Like seriously, guys, you didnât even complete any target, yet Iâm still giving you an updateâ6.3k words.
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A A R A V I
I turned away from him, unable to bear the sight of him standing there, his unshed tears glistening in his eyes. If I looked at him any longer, I knew I would break. I didnât want him to see me like thisâcrying, breaking, shattering because of him.
I needed to leave this place. This hospital room was suffocating me, pressing against my chest like an unbearable weight. I had just gained consciousness, but the reality around me felt heavier than the weakness in my body.
I turned to Veer bhai, my voice barely above a whisper. "I donât want to stay here."
His eyes softened, concern flickering in them as he reached for my hand. I knew what he would sayâthat I needed rest, that I wasnât well enough to leave yet. But rest was the last thing I needed when the person standing across from me was the reason for my pain.
"Aaravi, you just woke up," Veer bhai began, but before he could finish, Nikshant ji interrupted.
"No," his voice was firm, almost commanding. "You have to stay here. You just regained consciousness; youâre not in a condition to leave."
I clenched my jaw, the sound of his voice scraping against my already wounded heart. How dare he act like he cared? How dare he pretend like my well-being mattered to him now?
"I donât want to stay with someone who doesnât know how to treat a woman," I said, looking directly at him.
The moment the words left my lips, I felt my heart clench painfully. It hurtâsaying those words, admitting the truth. But what hurt more was the look in his eyes.
He let out a dry, bitter chuckle, but it was filled with nothing but pain. "Itni nafrat karti ho kya mujhse?"
(Do you really hate me that much?)
I sucked in a sharp breath, forcing my emotions back inside. If only he knewâif only he could see what was inside my heart. If only he could understand that the only reason I was hurting so much was because I loved him beyond reason.
"Nafrat hi toh nahi kar paa rahi hoon aapse, Nikshant ji," I thought bitterly. "Pyaar jo karti hoon aapse, beheintaha."
(I canât even bring myself to hate you, Nikshant ji⦠because I love you endlessly.)
But I didnât say those words out loud. Instead, I forced myself to look into his eyes, willing my pain to be hidden behind the anger I forced onto my face.
"Areh, nafrat bhi toh apno se ki jaati hai," I said, my voice trembling. "Par aap toh humare apne nahi hai."
(Hate is reserved for the people we consider our own. But you⦠youâre not mine.)
The moment the words escaped, a single tear slipped from my eyes, mirroring the one that escaped from his.
For a brief second, our pain was reflected in each other.
His lips parted as if he wanted to say something, as if he wanted to deny my words. But he didnât. He just stood there, frozen, watching me like I was slipping through his fingers.
I wanted to leave. I wanted to run. But my body was weak, and my heart even weaker.
So, I did the only thing I couldâI closed my eyes and let the pain consume me.
I opened my eyes, and look at him. Nikshant ji.
His face was filled with emotions I couldnât decipher, but his eyes⦠they held so much pain, so much guilt, so much regret. It was suffocating, looking at him, knowing how deeply I had loved himâhow deeply I still did.
I let out a deep sigh, trying to steady the storm within me. But it was useless. The pain was unbearable, clawing at my chest, making it hard to breathe.
I looked straight into his eyes and said, "Can you please leave this room? I am feeling suffocated with your presence."
The moment those words left my mouth, I felt like I had been stabbed in the heart. My own words were killing me, slicing through me like a thousand blades. Tears welled up in my eyes, spilling over before I could stop them.
But I had to say it. I had to make him leave.
Nikshantâs face froze, his lips parting slightly as if he hadnât heard me right. And then, his eyes filled with unshed tears, his face twisting in pain.
"You⦠you are feeling suffocated⦠with⦠my presence?" he choked out, his voice breaking, the raw agony in his tone making my heart shatter into pieces. A single tear slid down his cheek, followed by another, and another.
I couldnât bear to see him like this.
I couldnât bear to see the man I loved, the man who had destroyed me, standing in front of me with tears in his eyes.
I wanted to take my words back. I wanted to erase the pain I had just inflicted on him.
I wanted to hug him.
I wanted to wrap my arms around him and cry against his chest, just like he did whenever I had a nightmare or a panic attack.I wanted to bury myself in his warmth, to feel his arms around me, holding me like he would never let go.
I wanted to ask him.
I wanted to demand answers, to scream, to cry, to break in front of him.
Why did you do this, Nikshant ji?
Why did you hurt me?
Why did you hurt us?
Why?
But I couldnât.
