Noor stepped in, closing the door gently behind her. Rayyan was awake, head slightly tilted back, arm bandaged but eyes sharp and softer the moment they landed on her.
"Finally," Rayyan murmured, a small smirk tugging at his lips, "you decided to show up."
Noor placed the box of fruit on the table. "I was outside… meeting your family. They seem pretty normal. I was expecting a royal army."
Rayyan chuckled, wincing slightly but not enough to hide the warmth in his stare. "Trust me… you met the polite versions."
Noor sat beside him, eyes scanning his face. His color had returned a little, but the sling reminded her painfully of how close things had gotten.
"You shouldn't have stepped in front of me," she said quietly.
Rayyan's gaze darkened. "And you shouldn't have been in danger in the first place."
A small silence stretched between them.
Noor softened her tone. "Your mother… Zayan… they've been kind."
"They're good people," Rayyan said simply. "Not used to seeing me like this… but they'll adjust."
Noor's lips pressed into a line. "Maybe… I'm not used to seeing you like this either. Less boss… more… human."
Rayyan's expression shifted—serious, sincere. "Maybe… you're the only person who actually sees me."
Noor's throat tightened but she simply smiled. "Try not to get too used to me taking care of you, Zayd. I don't spoil people."
"Too late," Rayyan whispered, fingers twitching slightly toward hers.
---
Later — Outside the Room
Noor stepped out after an hour, finding Zayan leaning against the corridor wall, scrolling on his phone.
He glanced up, pushing off the wall. "He's calmer now?"
Noor gave a small smile. "Less grumpy. Still full of attitude."
Zayan laughed. "That means he's healing."
They walked slowly toward the hospital lounge. Zayan kept his tone light. "Look… my brother's complicated. His world's cold… brutal sometimes. But these past few days? You've made him softer… calmer."
Noor glanced sideways, calm but honest. "I don't want to be someone who changes people. Just… someone who stays real."
Zayan's grin grew. "That's exactly why I hope you stay around."
They paused by the coffee machine. Zayan raised a brow. "Coffee?"
Noor shook her head, crossing her arms. "I'm more of a late-night chai person."
Zayan smiled, approvingly. "I knew I liked you."
Noor felt her heart ease a little. Between the stormy energy of Rayyan… and the quiet, warm loyalty of his family… maybe this wasn't as complicated as she thought.
Maybe… it was the beginning of something real.
Morning — Rayyan's Penthouse
Rayyan adjusted the sleek cufflinks on his crisp white shirt, pairing it with a tailored navy suit. His injury made his movements slower, but his posture stayed strong—he wasn't going to show weakness in the office. Breakfast was light—black coffee, two eggs, toast. Zayan stood nearby, watching him move with a slight frown.
"You sure you need to go in today?" Zayan asked.
Rayyan's jaw flexed. "I'm done lying around. It's time to fix a few things."
Zayan raised both brows. "Especially when 'someone' is about to get into trouble?"
Rayyan didn't answer, but his mind was already ahead—something felt off. Noor hadn't texted much, and there was too much silence after the hospital.
---
Morning — Noor's Apartment
On the other side of the city, Noor wrapped a neat pin around her scarf, pairing it with a fitted black blazer and a soft neutral top. Her outfit screamed confidence, but her heart… felt odd.
Something was unsettling in the air. She picked up her files—project proposal, reports, and the one project file that involved Rahim Malik, a rival businessman who never missed a chance to create mess.
She grabbed her coffee, quietly telling herself, It's just another day in the office. You've handled worse.
---
Zayd Enterprises — Executive Floor
The office atmosphere was unusually tense. Noor walked in, sensing the sharp shift in energy. Ahmed approached quietly, giving her a subtle nod. "Big boss is back… and so is the board."
Rayyan's father, Mr. Shahbaz Zayd, known for his aggressive authority, was already inside the boardroom, surrounded by directors. Noor barely placed her bag down before Ahmed murmured, "They called you in."
Inside the room, the atmosphere felt like standing before a storm. Noor walked in, calm and composed, but Shahbaz Zayd's glare cut through her.
Before Noor could greet, his voice barked, "Explain this!" He slammed a file onto the table. "Why is Rahim Malik involved in the partnership draft?!"
Noor's heart thudded. Her mouth opened, but she was genuinely clueless. "Sir, I was never informed about this addition—"
"Exactly!" Shahbaz snapped. "Why weren't you informed? Why weren't you keeping track? Is this what we're trusting you with? Letting competitors get inside our walls?"
Noor's jaw tightened, pulse sharp. She hadn't even touched this file in the last two days, let alone approved anything. Her voice stayed controlled. "I'll investigate immediately, sir, but I was not part of this inclusion."
