Scene 1: The Caution and the Connection
The afternoon sun filtered softly through the glass panels of the office as Aarohi walked with measured steps toward Manager Pim's desk. Her heart was still slightly racing from all that had happened — the lunch with the CEO, the sudden summon to his office, and now, the pressure of tomorrow's high-stakes meeting.
She spotted Manager Pim seated beside another senior manager, Aarav, both reviewing a file. Taking a deep breath, Aarohi offered a polite smile.
"Manager Pim, excuse me… I needed a little help regarding tomorrow's meeting. I wanted to be sure I prepare everything exactly the way Mr. Rithvik asked," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.
Pim looked up with a friendly but curious expression, eyes glinting playfully. "Ah… so this is about the meeting, or about the lunch with our CEO?" she teased, nudging Aarav slightly.
Aarav chuckled under his breath. "Word travels fast around here, Aarohi. You and Mr. Veerayut at the same lunch table — now that's a headline."
Aarohi blinked, flustered. "What? No—! It's not like that! There weren't any empty seats, and Rithvik sir just… offered me to sit. That's all. It was just lunch."
Pim raised a brow. "Mmhm. Just lunch. And then a meeting in his cabin too?"
"It was strictly work! He just gave instructions about tomorrow's presentation," Aarohi insisted, her cheeks reddening slightly.
Pim gave a soft laugh, placing a hand on Aarohi's shoulder. "Relax, sweetie. I'm just teasing. Even if something were to happen — you both are adults. But…" her tone shifted slightly, becoming more serious, "…you should still be careful."
Aarohi looked up, confused. "Careful?"
Pim nodded. "There are some people in this office who… won't like it if you get too close to someone like Mr. Rithvik. Especially being new, some may get jealous or try to twist things. So, if there's nothing going on — make sure your work stays clean and flawless. And if there is something, just protect your heart."
Aarav added, "Pim is right. The Veerayut name carries weight. Not everyone wishes them well. So if your name gets tied to his — intentionally or not — people will talk. Just don't give them a reason to drag you down."
Aarohi nodded slowly, absorbing the gravity of their words.
"About the meeting," she asked quietly. "I just want to do it right. Mr. Rithvik said everything must be prepared in advance — no errors."
Aarav glanced at his watch. "Then you should talk to Ms. Nok — Thanchanok. She's the senior leader in charge of project logistics. If there's anyone who can give you the full details, it's her."
Pim smiled again. "She's in the project room right now. And don't worry, Aarohi. Just focus on the work. You're doing good. Don't let gossip distract you."
Aarohi gave a grateful nod and turned to leave — but her heart felt heavier now. The pressure wasn't just from the job anymore. There were eyes, whispers, and expectations circling her. And somewhere behind it all… a man with unreadable eyes, who made her feel both nervous and seen.
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Scene 2: Beneath the Surface
Aarohi walked briskly toward the project room, her notebook tucked tightly in one hand. She mentally rehearsed her questions as she stepped in and spotted Ms. Thanchanok — or Ms. Nok, as most called her — seated at the corner desk, scanning a stack of reports.
"Good afternoon, Ms. Nok," Aarohi said politely, stopping a few steps away. "Manager Pim and Mr. Aarav said you're the best person to speak with about tomorrow's boardroom presentation. Mr. Rithvik asked me to make sure everything is prepared in advance."
Nok glanced up slowly, her expression unreadable. Her lips curved into a faint smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Oh? You're the one handling the boardroom logistics?" she asked, tone clipped.
"Yes," Aarohi replied, swallowing her nervousness. "I'm assisting Mr. Rithvik. He asked that all files be placed in the room ahead of time, properly categorized by topic. I just wanted to double-check what's needed from the project side — agendas, reports, and any prior presentations?"
Nok set her pen down and leaned back in her chair, folding her arms. "Of course. I assume you're very close to Mr. Rithvik now, so he must've already told you everything, no?"
Aarohi blinked, surprised. "Um… no, ma'am. Just the basic instruction. He said to ensure perfection, no mistakes. That's why I came to you."
Nok tilted her head slightly. "Mm. I see. Well… the agenda is mostly around Q3 updates, but make sure you bring the complete performance review slides from Q2 too. Even though we won't be presenting them, sometimes the board asks for comparisons. Just in case."
Aarohi quickly scribbled a note.
"And the client forecast data?" she asked. "That was mentioned in the last update too."
