The sound of polished leather shoes echoes across the marble floors of Rathore Empires, one of India’s most powerful corporate empires. Security bows silently as Aaryan Veer Rathore enters — tall, sharply dressed, and utterly untouchable.

His expression remains cold as he walks through the hallway, flanked by his right-hand man, Kabir Malhotra. There’s a quiet violence in his steps — the kind that only men raised by both royalty and war carry. In his world, mercy is weakness. His empire, second only to one competitor, is an obsession he can’t let go of.

Aaryan's eyes flick toward a young employee walking past — delicate, dressed in ivory, head bowed, carrying files. Meher Arora. He notices her only for a moment. Something about her is... unnervingly quiet. But he moves on.

In her cubicle, Meher keeps her gaze low, fingers typing without looking. Her presence is invisible, by design. But beneath that soft expression is the mind of a strategist. Because unknown to anyone here, she is not a junior analyst.She owns more of this city than Aaryan Veer Rathore does.

The youngest hidden CEO in the world, ranked #1 on the global business charts — Meher S. Arora. She has another name. Another office. Another empire. But here, she blends like a whisper in silk.

And her eyes? Always on him.

Every detail of his schedule, his moods, his voice patterns — she knows them. She studies him. Watches the way he speaks only when necessary. Watches the flick of his wrist when he signs contracts. Watches the way women crave his gaze and never receive it.

She’s watched for thirteen months, nine days, and seven hours.

And he hasn’t truly seen her. Yet.

That night, Meher walks home with Zara — her roommate and only friend who knows the truth.

“He noticed you,” Zara says while unlocking the door.

“He always does,” Meher replies calmly, slipping off her heels. “He just doesn’t understand why.”

Zara scoffs, tossing her bag. “You’re running half the country and playing mouse in his office.”

“I’m not playing mouse,” Meher says. “I’m studying the predator.”

Zara pauses. “You're obsessed.”

Meher’s voice softens to a whisper. “He’s not the only predator in this story, Zara. I just hide it better.”

Back at Aaryan’s estate, he reviews documents by the fireplace, but his mind drifts — to her. That girl with the soft voice and calm face. Too perfect. Too quiet.

He remembers when she dropped a file a few days ago. Instead of panicking, she had apologized without blinking, and even then — smiled. As if she had meant to do it.

He doesn’t like not knowing things.

“Background on Meher Arora?” he asks.

Kabir replies the next morning, handing over a file. “Average background. Degree from a small private college. Works here a year now. Parents retired. Clean.”

“Too clean,” Aaryan says under his breath.

In the following days, things shift subtly.

Meher gets assigned to work directly under Aaryan on a new investor project. It isn’t random — she orchestrated the transfer silently, moving people like chess pieces.

-TBC-

Their first real one-on-one meeting is quiet. Clinical. She speaks only when needed, takes notes by hand, listens like she’s being hypnotized.

But every word he says — she stores.

He begins to notice how she never flinches around him. Never fumbles. Never tries to impress. And for a man used to power games and fragile egos — it unsettles him.

Late one evening, after most of the office is empty, Meher enters the executive floor to deliver a document. Aaryan is alone, leaning against the bar with a glass of whisky in hand. The city glows behind him — a kingdom he rules with iron.

He doesn’t turn when she walks in.

“You work late,” he says quietly.

“So do you,” she replies, placing the file on the table.

“I own this place.”

“I own my reasons.”

He turns, finally facing her — curious now. She doesn’t meet his eyes. Not completely. Just enough to tease.

“Where did you learn to stay this calm?” he asks.

Meher shrugs softly. “Some people were born into storms. Calm is just a mask.”

He doesn’t answer. Just stares at her for a moment too long.

The next day, Kabir notices it too.

“She’s different,” he tells Aaryan in the elevator. “Not scared. Not impressed. Too consistent.”

Aaryan doesn’t respond. But later that day, he assigns Kabir to track her background deeper — real-time surveillance.

Meanwhile, Zara meets Kabir at a charity event hosted by Rathore Empires. She’s wearing a black gown, sipping champagne, and laughing too loudly. He watches her from across the room — uninterested at first. But when she challenges him during a Q&A session with brutal honesty, his amusement begins.Their banter is sharp, hostile — but under it, something pulls. Neither admit it.

But Zara tells Meher later, “That man’s eyes are made of locked doors. I want to know what’s inside.”

Meher only smiles. “You like him.”

Zara: “And you still call yourself not in love with your boss?”

Meher’s eyes turn serious. “I’m not in love. I’m in control. Love is for people who can afford to lose.”