But Shahbaz wasn't done. His voice grew louder, aggressive. "You're responsible for this project! No excuses—this is negligence. We don't tolerate laziness in this company."
Noor's knuckles whitened around her file. Her anger simmered low, but she controlled it.
The door opened.
Rayyan walked in, head held high, steps calm but authority radiating off him. His sharp stare first landed on Noor's frozen posture, then on his father.
"What's going on?" Rayyan asked, voice low, steady, but carrying weight.
Shahbaz turned. "Your so-called project lead can't even handle a basic partnership without dragging your rivals inside our walls!"
Rayyan's jaw clenched. His eyes snapped toward Noor, then back to the file. He walked forward, snatching the file from the table, scanning the pages in seconds.
"That document is tampered," Rayyan said coldly. "I don't see Noor's sign-off, and she's not responsible for last-minute board-level adjustments."
Shahbaz's frown deepened. "Are you covering her mistakes now?"
Rayyan's voice dropped, steel-hard. "No… I'm correcting yours for letting Rahim Malik even get close to this building."
Noor blinked, heart skipping, surprised at the defense she didn't expect but quietly appreciated.
Rayyan's stare hardened. "Noor leaves this meeting. Ahmed, take her to my office.I want the internal logs checked."
His eyes stayed on his father's glare without flinching.
"I'll fix this… but no one shouts at my team without proof," Rayyan said firmly, "especially not… her."
Noor — Rayyan's Office
Noor paced the length of Rayyan's office, arms crossed, fingers digging into her sleeves. She could handle criticism. She could handle tough boardrooms. But the way Shahbaz Zayd shouted—like she was careless, useless—it scratched old wounds.
Her jaw clenched. How could a file be tampered? How could Rahim Malik's name even enter their project without her knowledge?
Ahmed walked in quietly, placing a glass of water on her desk. "You okay?"
Noor gave him a tight nod. "I'm fine… just not used to being blamed for something I haven't touched."
Ahmed sighed. "You're not alone in this, Noor. And from the way the boss reacted… trust me, you've got backup."
Noor's eyes softened just a little, but the fire inside didn't fade. She would get to the bottom of this. She wouldn't let anyone disrespect her work, not even the most powerful man in the company.
---
Meanwhile — Conference Room, Rayyan vs Shahbaz
Rayyan stood tall, ignoring the dull ache in his arm. His stare was cold, his tone sharper than ever.
"You want to throw accusations? Fine. But you'll do it based on facts—not assumptions," Rayyan snapped, stepping forward, slapping the tampered file back on the table.
Shahbaz's eyes narrowed. "I won't let anyone turn my company into a playground—"
"And I won't let anyone punish the wrong person to avoid facing the real issue," Rayyan shot back, unflinching. "Rahim Malik's name didn't come from Noor's side, it came through an internal executive leak—your favorite 'senior' team who you trust more than your actual workers."
Ahmed entered, throwing a document on the table. "Checked the logs. Final draft came through Mr. Bilal—he adjusted it last night."
Rayyan's lips pressed into a thin, victorious line. "See that, father? Not Noor's mistake… manipulation from inside."
Shahbaz's jaw tightened, anger shifting from Noor to the real culprits.
Rayyan stepped closer, his voice lower but intense. "Next time… think before humiliating someone who's been loyal to this company from day one. Noor didn't need this job… she earned it. And she's staying."
Shahbaz didn't respond, but his silence said enough.
Rayyan's expression didn't soften. "Fix the boardroom culture… or I'll fix it myself."
---
Back in Rayyan's Office
Noor stood straighter when the door opened. Rayyan walked in, his jaw tight, removing his suit jacket, tossing it on the couch.
"Sorted?" Noor asked, folding her arms, calm but proud.
Rayyan nodded, stepping closer. "Not just sorted… cleared. Bilal tampered with the file. My father won't be touching you with blame again."
Noor's gaze softened, but her tone stayed steady. "Thank you… but I could've handled it."
Rayyan's lips curved faintly. "I know you could… but I don't let people disrespect what's mine."
Her heart skipped, her voice lower. "Workwise… or personally?"
Rayyan smiled fully now—possessive, warm. "Both."
Noor didn't smile… but her stare, confident and steady, said everything.
This… was only the beginning.
Later That Evening — Zayd Enterprises, Rayyan's Office
Rayyan leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping slowly on the polished desk, mind sharp and fully locked in. His injured arm rested on the side, bandaged but ignored—because right now, he didn't care about pain. He cared about power, control, and eliminating the snakes trying to crawl into his business.
Umer stood across from him, arms folded. "We got the proof on Bilal. Firing him won't be enough."
Rayyan's expression stayed cold. "I know. This wasn't Bilal's move alone. Malik's pushing from outside. He wants in… through backdoors."
