Zimal narrowed her eyes slightly, disbelief clear in her tone.
”Are you kidding me?”
Zaroon didn’t even flinch.
He stayed calm, almost too calm.
”No, I’m serious.”
A short silence fell between them.
Zimal was about to respond when she suddenly felt someone’s presence behind her.
Something about the air changed—heavier, colder.
She slowly turned around.
And there he was.
Sahriar Sikander stood a few steps away, hands relaxed but expression unreadable.
His eyes briefly met Zimal’s before shifting away like he didn’t care to hold the moment for too long.
”I dropped my wallet here,” he said flatly.
His voice was calm, but distant—like he was trying to sound normal but wasn’t fully there.
Without waiting for anyone’s reaction, he bent down, picked it up, and walked toward his car.
Zimal kept watching him for a second longer than she should have… then forced herself to look away.
Nearby, Ibrahim was still observing the situation carefully.
He frowned slightly and called out,
”Did you find it?”
Sahriar stopped for a fraction of a second but didn’t turn around fully.
Then he said, almost casually,
”Zaroon proposed to her.”
The words landed like a stone in still water.
Ibrahim’s eyes widened.
”Really?”
A short pause.
”Hmm,” Sahriar replied, but there was no emotion in it.
Nothing that matched the weight of what he just said.
Ibrahim studied him more closely now.
”Are you okay?”
That question finally made Sahriar stop.
The air around him shifted again.
”Out,” he said sharply.
Ibrahim blinked.
“What?”
Sahriar’s jaw tightened slightly.
”I want to stay alone.”
There was no anger in his voice—just a cold finality.
Like he had already decided everything inside his mind and didn’t want any interference.
Ibrahim hesitated.
”Okay… sir.”
Sahriar didn’t respond again.
He walked to the driver’s seat, got inside the car, and started it without looking back.
The engine sound broke the silence, and within seconds, he drove away.
Ibrahim stood there for a moment, confused, then turned back toward Zimal and Zaroon.
Zaroon was still standing near Zimal, looking slightly uncertain now.
Ibrahim cleared his throat and spoke carefully.
”Miss Zimal… Sir Sahriar asked me to drop you home.”
Zaroon immediately stepped forward.
”No thanks.
She can go with me.”
The tone was firm, almost protective.
Ibrahim’s face changed quickly—panic flashing in his eyes.
”Please… Miss Zimal, I really don’t want to lose my job.
Sir gave me clear instructions.”
The words made Zimal pause.
She looked between both of them.
Zaroon frowned.
“You don’t need to force her.”
But Zimal raised her hand slightly, stopping the tension.
”It’s okay,” she said quietly.
Then she looked at Zaroon.
”You can go.
I’ll manage.
I’ll meet you tomorrow.”
Zaroon hesitated for a moment, clearly not happy, but eventually nodded.
”Alright… take care.”
And then he left.
Silence settled again—this time heavier.
Zimal and Ibrahim stood waiting for a cab.
Street lights flickered faintly above them.
The night felt longer than usual.
Ibrahim broke the silence first.
”Are you okay?”
Zimal didn’t answer immediately.
Her gaze stayed fixed somewhere in the distance.
Then she said softly,
”Sir already told you.”
Ibrahim frowned.
”What?”
Zimal shook her head slightly.
”Nothing.”
A few seconds passed.
Ibrahim looked at her more carefully now.
His voice softened.
”Are you okay with Zaroon?”
Zimal finally looked at him.
”Hmm…” she said, uncertain.
Ibrahim nodded slowly, understanding but not pushing further.
”It’s your choice.”
Zimal looked away again, her fingers slightly tightening.
After a pause, she asked, almost suddenly,
”Where is Sahriar sir?”
Ibrahim hesitated before answering.
”Sir wasn’t feeling well… he went back to the office.”
Zimal blinked.
”Office?”
”Yes,” Ibrahim replied.
“He doesn’t usually go home.
Sometimes… he sleeps in the office.”
That sentence lingered in the air.
Zimal didn’t respond, but something in her expression changed—just slightly.
As if that information stayed somewhere in her mind longer than she expected.
The cab still hadn’t arrived.
