From Broken Trust to endless love (Vol-4)

As Mihir and Kavya  navigated the early stages of their secret relationship, it became clear that keeping their romance under wraps was harder than they thought. While their connection was undeniable, the constant dance of concealment only added to the tension. But amidst the drama and secrecy, there were moments of levity—moments that reminded them why they had fallen for each other in the first place.

The first major slip-up came one evening at a company event, a casual dinner that Mihir had hoped would pass without incident. The night was supposed to be low-key, just a chance for the team to relax and unwind. Kavya  had planned to attend, though she had been teasing Mihir all week about it.

“I still don’t get why you insist on these events,” she had said with a mock sigh when they were planning the evening. “It’s just a bunch of stuffy suits, wine, and more small talk than a networking convention.”

Mihir had chuckled, knowing she was right, but he couldn’t help himself. “It’s just a dinner. I promise you’ll survive.”

As soon as they arrived, however, things took a turn. Mihir ’s colleagues, ever the keen observers, immediately started to comment on the “new energy” between him and Kavya . Mihir had done his best to deflect, keeping things light and casual. But Kavya , ever the wit, decided to have a little fun with it.

During a particularly awkward conversation with a senior executive, Kavya  leaned in to Mihir , her voice low enough that only he could hear. “You know, I think Greg has been eyeing your steak. Maybe you should offer him a bite.”

Mihir stifled a laugh, his face momentarily frozen in an awkward grin. “I’m trying to be subtle here, Kavya .”

“Oh, right,” she said with a dramatic wink, “we’re supposed to pretend we don’t know each other, aren’t we? No problem, I can totally be professional.”

But the more she tried to play it cool, the more things started to unravel. As they mingled through the evening, Kavya —who had worked hard to avoid standing too close to Mihir in public—found herself constantly within arm’s reach. Every time she turned, there he was, somehow always near her, his presence making her heart race. One particularly hilarious moment came when they were trying to separate at the buffet. Kavya  reached for the same hors d'oeuvre as Mihir , and their hands collided in a too-obvious moment of synchrony.

“Really? The shrimp?” Mihir whispered, half laughing and half mortified.

Kavya  rolled her eyes, trying to suppress a grin. “Hey, at least I have better taste than you.”

But that wasn’t the worst of it. The worst moment came when a younger associate, who had always admired Kavya  efficiency, casually remarked, “You two make a great pair! I mean, I can practically see the chemistry between you.”

Mihir ’s face turned beet red as Kavya  eyes widened in panic.

“Oh, no, no, no,” Kavya  quickly stammered, trying to play it off. “It’s just… professional chemistry, you know? Like—uh—peanut butter and jelly. Separate, but they work well together.”

The associate tilted her head in confusion. “Uh, yeah, sure.”

Mihir , clearly not used to public displays of awkwardness, was grinning now, unable to hide the fact that he was enjoying this in spite of himself. “Professional chemistry. I like that,” he said with a teasing grin. Kavya  shot him a pleading look, as if to say, Help me out here.

But it was too late. The comment had been made, and now their colleagues were starting to exchange knowing glances. Mihir could already hear the whispering beginning—was there something more between him and Kavya ?

The next day, the drama took another turn. Kavya  phone buzzed incessantly with messages, but one stood out from her best friend, Aditi.

Aditi’s text was simple: So, you and Mihir , huh?

Kavya  froze, her heart racing as she read the message. She quickly shot off a reply. What do you mean?

Aditi’s response came fast: Don’t play coy. The whole office is talking. I saw it coming, but I didn’t expect it at the dinner. Care to elaborate?

Kavya  groaned, feeling both embarrassed and frustrated. The whole office was gossiping already. It wasn’t just a rumor now; it was practically public knowledge. She had hoped they’d be able to keep things low-key for a little longer, but now it seemed like they were one poorly timed glance away from being outed.

Meanwhile, Mihir was dealing with a similar situation. His mother, ever the loving but intrusive figure, had decided it was the perfect time to call and ask about his “romantic life.” She didn’t directly bring up Kavya , but the questioning was relentless.

“So, Mihir , dear, any special ladies in your life lately?” His mother’s voice was full of that unnervingly chipper tone she always used when she was about to interrogate him.

Mihir sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Mom, I’m not having this conversation with you right now.”

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic. I’m just curious. You never bring anyone around, and I know you’re busy, but maybe you could introduce me to someone one of these days.”

Mihir ’s mind raced. How did she even know?

“I’m just focusing on work right now, Mom,” he muttered, praying she wouldn’t press further.

“Well, work can’t be your whole life, Mihir ! When I was your age—”

The conversation was cut short when Mihir ’s phone beeped with another message. This time, it was from Kavya , and the subject was simply Help.

Before he could reply, his mother pressed on. “Oh, don’t tell me you’re still working! You’re such a workaholic. You should take a break. Maybe go for a nice dinner and relax with someone special.”

Mihir opened the message from Kavya , who had sent him a simple meme of a guy frantically typing on a keyboard with the caption: Me, pretending I’m not a romantic disaster.

He couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Okay, that’s it. I’m done. I’m going for dinner. With someone special.”

His mother paused, clearly taken aback by his sudden change in tone. “What? You’re going out now?”

“I’ll call you later,” Mihir said, already planning his escape from this conversation. He had just enough time to send a quick message to Kavya .

Dinner at my place tonight? We need to stop pretending.

Kavya  reply was almost immediate. Yes, please. I can’t take any more of this circus.

By the time Mihir and Kavya  sat down to dinner that evening, their lives had officially spiraled into a frenzy of speculation and unwanted attention. But as they sat across from each other, sharing a simple meal, they couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.

“I can’t believe your mother just cornered me about my love life,” Mihir said, shaking his head. “She’s relentless.”

Kavya  burst out laughing, nearly choking on her wine. “That’s nothing. You should’ve seen the look on that associate’s face when I said ‘professional chemistry.’ I thought she was going to write a dissertation on us.”

Mihir chuckled. “I didn’t know you had a flair for comedy.”

“Well, someone has to lighten the mood,” Kavya  said with a grin. “Besides, I think you’re starting to enjoy the chaos.”

Mihir grinned, raising his glass. “Maybe I am. But one thing’s for sure: we need to make it official before we both go completely crazy.”

Kavya  lifted her glass in return. “To making things official. Even if the world doesn’t know yet.”

“Exactly,” Mihir said, his smile softening as he looked at her. “Let’s face the chaos together. At least it’ll be fun.”

And in that moment, despite the circus that was their life, Mihir knew that with Kavya  by his side, he was ready to take on whatever drama, comedy, and challenges came their way. Together, they could handle anything—even if it meant embracing the madness of their love in full view of the world.

TO BE CONTINUED