Chapter 4 – The Unwanted Partner

Back at the Shah apartment, chaos was unfolding in full color.

Jen dropped her bag on the floor and sighed heavily. She didn’t even get a chance to kick off her shoes before Shin skated past on socks, nearly crashing into a wall.

“Guess what, guess what!” Shin squealed, spinning. “I got asked to help choreograph the school play!”

“That’s great,” Jen muttered, walking toward the kitchen. “Meanwhile, I accidentally signed a deal with a corporate iceberg.”

Jisha, who had been reading on the couch, glanced up. “Wait—Rehan Sehgal?”

Jen groaned. “Yes. The Rehan Sehgal. The man probably flosses with a spreadsheet.”

Shin poked her head around the fridge door. “Is he hot though?”

“Shin!”

“What? If he’s gonna ruin your life, he might as well look good doing it.”

Jen grabbed a water bottle and flopped down beside Jisha. “They want the studio to be part of the Westview cultural block. Our proposal is good, but… now it’s tied to Sehgal Corp.”

Jisha narrowed her eyes. “He won’t care about the community side.”

“No,” Jen said softly. “But he looked at our work today. Didn’t mock it. Just… studied it.”

“That’s something,” Jisha said.

“It’s unsettling,” Jen replied. “Like someone who’s never had color in their life seeing it for the first time—and not knowing if it’s safe.”

---

Meanwhile, Across the City…

Zayn stared at Rehan from across the leather-seated interior of their car.

“So… you’re going to be around her more.”

Rehan didn’t look up from his tablet. “It’s a temporary project.”

Zayn leaned back. “You ever notice how you say the word temporary like you’re daring the universe to make it permanent?”

Rehan didn’t answer.

He was thinking—unintentionally—about the way Jen had walked into that boardroom with paint still under her nails. Like she belonged to another world. A warmer one.

He didn’t belong there.

But part of him was already stepping in anyway.

---

Back at the Shah Apartment – That Night

The girls were finally winding down. Lyra was sketching quietly by the balcony, Shin was watching a movie half-asleep, and Jisha had retreated to her room.

Jen stood at the sink washing paint-streaked mugs, lost in thought.

Her phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

Text:

> You’ll get my team's review notes by Friday. Expect direct feedback. – R.S.

She stared at the message.

Cold. Precise. No “hi,” no “thanks.”

She typed.

Reply:

> Thanks. I’ll be ready. And don’t worry—your emotional comfort zone will remain undisturbed.

No reply.

She smirked, tossing her phone aside.