Isha Singhania wasn't supposed to be in my office. But there she was, standing in front of me, her presence as unnerving as it was undeniable.

I could feel the tension in the room, thick like smoke, curling around us with every breath. She was everything I hated—ambitious, cold, ruthless—and yet, in that moment, I couldn't look away.

"You think you can steal my deal, Malhotra?" Her voice was calm, but her eyes? Those eyes burned with a fury that rivaled mine.

I didn't answer immediately. Instead, I leaned back in my chair, letting the silence stretch between us. I had always known Isha Singhania was dangerous in the boardroom. But there was something different now—something more than just business. Something that sent a chill crawling up my spine.

She moved closer, the click of her heels echoing in the silence. She was challenging me, testing me, but she didn't know who she was dealing with. She didn't know how far I was willing to go to win—how far I had already gone.

I knew what people thought of me. On the surface, I was just another ruthless CEO. The man who owned half of the city's real estate, who was untouchable. But they didn't know the truth. They didn't know about the dark world I ruled—the one that was hidden, silent, and deadly.

I watched her, a smirk curling on my lips as I leaned forward. "You're out of your depth, Isha. But you already knew that, didn't you?"

Her gaze didn't waver. She wasn't afraid. That was her mistake.

"You think you intimidate me?" she asked, voice laced with something sharp, something dangerous. "You may have your power in the shadows, Malhotra. But I won't let you walk all over me."

I stood up slowly, walking toward her until there was barely any space between us. The heat between us was unbearable. And in that moment, I realized something: this wasn't just about business.

This was personal.

"You don't get to decide that," I whispered, my voice low, threatening. "I'm the one who makes the rules. And right now? You're playing my game. Whether you want to or not."

I saw the flicker of doubt in her eyes for a split second. But it was gone before I could savor it.

She reached out, as if to push me away, but I grabbed her wrist in a firm hold, pinning her against the desk. She gasped—just a brief moment of vulnerability.

And in that moment, I could see it—the fear beneath the bravado. The pull of desire, both of us trapped in a dangerous dance neither of us had planned for.

"Let me go," she hissed, her voice breathless.

I leaned in close, my lips brushing her ear. "You don't want me to let you go, Isha. Not now. Not after everything that's between us."

I could feel the fight in her falter, her breath hitching as I stepped back, releasing her wrist. But the game had already shifted.

"I'll see you at the negotiation table tomorrow," I said, my voice colder than I meant. "But be careful, Isha. You're playing a dangerous game."

As I walked out of the room, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. I had a reputation to uphold—and if I had to break her to keep my empire intact, I would.

But I wasn't sure anymore whether I wanted to break her... or claim her.