And the night kept stretching between them.
Zimal looked at Ibrahim and said firmly,
”Drop me at the office.”
Ibrahim blinked.
“Your office?”
Zimal nodded.
“In Land Mega Development.”
Ibrahim hesitated for a second, then nodded.
”Okay.”
The car arrived shortly after.
Both of them got in.
The ride was quiet.
Ibrahim dropped Zimal near the building, then turned the car around and left.
Zimal stood in front of the tall, silent building.
The place looked darker than usual.
No lights.
No movement.
She frowned slightly.
”Sir Sahriar Sikander…?”
No answer.
She slowly stepped inside.
”Sir Sahriar?” she called again, her voice echoing in the empty space.
Still no response.
The silence felt strange… heavy.
Zimal took another step forward.
Suddenly, she felt something.
Like someone was behind her.
Her heartbeat quickened.
Without thinking, she turned—and ran.
Her footsteps echoed faster and faster across the empty floor.
”Sir Sahriar!” she shouted again, panic rising in her voice.
She stopped suddenly.
In front of her, in a dim corner of the office, she saw him.
Sahriar was sitting calmly on the sofa, leaning back like he had been there for a long time.
Zimal gasped softly.
”Oh my God… thank you.”
He immediately stood up and walked toward her.
Zimal, still catching her breath, sat down quickly on the nearby sofa.
Sahriar bent slightly, his eyes scanning her face.
”Are you okay?” he asked, voice low but concerned.
Zimal nodded quickly.
”Yes… now I’m okay.”
He straightened up.
”What are you doing here?”
Zimal looked down.
”Nothing…”
Sahriar’s eyes narrowed slightly.
”What?”
She hesitated… then finally said,
”I just wanted to be with you.” Find the original chapter at g.com.
For a moment, Sahriar froze.
His expression softened in a way he couldn’t control.
It felt like everything in his world paused for a second—and only Zimal existed in it.
Zimal shifted slightly on the sofa.
”Sir… may I sit here?”
Sahriar nodded slowly.
”You can.”
She sat properly now, still a little nervous.
After a moment of silence, Zimal looked at him directly.
”I knew you had my diary… and I know you read it.”
Sahriar’s eyes changed instantly.
”What diary?”
Zimal didn’t look away.
”That one… the day I wanted to tell you everything… what you already read in that book.”
A short silence.
Sahriar gave a small, controlled sound.
”Mmm.”
Zimal frowned slightly.
”What ‘mmm’?”
”Nothing,” he said quickly.
She tilted her head.
”Why did you lie to me?
You said you didn’t have that book.”
A pause.
Then softly, almost reluctantly, he said,
”Sorry.”
Zimal blinked in surprise.
”You’re apologizing to me… really?”
Sahriar leaned back slightly.
”What do you think?
I don’t even apologize to anyone.”
Zimal looked at him carefully.
”Did you… really never apologize?”
”Yes,” he replied without hesitation.
That made Zimal smile a little.
, Sahriar also smiled—just slightly.
Zimal noticed immediately.
”You smiled.”
Sahriar raised an eyebrow.
”So what now?”
”You…” she said softly, still smiling.
He looked at her for a moment and then said quietly,
”I smiled in front of you before… but this time you look different… cute and—”
He stopped mid-sentence.
Silence fell between them again.
Both looked away at the same time.
Zimal cleared her throat.
”Okay, sir… I should go.”
Sahriar immediately said,
”One minute.”
Zimal turned back.
”Yes, sir?”
Then she remembered and asked quickly,
”What did you read in my book?”
Sahriar paused.
Then he said softly,
”Your… love story.
You and Zaroon.”
Zimal’s expression froze slightly.
The sentence hung in the air like something heavier than it sounded.
Zimal slowly looked up at him.
Her expression changed slightly—confused, then defensive.
”That’s not… what you think it is,” she said quietly.
Sahriar Sikander didn’t respond immediately.
His face stayed calm, but his eyes were sharper now—like he was trying to control something inside him.
”Then what is it?” he asked.
His voice was low, controlled… but not completely steady.
Zimal hesitated.
”It’s just… a misunderstanding.”
