Hari turned the color of steamed beetroot. “Everyone knows who you are, Ms. Kohli.” Then he looked mortified because that could have meant any number of things, and honestly Vansh was surprised that Hari, who tended to be unaware of nuance, noticed that he might have said something wrong. “I’m so sorry.” His chin trembled. “I meant . . . I meant that everyone who worked for Yash Raje knew who you were.” That just made it worse, and he pressed a horrified hand to his mouth.

The smile she gave him was the kindest, gentlest thing Vansh had ever seen. The vibe she sent Vansh’s way without even looking at him, on the other hand, was 100 percent I’m going to chop you into little pieces and feed you to vultures.

“Hari, listen.” Naina plucked a tissue from a box on the coffee table. “It’s fine. I know what you meant. You didn’t say anything wrong. Mariel can get you a drink. Chai? Coffee? Soda? Why don’t you step into my office.”

Hari looked at Vansh. “Can Vansh come too?” He looked beseechingly at Vansh.

“Of course,” Vansh said. “Actually, can you give me a minute with her first? Why don’t you wait here with Mariel and catch your breath while I talk to Naina.”

Hari looked relieved enough that even Naina couldn’t argue with that. Without waiting for her reaction, he walked into her office, head held high. Channeling Naina seemed to be the best way to deal with Naina.

Enough was enough. They were grown-ass adults and what had happened between them was not a crime. Yup, it was time to pull this Band-Aid off.

She didn’t follow him. Instead, very gently, she took Hari’s hand and tugged him toward her office. “I believe the only person I want to have a conversation with right now is Hari.”

Hari looked quite ready to go to the ends of the earth with her. In all fairness, what human wouldn’t?

Naina’s eyes flashed like lightning bolts across a dark sky, going from kind warmth to cold hellfire as she looked from Hari to Vansh.

The woman was a force of nature.

Her impossibly high cheekbones were bright with color. Her hair was mussed into one of those crab clips that made it stick out in every direction and exposed her endless neck in a perfectly cut beige dress, which also ruthlessly exposed the most perfect shoulders and arms in existence.

How had he never noticed her body before? Had he never noticed it? Why did he suddenly not remember anything from before?

“We really need to talk, Naina.”

Something about his tone made her let go of Hari’s hand and turn to Vansh.

“Fine. Talk.” Without joining him in her office, she snapped her fingers at him across the doorway. “I don’t have all day.”