After finishing the pile of files on my desk, I gathered them neatly in my hands and made my way toward Rukshit sir's cabin. The office was quiet, with only the faint sound of keyboards and distant conversations in the background. Standing outside his door, I adjusted the files slightly and knocked softly.

"Come in," his voice came from inside, calm and firm.

I opened the door and stepped in. He was sitting behind his desk, completely focused on his work. His head was slightly bent, and he seemed busy signing some papers. The room had a serious atmosphere.

I walked forward, trying not to disturb him, and gently placed the files on the side table. A small smile appeared on my face, though he hadn't looked up yet.

"Sir, I have checked all the appointments," I said politely. "You have to leave for Mumbai next week, so should I book the tickets?"

Without lifting his head, he replied in a simple tone, "Yes, book for two."

"Noted, sir," I said, nodding slightly, even though he wasn't looking at me.

I turned around and started walking toward the door, my steps quiet on the floor. I had just reached near the door handle when I suddenly heard his voice again from behind me, making me pause mid-step.

"Wait, Miss Juhi."

His voice stopped me instantly. My hand, which was about to reach the door handle, froze in mid-air. I slowly turned around, a little confused about why he had called me back.

By the time I faced him, he had already stood up from his chair. He walked toward me with calm, steady steps. The quiet room suddenly felt even quieter, and I became very aware of every small movement around me.

As he came closer, I could feel my breathing getting heavier. My heartbeat started to race for no clear reason. I tried to stay composed, but something about the moment made me nervous.

He stopped right in front of me, leaving only a small distance between us. Then he extended his hand toward me.

For a second, I didn't react. I just stood there, completely still, my eyes fixed on his face. My mind went blank, and I couldn't understand what he was expecting from me.

"Take this," he said in a calm tone. "All my previous assistants had company phones. Don't use that SIM on your personal phone. I had informed Mr. Ahuja, but since the delivery didn't happen on time, I had to give this to you myself."

For a moment, I didn't respond. My eyes shifted to his hand, and I noticed the mobile phone box he was holding out to me. Then, almost without thinking, I looked back at his face. He was standing quite close, closer than he ever had before. Ever since I had joined, this moment felt different, and it made me slightly uneasy.

He noticed my hesitation and lightly gestured toward his hand with his eyes, as if reminding me to take it. I didn't fully understand at first, still caught in the moment. He repeated the gesture, a little more clearly this time.

Only then did my attention properly fall on the phone he had been holding out for so long.

"Oh... sorry," I said quickly, feeling a bit embarrassed. I reached out and took the box from his hand.

"We have already added the important numbers to the contact list," he said.

"Okay, sir," I replied softly, glancing down at the phone in my hands.

I turned to leave and reached for the door handle. Just as I was about to open it, the door suddenly moved from the other side. Someone had opened it at the same time, and I lost my balance.

For a moment, I felt myself falling forward. My eyes shut tightly in reflex, but before I could fall, I felt a firm grip around my waist, stopping me.

Slowly, I opened my eyes.

Rukshit sir was holding me.

I froze, my eyes fixed on his face. Everything around me seemed to go silent for a second. I couldn't understand what he was thinking. His gaze shifted from me to the door, and that made me follow his eyes.

Standing at the entrance was a middle-aged woman. She looked completely shocked. Her eyes were wide open, and one of her hands was covering her mouth, as if trying to hide her reaction.

Realizing how the situation must look, I quickly stepped away from him and straightened myself. My face felt warm with embarrassment.

"I am so sorry," I said immediately, lowering my head.

I didn't wait for another second. Without looking back, I hurried out of the cabin. Just before I turned the corner and disappeared, I heard the woman laugh softly behind me. That only made my face burn more with embarrassment.

My heartbeat was still racing as I quickly walked toward the washroom. I pushed the door open and stepped inside, trying to calm myself. The quiet space felt like a relief.

I stood in front of the mirror for a moment, staring at my reflection. My face looked flushed, and my eyes were wide, still trying to process what had just happened. I felt frozen, like my body hadn't caught up with my thoughts yet.

Suddenly, I covered my mouth with both hands and whispered in shock, unable to hold it in anymore.

"Oh my God... I love him... I love him... I love him..."

A small, nervous sound escaped me right after.

"Aaaaa...."

And then

A voice came from outside.

"Beta, do you have constipation?"

My entire body stiffened instantly. My voice disappeared, as if it had been locked somewhere inside me. I swallowed hard, my mind racing.

Who was that?

For a second, I wondered if it was the same woman from outside the cabin. Had she followed me here? The thought made me even more nervous.

After a moment of overthinking, I decided the safest option was to stay completely silent. I didn't respond at all. I just stood there, barely breathing, hoping whoever was outside would simply leave.

After some minutes had passed, I heard nothing from outside. It became completely quiet. I waited for a bit, tapping my foot on the ground. I placed my hand on the handle of the door. Then I slowly opened the door and peeked outside. Seeing no one there, I took a breath of relaxation.