"Oh, that won't be needed. It's not relevant to tomorrow's discussion," Nok said firmly. "Focus on the Q3 breakdown, company strategy charts, and internal performance metrics. And make sure to arrange the chairs in a specific seating format. Mr. Veerayut is particular about symmetry. Every file must be in a blue folder. Not green."
Aarohi nodded, trying to keep up. "Alright. Blue folders, no client forecast data, Q2 backup slides just in case…"
Nok's eyes lingered on her. "You seem nervous."
"I just want to make sure I don't mess anything up," Aarohi admitted quietly.
"Well," Nok said, tone cool, "the CEO clearly sees something in you. I'm sure you'll do just fine."
Aarohi looked up at her, sensing the weight behind her words, but unsure how to respond.
"Thank you, ma'am. I'll get started on it right away," she said softly.
As she turned to leave, Nok returned to her papers without another word. But behind her controlled expression, a quiet tension lingered.
And outside the project room, Aarohi exhaled slowly, unaware that a small piece of the puzzle had just shifted — in a way that might cost her tomorrow.
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Scene 3: The Midnight Call
The sky outside the apartment window was dark and peaceful, with the occasional glimmer of headlights passing by below. Aarohi had just changed into her loose sleepwear and flopped down on her bed with a tired sigh. Across the room, Rhea was already curled up in her blanket, scrolling through her phone half-asleep.
Just as Aarohi closed her eyes, her phone buzzed beside her pillow.
Incoming Call: Private Line
Her heart skipped slightly as she saw the name. With a cautious glance toward Rhea, who was too drowsy to notice, Aarohi slipped out of bed and stepped out onto the small balcony, answering the call in a whisper.
"Hello?" she said, her voice low.
A teasing voice responded, warm and familiar. "Finally. I thought you forgot about me."
Aarohi smiled, despite the fatigue. "You always say that."
"So? What happened today? Anything interesting at that mighty company of yours?" the voice asked playfully.
She sighed, leaning on the railing. "Don't even ask. It was chaos. Guess what? Veerayut two brothers were practically trying to set me up with Rithvik. Like actual matchmaking! At lunch, I had no choice but to sit with him because there was no space. And Rhea saw it all. Then later in his office… he told me to take care of tomorrow's big meeting. Every file must be perfect, on the table before it starts. No mistakes."
The voice chuckled. "Wait wait wait—matchmaking? This is getting fun! You got unexpected support from your future brothers-in-law. Not bad."
"Shut up!" Aarohi hissed with a laugh, covering her mouth. "It's not like that!"
"Oh come on," the voice teased. "You've already got the family blessing, and now the CEO is ordering you around like you're his personal assistant? You're halfway into his heart."
She groaned. "You're making it worse. I was so nervous when he gave me those instructions. He sounded so serious—like 'I don't tolerate mistakes' serious."
A moment of pause.
"Nervous?" the voice repeated in mock shock. "You? Miss Aarohi? Nervous and shy? This is so not the girl I know."
"Ugh, shut up!" she muttered. "Don't ruin my mood. What if he finds out I'm not actually this quiet, sweet, innocent type? What if he doesn't like me if he sees how loud, chaotic, and... dramatic I really am?"
There was soft laughter on the other end. "So, you're pretending to be innocent just to impress him?"
She pouted into the dark. "I'm not pretending... I'm just... managing my image."
"That's called acting," the voice teased.
"Well, maybe a little," she admitted with a small smile. "But still... what if he likes this version of me better?"
"Heh... just don't get caught. If they find out their angelic Aarohi is actually a hurricane in disguise, they'll probably hang themselves out of shock."
Aarohi stifled a laugh. "You're the worst."
"Does Rhea know why you really came to Thailand?" the voice asked gently, voice now softer.
Her smile faded slightly. "No. She doesn't know anything. And I'm scared of what she'll do if she finds out. She trusts me... and I don't want to lose that."
There was a brief silence before the voice replied warmly, "Hey... you're not alone. I'm always with you, okay? No matter what."
Aarohi closed her eyes. "Thank you. That means a lot."
"Now go get some sleep. Tomorrow's a big day. Perfect every detail, make a strong impression, and whatever you do—don't let chaotic Aarohi come out and ruin it."
She giggled. "I'll try my best. Good night."
"Good night. And hey—go win that cold CEO's heart, will you?"
Aarohi ended the call with a small smile and stepped back inside, curling up under her blanket. As sleep finally tugged her into dreams, one thought stayed in her heart:
"Maybe… just maybe… I can really win him over."
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