Bound By Obsession

Kiara

The rhythmic tapping of my pen against the mahogany desk echoed through my office. The words on the contract in front of me blurred together as my thoughts kept drifting back to yesterday's meeting with Avyaan Rathore.

I hated how effortlessly he had gotten under my skin.

“Nisha,” I called out to my assistant, my voice sharper than I intended.

She appeared instantly, her usual composed demeanor slightly faltering. “Yes, ma’am?”

“Set up a meeting with our legal team. I want every loophole in this proposal identified.”

Her eyes flickered with understanding. “Of course.”

As she left, I leaned back in my chair, exhaling. If Avyaan thought I would roll over and accept his offer, he was sorely mistaken.

My phone buzzed. A message from The Musketeers.

Sanya: Dinner at Noir tonight at 9. You need a break, and we need details.

Riaan: What details?

Kabir: Can we postpone the meet-up by 30 minutes? I have a meeting.

Ishika: Tu aana hi matt, meetings main hi rehna!

(You don’t even need to come, stay at your meetings!)

Vihaan: If there's free food, I’m in.

I sighed, knowing they wouldn’t take no for an answer.

---

The restaurant was dimly lit, exuding an air of exclusivity. The others were already waiting when I arrived. Sanya smirked as I slid into the seat beside her. Riaan, Ishika, Kabir, and Vihaan were all there, their expressions filled with curiosity.

“You look stressed,” Sanya noted, pouring me a glass of juice.

I took a sip. “It’s business.”

She arched a brow. “Business or Avyaan Rathore?”

I narrowed my eyes. “They’re the same thing at the moment.”

Riaan leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “You finally met bhai?”

I sighed. “Yes. And he’s already making moves.”

Kabir shook his head. “That man is dangerous, Kiara. He doesn’t play fair.”

Ishika smirked. “But neither does Kiara.”

Vihaan chuckled. “So what’s his deal? Is he trying to buy you out?”

I ran a hand through my hair. “No, worse. He wants a strategic partnership.”

Riaan’s expression shifted slightly, something unreadable passing through his eyes. “If bhai wants something, he doesn’t stop until he gets it.”

I met his gaze. “Then he’s in for a rude awakening.”

Sanya leaned in, her voice conspiratorial. “Maybe he’s just interested in more than business.”

I scoffed. “He’s interested in control. And I’m not about to let him think he has any over me.”

Kabir’s jaw tightened. “Just be careful, Kiara. He’s not the kind of man who hears ‘no’ and walks away.”

I swirled my glass, meeting his gaze. “Neither am I.”

Ishika grinned. “Now, that’s the Kiara I know.”

Even as we laughed and continued our conversation, a nagging thought lingered in the back of my mind.

Avyaan Rathore wasn’t a man easily handled.

---

Avyaan

Rehaan handed me a file, his expression unreadable. “Her legal team is tearing through the contract.”

I smiled. “As expected.”

“She’s not going to make this easy,” he noted.

I leaned back, steepling my fingers. “That’s what makes it interesting.”

Rehaan sighed. “So, what’s the next move?”

Before I could respond, the door opened, and Riaan stepped in. Unlike Rehaan, his expression wasn’t strictly professional. There was a hint of something else—concern.

“Bhai,” he said, closing the door behind him. “You really want to go after Kiara?”

I tilted my head. “You have an issue with that?”

He hesitated before exhaling. “I know you. When you want something, you don’t stop until it’s yours. But Kiara’s not someone who will bend to your will.”

A smirk tugged at my lips. “That’s what makes this worth it.”

Riaan ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. “Just… don’t ruin her, bhai. She’s not just another business conquest.”

I studied him for a moment. My younger brother wasn’t easily concerned about my choices, but Kiara had struck a chord with him.

“I have no intention of ruining her,” I said finally. “But she will be mine.”

Riaan sighed. “Just don’t underestimate her.”

I chuckled. “I never underestimate my opponents. And Kiara Sinha? She’s the most interesting one yet.”

This was just the beginning.

And Kiara Sinha was about to learn exactly what it meant to be in my world.