As soon as Meesha saw Xanqer, she quickly ran to his side, holding his arm and cowering in fear. He looked down at Meesha, his eyes scanning her face. "Are you okay?"

  Meesha nodded, still feeling shaken. "Y-yes," she stuttered.

  Xanqer's gaze snapped to Ryder, his expression dark with rage.

  Ryder backed away, his eyes wide with fear. "I'm sorry, I was just–"

  "Lock him up," Xanqer ordered his men, his voice cold and detached. "I'll take care of him later."

  The men dragged Ryder away, his cries of despair echoing through the hallway. Xanqer turned to Meesha, his eyes narrowing.

  "Why are you here?" he demanded, his voice scolding. "And why did you even follow him? Are you a fool?"

  Meesha pouted, feeling angry but also a little guilty. "You never listen to my side of the story," she said, her voice rising. "All you do is scold me."

  The men standing nearby, including Davis, were stunned that Meesha had raised her voice at Xanqer. They expected him to be angry, but instead, he spoke calmly.

  "Davis, tell the driver to send her back," Xanqer ordered.

  Meesha looked at him, her arms crossing over her chest. "Send me back?" she repeated, her voice defiant. "Why should I go back? I'm not going anywhere."

  The men were shocked once again that Meesha had refused Xanqer's command. Xanqer's eyes narrowed. "Do you want to cause more trouble for yourself?" he asked, his voice low and warning. "Don't you know what could have happened if I didn't come on time?"

  Meesha realized that Xanqer was right, but she still didn't want to go. She had come to the event because of him, and she wasn't ready to leave yet.

  "I didn't want to come to this gathering," she said, her voice low and sheepish. "But when I heard your company was hosting it, I decided to come so I could see you."

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Xanqer looked at her, his expression softening just a bit before it disappeared. He heaved a sigh, then spoke.

  "I'll come back home tomorrow, okay?"

  The men were stunned that Xanqer had referred to Meesha's place as "home". They exchanged surprised glances.

  Meesha's face brightened up. "Really?" she asked, her voice full of hope.

  Xanqer nodded. "Yes. Now go with Davis. He'll take you to the driver who will send you home."

  Meesha nodded, feeling a mix of emotions. She was happy that Xanqer was coming back tomorrow, but she was also a little annoyed that he was sending her away.

  Davis, still looking stunned, led Meesha out of the hallway and to the driver waiting outside. The driver drove her home, and as she went, she felt a sense of excitement and anticipation. Xanqer would be coming back tomorrow, and she couldn't wait to see him again.

  *********

  [THE NEXT EVENING]

  After a long day of waiting, Meesha was thrilled to finally have Xanqer home. They sat down to dinner together, the sound of clinking of utensils on plates filling the air.

  As they ate, Meesha chatted excitedly about her day, but Xanqer's responses were brief and distracted. Meesha didn't mind, though - she was just happy to have him home.

  After dinner, Xanqer pulled out his laptop and began to work. Meesha watched him for a while, fascinated by the way his eyes scanned the screen and his fingers flew across the keyboard.

  As the evening wore on, Meesha's eyelids began to droop. She folded her arms on the table and rested her head on them, watching Xanqer work through half-closed eyes.

  Xanqer looked up and caught her staring at him. For a moment, their eyes locked, and Meesha felt a flutter in her chest. But then Xanqer looked away, his expression unreadable.

  Meesha's gaze drifted back to Xanqer's face, taking in handsome face. She felt her eyelids growing heavier, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.

  Xanqer's fingers flew across the keyboard as he typed away on his business proposal. But as he worked, his eyes kept drifting away from the screen, drawn to Meesha, who was sitting across the dining table, fast asleep.

  He raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the sight of her peaceful face. Her long eyelashes cast a shadow on her cheeks, and her small pink lips were slightly parted. Her slender nose and delicate features made her look like a porcelain doll.

  As he tried to focus on his proposal, Xanqer found himself glancing at Meesha's face again and again. He couldn't concentrate on his work, and eventually, he gave up. He closed his laptop and leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on Meesha's sleeping face.

  As she slept, she shook slightly, and her hair fell, covering her face completely. Xanqer's gaze lingered on her, and he found himself reaching out to stroke her hair behind her ear.

  As soon as his hand touched her hair, Meesha woke up, startled. She looked around, disoriented, and her eyes met Xanqer's gaze. She looked at him again, her expression perplexed but with a hint of joy.

  "What were you doing?" she asked, her voice low and unsure, but with a hint of excitement.

  Xanqer cleared his throat, trying to sound nonchalant. "There was something on your hair."

  Meesha blinked, checking her front hair. "My hair?" she asked, confusion etched on her face.

  Xanqer shrugged. "It's gone now."

  Meesha looked at him, her eyed searching for answers. But Xanqer's expression was neutral, giving away nothing.

  She pouted, feeling a bit sad. Her eyes darted to Xanqer as he typed on his laptop. "Goodnight," Meesha said, walking away.

  Meesha walked into the bedroom, her mind replaying the embarrassing moment. Why did she even fall asleep at the dining table? She imagined herself sleeping, mouth agape, drool dripping down her chin. The thought made her cheeks flush with embarrassment. Xanqer must have felt awkward seeing her sleep.

  She covered her face with her palms, burying her face in them. "I'm not even cute," she whispered, her voice muffled.