The days following their evening dance at the Amarasinghe Estate were filled with an unusual tension. Siri and Pavitra found themselves gravitating toward Arjun, each wrestling with emotions they had never confronted before.
Siri had always been the quieter of the two, content to let Pavitra shine. But as she worked alongside Arjun, she began to feel a stirring she couldn't ignore. He had a way of making her feel seen—truly seen—for the first time in her life.
One afternoon, as they were reviewing designs for their next project, Siri hesitated before speaking. "Arjun," she began softly, "do you ever think about… what all this means? The work, the connections we're building?"
Arjun looked up, his sharp features softening. "Of course. Every choice we make today shapes the future. Why do you ask?"
Siri hesitated, fiddling with the edge of her notebook. "Sometimes I wonder if I've been too focused on work, too scared to think about what I really want."
Arjun's gaze lingered on her. "What do you want, Siri?"
The weight of his question made her heart race. "I… I don't know yet," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. But her eyes told a different story, one Arjun couldn't ignore.
Unlike her sister, Pavitra was unafraid to voice her thoughts—most of the time. But when it came to Arjun, she found herself second-guessing every word.
Late one evening, she found him sitting in the estate's library, poring over financial reports. "You're always working," she teased, settling into the armchair across from him.
"And you're always finding ways to distract me," Arjun countered with a smirk.
Pavitra leaned forward, her tone suddenly serious. "Maybe I just like spending time with you. Is that so bad?"
Arjun raised an eyebrow. "Not bad at all. But you're usually so focused on outsmarting me in meetings. What's changed?"
She hesitated, then smiled mischievously. "Maybe I'm just tired of pretending I don't care."
Arjun's eyes narrowed slightly, as if trying to read her thoughts. "Pretending?"
Pavitra's confidence faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "Forget it. I'll leave the deep conversations to Siri." She stood, but as she turned to leave, Arjun called after her.
"Pavitra."
She paused, her hand on the doorframe.
"You don't have to pretend with me."
Her heart skipped a beat, but she only nodded before walking away, her mind a storm of conflicting emotions.
That night, Siri and Pavitra found themselves in their shared room, each lost in thought. Finally, Pavitra broke the silence.
"Do you think he knows?" she asked, staring at the ceiling.
Siri glanced at her, puzzled. "Knows what?"
"How we feel about him."
Siri's cheeks flushed, and she looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Pavitra laughed softly. "You're a terrible liar, Siri. I've seen the way you look at him."
"And you're any different?" Siri shot back, surprising herself with her boldness.
Pavitra sighed, her expression softening. "Maybe we're both hopeless."
Siri bit her lip, unsure of how to respond. After a long pause, she whispered, "What if he doesn't feel the same?"
Pavitra turned to face her sister. "Then we keep doing what we're doing—standing by his side, helping him build something incredible. But… what if he does?"
The question hung in the air between them, unanswered.
Meanwhile, Arjun sat on the estate's balcony, his thoughts consumed by the two sisters. Siri's quiet strength and Pavitra's fiery determination had both left a mark on him, and he couldn't deny the growing connection he felt with each of them.
But he also knew the path he was walking—a path of ambition and power—left little room for complications. He resolved to focus on the future, even as his heart pulled him in unexpected directions.