My Cruel Love
Anzuma's heart clenched. She gently wiped Maya's tears.
"Don't cry, sweet girl. Everything will be okay. Just have faith."
She comforted Maya softly and helped her finish the meal.
Later, Abir came to Maya's room but didn't find her there. On his way out, he spotted Rubi and asked, "Rubi, have you seen Maya?"
Rubi replied, "She just left for the office a little while ago."
Abir muttered to himself, "Why did she have to come today with back pain? She could have started tomorrow."
He hurried outside, hoping to catch up with her. And he did - Maya hadn't even passed the gate yet. Abir was already fully dressed and ready for work. He thought if Maya was in too much pain, he'd take her to the hospital first. But she was determined to go to the office.
Abir quickened his pace and stood in front of Maya. She was startled to see someone suddenly run up to her, but then relaxed when she saw it was Abir. He was bent over, hands resting on his knees, catching his breath.
Pulling himself together, he said firmly, "No talking. Just stand here quietly. I'm going to get the car."
Without waiting for a response, Abir headed toward the garage to fetch the car. Maya reluctantly stood still, like a helpless child.
When Abir returned with the car, he opened the front door for her. Maya quietly got in. They drove off to their destination.
Unseen by them, a figure stood frozen on the balcony, fingers white from gripping the railing. His jaw clenched, eyes fixed on the car as it disappeared through the gate."
Maya's first stop that morning was the hospital - with Abir beside her - to visit her father. The moment she saw him, her heart sank. His condition had worsened. The doctor had confirmed there was no hope for recovery. Despite that, Maya insisted on keeping him in the hospital for as long as he could hold on.
She cried - hard. Seeing her once-strong father reduced to such a fragile state left her gutted. Deep down, she knew… he didn't have much time left.
Abir, noticing her discomfort, convinced her to get checked by a doctor too. The pain in her lower back was becoming more severe. After getting her some medication, the two spent a little more time with her father, then headed toward the office.
They arrived a few minutes late. The office day officially began at 10:30 a.m., and it was already 10:40.
As they stepped inside and made their way to the top floor via elevator - where both Arman and Abir's cabins were located - Maya tried to compose herself.
On their way in, they passed by several employees already busy at their desks. When they saw Abir, most of them stood up and greeted him.
"Good morning, everyone," Abir replied casually, without glancing at anyone directly.
But what really drew attention wasn't Abir - it was Maya. Her presence beside him caused an audible stir. Just yesterday, they'd seen the two leave the office together. It had raised eyebrows then, and today only confirmed the speculation.
No one had ever seen Abir with a woman before. He barely even acknowledged the female staff unless it was strictly work-related. Cold, detached, and professional - that's how he was with women.
But now. there was this mysterious woman beside him. And the office grapevine was in overdrive. Some whispered that Maya might be Abir's girlfriend. That would explain why he never looked at any other woman.
When they reached Arman's cabin, Abir knocked.
Arman, who'd already seen them approaching through the glass wall of his office, called out, "Come in."
From his desk, Arman had a full view of the floor. No one dared slack off - everyone knew he was always watching. Arman ran a tight ship. He was intimidating, strict, and constantly serious. Yet, ironically, half the female staff was secretly in love with him.
The moment they entered, Arman said in a flat tone, "You're ten minutes late."
Abir shrugged and answered nonchalantly, "We stopped by the hospital to see Maya's father. That's why."
He sank into the chair across from Arman without waiting for permission. Maya remained standing.
Arman gave her a side glance. Her eyes were still swollen from crying, red and tired. He wanted to ask about her condition but couldn't find the right words. Instead, he turned to Abir.
"How's Uncle doing?"
Abir let out a heavy sigh. "No improvement. It's only getting worse."
That explained Maya's pale, devastated look.
Turning to her, Arman said, "Hand me your documents."
Maya quietly pulled them out of her bag and handed them over. Arman examined everything - certificates, work reviews, sample designs. Her previous employers had left glowing feedback. She even brought her own design portfolio, which was strikingly professional.
You wouldn't guess she was that skilled just by looking at her.
Arman handed her a document and said, "Go through this and sign. Make sure to read all the rules."
Maya scanned the paperwork. One clause stood out - she couldn't leave the company before completing one full year. She looked toward Abir, unsure.
He immediately understood her concern.
"That's standard here. If you join, you commit for a year," he said. "You'll be starting at 60,000 a month. That could increase later. And since Mr. Daniel insisted on using only your designs for the new project, you'll be appointed as the head designer."
Maya froze. That was far more than she expected - for both the salary and the responsibility. Could she really handle such a big role?
Still holding the pen, she hesitated.
Arman raised an eyebrow. " "What's wrong, Miss Maya? Cold feet already? Or is this position too big for you? Too late now. Mr. Daniel made it clear - he wants only your designs."
Maya didn't reply. Instead, she bent down and signed the document, handing it back to Arman with quiet determination.
Abir smiled. "Welcome to the company, Miss Maya Talukder. From today, you're officially part of our team."
Just then, a knock on the door interrupted them.
Arman said, "Come in."
A neat-looking young man, about 24 or 25, stepped inside. Abir immediately stood up. "Ah, Miraz! Finally. We've been waiting."
Turning to Arman, he continued, "This is your new P.A., Miraz. I went through a lot of interviews, but he stood out. I've been juggling too much lately. Time for someone else to assist you."
Previously, Arman had a female assistant who became overly familiar. He fired her and, temporarily, Abir took over the role.
Miraz handed over his joining documents and completed the same formalities. Arman asked a few questions, and the boy answered confidently, impressing him.
"I'll walk him through everything today," Abir said.
By then, it was 11:00 a.m. A meeting had been scheduled to discuss the new project. A staff member arrived to inform them the design team was ready in the conference room.
The four of them headed out - Arman in the lead, followed by Abir, Miraz, and Maya.
As soon as Arman entered the room, everyone stood up. He motioned for them to sit, keeping his usual stern composure.
Abir, Maya, and Miraz stood beside him.
Around the room sat a mix of men and women - some young, some middle-aged. The female designers were dressed in trendy outfits with heavy makeup. In contrast, Maya wore a simple kurti and a matching scarf. No makeup, just a touch of kajal and a light lip gloss. Yet she somehow looked more beautiful than any of them.
Despite the attention, Maya didn't flinch. She was used to this environment. She'd been a head designer before, and it showed in her confidence.
But the rest of the room buzzed silently with curiosity. Everyone wanted to know who she was - but no one dared speak. Not with Arman present.
Among the designers sat Disha - the former head designer. She recognized Maya instantly, and jealousy simmered behind her calm face.
That's when Abir stepped forward and cleared his throat.
"Alright everyone, let's get started," Abir said - just as Maya's eyes met Disha's across the table. A silent war had just begun.
To Be Continued..