"The person must have understood how embarrassed I have felt, and that's why she left."

I mumbled and stepped out of the toilet.

I looked myself in the mirror and took another deep breath.

"Relax, Juhi, relax." Saying this, I washed my face and went back to my cabin.

Sitting on my chair, my thoughts went back to the moment in Rukshit sir's cabin.

So many things happened just in one day.

Today was the first time I saw Rukshit sir in real life. Before this, I had only heard about him from other people. Most people said that he is a very quiet person who mostly stays alone and does not talk much with others. Some even said that very few people have actually seen him properly, which made him seem a little mysterious. I had also heard a few other things about his nature, so I already had a different image of him in my mind. I thought he would behave in a cold or proud way. But honestly, after seeing him today, I didn't feel any of that. He didn't look scary or rude like people described him. Instead, he seemed quite normal and calm.

I was lost in my thoughts when someone knocked on the door. The sound suddenly brought me back to reality. I quickly changed the way I was sitting and straightened myself properly. In a hurry, I opened a file lying on the desk so it would look like I was busy working.

"Come in," I said.

The door opened slowly, and I saw someone standing there. At first, I could only see the person's figure, but when I realized who it was, my heartbeat suddenly slowed.

It was Rukshit sir.

I immediately stood up from my chair and tried to act formal.

"Sir, why did you come here?" I asked politely. "You could have just called me. I would have come to your cabin instead."

He stood near the door, looking at me quietly for a moment.

"Miss Juhi, I..."

He stopped in the middle of his sentence.

Wait... was he hesitating?

But why? He was the boss, standing in his assistant's cabin, and yet he looked strangely unsure of himself.

I looked at him in confusion.

"What happened, sir? Is everything alright? Anything serious?"

"Umm... yes," he replied after a small pause. "There is an important meeting at 6 PM, and you will l have to join it. The previous assistant forgot to tell you today's schedule, so it's not on your list."

I quietly looked at him.

6 PM.

My fingers tightened slightly around the file in my hand.

"But sir, the thing is..." I started softly, not knowing how to explain.

Before I could continue, he spoke again.

"I know," he said gently. "Mr. Ahuja already told me, and that's why I personally came here."

For a moment, I just stared at him.

"So don't worry," he continued. "This is the first and last time I am asking you to stay late for a meeting."

His voice was calm, almost reassuring.

"And if needed, I will personally call your home and explain. I hope they won't mind, right?"

The way he said it made me even more speechless. A person like him the strict and professional Rukshit sir coming himself just to explain and make sure I was comfortable felt unexpected.

I didn't say anything. I just nodded my head slowly.

He smiled.

For the first time since we had met, I saw a real smile on his face. Not the usual small, formal smile he gave to everyone, but a genuine one. Soft and warm. The way his lips curved slightly, the calm look in his eyes, and the way his fingers moved to touch the back of his neck so naturally, it all made my heart skip a beat.

For a moment, I simply stared at him.

Who even said he was rude and arrogant? Who said he didn't know how to behave with people? The man standing in front of me looked nothing like the image others had created in my mind. Right now, all I could see was someone calm, composed, and unbelievably caring. Someone who spoke politely, who respected people, and who never forced his authority on anyone.

And honestly, if he had ever behaved coldly with someone, I suddenly felt that maybe the person had deserved it.

Because this man...

This man felt perfect to me.

The more I looked at him, the harder I was falling for him. It was happening again. That dangerous feeling I had been trying so hard to ignore.

Oh God.

I love him.

The thought escaped in my mind so naturally that I didn't even realise when my hands joined together subconsciously, almost as if I was praying.

Maybe praying for my own heart to stay under control.

His voice pulled me back to reality.

"Miss Juhi," he said gently, "if you are not comfortable with it, then I will ask someone else to handle it. But as my PA, it would be better if you join."

I blinked and looked at him properly. Then I realised why he had suddenly said that.

My joined hands.

Embarrassment rushed through me instantly. I quickly separated my hands and shook my head.

"No, no, sir," I said in a hurry. "I will come. And don't worry, I will tell my parents myself."

He looked at me quietly, and I tried my best to act normal while my heart continued beating wildly inside my chest.

"Okay then, we will leave at 5:30."

Saying this, he turned around and walked out of the cabin.

The moment the door closed behind him, I dropped back onto my chair heavily, letting out a long breath I didn't even realise I had been holding.

My heart was still beating so fast.

I pressed my palms against my cheeks, trying to calm myself down, but it was useless. His smile, his voice, the softness in his eyes, everything kept replaying in my mind again and again like a scene stuck on repeat.

What is happening to me?

I leaned my head back against the chair and closed my eyes for a second.

"God, Juhi," I whispered to myself, feeling both embarrassed and hopeless. "You are falling too hard."

A small smile appeared on my l

ips without my permission.

And the worst part was... I didn't even want to stop myself anymore.

I love you Mr. Rukshit Rana. Yes, on the first meeting, in just a few hours I can confidently say I love you.