familiar, intoxicating—wrapped around her, making it impossible to ignore how close he was.
Throughout the meeting, Purv barely spoke.
But his presence was loud.
Every now and then, he would lean closer, just enough to make her heart race. His fingers occasionally tapped on the table, brushing dangerously close to hers.
It was subtle. But deliberate.
And she knew it.
When the meeting ended, she stood up to leave—only for his hand to wrap around her wrist.
Her breath hitched.
"Stay," he murmured, low enough that only she could hear. "We need to talk."
She glanced around—people were still in the room, but no one was paying attention.
"Purv, not here," she whispered.
His grip loosened, but he didn’t let go completely. Didn’t let go of her.
"Then meet me for dinner tonight," he said. Not a request. A demand.
She swallowed. "I don’t think—"
"Eight o’clock," he interrupted, his voice softer now. "You know where."
And with that, he let go, leaving her standing there, heart pounding, thoughts spiraling.
She should have said no.
She should have walked away.
But she didn’t.
Because deep down?
She knew she would go.
—
Divya arrived at the restaurant, her fingers curled into fists as she stepped inside.
She had told herself she was only coming for closure.
To make things clear once and for all.
But when she saw him sitting there, waiting—his suit crisp, his eyes burning with something undeniable—her resolve wavered.
"Divya," he said, standing up as she approached.
She exhaled, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "I don’t know why I’m here."
"You do," he countered smoothly, pulling out a chair for her.
She hesitated, then sat down. "Purv, what do you want from me?"
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "You."
Her breath caught.
"I want you, Divya," he repeated, his voice steady. "And I’m done pretending I don’t."
She shook her head, feeling the walls she had built start to crack. "Purv, we can’t just—"
"Why not?" He challenged. "Because you’re scared?"
"Because I don’t trust you!" The words burst out before she could stop them.
Silence.
A muscle in Purv’s jaw twitched. "I know."
Divya’s fingers tightened around the napkin in her lap. She had expected him to argue, to deny it.
But he didn’t.
Instead, he leaned back and said something that shattered her defenses completely.
"Then let me earn it."
Her chest tightened painfully. "And if I don’t want you to?"
He gave her a small, knowing smirk. "Then why are you here?"
She had no answer.
Because they both knew the truth.
She hadn’t come for closure.
She had come because a part of her still wanted him.
And Purv?
He wasn’t going to let her run anymore.