Umer's mouth twisted. "Should we tighten contracts? Issue public warnings?"
Rayyan's stare darkened. "No. That's too loud. I don't play in public. I corner people in silence."
Umer's eyes gleamed, sensing his friend's strategy unfolding. "So…?"
Rayyan leaned forward, voice steady but sharp. "We'll let Malik think he's winning. I want the project to proceed… but with a shadow team. Noor will be the lead on the visible side, but Umer—" his tone dropped lower, "—you'll run the hidden audit trail."
Umer's grin stretched. "Let him walk straight into his own trap?"
"Exactly," Rayyan replied, gaze hard. "I want Rahim Malik publicly exposed—not just fired from the project, but blacklisted from the corporate circuit."
Umer nodded approvingly. "And the internal team?"
Rayyan's jaw tensed. "Silent clean-up. Anyone Malik paid gets cut without noise."
His fingers tapped once more. "And Noor…"
Umer's smile grew knowing. "You want her kept close?"
Rayyan's voice lowered, eyes gleaming. "She's already close. This time… I'm making sure she stays protected and respected. No one touches her work or her pride."
Umer gave a playful whistle. "You're getting soft."
Rayyan smirked coldly. "Not soft… territorial."
His phone buzzed. Ahmed messaged:
> "Noor finalized the counter-proposal. Ready for submission tomorrow."
Rayyan's stare lingered on the screen, pride flickering in his expression.
"Good," he said quietly. "Let the game begin… Malik has no idea what storm is coming for him."
Next Morning — Conference Hall, Zayd Enterprises
Noor stood tall at the head of the long glass table, project file neatly organized in front of her, laptop open, her expression sharp and unwavering. Around her sat board members, key executives, and on the screen, Rahim Malik appeared via video conference—smiling with that typical smugness Noor had grown used to seeing.
Behind her, Ahmed stood silently for support. On the far end, Umer watched with a relaxed grin, and Rayyan, though injured, was present—seated quietly, letting Noor lead.
She felt it. The shift. The authority now settled in her hands.
"Let's start," Noor said, voice crisp, eyes briefly flicking to Malik before turning to the board. "After a thorough review, certain discrepancies were found in the recent partnership drafts. Due to this, all previous documents have been nullified and restructured under Zayd Enterprises' official oversight—under my direct supervision."
Malik's smile twitched, his voice overly polite, "That seems… sudden, Miss Noor."
Noor's tone didn't waver. "Business should always be fast when protecting company interests."
A few directors smirked quietly.
Noor continued, clicking the next slide. "Our updated proposal eliminates external consultants who were originally suggested without proper authorization." She glanced at Malik. "That includes your involvement, Mr. Rahim Malik."
Malik's expression faltered.
Rayyan, sitting back with calm pride, watched silently. Umer
's grin widened.
One director asked, "Are you authorized to make this call, Miss Noor?"
Noor's response was cool, collected. "Signed off by the CEO this morning… and fully backed by the board's emergency decision last night."
She pushed forward the fresh, clean proposal. "Zayd Enterprises believes in accountability… and transparency. I will personally oversee all transactions and contract movements going forward."
Noor closed the laptop softly. "If anyone has issues, now is the time to speak."
Malik's jaw was tight, silence echoing from his side of the screen.
Noor allowed a polite, professional smile. "Then this meeting is concluded."
Later That Day — Malik Corporation, Private Office
Rahim Malik slammed his laptop shut, jaw clenched so tight his temples throbbed. His assistant stood awkwardly by the door, afraid to speak. The meeting had gone nothing like Malik planned—his name wiped off the project without a single argument from the board.
Noor Khanzada.
Her name echoed in his head, laced with irritation and growing hatred.
"She was just a quiet worker," Malik hissed under his breath, pacing his office like a caged animal. "And now… now she walks into boardrooms like she owns them?"
His assistant spoke nervously, "Sir… it seems Rayyan Zayd backed her strongly—completely. And the board… they shut every door on us."
Malik's hand curled into a fist. This wasn't just corporate rejection—this was public humiliation.
He walked to the window, city lights glaring back at him. "Rayyan Zayd thinks this is over?" A bitter laugh slipped out. "This was business… but now it's personal."
He turned back, eyes sharp with revenge. "Noor… she's going to regret stepping over me. I don't care how professional she acts—everybody has weaknesses."
Malik's expression twisted into a dangerous grin. "If I can't beat them in business… I'll break them outside the office."
The assistant hesitated. "Sir… do you want me to… dig into her background?"
Malik's grin widened. "Start with her… then dig into anyone close to Rayyan too. Every empire has cracks—our job is to find them."
His cold voice filled the office. "Zayd Enterprises thinks they've won… they have no idea I'm just getting started."