Because no matter how much I wanted him to hold me, I knew he was the very reason I was in this hospital bed. He was the reason I had broken into a million pieces.
And even though I loved him⦠I couldnât let myself forget that.
I turned my head away, letting the silence stretch between us. Letting my words settle into his heart the way his actions had settled into mine.
"LEAVE," I said loudly, my voice echoing off the hospital walls.
It took everything in me to say that word. To push him away. To shut the doors on something that never truly belonged to me.
I took a deep breath, my chest rising and falling heavily, and grabbed the divorce papers, holding them out to him with a shaking hand.
"Take these with you," I added, my voice quieter but just as firm.
Nikshant didn't move. He stood there, his dark eyes boring into mine, unreadable, unshaken. For a moment, I thought he might say nothing and simply walk away. That, for once, he would give me the peace I was begging for.
But no.
This was Nikshant Roy Kapoor.
The man who had only ever brought me pain.
The man I had foolishly loved.
He let out a humorless chuckle, shaking his head, a smirk playing at his lips. But his eyesâhis eyes held something else entirely. Something that made my stomach tighten in fear.
"I will leave," he said slowly, stepping closer, his gaze never leaving mine. "But remember one thing, wifeyâ¦"
Wifey.
That word again. That cursed word.
My fingers curled into fists, my nails digging into my palm. I wanted to scream at him, to wipe that smirk off his face, to make him feel even an ounce of the pain I had endured.
"Divorce is the last thing I will ever give you," he continued, his voice dripping with determination. "If you hate me, I have no problem with it. I deserve your hate."
I hated that he admitted it. That he knew exactly how much he had hurt me and still stood there with the audacity to act like he had control over this. Over me.
"But you," he whispered, his voice dropping dangerously low, "have no right to give me these divorce papers, wifey."
My breath caught in my throat.
"You have only seen my hate for you, wifey," he said, his smirk fading. His eyes darkened, something fierce burning in them. "Now, you will see my love for you."
And just like that, he turned on his heels and walked out, the door clicking shut behind him.
Leaving me standing there, shaking.
Love.
His love for me.
He must be kidding.
This was a game. Another cruel game of his.
Nikshant Roy Kapoor does not love me.
He never has.
And he never will.
A U T H O R
As soon as Nikshant left, the room felt lighter, but the weight inside Aaraviâs heart remained the sameâheavy, suffocating, unbearable.
She turned toward Karanveer, her voice barely above a whisper yet filled with unwavering determination.
"Send these divorce papers to his house," she said, placing them on the bedside table as if they disgusted her. "And I want to leave this hospital room. I donât know how youâll get me discharged, but I want out."
Karanveer frowned, concern evident in his eyes. "Aaravi, you just regained consciousness. You need restâ"
"I don't care!" she cut him off, her voice trembling with desperation. "I justâjust donât want to be here anymore."
Her eyes pleaded with him, and despite his reluctance, Karanveer knew he couldn't deny her. Aaravi had been through too much, and if leaving this place would bring her peace, he would make it happen.
After a long pause, he sighed. "Fine. But only if you promise to rest once weâre out of here."
Aaravi nodded, relief washing over her.
Karanveer left to complete the discharge process while Aaravi laid back, closing her eyes. The walls of the hospital room seemed to close in on her, suffocating her. She needed to get awayâfrom this place, from him, from everything that reminded her of Nikshant.
Minutes later, Karanveer returned, holding the discharge papers. "Letâs go."
With his support, Aaravi slowly stood up. Every step she took felt heavy, as if the burden of her past was still dragging behind her. But she forced herself forward, one step at a time.
As they drove away from the hospital, Aaravi leaned against the car window, watching the city lights blur past her. The roads, the buildings, everything felt foreignâlike she no longer belonged here.
"I donât want to stay in this city," she said suddenly, her voice almost lost in the hum of the car engine.
Karanveer glanced at her. "Why?"
Aaravi didnât have a concrete answer. She just knew she couldnât stay. Not when every corner of this city held memories of himâof their love, of her heartbreak.
"I donât know," she admitted, her fingers gripping the fabric of her dress. "But I donât want to stay."
Karanveer sighed, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "Then where do you want to go?"
"Somewhere away from this city," she whispered, staring out at the horizon.
"Somewhere far from Nikshant Roy Kapoor," she thought.
Karanveer tightened his grip on the steering wheel, stealing a glance at Aaravi, whose gaze remained fixed outside the window. The passing city lights reflected in her tired eyes, the same eyes that once held love and warmth but now carried only pain and emptiness.
