Meanwhile, across the world, Tarun sat in the glass-walled conference room, the hum of negotiations and strategy swirling around him like background noise. Usually, he would have ignored his phone altogether during these critical moments — focus was everything in his line of work. But today, something pulled his gaze downward, drawing him toward the small, vibrating screen resting silently on the polished table.

His fingers slid over the glass as he opened the message from Vanni, and the world seemed to still. There she was — radiant, powerful, utterly captivating. Her black backless dress clung to her like a second skin, accentuating every graceful curve. The soft light caught the gentle fall of her hair over her shoulders, the subtle hint of a smile playing on her lips, igniting a blaze deep within him.