After I went to the party, she looked directly into my eyes and said, "I love you."

But I couldn't accept her.

 Maybe it was because all this time, I saw her do so many greedy things. 

It just wasn't right. I knew what kind of person she was beneath that perfect mask.

So, I decided to say no to her.

 "Clara, I am very sorry for saying this, but I can't like you. I can't tell you why, but..." I trailed off.

My mind was a chaotic mess of questions. 

Why don't I like her? Even though she is exceptionally beautiful and nice, my gut was screaming at me to walk away.

After this intense rejection, I decided to focus entirely on learning the business. 

Months went by in a blur, and I deliberately made myself look unapproachable.

 I was always rude to everyone, never speaking to anyone, and offering nothing more than a cold, simple smile. 

I didn't know Clara’s next move, so I focused purely on my laptop and my desk, trying to avoid her completely.

One day, Clara tried to touch my things while I was working on my laptop. It had an old photo of my dad as my wallpaper.

 The second she reached out, a jolt of panic hit me.

I rushed over and shut the screen before she could open it. 

"Hey," I scolded her sharply, my voice dripping with cold fury.

After that confrontation, Clara went crazy. 

She completely changed her strategy, and she started behaving in front of everyone like I already belonged to her.

Later that afternoon, my coworker Nila came to my desk.

 "Sanjay, why are you behaving like this? You are so cold, and you aren't interacting with anyone. All the employees are literally afraid to come near you or talk to you."

"Sorry, Nila. I am new to this job," I muttered, looking down at my paperwork.

"Nila?" she scoffed, crossing her arms. 

"All most year since you join? It has been almost eleven months, Sanjay! Till now, you behave like you are the actual CEO of this company."

I started to panic internally, my chest tightening. Did Nila find out?

 Did someone tell her my real identity?

"No one told her," I whispered fiercely to myself. 

"Though someone might have..."

I looked up at Nila, forcing a neutral expression.

 "Nila..."

"No, Sanjay, listen to me," Nila interrupted, leaning closer. 

"Just look at how you behave. And one more thing: why did you scold Clara today? You were very rude to her. I actually thought you two were close. And whenever she sits at your chair or try to talk to you always scold her and avoid her."

"From childhood, if anyone touches my things, I get angry easily," I shot back, my jaw locking tight. 

"Even if it’s a small thing, I can't control it."

"Nila?" I tried to stop her, but she kept going.

"At least try to be normal with others, Sanjay," Nila pleaded, her voice full of genuine concern. 

"Sometimes, I don't know... even your regular voice and your behavior—and also the way you walk—doesn't match this desk. You carry yourself like an aristocrat."

I swallowed hard, my throat completely dry.

 "Nila, I am a , normal person very silent person."

"Okay, bye," Nila said with a heavy sigh.

 "Just try to be friendly with others."

As she walked away, a terrifying realization washed over me.

 I had been trapped in this corporate building for eleven months.

 Eleven months were already gone. 

That means I have only thirteen months left to win this bet.

At first, I thought this challenge would be incredibly easy.

 But as I thought deeply about it, the genius of my father’s trap hit me. 

So my dad knows me so well. 

That is why he gave me a two-year deadline. 

What if it is just one year left? I thought in pure panic. I have to do something right now.

I have to think about Clara now. 

Why am I completely unable to accept her? If I can't find another girl, my time will run out. Suddenly, an idea flashed into my mind.

My dear friend Kalix.

 I have to call him. He is a psychology doctor; he will understand what is happening to my mind.

I grabbed my phone and called him immediately. 

It rang for a long time, but it was no use. 

He didn't answer. I called again and again, desperation clawing at my chest, until finally, he answered the call.

"Hello, who is this?" Kalix’s voice echoed through the speaker.

"I am Sanjay! Kalix!" I shouted into the phone.

"Kalix? I don't know any Sanjay," Kalix replied, his tone flat and unfamiliar.

 "I have never heard that name before."

"Stop kidding!" I snapped, my heart hammering.

 "I said it's me!"

"Friend," Kalix’s voice suddenly shifted, breaking his serious joke with a sharp laugh. 

"Where are you? You quit your job at the hospital and went missing for almost one year now! And now you're calling me? What should I do with you, man?"

"Sorry, Kalix," I whispered, stepping into a private corner of the office hallway. 

"I have a strange bet with my dad. I had to leave."

"Your dad?" Kalix asked, his clinical instincts instantly tuning into my stressed tone. 

" I have to tell about all the things?"

"Yes, i explained all about my challenge" I breathed out, the weight of the past eleven months crashing down on my shoulders.

 "And right now, I need your help..."

 I don't let my dad win his game