"How about we leave this country?" Karanveer suggested suddenly, his voice breaking the silence.
Aaraviâs head snapped toward him, confusion flickering across her face. "Country?" she asked, her voice laced with uncertainty.
"Yes, country," Karanveer reaffirmed, nodding as if trying to convince both himself and her.
Aaravi didnât respond immediately. Instead, she let his words sink in. Leaving the city was one thing, but the country? It felt like an escapeâa drastic, impulsive decision. Yet, wasnât that what she wanted? To run away from everything that reminded her of him?
"Where would we go?" she finally asked, her voice quieter this time.
"Anywhere," Karanveer replied. "Somewhere far from all of this, where no one knows us, where you can start fresh. A new place, a new life."
Aaravi let out a shaky breath, her fingers gripping the edge of her dress. A new life. That sounded like a dream.
"I donât know," she admitted. "I donât know if running away is the right choice."
Karanveer sighed. "Itâs not running away, Aaravi. Itâs giving yourself a chance. You deserve that much."
She looked at him, studying his face. Karanveer had always been her safe place, her protector. If he thought this was the right decision.
"Okay," she finally whispered. "Letâs leave."
Karanveer gave her a reassuring smile before turning his focus back on the road.
"All my stuff is in his penthouse," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
Karanveer, who was focused on the road, stole a glance at her. His grip on the steering wheel tightened as he heard the mention of Nikshant's place. Even though Aaravi was determined to cut all ties, her belongings were still thereâa silent reminder of the life she was leaving behind.
"Main leke aa jaunga uske ghar," Karanveer assured her.
(I will bring them from his house.)
Aaravi nodded, wrapping her arms around herself as if shielding herself from an invisible storm.
"We should leave today," she said after a long pause.
Karanveerâs eyebrows furrowed as he turned his attention toward her. "Today? But you just regained consciousness," he said, concern evident in his tone.
"I am fine," Aaravi replied, her voice firmer this time. "And I will be even better once I leave this country." Her gaze remained outside the window, her fingers gripping the edge of her dress as if grounding herself.
Karanveer sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Aaravi, I know youâre hurting, but making such a big decision in hasteâ"
"I have thought it through," she cut him off, her eyes meeting his. "Staying here will only remind me of him. Every corner of this city holds memories, and I canât breathe here anymore. I need to go, Veer Bhaiya. Please."
Karanveer stared at her, searching for any hesitation in her gaze, but all he saw was pain. Pain and determination.
"Fine," he relented. "Weâll leave today."
ðï¸ðï¸
K
aranveerâs car came to a slow stop in front of Nikshantâs penthouse, its sleek exterior reflecting the city lights. As the car idled, Aaravi felt her heartbeat race, thudding loudly in her chest. The familiar sight of the towering buildingâthe one that had once felt like homeânow loomed like a prison. It felt like she was returning to a place she had already left in her mind, but her body still had ties to.
"You wait here," Karanveer said, his voice steady, though there was a hint of concern in his eyes. "I will give him the papers and will return with your stuff." He opened the car door and stepped out, he walked toward the penthouse.
Aaravi sat there, her eyes staring ahead, her mind swirling. She was supposed to feel relievedâfree, even. But instead, a cold sense of unease washed over her. She wanted to scream, to let the emotions spill out, but she was still trapped in the numbness that had been slowly eating away at her.
She closed her eyes, leaning back against the seat, trying to block out the thoughts that kept invading her mind. The memories of Nikshant, of their life together, of everything they had shared. Her heart clenched at the thought of him, and the anger she had tried to suppress bubbled up once again.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft whisper that slipped from her lips. "Bangles and anklets," she mumbled, a sudden clarity washing over her. The memories of those delicate pieces of jewelry, gifts from Nikshant, came flooding back. They held too much meaning, too much of their past. She couldnât leave them behindâthose small things that carried their history.
She couldnât explain it, but it felt like she needed them.
Without giving it another thought, Aaravi opened the car door, her body aching from the weight of the decision she had already made. With slow, deliberate steps, she walked towards the entrance of the penthouse. Each step felt like a battleâher legs heavy with the weight of the past, but she knew she had to face it.
As she approached the entrance, the muffled voices of Nikshant and Karanveer filtered through the door. Her pace slowed, curiosity tugging at her. She pressed her ear against the door, straining to hear.
"You can't just leave like this, Aaravi," Nikshant's voice was sharp, raw with frustration. "You owe me more than this!"
