08-06-2026, 09:26 PM
Chapter 22: Divided Attention & growing closness!
The morning light filtered through the curtains as Jay and Nikitha moved around their bedroom in quiet synchrony. Nikitha stood before the mirror, buttoning her crisp white blouse, while Jay knotted his tie with unusually jerky movements.
Neither spoke much.
Jay kept stealing glances at her, remembering the way she had moaned beneath him last night, the way she had clung to him afterward. A strange ache sat heavy in his chest — not just jealousy, but something deeper, warmer, more terrifying. She’s not supposed to be mine, but Why does it suddenly feel like paining, that i think about losing her? He didn’t have a name for the feeling.
Nikitha adjusted her saree pallu, her mind replaying Tharun’s messages from the night before. The easy banter, the compliments, the way he made her laugh even when she was half-asleep. A flutter of excitement mixed with guilt twisted inside her. It’s just work, she told herself. And a little harmless flirting, may be a fling / sexual need.. Yet when she looked at Jay’s tense shoulders, something tugged painfully at her heart. She wanted to reach out, to reassure him… but the words wouldn’t come. She also thought why and what should she reassure knowing they were not meant to be together..
They left for the office in near silence, both carrying emotions they couldn’t yet name.
At the office, the new Gaming Delivery section had been shifted to the 12th floor to accommodate the additional resources being added for the final push before launch. The floor buzzed with fresh energy — new desks, whiteboards covered in timelines, and the low hum of focused conversations.
Tharun and Jay were already deep in the trenches. A complex new issue had surfaced overnight — a critical integration bug that threatened to derail the entire deployment schedule. By the 10:30 AM break, it was clear they were dangerously behind.
During the quick team huddle, Tharun wiped sweat from his brow and made the call. “We split into two teams. Each takes half the blockers. Faster resolution this way.”
Jay nodded grimly.
Before anyone could suggest pairings, Tharun said firmly, “I want Nikitha on my team. We’ve already built good sync. This could turn into a strong delivery unit. You take Anjali and the others, Jay.”
When Nikitha entered Tharun’s new cabin for the first briefing, he looked up with a half-smile. It was their first private meet, after all the chats..
“Niki, perfect timing,” he said, eyes sparkling with mischief even under pressure. “Before we start — I can speak with you personally at lunch… or we can continue our chat tonight when you’re half-asleep. Maybe I’ll get lucky again and turn into your husband.”
Nikitha burst into laughter, covering her mouth. “You’re never going to let that go, are you?”
Tharun grinned. “Not a chance.” Then his expression turned serious. “But seriously, Nikki — we’re short on time. I believe we make a natural team. Trust my vision, follow my lead on this, and we’ll crush it. Put friendship aside for now. Let’s work.”
She nodded, the laughter fading into focus. “Let’s do it.”
Tharun handed her a detailed checklist. They dove in. Heads bent over laptops, rapid discussions, quick debugging sessions. By 1 PM, they had cracked a major bug that the other team was still struggling with.
Tharun leaned back, satisfied. “Good. We can’t sit idle. Go help Jay’s team for the next hour. I’ll support the backend group. At 2 PM, we grab a quick lunch and come back.”
Jay’s jaw clenched, but he said nothing. The decision was made.
In the cafeteria, Nikitha watched Tharun as he ate quickly but mindfully. She couldn’t hold back her thoughts.
“I’ve seen a lot of managers,” she said softly. “But you’re different. You take every burden on your own shoulders. No wonder everyone respects you so much… and why you got the managerial position so fast. I’m genuinely surprised we finished that bug so quickly.”
Tharun smiled, a rare genuine one that reached his eyes. “I know talent when I see it. That’s why I chose you. We have an understanding — you trust my words even though we’ve only properly talked a few times. That’s rare.”
Their eyes met for a moment longer than necessary.
Then the teasing glint returned. “So… can I be your husband again tonight? Through mistaken messages, of course.”
Nikitha laughed, shaking her head. “Only if I don’t sleep half-awake. Then you won’t have that luck.”
When they returned to the floor, Jay and Anjali had nearly finished their part. By evening, with constant last-minute changes and upgrades, the entire team stayed late.
