We were in a morning meeting, the sterile atmosphere of the conference room a stark contrast to our weekend. The fluorescent lights hummed overhead, casting a clinical glow on the polished surface of the table where quarterly reports lay scattered like fallen leaves.

I was sitting next to Vedansh, trying to focus on the numbers and projections that blurred before my eyes, but his hand had found its way to my thigh under the polished table. The fabric of my skirt did little to dull the sensation of his touch against my skin.

His fingers were tracing slow, deliberate patterns on my leg, a silent, teasing torment that made it impossible to concentrate. They never stayed in one place, roaming higher, then lower, a secret dance only I was aware of. I could feel the heat building between my legs, a slow burn that threatened to consume me. And I couldn't react, couldn't show a single flicker of the fire he was stoking inside me, had to maintain a mask of professional composure as my heart raced and my breath hitched.

Just as I was getting used to the distracting pleasure, the conference room door opened, and a woman walked in with our chairman. She was poised and professional, exuding an aura of effortless command in her tailored navy suit that seemed to absorb all the light in the room. Her dark hair was swept back in an elegant chignon, and her movements were fluid and confident as she surveyed the room with intelligent eyes.

Chairman: "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Maya. She's the new Chief Executive of our department."

In other words, she was our new boss.

She walked with an unnerving confidence, her heels clicking softly on the polished floor, until she was standing right in front of Vedansh. He politely extended his hand for a professional greeting, but she completely bypassed it, stepping into his personal space and wrapping her arms around him in a hug that lasted a beat too long.

My blood boiled. I could feel a hot, possessive rage surge through me, sharp and immediate. How dare she just hug him? In front of everyone? I clenched my jaw, forcing my expression to remain neutral as I fought to control the anger simmering just beneath my skin. Vedansh looked clearly uncomfortable, his hands hovering awkwardly at her sides as he tried to gently disengage without being disrespectful to his new boss.

But she didn't stop. She pulled back just enough to smile up at him, her fingers deftly reaching up to straighten his tie. That small, intimate gesture. That right was mine. It was a move I had made a hundred times, a silent claim of ownership that said "he's with me." Seeing her do it felt like a violation, a theft of something precious that belonged only to me.

Vedansh's eyes immediately found mine across the table. He saw it all—the fury, the hurt, the raw jealousy that burned in my gaze. He knew. He felt my rage as if it were his own, his expression tightening with understanding.

The meeting continued, and as Maya reviewed our project details, she pointed to a chair right next to hers. "Vedansh, right? Come sit here. I want to understand your perspective on this." She made him sit close to her, their shoulders nearly touching as they leaned over the same tablet, her presence overwhelming his personal space in a way that made my stomach clench.

As soon as the meeting was adjourned, I didn't waste a second. I walked straight into his cabin, closing the door behind me with a soft click that sounded ominously loud in the quiet space. He was sitting in his leather chair, looking exhausted, his shoulders slumped slightly as he ran a hand through his hair.

I strode up to him, placing my hands on the armrests, trapping him in the chair with my body, my skirt brushing against his knees. He looked up at me, his expression softening as he recognized the fire in my eyes. He knew exactly what I was feeling. He opened his mouth, probably to calm me down, but I leaned down and silenced him with my mouth. The kiss was hard and rough, a desperate attempt to reclaim what was mine, to stake my claim. I was taking control, pouring all my frustration and jealousy into that single gesture.

He kissed me back, but not with the same force. His response was reassuring, a gentle acceptance of my anger, a silent promise that he understood. He let me pour all my frustration into the kiss until I was breathless, my hands tangling in his hair as I tried to crawl inside him, to erase the memory of her touch.

I pulled back just enough to whisper, my voice hoarse with emotion, "You are mine."

"Yes, I am yours." He said it with such raw sincerity, his eyes clear and honest, that the last of my anger began to dissolve, replaced by a fierce, protective love.

I nodded, my forehead resting against his, our heads touching. We stayed like that for a long moment, just breathing each other in, finding solace in our shared connection. Then, his hands moved from the armrests to my waist, and he pulled me down onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me and holding me close, his chin resting on my shoulder.

"Don't worry. I will keep my distance from her, as far as possible," he murmured against my hair, his words a balm to my frayed nerves.

I gave him a light, reassuring kiss on the lips and left his office, feeling a little better. After that, the rest of the day went by quietly, though I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered like a shadow.

Since I had arrived with Vedansh, I was waiting for him near his car after work, the afternoon sun casting long shadows across the parking lot. But I saw them approaching together—Maya and Vedansh. She had handed him her bag and heels to carry, and her arm was linked through his other free hand, their bodies angled toward each other in a way that spoke of intimacy. This woman. She was making her intentions painfully clear, and I did not like it one bit.

Then she got into her car, and before leaving, she leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek—a gesture that seemed both casual and possessive, a claim that made my heart sink even as I stood frozen in place, watching from a distance as my world tilted on its axis.