Aaravi's heart skipped a beat at his words. She knew he was stubborn, but hearing him fight for her like this, it stirred something deep inside.
"Iâm doing this for her. This is what she wants, Nikshant. Let it go," Karanveer replied, his voice calm, but there was a certain finality in it.
Aaraviâs hands trembled as she reached for the door, ready to walk in. She had no idea what would happen when she stepped into that roomâwhether she would find anger, reconciliation, or something else entirelyâbut she knew she had to face him.
The door swung open quietly, and there they wereâNikshant and Karanveer, standing a few feet apart, both looking at her with different emotions flickering in their eyes.
Nikshantâs expression hardened as he saw her. "Aaravi..." he began, his voice hoarse, almost pleading.
Aaravi stood still, feeling the weight of the moment crush her. Her chest tightened with a mixture of guilt, pain, and anger. She wasnât sure whether to run or stand her ground, but she knew she couldnât back out now.
She slowly walked in, her eyes locked with his, and without saying a word, she went straight for the shelf where she had left her bangles and anklets. As her fingers brushed against the familiar ornaments, she felt a sharp pang of sadness, but also a strange sense of closure.
"I came for these," she finally spoke, her voice quieter than she intended. "I need to leave, Nikshant. I canât stay here. Not in this city, not with you."
Nikshantâs face softened, and for a brief moment, it was as if he saw her for the first timeâvulnerable, broken, but still standing. He stepped closer, his hand reaching out for her, but Aaravi took a step back.
"Iâve already signed the papers," she said, her voice trembling. "You wanted me to leave... well, Iâm doing it."
A tear slid down her cheek as she glanced at Karanveer, who was silently watching the exchange.
Nikshant didnât move. He was frozen in place, his emotions a mixture of frustration and heartbreak. His voice cracked as he spoke, barely above a whisper. "I never wanted this... I never wanted you to leave."
But Aaravi couldnât look back. She had made her decision, and this was the moment she had to leave behind the memoriesâthe love, the pain, the betrayal. She turned toward the door, feeling the weight of the past lifting off her shoulders, even if just for a moment.
"Iâm done," she whispered, her heart heavy but resolute.
The sound of the door closing behind them was deafening, louder than any words ever spoken. As the final echoes of Aaraviâs and Karanveer departure faded away, the stillness in the room took over, and for a moment, everything was frozen. Nikshant stood motionless, his entire body trembling as the gravity of the situation settled on him like an unbearable weight.
His breaths came in shallow gasps, as if the very air had been sucked out of the room. He looked down at the cold, polished floor beneath him, but everything around him felt distant, as though he were standing on the edge of a precipice, looking down at a dark abyss with no way to climb back.
And then, before he even realized it, his legs gave way. The world spun, and with no strength left in his body, he collapsed to the floor. His knees hit the ground first, followed by his palms, as his tears flowed freely, streaming down his face.
"Just come back to me, cherry, please... I swear I will never do anything to you," he pleaded, his voice breaking with raw emotion, the words tumbling out in desperate fragments. His chest felt tight, as if someone had a vice grip around his heart, squeezing all the air out of him.
And just as the weight of the question began to crush him, he heard the soft sound of footsteps approaching. It wasnât a noise he had expected, yet it was a presence that brought with it a fleeting sense of comfort.
"Nikshant," came a voice from behind him, familiar and steady, cutting through the haze of his despair. Yash, had just entered the penthouse, and the sight of him seemed to ground Nikshantâjust enough to keep him from completely losing himself.
Yash didnât hesitate for a second. He rushed towards Nikshant, dropping to his knees beside him. Without a word, he pulled him into an embrace, holding him tightly. The warmth of Yashâs arms around him was like the first spark of life in a body that had long felt dead.
"What happened, Nikshant? Why are you crying?" Yashâs voice was gentle, filled with concern. It was clear that he had never seen his best friend like thisâvulnerable, broken, completely undone by the emotions that consumed him.
Nikshantâs body shook with sobs, his heart threatening to burst from the weight of everything he had lost. His mind replayed the image of Aaravi leaving, walking away from him, and with each repetition, it felt like another part of him was being torn away.
His throat was tight, and the words came out in a choked whisper, as if they had been trapped inside for far too long. "Bhai usse bolna please woh mujhe chhod ke na jaaye please main uske bina jee nahi paunga, pata hai maine past mein usse bohot takleef pohchaya hai par main usse bohot pyaar karne laga hoon, pata nahi kabh kaise par main isse bohot pyaar karta hoon, please usse jaane se rol de," he cried into Yash chest, his voice trembling with each word. "Please... donât let her leave... I canât live without her, bhai. I know I hurt her, I know I made mistakes, but I love her more than anything. Please tell her to come back."