It was the beginning of a new routine.
The morning light filtered through the curtains as Jay and Nikitha moved around their bedroom in quiet synchrony. Nikitha stood before the mirror, buttoning her crisp white blouse, while Jay knotted his tie with unusually jerky movements.
Neither spoke much.
Jay kept stealing glances at her, remembering the way she had moaned beneath him last night, the way she had clung to him afterward. A strange ache sat heavy in his chest — not just jealousy, but something deeper, warmer, more terrifying. She’s not supposed to be mine, but Why does it suddenly feel like paining, that i think about losing her? He didn’t have a name for the feeling.
Nikitha adjusted her saree pallu, her mind replaying Tharun’s messages from the night before. The easy banter, the compliments, the way he made her laugh even when she was half-asleep. A flutter of excitement mixed with guilt twisted inside her. It’s just work, she told herself. And a little harmless flirting, may be a fling / sexual need.. Yet when she looked at Jay’s tense shoulders, something tugged painfully at her heart. She wanted to reach out, to reassure him… but the words wouldn’t come. She also thought why and what should she reassure knowing they were not meant to be together..
They left for the office in near silence, both carrying emotions they couldn’t yet name.
At the office, the new Gaming Delivery section had been shifted to the 12th floor to accommodate the additional resources being added for the final push before launch. The floor buzzed with fresh energy — new desks, whiteboards covered in timelines, and the low hum of focused conversations.
Tharun and Jay were already deep in the trenches. A complex new issue had surfaced overnight — a critical integration bug that threatened to derail the entire deployment schedule. By the 10:30 AM break, it was clear they were dangerously behind.
During the quick team huddle, Tharun wiped sweat from his brow and made the call. “We split into two teams. Each takes half the blockers. Faster resolution this way.”
Jay nodded grimly.
Before anyone could suggest pairings, Tharun said firmly, “I want Nikitha on my team. We’ve already built good sync. This could turn into a strong delivery unit. You take Anjali and the others, Jay.”
When Nikitha entered Tharun’s new cabin for the first briefing, he looked up with a half-smile. It was their first private meet, after all the chats..
“Niki, perfect timing,” he said, eyes sparkling with mischief even under pressure. “Before we start — I can speak with you personally at lunch… or we can continue our chat tonight when you’re half-asleep. Maybe I’ll get lucky again and turn into your husband.”
Nikitha burst into laughter, covering her mouth. “You’re never going to let that go, are you?”
Tharun grinned. “Not a chance.” Then his expression turned serious. “But seriously, Nikki — we’re short on time. I believe we make a natural team. Trust my vision, follow my lead on this, and we’ll crush it. Put friendship aside for now. Let’s work.”
She nodded, the laughter fading into focus. “Let’s do it.”
Tharun handed her a detailed checklist. They dove in. Heads bent over laptops, rapid discussions, quick debugging sessions. By 1 PM, they had cracked a major bug that the other team was still struggling with.
Tharun leaned back, satisfied. “Good. We can’t sit idle. Go help Jay’s team for the next hour. I’ll support the backend group. At 2 PM, we grab a quick lunch and come back.”
Jay’s jaw clenched, but he said nothing. The decision was made.
In the cafeteria, Nikitha watched Tharun as he ate quickly but mindfully. She couldn’t hold back her thoughts.
“I’ve seen a lot of managers,” she said softly. “But you’re different. You take every burden on your own shoulders. No wonder everyone respects you so much… and why you got the managerial position so fast. I’m genuinely surprised we finished that bug so quickly.”
Tharun smiled, a rare genuine one that reached his eyes. “I know talent when I see it. That’s why I chose you. We have an understanding — you trust my words even though we’ve only properly talked a few times. That’s rare.”
Their eyes met for a moment longer than necessary.
Then the teasing glint returned. “So… can I be your husband again tonight? Through mistaken messages, of course.”
Nikitha laughed, shaking her head. “Only if I don’t sleep half-awake. Then you won’t have that luck.”
When they returned to the floor, Jay and Anjali had nearly finished their part. By evening, with constant last-minute changes and upgrades, the entire team stayed late.
It was the beginning of a new routine.
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