My Cruel Love
Previously,
Maya earned Arman's trust and stepped into her new role as lead designer. Now, the moment of truth approaches — a client meeting that could change everything.)
Maya meant well, always. So she missed the subtext in Arman's question. Flashing a confident smile, she answered,
"Yes, I double-checked everything last night."
Arman raised an eyebrow.
"Alright, Maya. But imagine this—what if, when you go to present the design to Mr. Daniel, you open the file and it's blank? How would you deal with something like that? How would you handle it?"
With firm confidence in her voice, Maya said,
"That won't happen, sir. But even if it does, I'll manage it. I didn't take on this responsibility lightly. I came prepared, and I intend to see it through responsibly. Please, trust me."
Arman gave a crooked smile.
"Confidence is good. Overconfidence is not, Miss Maya."
Just then, "Abir entered without knocking, visibly excited.
"There you are, both of you! I'm seriously pumped. Once this meeting's over, we're celebrating. Maya actually cooked everything herself!"
Arman said dryly,
"Let's just see if the meeting goes well first. Then we'll talk about feasts."
Abir grinned.
"Oh, relax! Everything's gonna be fine. I mean, look who's in charge of this project!"
At that moment, Arman's PA pushed open the office door without waiting for permission, panting slightly.
"Sorry for barging in, sir. Mr. Daniel has arrived. His car just pulled into the office. Please come quickly!"
Hearing that, Maya and Abir rushed out, with Arman following silently behind, his expression turning serious.
As soon as Mr. Daniel stepped into the office, a group of designers and senior staff welcomed him with flowers and warm smiles. Mr. Daniel's face lit up with genuine joy. Surrounded by admiration and respect, he was escorted toward the meeting room.
Outside the door, Maya stood holding a fragrant bouquet. Her eyes were calm and focused, her demeanor radiating sincerity. Behind her were Arman, Abir, and Arman's father, Mr. Rahman, along with his uncle— all silently preparing for what felt like a very important day.
The meeting room had been transformed from a typical office into a much more inviting space. Comfortable sofas replaced the usual chairs, soft lighting bathed the room, the walls were tastefully decorated, and fresh flowers adorned the tables. Everything seemed to whisper: Something special was about to happen.
The creative force behind this setup? Maya. Every detail, every touch of elegance, had come from her vision and dedication. She wanted Mr. Daniel's meeting to be more than just formalities—she wanted it to be a memorable experience.
When Maya had first presented her ideas to Arman, he had agreed without hesitation. He'd seen the determination and clarity in her eyes. He knew she was the right person for the job. And now, standing there, Maya could feel her dreams finally coming to life. She could sense the sweet scent of success in the air.
As Mr. Daniel approached, Maya stepped forward and offered him the bouquet. But instead of taking it, he stopped and just stared at her, completely captivated. A few people nearby exchanged amused glances.
Leaning closer, Abir whispered to Arman with a grin,
"Is it just me, or is Mr. Daniel totally smitten with Maya?"
Arman, already irritated, looked even more annoyed.
"Mr. Daniel, shall we?" he said curtly.
Still, Mr. Daniel didn't move. He just kept staring at Maya, as if in a trance. Maya began to feel incredibly awkward. Finally, Mr. Daniel's assistant nudged him with an elbow.
"What happened?" Daniel asked, visibly annoyed.
Trying to keep things light, the assistant smiled and said,
"Sir, we're here for a meeting, remember?"
That brought Daniel back to reality. He took the bouquet from Maya and smiled.
"Miss Maiha! How are you? You look very beautiful in this dress."
"Thank you, Mr. Daniel," Maya replied with a polite smile.
"Let's head in, sir," Abir said, forcing a grin. "We don't want to be late."
"Yes, yes. Let's go," Daniel agreed.
Once inside, Mr. Daniel took a seat on one of the sofas. The rest of the staff returned to their desks, leaving only the key people in the room—Mr. Daniel, his assistant, Arman, Maya, Abir, Arman's father and uncle, Arman's personal assistant Miraz, and Maya's assistant, Tanisha.
Tanisha, another talented designer, had quickly become close to Maya. Arman had personally assigned her to assist Maya, and she was more than happy to help. In the days leading up to the meeting, she had supported Maya with everything.
Arman began by introducing his father and uncle to Mr. Daniel.
Just as Abir stepped toward the door to close it, it swung open with a sudden force. Disha entered, slightly out of breath, clutching a notebook.
Abir narrowed his eyes. "Disha! That was incredibly rude."
She avoided his gaze, muttering, "Sorry. I thought I might be needed."
Before Abir could reply, Arman spoke up calmly, not even glancing at her.
"Let her stay. We might need her."
Disha blinked, surprised at being allowed in. But a slow, subtle smile curved her lips as she took a quiet seat in the corner—eyes darting to Maya, then the files.
Abir snapped.
"Disha! That was incredibly rude."
"Sorry," she muttered, avoiding his eyes.
Arman intervened calmly,
"Abir, let her stay. We might need her."
Abir didn't look pleased, but Disha's face lit up.
Everyone took their seats. Arman sat opposite Mr. Daniel in a comfortable armchair, legs crossed. In front of Daniel was a low table, tastefully decorated with fresh flowers, and two neatly arranged files rested on top.
Mr. Daniel picked up the first file and flipped it open with a cheerful smile. But his smile vanished.
The first page—blank.
He frowned and flipped to the next page.
Still blank.
Another page—also blank.
His cheerful expression faded. He flipped through the entire file in a hurry, only to find page after page. empty.
The atmosphere shifted instantly. People exchanged nervous glances. Disha gave a wicked smile to herself. Arman, however, remained unmoved—his face unreadable.
Daniel placed the first file down and picked up the second. He flipped through it quickly. Blank. Completely empty.
He slammed the file onto the table, stood up, and yelled,
"What is this?! Where is the design?!"
Everyone stood up in shock. Abir rushed forward, picked up the file, and started flipping through it himself.
"Maya! Where's the design? What file did you bring?!"
Maya stood frozen, her mind spinning but offering no answers. Her hands trembled as she reached for the file again, flipping through the pages in disbelief. Her throat dried up. No. This can't be happening.
A heavy weight settled in her chest, pressing down harder with each blank page. Her breath quickened. The room seemed to close in on her. Where did they go? Who touched the file?
She turned helplessly toward Arman—eyes wide, pleading, terrified. "This. this is the right file," she whispered. "The designs were definitely in here. Where. where did they go?"
She rushed forward, took the file from Abir's hands, and flipped through it. Nothing.
Her voice trembled.
"This. this is the right file. The designs were definitely in here. Where, where did they go?"
Daniel shouted,
"Are you serious? Or trying to embarrass me, Mr. Arman? Where are the designs?!"
Tension flooded the room. Everyone was standing now—except Arman, who still sat calmly, silently watching.
Tanisha stepped up,
"Sir, the designs were definitely in that file. Miss Maya and I checked everything before leaving the office yesterday. Everything was perfect."
Abir frowned,
"Then where are they now, Miss Tanisha? And why are the pages blank?"
Maya turned her teary eyes toward Arman.
Arman met her gaze without flinching, as if silently asking:
"Well, Miss Maya? Where's all that confidence now?"
To be continued..