A small silence followed.
Sahriar looked away for a second, then back at her.
”You don’t write misunderstandings in a diary,” he said.
Zimal’s fingers tightened slightly.
”I didn’t know you would read it,” she replied.
That hit him in a strange way.
Sahriar stepped back a little, as if creating distance would help him think clearly.
But it didn’t.
Because the only thing in his mind was her words… her feelings… and the name Zaroon.
He finally spoke again.
”Why him?”
Zimal frowned.
”What?”
”Zaroon,” Sahriar repeated, more firmly now.
“Why him?”
The question wasn’t just curiosity anymore.
It had something deeper behind it—something he himself didn’t fully understand.
Zimal looked down for a moment, then back at him.
”It’s not like that,” she said softly.
“He just… proposed.
That’s all.”
Sahriar stayed quiet.
But his silence was louder than words.
Zimal noticed his expression changing slightly and quickly added,
”I didn’t say yes.”
That finally made him look at her properly again.
For a second, something eased in his face.
But only for a second.
Then his usual control came back.
”I don’t care what you said,” he replied flatly, turning away.
Zimal blinked.
”What do you mean you don’t care?”
Sahriar didn’t answer right away.
Instead, he walked toward the window, looking outside at the dark city lights.
”I shouldn’t be involved in this,” he said finally.
Zimal stepped forward slightly.
”But you already are.”
That made him pause.
A long silence followed.
Then Sahriar said quietly, almost like he was talking to himself,
”Then it’s a problem.”
Zimal frowned.
”What problem?”
He didn’t turn back.
”The kind I don’t know how to solve.”
For the first time, his voice sounded different—not strict, not cold… just conflicted.
Zimal stood there, watching him, unsure what to say.
The office felt even quieter now.
And between them, something had changed… something neither of them was ready to name yet.
”Are you in your senses?” Zimal asked in a confused voice.
After a long pause, Sahriar finally replied, “Okay.”
”Idiot,” Zimal muttered.
Sahriar Sikander raised an eyebrow.
”Me?”
Zimal didn’t answer.
The room fell into silence.
Neither of them spoke for a while.
The tension hanging between them was almost suffocating.
Finally, Zimal cleared her throat.
”Okay, sir.
I should go.”
Sahriar took a deep breath.
”Okay.
I should drop you.”
”No, thanks.
Afifa is coming to pick me up.”
”Can I at least walk you to the door?”
”No need.”
Zimal turned and started walking away, but after a few steps she noticed Sahriar following behind her.
”Stop.”
She turned around.
”What?”
Sahriar looked completely innocent.
”I’m just walking.”
Zimal couldn’t help smiling.
A few minutes later, both of them stood outside the company building, waiting for Afifa.
A strange silence settled between them.
Neither spoke, but there was an undeniable tension in the air.
Soon, Afifa’s car pulled up in front of them.
She lowered the window and grinned.
”Sir, do you also need a driver?”
Zimal immediately answered before Sahriar could.
”Sir is waiting for someone else.”
Sahriar glanced at Zimal for a moment before turning around and walking back into the company without saying another word.
There was definitely something strange about his behavior today.
Afifa looked at her and raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile spreading across her face.
”What?” Zimal asked.
”Nothing.”
”Then stop looking at me like that.”
”But I feel it.”
”Shut up.”
”Okay.”
Afifa started driving.
”Get out and go with him.”
”Shut your mouth and drive.”
”Ehhhh.”
Zimal rolled her eyes, but suddenly Zaroon’s proposal flashed through her mind.
Her eyes widened.
She grabbed her hair dramatically and screamed,
”Oh my God!”
Afifa nearly slammed on the brakes.
”You scared me!”
”Is he insane?”
”Who?”
”That crazy man!
How can he propose to me again?”
Afifa blinked.
”Are you okay?”
”I’m going crazy.”
”Maybe I don’t even exist in this conversation.”
Despite her frustration, Zimal laughed.
”Afifa…
can you stay with me tonight?”
Afifa’s teasing expression immediately softened.
”Okay.
Is there something you want to tell me?”
Zimal stared out of the window.
”Hmm.”
