Frustration gnawed at Rohit as he slaved away at the mountain of work Shivay had dumped on him. It meant missing out on his usual fun and the chance to encounter the intriguing cafe girl again. Glowering at his tasks, his mind churned, plotting ways to get rid of Shivay.

His phone's shrill ring pierced his concentration. A smirk played on his lips as he saw the caller ID. "Hello dear, long time," he greeted in a honeyed voice. He listened attentively to the caller, then replied, "You're back? That's perfect timing, I have some juicy news. Shivay got married!"

A high-pitched shriek came through the receiver. He pulled the phone away from his ear, chuckling at the sound. "Going back to him is off the table now," he said after the shriek subsided. "But if you need help navigating this situation, I'm your man."

He listened again, a sly smile spreading across his face. "From what I gather, she's an orphan, lower middle class. I haven't actually seen her, apparently she's living with Shivay. My guess is he just married her to become head of Oberoi Industries, and clearly doesn't care much for her. Otherwise, why wouldn't he announce it to the world?"

A pause, then Rohit continued the conversation. "Maybe you're right, maybe he's ashamed of her. We'll meet her soon enough. There's a party thrown by the Singhanias, and Mr. Jackson is attending. Shivay's been trying to do business with him, but apparently the man won't deal with anyone unmarried. Shivay wouldn't want to miss this opportunity. He'll probably bring his wife to appease Mr. Jackson and secure the deal."

A satisfied smile stretched across Rohit's face as he hung up. "Let's see how you handle this, Shivay," he muttered to himself. "What will you do when your past collides with your present?"

He sauntered out of his cabin and headed towards the nearby cafe. Returning a brisk thirty minutes later, he whistled a cheerful tune as he neared the private elevators. A careless sip of his coffee while scrolling through his phone turned disastrous as he collided with someone, the beverage splashing all over his crisp shirt.

An angry roar rose in his throat, ready to erupt at the careless culprit, but died on his tongue the moment he saw who it was. Annika, flushed with the success of her cookie distribution and feedback session with Shivay's employees, was leaving for the day. Lost in her happy thoughts, she hadn't seen Rohit approaching.

The impact sent a jolt through her, and she stared in disbelief as the coffee stained his shirt. Looking up to apologize, her breath hitched. Rohit. A predator's grin stretched across his face.

"Missing me already, I see?" he smirked. "Couldn't wait for me to visit the cafe again, so you came here instead?"

Annika forced a smile, her initial shock fading into steely resolve. "In your dreams, Rohit. I wouldn't waste a single thought on you."

His smugness faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered. "Destiny must have intervened then," he declared, gesturing towards the nearby cafe. "Since we're both free, how about a date to celebrate this... reunion?"

Disgust flickered across Annika's face. "Haven't you learned the word 'no' yet? "Don't you get it? I'm not interested in your perverted advances." she countered, her voice laced with irritation. "And for your information, I'm married." She gestured towards her mangalsutra, hidden beneath her kurta.

The smugness on Rohit's face vanished completely. "Married?" he stammered, his eyes darting towards the mangalsutra she held up.

"Yes, married," Annika repeated, her voice firm. "I suggest you stay far away from me. In fact, I think I should talk to him about you. Maybe he can spare some change so you can stop bothering women on the street."

Rohit's face contorted in a mixture of anger and disbelief. "Your husband? Who is he? Does he even know what kind of woman he married?"

"He knows exactly who I am," she said, her voice laced with a hint of pride." And if you even think about harassing me again, I won't hesitate to tell my husband."

Rohit scoffed, feigning hurt. "Harassing you? I haven't even begun to show you what 'harassing' looks like." He leaned in menacingly, his voice dropping to a low growl. "But if you insist on taking it that way..."

Just then, a booming voice echoed through the hallway, "Rohit! Mr. Oberoi is calling for you!"

Rohit cursed under his breath, glaring daggers at Annika. "Saved by the bell this time," he muttered, backing away. "But consider this a warning. Our encounter isn't over. Next time, we'll finish what we started."

With a final, menacing wink, Rohit disappeared around the corner. Annika watched him go, her heart pounding in her chest. The isolated location of the private elevator, meant for Oberoi family members and top management, had left them completely exposed during their encounter.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Annika hurried away from the spot, a knot of worry tightening in her stomach. The unexpected encounter with Rohit had left her shaken. Her heart pounding, hoping against hope that this would be the last encounter she'd have with that persistent pest.

An escape. That's what Annika's frantic dash out of the building felt like. Once outside, she hailed a cab, her heart hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs. Upon arrival, she practically threw her purse and lunchbox on the kitchen counter before downing two glasses of water to steady her shaking nerves. A dilemma gnawed at her - should she tell Shivay?

The thought of revealing the details of her encounter with Rohit sent a shiver down her spine. Shivay's temper, while mostly under control, could be fierce. A confrontation with Rohit could escalate, potentially jeopardizing Shivay's position at Oberoi Industries.

Deciding to face it alone, she steeled herself to handle him. If things escalated, Shivay would be her backup. But for now, the upcoming competition demanded her full focus. With the event looming, she had a lot of ground to cover. Leaving her lunchbox in the sink, she carried her purse to her room.

A refreshing shower later and with a determined glint in her eye, Annika grabbed her diary and began meticulously planning her baking schedule for the next four crucial days. This competition was her dream, and she wouldn't let anything, not even a persistent pest like Rohit, stand in her way.

There, amidst the calming silence, Annika charted her course towards victory, each step a delicious note in the symphony of her baking dreams.

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Thank you for reading

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