Chapter FiftyThe next week was just Rhea recovering from her sickness, and after a full week of pain and suffering, she was finally up and moving again. She was deeply grateful to her friends and to Kieran for taking care of her during that period.She was finally back to work. Walking into her office, she smiled.“I missed you,” she said before sitting down. First things first, she checked his schedule and the rest of the files. Then, she carried his morning cup of coffee to his office.He told her to come in, and she did. There was this air around them, not too awkward, but a little tense. She set the coffee down in front of him.“Your morning coffee, sir,” she said.“Thanks,” he replied, and it made her smile.He pointed to a small file on the table.“Sort this out.”Rhea picked it up and frowned a little. It was smaller than what she normally handled.“Is there any problem?” he asked.Rhea shook her head. “No. I’ll work on this.”She turned around and walked toward the door, but
Chapter forty nine. It was morning... Rhea opened her eyes. She wouldn't say she felt Okay but at least better then yesterday. She got up to do the necessary and after dressing, a knee length dress, she walked down the stairs. She was exhausted and still weak, she paused when she got to the living room, she caught a rare sight of Kieran, he placed the food on the table—he can cook? She asked herself. As if sensing her gaze, he turned around. He was dressed in his usual office outift—grey trouser and white office shirt. "You're up." He said and Rhea nodded. She walked towards the dining table and sat down. "How do you feel?" He asked, placing a cup of water beside her food. "Better I guess." Rhea said though he didn't fail to notice the strain in her voice. He sat down opposite her. "You can take the week off, get better." Rhea took a bite and wow even though her mouth felt bitter, she could still feel the taste of the food, that shows how good it is. "I'm fine, I can resume w
Chapter Forty-EightAnna and the doctor walked into the room just in time to witness something unexpected—Rhea, unconscious, held tightly in Kieran’s arms. His hand was on her back, patting her awkwardly, clearly unsure of what to do.“Rhea,” he called gently, but there was no response.Concerned, he slowly pulled her away from his chest, only to discover that she had fainted again. Alarmed, the doctor sprang into action, rushing over and guiding Kieran to lay her down gently on the hospital bed.He checked her pulse and heartbeat immediately, his expression tight with focus. While the doctor worked quickly, Kieran stood beside her, watching every movement carefully. But something else caught his attention—a mark on her shoulder.He had seen it before, vaguely, but now the design was clearer than ever. As he stared at it, an image surfaced in his mind—sudden, uninvited, and vivid. It left him momentarily speechless.Later, Kieran and Anna stepped out of the hospital ward. Just then, K
Chapter Forty-SevenThe room fell silent as Rhea resumed her presentation. Despite the tension earlier, her voice remained steady, her points clear and convincing. Kieran gave his final thoughts and conclusions once she finished, commending the detailed work before officially ending the meeting.The board members began to leave, one by one, murmuring among themselves, some offering her a nod of approval as they passed. Soon, it was just Rhea and Kieran left in the room. She quietly began to gather her things, still feeling faint but trying not to show it.They walked side by side out of the meeting room and stepped into the elevator. As the doors closed, a sharp pain struck Rhea's temples. Her vision blurred, the world around her began to spin, and voices faded into a muffled haze. She clutched the railing inside the elevator like it was the only thing anchoring her to the earth.“You did a good job in the meeting today,” Kieran said, his voice calm as he looked at the elevator floor,
Chapter Forty-SixToday was the day of the presentation.Rhea woke up feeling weak and not quite herself. A dull ache pounded behind her eyes, growing stronger with every heartbeat. She rubbed her temples and sat up slowly, swinging her legs off the bed. There was no time to dwell on it—today was too important. She had to be strong. No matter how exhausted or sick she felt, she couldn’t afford to mess this up.Dragging herself to the bathroom, Rhea washed up and got dressed in a pair of fitted black trousers, a crisp white shirt, and a sleek black jacket. She tied her hair into a neat ponytail and stared at herself in the mirror. Her eyes looked slightly sunken, her skin paler than usual. She definitely looked tired.“It’s just stress,” she muttered under her breath. “You’ve got this.”She arrived at work early and immediately began arranging her desk, placing the files and documents she would need for the day’s meeting within reach. Her heart raced with anticipation, nerves dancing b
Chapter Forty-FiveRhea spent the entire night preparing the final version of the presentation document. The glow from her laptop screen had become her only companion as she worked through the dark hours, perfecting every section, refining every word. By the time she was done, she had barely two hours left to sleep.When her alarm went off, she groaned in exhaustion. Her body felt heavy, her muscles sore, and her mind foggy from the lack of rest. Of course she felt weak—she had worked herself to the bone.Dragging herself out of bed, she got dressed for work in a simple black pencil skirt and a fitted black blouse. It was her go-to look for serious days like this—professional, clean, and unassuming. She slipped her heels on, gathered the documents she had worked so hard on, and headed to the office.To her surprise, the morning passed quietly. Kieran didn’t call her or summon her for anything, which brought her a sense of relief. Even though the presentation draft was ready, she still