Later that evening, they reached Zimal’s house.
After parking the car, both girls changed into comfortable clothes, took showers, and settled on the couch with large tubs of ice cream.
Afifa took a huge spoonful and sighed dramatically.
”Today, I’m in heaven.”
Zimal looked at her and shook her head.
”Oh my God.”
Afifa pointed her spoon at her.
”No, seriously.
You have a billionaire boss acting weird around you, a man proposing to you again, and I’m sitting here eating ice cream.
This is peak entertainment.”
”You’re impossible.”
”And you’re avoiding the real topic.”
Zimal groaned and buried her face in a pillow.
Unfortunately, she knew Afifa wasn’t going to let the matter go anytime soon.
”Okay, enough,” Zimal said, throwing a cushion at Afifa.
Afifa caught it and laughed.
“How could I?
This is too interesting.”
”Afifa, stop.”
”Fine.” She leaned forward.
“So, what did you reply to him?”
”Nothing.”
Afifa blinked.
“Nothing?”
”I just ignored him.”
”Oh my God, Zimal!
How could you do that?”
Zimal groaned and buried her face in her hands.
”Seriously, I’m trapped between them.”
Afifa’s eyes widened.
”Them?”
Zimal froze.
”Him,” she corrected quietly.
”Nope.” Afifa pointed at her dramatically.
“You said them.”
”It was a slip of the tongue.”
”No, it wasn’t.
You said it with confidence.”
Zimal let out a frustrated sigh.
”Okay.
Between Zaroon and Sahriar Sikander.”
Afifa gasped so loudly that Zimal almost regretted telling her.
”Oh my God!
Is Mr.
Ice-Cold CEO in love with you too?
Did he propose as well?”
”What?
No!”
”Then what?”
Zimal stared at the floor.
”He doesn’t even talk to me properly.
Sometimes it feels like I’m nothing to him.”
Afifa’s teasing smile slowly appeared.
”So you want something from him?”
”What?”
”You know…
something.”
”Oh, shut up!”
Embarrassed, Zimal quickly stood up and walked toward the kitchen for water while Afifa laughed behind her.
A few hours later, after talking endlessly, both girls finally fell asleep.
Meanwhile, at two o’clock in the morning, Sahriar Sikander was still sitting alone in his office.
Looking unusually frustrated, he grabbed his phone and called Ibrahim.
”Sahriar Sikander speaking.”
A sleepy Ibrahim answered immediately.
”Sir?”
”I’m in danger.”
The line went silent.
Within twenty minutes, Ibrahim rushed into the company building, half-awake and completely panicked.
”Sir!” he shouted.
“Are you okay?”
”Shut up.
I’m right here.”
Ibrahim looked around.
”Then what happened?”
Sahriar leaned back in his chair.
”I don’t know what to do.”
Ibrahim sighed.
”Sir, please explain.”
Sahriar rubbed his forehead.
”She treats me like I’m nothing.”
Ibrahim stared at him for several seconds.
Then he looked at the ceiling.
”Oh my God.”
”What?”
”Sir, I want to resign.”
”Shut up and listen.”
For the next several hours, Ibrahim sat there while Sahriar explained every interaction, every word, every expression, and every problem involving Zimal.
By sunrise, Sahriar finally finished talking.
He looked across the desk.
”Ibrahim?”
No answer.
”Ibrahim.”
Still nothing.
The poor man had fallen asleep in the chair.
Sahriar narrowed his eyes.
”Get up and go home.”
Ibrahim opened one eye.
”My death would bring me more peace than this.”
”Think again before saying that.”
The next morning, Zimal arrived at the office.
The moment she stepped out of her car, she froze.
Zaroon was waiting for her.
His hands were tucked into his pockets, and a confident smile rested on his face.
”Hello.”
Zimal’s heartbeat instantly sped up.
Run.
Her mind screamed at her to run.
Unfortunately, her feet refused to cooperate.
Zaroon stepped closer.
”So…
do you have anything to say to me?”
Zimal looked away.
”Not now.”
For a moment, disappointment flashed across his face.
But he quickly hid it behind a smile.
”Okay.”
the silent between them….