It was a raw, desperate cry for help, one that had been building up inside him for so long that he hadnât realized how much it had hurt until now. He had never been this open, this vulnerable with anyone, not even with Yash. But in that moment, with everything falling apart around him, he couldnât hold back any longer.
Yash held him tighter, his hands rubbing circles on Nikshantâs back as if trying to soothe the pain away. He didnât know what to say, how to fix this. There were no easy answers to the mess his best friend had found himself in. Yash could see the depth of his regret, the heartbreak that had taken root in his chest.
"You have to accept that some things canât be undone. Sometimes, love isnât enough, no matter how much you wish it were,"Yash said quietly, his voice steady but firm.
Nikshant shook his head violently, unable to accept the truth Yash was speaking. He wasnât ready to hear it. Not yet.
"I canât let her go, Yash. I donât know how to live without her," he whispered, his voice barely audible through the pain.
"I just wanted to love her... I just wanted her to know how much she meant to me," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Yash placed a hand on his shoulder, his expression softening. "I know you did, Nikshant. But sometimes, love isnât enough to make everything right. Itâs going to take time for her to heal, and itâs going to take time for you too."
ðï¸ðï¸
The penthouse felt colder than usual, as though the very walls were closing in around Nikshant. His heart was a hollow echo of its former self, and every beat felt like a reminder of what he had lostâwhat he had driven away. The air was thick with regret, suffocating him, but he couldnât bring himself to leave. Not yet. Not when he was so close to the truth that he could no longer ignore.
Yashâs departure had left a hole in the room, one that no amount of self-loathing could fill. Nikshant stood in the same spot where he had collapsed earlier, the divorce papers still clutched in his hand like a final tether to the woman he had once loved. And now, it seemed as though that tether was fraying, unraveling with each passing second.
"I did this to you... to us," he whispered to the empty space around him, his voice barely a breath above the silence. His fingers tightened around the papers, his knuckles whitening as the weight of his own guilt pressed down on him. The truth was suffocating, a harsh, bitter taste in his mouth that he could not spit out. His every action, every word he had ever said to her, had led them hereâto this painful separation.
"Every cruel word, every moment I let my anger overshadow the love you gave me, I drove you away," Nikshant continued, his voice cracking, as if even his words were struggling to carry the burden of his mistakes. He could almost hear her voice echoing in his mind, the pain and disappointment that had filled her eyes when she had walked out on him. He could still feel the sting of her rejection, the heaviness of her departure settling like a stone in his chest.
"And now... now you're gone, carrying my mistakes with you," he whispered, the words tasting like acid as they left his mouth. How could he have been so blind? How could he have been so selfish, so consumed by his own insecurities and pride, that he failed to see the love she had offered him?
Nikshantâs gaze fell to the divorce papers once more, the weight of their finality sinking deep into his bones. He knew that this wasnât just a piece of paperâit was a declaration. A symbol of everything he had lost, everything he had destroyed with his own hands.
He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, the motion almost frantic as he tried to shake off the overwhelming wave of regret that had taken over him. His shoulders slumped under the weight of his own failure, the burden of his guilt pressing down on him until it felt like he couldnât breathe.
But in that moment, something shifted inside him. It was small, just a flicker of resolve, but it was enough to make him stand straighter, enough to make him take a step forward. He couldnât undo what had been done, but he could still fight for something better.
"But I can't let this be our ending. I won't," he muttered, his voice low but firm. There was no denying the pain in his heart, but there was also something elseâsomething deeper, something stronger. It was the desire to make things right, to fix the broken pieces of their relationship.
"You may hate me now, and God knows I deserve it," he continued, his jaw clenching at the thought of her loathing him, "but I'll change. I'll become the man you once believed in. The man you deserve."
His voice deepened, a mix of desperation and obsession creeping in as his thoughts consumed him. He was no longer the man who had pushed her away with his arrogance and pride. He was someone newâsomeone determined to rebuild the love they had once shared, no matter the cost.
"You'll see it," he vowed, more to himself than to anyone else. "I'll prove it to you, even if it takes a lifetime. I'll fix what I broke, and I'll make you mine again, because I'll give you every reason to love me again." His grip on the papers tightened, his knuckles turning white from the force. "I'll give you a love that's unshakable, undeniable, and lawful. I'll give you the forever we promised."
