The Diamond Code

Aryan Khanna had spent years mastering the art of deception.

He knew how to lie without blinking. How to charm his way into locked doors. How to make people trust him just enough before taking exactly what he needed.

But as he sat across from Rhea Mehta today, he found himself struggling.

This was supposed to be simple. Find out what she knew. Get closer. Use her.

Instead, he was actually enjoying this and that was dangerous.

Rhea was laughing at something he had said, the remnants of chocolate from their dessert still there at the corner of her lip. She looked effortlessly beautiful.

Not in the dramatic, made-up way some women did. But in the kind of way that made it impossible not to look at her.

Aryan found himself getting breathless when she licked her lips to rub off the chocolate from her lips.

He diverted his eyes from her before taking a bite of his own dessert.

Focus, Khanna. She’s not just a date. She’s a job.
He mentally scolded himself.

“So,” Rhea said, tilting her head. “What’s your deal?”

Aryan glanced up, raising a brow. “My deal?”

“You’re… different,” she mused. “Most men I go on dates with either talk about themselves too much or try way too hard to impress me. You don’t do either.”

That’s because I’m neither of those things.

But instead of saying that, Aryan leaned back. “Maybe I just don’t like wasting time.”

Rhea narrowed her eyes slightly. “See? That’s what I mean. You always answer just enough to keep me curious, but never enough to actually tell me anything.”

He chuckled. “And yet, here we are.”

Rhea sighed, rolling her eyes. “Against my better judgment.”

Aryan smiled. He needed to be careful.

Because if she ever found out the truth—this wouldn’t end well.

------

Something was off about Aryan.

Rhea didn’t know what, exactly, but there was something he wasn’t telling her.

The problem was, she liked him anyway.

She had spent the entire day convincing herself that this wasn’t a mistake. That she was just having fun—that this was nothing more than a distraction.

But as Aryan leaned forward, the dim lighting casting shadows over his sharp features, she realized something.

She wasn’t just curious about him. She was attracted to him.

And that? That was dangerous.

“Fine,” she said, crossing her arms. “If you won’t tell me something real about you, I’ll make it easier. Tell me about your worst date.”

Aryan laughed. “My worst date?”

“Yes.”

He pretended to think for a moment, then smirked. “This one.”

Rhea gasped, her mouth falling open in mock offense. “Excuse me?”

Aryan chuckled before cleaning his mouth with tissue. “You’re the one grilling me like an interrogator. Feels like an interview, not a date.”