Emma stepped into the room, her presence exuding confidence and energy. Josh and Ashish were deep in conversation, discussing the upcoming mission, but her arrival added a spark to the air.

With a bright smile, she greeted them. "Good morning."

Ashish, her senior in the agency and a man with an impressive 97.44% mission success rate, wasted no time. "Ready for the next mission?"

There had been a time when their relationship had blurred the lines between professional and personal, but they had pulled themselves out of it. Yet, on rare occasions, fragments of the past resurfaced.

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Next mission?"

Josh nodded. "Yes. Your next target is Imran Roy."

Ashish leaned forward, his expression serious. "He's a businessman, thirty-seven years old. His rapid success is questionable, and the agency wants him under surveillance. His name is on the front pages of every magazine these days."

Josh added, "I checked his bank accounts. Everything appears normal, but his company's database has intense security. The kind of protection I saw—it practically screams that something is off."

Emma crossed her arms. "I don’t mind a challenge, but out of all the agents, why me?"

Josh smirked. "Because you match the profile of every woman Imran Roy has ever dated. And, let’s be honest, you’re an expert at using your charms. Or do you need a reminder of how flawlessly you can do it?" He shot her a teasing grin.

Emma laughed at Josh’s remark. Their friendship allowed for such playful jabs, but Ashish—who had been entrusted with overseeing this mission—wasn’t amused. He remained tense, fully aware of the gravity of the situation. Seeing their lighthearted exchange, he finally interjected.

"Guys, this is serious. Imran Roy isn’t just some random businessman. He’s cunning, and we need to be extremely careful."

Josh and Emma immediately sobered up, sensing the weight of Ashish’s words. Emma, shifting into work mode, asked, "What about his security?"

"All ex-military," Ashish replied. "But don’t worry too much about that."

Emma frowned. "Not worry? If his security is that tight, how am I supposed to get close to him?"

Ashish leaned back. "You’ll be infiltrating as a housemaid. A 22-year-old college girl working to support herself—simple, believable. This will give you unrestricted access to observe him up close."

Emma blinked. "A housemaid? And how long am I supposed to stay there?"

Ashish’s voice was firm. "That depends entirely on you. The faster you gather intel, the sooner you’re out."

Josh interjected, "But don’t underestimate this mission. Imran Roy isn’t your typical rich playboy who falls for women at first sight. If you think you can wrap him around your finger immediately, you’re mistaken."

Ashish nodded. "Plus, his fiancée lives in the mansion. Getting close to him won’t be easy."

Emma paused, deep in thought. Then, her lips curved into a smirk. "So... not all women can win his attention? He must have a type. If he ever had a dream princess, I’ll be that princess. No one else."

Ashish narrowed his eyes. "And how exactly do you plan on doing that?"

Emma chuckled, her confidence unwavering. "By being perfect in his eyes. I’ll subtly expose all the flaws in his fiancée, prove that she’s not the right one for him. Bit by bit, I’ll shift all his attention toward me. And once he gets even the slightest taste of my presence, he’ll start behaving exactly how I want."

Josh whistled. "Not bad. I’ve handed over all the details of your fake identity to Ashish. You’ll find everything you need in his office."

Emma walked toward Ashish’s office, him trailing behind. Once inside, she picked up the documents detailing her new identity. As she skimmed through them, Ashish observed her closely.

After a moment, he said, "You know, I’ve noticed something. Your confidence skyrockets whenever your target happens to be handsome."

Emma shot him a look. "That’s completely your misconception. I’m always confident—because I trust my skills, not my targets."

Ashish held her gaze for a beat longer before nodding. "You’re right. Who am I to question you? But… Imran Roy isn’t just another assignment. He’s dangerous. Just one piece of advice—be careful. And if anything seems off, call the agency immediately."

Emma caught something different in his tone. A softness, a flicker of concern. It wasn’t often that Ashish let emotions slip through his hardened exterior.

A small smile played on her lips.

Ashish frowned slightly. "Why are you smiling at me?"

Emma shook her head. "Nothing. It’s just… you haven’t changed. Not one bit. Do you remember? You used to say the same thing every time I left for a mission."

Ashish’s eyes darkened. "So you still remember my words? Is that all you remember? Or is there more?"

Neither of them realized how close they had gotten. Inches apart, their eyes locked. The weight of unspoken memories hung in the air. Neither stepped back, neither broke the tension.

Then, Ashish’s phone rang, shattering the moment. He stepped back, glancing at the screen.

"Boss is calling. I need to take this." He hesitated for a second before adding, "If you have any concerns, reach out to me. And be careful."

With that, he turned and left the office. Emma exhaled, brushing off the moment as she headed home.

Once home, she wasted no time. Pulling up every piece of information on Imran Roy, she dived into his interviews, read every article, and began strategizing.

The mission had officially begun.