The mission
Camila’s POV
I stormed out of his office, “You’re going undercover” still echoing loudly in my skull that I could barely hear any other sound from the background.
I was given a despicable assignment: To have dinner with an Indian investor… not just dinner but to seduce him? An old geezer at that.
Good grief! He didn't even bother to sugarcoat it.
“It’s just dinner,” Asher had said.
“Use what you’ve got to charm him. We need that signature.”
God, my heart twisted tight–so tight it almost got fractured.
But come to think of it, what if it’s just my nerves acting up?
What if it's just dinner like he said and I was just the one overthinking it?
‘Oh, sweet Mother Theresa, save me tonight!’
------
The car dropped me off at Vanta Tower. The red dress hugged my skin perfectly, the slit high enough to scream 'Cutie Ass!' I was looking so adorable, like some fairytale goddess who'd lost her way.
But deep inside my bones, I felt like a stranger in my own skin, like what the heck was I doing in this getup?
Right there at the entrance was Asher,he didn’t say a word to me. Just let his eyes sweep over me once, like he was admiring his own weapon.
Elias met me as I stepped in.
“He’s upstairs. Room 242.”
My stomach dipped. “The dinner's in his hotel room?”
“He needed some privacy, so don’t lose your nerve now.”
My hands were already shaking, my stomach clenched and every instinct I had screamed to run.
But I couldn’t because I needed this job, needed the paycheck, so I nodded and walked straight into hell.
I knocked once, then a voice called out from inside.
“Come in.”
Inside there was a man sprawled on the couch in a silk robe, legs widely spread and a glass of amber liquor balanced in one hand.
Rajveer Malhotra.
My breath caught.
This was dinner?
There was no trace of business, just silk, smoke, and the kind of quiet that made your skin crawl.
He looked up and his gaze met mine, but the way his eyes moved, made my blood run cold.
“Ah,” he said, his mouth curling like something spoiled. “The call girl’s finally here.”
My heart lurched frantically. “What?”
I couldn't believe my ears.
“I… I think there’s been a misunderstanding,” I stammered.
He smiled—slowly, sure, predatory—as if he already knew the ending.
“There’s no mistake,” he said, sipping his drink. “Mr. Reyes said he’d send a gorgeous, sexy lady to keep my bed warm tonight.”
I stood there frozen, realising this has nothing to do with dinner, instead It was a transaction and I was the one being handed over.
His gaze swept over me again.
“You look so perfect, my sweetie,” he said, while pulling the belt of his robe, leaving his silk to slide open.
I turned away quickly, bile rising sharp in my throat. My hands curled into fists, I couldn’t breathe. I wished the walls could open at this point so I could just hide.
But it was too late to act, he stepped forward. I stepped back.
“Don't be shy,” he murmured. “You're here for me, yes? So come.”
“No, let me go, please. This is a mistake.”
All my pleas fell on deaf ears as he continued to approach me, closing the distance.
His hand shot out, grabbing my wrist. His grip was firm—sweaty, greedy. He pulled me toward him like I weighed nothing.
I stumbled. “Let go of me!”
He only smiled, dark eyes glinting with something animalistic.
“They always act scared at first… But don't worry, I will make you moan my name tonight”
Then, with one sudden motion, he shrugged off his robe.
Naked arrogance.
My breath hitched. I turned to bolt…
But before I could take a step further, he caught me around the waist and yanked me back. I kicked, scratched, anything to free myself.
But he was determined and desperate. His fingers clawed at the upper front of my dress.
Rip.
The dress tore– loud, brutal.
Cool air rushed across my exposed skin. I gasped, trying to cover myself, but his hands were already on me, groping, grabbing and pulling me towards him like prey.
“You’re even better up close,” he growled, eyes devouring every inch and falling on my exposed tits. “So soft... I could eat you alive.”
I cried out, struggling to free myself from his grip, but he pinned me against the wall, his breath hot, disgusting and horrible against my cheek.
“I’ll scream,” I warned, but my voice was shaking. “I swear to God”.
“Who’s going to hear you?” he laughed. “It’s a private floor.”
“I like when they fight,” he whispered in my ear, “makes the win sweeter …”
SLAM!
The door cracked open.
“Mr. Rajveer,” Elias said as he stepped inside.
He froze.
Flash.
Another flash.
Elias didn’t wait. He held the phone up, took one more picture.
“I’d suggest you put on your robe, before this ends up in every corner between here and Mumbai.”
Rajveer stumbled back, scrambling for his robe.
I stood there frozen, one more minute in that room and I wasn't sure what would’ve been left of me.
Then came footsteps—Asher.
He didn’t say a word, just stepped forward and draped his jacket over my shoulders. My fingers clenched the lapels like shields. But nothing protected me from the shame and fury that I was feeling.
Rajveer’s eyes narrowed as realization dawned on him.”You've got the nerves. Huh?"
Asher didn’t blink.
Elias dropped the contract form across the table. “Sign it or we make you famous, you know what that means….”
Rajveer’s gaze flicked from the papers to the photos, then to our faces. His smirk dissolved, rage rippled beneath his skin… but fear dragged his hand to the page.
He signed.
And just like that, it was over.
----
I got to my apartment later that night, the city's silence a stark contrast to the turmoil I felt within. Asher's jacket was still clinging to me like a stubborn reminder of my encounter.
“Camila?” Samantha's voice drifted from the kitchen.“I’ve been waiting! I thought we could still catch that movie if we—”
She turned the corner, but her footsteps halted abruptly as her eyes locked onto me with that ‘you look terrible!’ kind of gaze.
“What... what happened to you?”
“I … I—,” I gasped. My legs buckled and I crashed to the floor, hot tears streaming down my cheeks.
“I’m just trying to survive, Sam. Trying to make something of this life. Why—”. My breath hitched, the words strangled between my ribs and throat.
Samantha held me tightly, rocking me gently like I was something fragile she had to protect so badly.
“You’re safe now,” she whispered, her voice breaking under the weight of everything she didn’t know yet. “I’m here, Camila.”
The storm inside me slowly quieted and I managed to tell her everything that happened.
“I should’ve been there,” she said slowly. “I would’ve given that old fool the beating of his miserable life.”
Now, that was supposed to crack me up a bit—but my goodness! It didn't, I was too numb to say anything more.
As I lay quietly on my cozy bed, the night replayed in flashes: the way his robe dropped, and I stood there frozen like an idiot. I used to be very feisty but what happened tonight took me off balance.
And the Asher—freaking—Reyes?
That demonic spirit sent from the deepest pit of hell to shatter my entire existence. He just stormed in like some lord Krishna to save who again?
Me? Same person he used to lure that ugly smelly fool.
“Oh fuck you, Asher!” I groaned.
My chest ached so badly that I didn’t sleep, or rather I couldn't. I just lay there, staring at nothing in particular.
---
By morning, I went straight to his office and looked him dead in the eye without softening my voice or sparing his pride and asked, “Why me, Mr. Reyes?”