Chapter 5 MORANNA SHARMA POV

Ugh. Seriously?!

What have I done in my past life to deserve this kind of cursed luck?!

I did everything.

Everything…..

Spilled coffee on the Vice-President.

Tripped on absolutely nothing and faceplanted like a horror movie extra.

Let my hair cover half my face so I legit looked like a drowned zombie.

And guess what?

THEY STILL PICKED ME.

No. Freaking. Way.

Then that idiot VP, with the most annoying smug smile, says, “The CEO is calling you to his office.”

Oh no no no no. Not happening.

I immediately clutch my stomach like I’m dying and bend forward dramatically.

“Sorry, I’m having a… a stomach pain. Yeah. Next time.”

I start to sneak away like a guilty raccoon. He doesn’t budge.

“Stop. You can hold the pain for some time,” he says, smiling like he’s enjoying this.

You little snitch. You told my brother, didn’t you?!

PANIC MODE: ON.

I bolt.

I run like I’m in the Olympics.

I am EXPOSED.

I feel a hand grab my wrist—nope.

Instinct kicks in.

I hip-throw him straight to the ground. [splat]

I gasp.

He gasps.

The floor gasps.

Not waiting for the aftermath, I dart into the elevator, smashing the button for ground floor like my life depends on it.

It kinda does.

But as the elevator doors open…

Boom.

Guess who’s standing right there?

My brother.

Great. Just great.

I desperately try to close the doors but he reaches in like a horror movie villain, catches my hand, and stops them effortlessly.

He leans in—his voice low and serious.

“Stop being stubborn and come with me.”

Oh, we’re doing the whole “intimidating big brother” thing again. Classic. I roll my eyes so hard I see a glimpse of the astral plane.

He steps into the elevator and hits the 16th floor.

We walk into his sleek office.

Expensive. Cold. Powerful. Like him.

But I’m not impressed.

Before he can say anything, I stride over and plop myself right into the CEO’s leather chair, folding my arms like I own the place.

I glare at him.

“Speak.” I say sharply, channeling all my sass.

He just stands there, calm and annoyingly polite.

“How have you been these years?”

I scoff. “Fine. Until you caught me.”

He doesn’t react. Of course he doesn’t. He’s always been good at keeping his cool.

“Come home with me? I missed you so much. Mom and Dad are also worried about you.”

And there it is. The guilt card.

I exploded.

“Oh, come on! Don’t act like I don’t know the truth. They’re going around shopping, traveling, living the good life while I’m out here working for crumbs.”

My voice sharpens.

“Also, I’m not going with you. That place? That’s not my home.”

He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck like a guilty little kid.

“I should’ve known you’d figure it out…” he mutters.

“Sis Vale… listen. If you don’t want to go back there, fine. Don’t. But come stay with me instead. I live in London now. They won’t show up there. And also—”

His voice drops to a whisper.

“I got married. Two years ago.”

“Please come with me. I really miss you.”

.

Wait.

Wait WHAT?!

My eyes snap wide open. I launch myself off the CEO chair like it just caught fire.

“You. Got. MARRIED? TWO YEARS AGO??”

My voice echoes through the office like a bomb just went off.

“Oh my devil, what the ACTUAL fuck happened while I was gone?! I checked two weeks ago, Kai. TWO. WEEKS. You weren’t married. How the hell does someone suddenly gain a whole ass wife at that time?!”

I glare so hard, I swear he physically shrinks.

“Don’t you dare lie to me, Kai,” I hiss.

He gulps, then reaches for my hand with those stupid soft puppy eyes that always used to get him out of trouble as a kid.

“Sis… she’s my secret wife,” he whispers like it’s a codeword.

“If everyone found out about her—and you weren’t even there—she would've been in danger. So I kept it hidden.”

…

I stare at him. Hard.

Then I sigh and run a hand through my hair.

“Okay. You did the right thing,” I admit, though my tone still sounds like a warning siren. “Now—how’s everyone else? What’s going on?”

He perks up for a second.

“Everyone’s fine! Mostly! Just that…”

He trails off. His voice lowers. His knee starts bouncing.

“What. Happened?”

“Sister Vale… please don’t get angry,” he says, barely above a whisper.

He’s nervous.

Too nervous.

He starts fiddling with the corner of his sleeve. His jaw clenches and unclenches. I swear he’s sweating.

My whole body goes still.

I cross my arms.

“Kai,” I say slowly, my voice dropping into warning mode,

“what. did. you. do?”

Looking at his reaction I calm down a little.

“Okay, I won’t get angry. Just tell me,” I said, my voice tighter than I wanted it to be. Anxious thoughts started racing through my head.

“Sis… Sister Pearl’s wedding was four days ago,” Kai said, clenching his eyes shut like he was bracing for an explosion.

“Oh.”

A sharp pain stabbed my chest. She promised we’d get married together. She said she’d wait, even if I got old.

But why would she care about a stupid promise like that now?

She shouldn’t, anyway. After all… we're nothing more than enemies now.

“And…” Kai hesitated. “She ran away on the day of the wedding. Seren got married in her place.”

My blood froze.

My fists clenched.

SEREN MARRIED?

My veins throbbed with rage.

“What did you just say?” My voice dropped, cold and deadly.

“Sister Seren… got married,” he repeated, this time barely a whisper.

“WHICH MOTHERFUCKER MARRIED MY SISTER? HOW DARE HE? I AM GOING TO KILL HIM.” I said this in a very cold, angry and dominating voice.

“Who is he?” I asked him again, my voice low but dangerous.

“He’s Aiden Arsenios,” Kai replied, clearly scared.

I hugged him tightly.

“I’m sorry for speaking to you like that.” Then I stepped back, eyes blazing. “Call my private chopper. Send me Seren’s location. Meet me on the roof in ten minutes.”

Kai looked like he wanted to stop me, but he knew better. He could only agree.

“Okay, sis,” he nodded.

I rushed out of his office. First stop—the washroom. I scrubbed off the makeup, pulled out the eye lenses, and stared at myself in the mirror. No more hiding. Time for the real Me.

I headed straight to my desk, grabbed my purse and phone, leaving everything else behind. Just as I turned, I heard someone call out—

“Moranna!”

I looked over. Nitika was running toward me.

“You removed your eye lenses,” she said softly.

“Yes, I did. Listen, Nitika—I’m leaving for London. It’s an emergency.”

“Right now?!” she gasped, then composed herself. “You should go. I’ll hold back my curiosity this time... and I’ll take care of your things.”

I could see the questions in her eyes, but she held them back. She really meant it.

I nodded. “Thank you.”

But of course, more trouble had to show up.

That bitchy manager marched up, blocking my way.

“Wait, where do you think you’re going?”

Oh, please. I'm done pretending.

Without a second thought, I slapped her so hard she hit the floor.

“You’re fired.”

Then I turned to Nitika. “And you, come with me.”

I walked away without looking back. Nitika followed me in stunned silence.

We reached the rooftop. Kai and the Vice President were already waiting beside the private chopper. Without hesitation, I addressed them.

“Nitika is now in charge of the department I was working in. VP, you take care of her. The previous manager is out.”

Nitika looked completely shocked. The VP blinked, then nodded.

“Understood, ma’am.”

I climbed into the chopper. My brother followed.

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