Our Secret Love : Office Romance.

1. Tara

I took the present in one hand and fiddled with my saree, making sure the pleats fell just so. Contrasting with my usual surroundings, I entered the wide entrance of the lavish building. Despite the splendour, I felt strangely at peace; my steps were precise and confident.

The Singhanias, known for their power and compassion in Mumbai, filled my mind as I strolled through the magnificent corridors. Their legacy lasted through decades, leaving an unmatched mark on the city. Although they have always been hospitable, their parties have consistently made me feel uneasy.

The event today honours the family's only daughter, Apoorva Singhania, on her return from abroad.

Even though I knew the Singhania family well, I couldn't stop the butterflies in my stomach that warned of the possibility of seeing them again. After all these years, gratitude and fear were at odds as I contemplated whether they still remembered me. I know Mrs. Singhania does. After all, she's the one who invited me.

I entered the lift and pressed the penthouse button. I was totally focused on climbing to the top when I noticed someone approaching the lift I was on . A foot stepped in between the doors and stopped the doors from closing before they could close all the way.

Once more, the doors opened to reveal Dhruv Singhania. Dhruv, the CEO of the Singhania company, added an extra layer of tension to the confined space of the elevator. Even though I had seen him previously, I had never been alone with him until now. We occasionally talk. His cousins used to taunt him for various reasons when we were kids, but he doesn't talk to me much these days. He always stood out as the odd one among his cousins. I guess being the elder one makes you odd. He was always thinking about himself. Always sombre and unwelcoming.

Dhruv looked up at me, his face expressionless, as he entered the lift. "Tara," he murmured, cautiously acknowledging.

"Dhruv." I nodded diplomatically in response. "Fancy meeting you here."

A tiny smile pulled at Dhruv's lip corner. "Yeah. Even yet, I can't say that I anticipated seeing you here."

I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "Just here for the party. How about you? Playing the dutiful son?" Aware that he was present at the party solely due to his mother's insistence, despite his usual dislike for such events.

Dhruv looked at me as if he wanted to kill me. He doesn't like strangers knowing him. He considers me a stranger, but I know a lot more about him than a stranger should.

I've known Dhruv since my late teens. His mother was adamant that he too would tag along with her when she visited the orphanage I was in. Though it was my last year at the orphanage back then, for the most part, I prefer to stay away from him. Dhruv's mom, Swara Singhana, is a landscape architect, and I have always admired her work. Dhruv himself went in her steps to take a very personal interest in architecture before he was the CEO of the entire Singhania Group. I, too, aspired to become a landscape architect, just like her. She knew about my interest; hence, she offered to teach me the basics. She'd let me tag along whenever there was a field day at her work.

As the elevator started its ascent, the palpable silence between us filled the confined space. I couldn't resist the urge to break it. "So, any exciting plans for the evening?" I asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

Dhruv raised an eyebrow. "Aside from surviving this elevator ride with you, not much," he quipped, earning a chuckle from me despite myself.

Playfully, I shot back, loving the banter despite the underlying tension. "Well, I'll try not to make it too unbearable for you." I was tempted to start joking around with Dhruv as the lift went up. "So, Dhruv, what are your weekend plans? I've heard there's a new exhibit at the downtown art gallery," I mentioned with a lighthearted wink.