Later that night, in her real office — hidden from the world — Meher receives an alert.

“Rathore Empires surveillance confirmed. They’re looking into you.”

She smiles, closing the laptop slowly.

“Finally,” she whispers. “He’s noticing me.”

In her mind, the game has just started.

But what neither of them know is this:

They aren’t just obsessed with each other.

They’re about to destroy every piece of power that stands between them — until all that’s left is one crown.

-TBC-

 MAIN CHARACTERS (Updated):

🔥 Aaryan Veer Rathore – 32

CEO of Rathore Empires (Rank #2)

Royal Mafia King, dark-hearted, possessive

Doesn’t tolerate disloyalty, doesn’t believe in love

But his life is about to be ruined beautifully

🌸 Meher Arora – 26

Innocent junior analyst at Rathore Empires

Secretly the #1 CEO of M.S. Global Holdings

Silent observer, secretly obsessed with Aaryan

Her smile hides her empire

💃 Zara Shaikh – 26

Meher’s bold best friend and roommate

Sarcastic, fiery, and loyal

Secretly starts falling for Aaryan’s right-hand man

Only person who knows Meher’s true identity

🕶️ Kabir Malhotra – 34

Aaryan’s right-hand man

Calm, ex-military, suspicious of Meher

Deadly with weapons, quiet with emotions

Has a painful past, but slowly falls for Zara

👑 Maharani Devyani Rathore

Aaryan’s mother, Queen of Rathore estate

Elegant, traditional, strict about royal bloodline

Wants Aaryan to marry a royal girl

💼 Rajeev Arora

Meher’s father – a sweet, retired professor

Doesn’t know his daughter owns half the business world

Hey,

I hope you Like my novel and give positive feedback.

It's a short story with twisted ML and FL.

Give lots of love guzzs

Soon I will finish this novel.

See you soon Honeybuns...

Aaryan can’t sleep.

It’s not insomnia. It’s her.

He sees her every day now. In meetings. In corridors. Her soft voice echoing faintly through his memory. She doesn't demand attention, she drips into the cracks of his mind — without force.

That’s what haunts him.

He’s met thousands of women. Models. Heiresses. Princesses. None of them ever made him feel watched without actually being watched. With Meher, he feels like she knows something he doesn’t.

It gnaws at him.

“Find me something,” he tells Kabir, pacing in his study late at night. “A mistake. A lie. A break in her story.”

Kabir watches silently. “Or maybe she’s exactly what she looks like.”

Aaryan’s eyes flicker with frustration. “No one is exactly what they look like.”

Meanwhile — in a secret high-rise office guarded by facial scanners and retina locks, Meher watches Aaryan’s latest boardroom footage on mute. She studies his micro-reactions. His temper. His disinterest in shallow flirtation. His control.

She leans back in her chair. A 100-foot digital screen shows the rise and fall of stocks — hers and his.

He’s climbing faster. His company is catching up.

“Dangerous,” she whispers. “But still mine.”

At Zara’s apartment, things are also shifting.

Zara and Kabir meet again — unintentionally. A UN charity event. Kabir, dressed in black, speaks on the silent trauma of war veterans. Zara listens, surprised by the depth in his words.

After the event, they walk to their cars together.

“I thought you were just muscle with a suit,” Zara says lightly.

“And I thought you were just noise with heels,” he replies.

But then, a pause.

“Why are you really here?” Kabir asks, turning serious.

Zara exhales, biting her lip. “Same reason you are. To protect someone who doesn’t want protection.”

They don’t say more.

But something starts to bloom.

Back at Rathore Empires, Aaryan watches Meher through the glass wall of his office. She's presenting to foreign investors with fluent French, cool poise, and unsettling elegance. The contrast between her soft outfits and razor-sharp analysis baffles him.

When the presentation ends, he calls her in.

She enters, expression unreadable, holding her tablet.

“Why are you here?” he asks suddenly.

Meher doesn’t blink. “You assigned me to this project.”

“No. I mean here,” he says, eyes narrowing. “In this world. In this company. You don’t belong with the rest of them. You think differently. You walk differently. Like you’re hiding something.”

Meher’s lips twitch slightly.

“Maybe I am,” she says softly.

That silence burns between them like a wire waiting to snap.

Aaryan leans forward. “Are you a threat?”

Meher, still calm: “Would you be excited or terrified if I was?”

Aaryan’s voice drops: “Both.”

She leaves the room with her pulse steady. But once she’s alone in the elevator — her hand tightens around the railing. Not out of fear. But because he’s noticing too much.

And that’s dangerous.

-TBC-