The words felt like a promise to himself, a pact he made deep within his heart. There was no turning back now. Nikshant had already made up his mind. He would do whatever it took to bring her back.
He clenched his jaw, his determination solidifying with every beat of his heart. "Run as far as you want, but my heart will always follow. And when the time is right, I'll stand before you, not as the man who failed you, but as the one who will never let you go again."
The last words echoed in the empty room, a vow that hung in the air, heavy with meaning. The silence that followed was deafening, but Nikshant didnât mind. He had finally made peace with his past mistakes. Now, all that mattered was his futureâthe future where Aaravi would be a part of his life once more.
It was a future he was willing to fight for, no matter how long it took. Because love, he had learned, was not just about being together in the good times. It was about fighting for each other, even when the world seemed determined to tear you apart.
His eyes were bloodshot, his hand shaking as he held his phone. He had already made a decision, but now, it was time to act. He couldnât sit idly by and let Aaravi slip away from him. Not after everything that had happened.
His fingers hovered over the screen for a moment before he dialed a numberâone he had used only in the most desperate times. A moment later, a voice on the other end answered.
âSir?â the voice was soft, respectful, a hint of curiosity beneath it.
âI need to know where Karanveer Sachdeva and Aaravi Sachdeva went,â Nikshant said, his voice gruff, rough around the edges. His words came out like daggers, each syllable sharp with the urgency that gnawed at him from within. âCheck the CCTV footage from the airports. I need to know where heâs taken her.â
There was a pause, but only for a beat. âUnderstood, Sir. Iâll check immediately,â the voice replied, and the line went silent.
Nikshant leaned back in his chair, feeling the weight of his own thoughts pressing down on him. His mind raced, flicking from one memory to the nextâevery moment with Aaravi, every word exchanged, and every mistake he had made. It all led to this one point: she was leaving him, and now, with the smallest chance, he was going to fight to get her back.
Minutes stretched into what felt like hours. His fingers tapped anxiously on the surface of his desk, his gaze fixed on the glowing screen in front of him. The minutes crawled by. He could feel the walls of his penthouse closing in, the emptiness echoing louder than before. But he had no time to wallow. No time for regret. Not when there was a sliver of hope left.
Suddenly, his phone buzzed. The message notification blinked on the screen, and Nikshantâs heart raced. He quickly unlocked the phone, his eyes scanning the message that had arrived.
"Karanveer and Aaravi left from the international airport, bound for Italy. Flight number: VY3420."
A small, bitter smirk tugged at the corner of Nikshantâs mouth. He had found them. The thread that connected him to her, the thread he thought had been severed beyond repair, had not been broken after all.
âIâm coming, wifey,â he muttered under his breath, his voice low but resolute. His words were filled with a quiet promise, one that echoed deep in his chest, sending a wave of determination coursing through him.
He stood from his chair, his heart beating with an urgency that matched the speed of his movements. Every step he took was filled with purpose now. He was no longer the man who had pushed her away, no longer the man who had broken her heart. He was a man on a missionâa mission to make things right, to fix what he had torn apart.
Without a second thought, he grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair and stormed out of his penthouse, slamming the door behind him. The sound echoed in the empty hall, but Nikshant didnât hear it. All he could hear was the rush of blood in his ears, the beat of his heart as it pounded louder with every passing second.
He left the building without hesitation, not stopping for anything. His mind was set. Italy. The thought of her, of Aaravi, being so far awayâit gnawed at him. But this time, he wasnât going to let distance, or mistakes, or time stand in his way. He had made her a promise once, a promise of forever, and he wasnât going to break it.
Nikshant didnât think twice as he got into his car and instructed the driver to take him to the airport. The familiar surroundings of the city had become suffocating, reminders of everything he had lost. But the airportâthe airport was a place of possibilities, a place where he could chase after her, where he could make everything right again.
His mind was consumed with thoughts of her as the car sped through the streets. Aaravi, the woman who had once been his everything, the woman he had wronged so deeplyâhe would do anything to make her see the man he could be, the man he wanted to be for her.
The plane ride was a blur. He barely registered the takeoff, the hum of the engines, the movement of passengers around him. His thoughts were a whirl of emotion, his mind constantly returning to one question: Would she ever forgive him?
When the plane landed in Italy, he didnât waste any time. His heart was a steady drumbeat in his chest, each step taking him closer to her. He knew he had no guarantees, no promises from her that she would accept him back. But he also knew that he couldnât let her go without trying, without fighting for the love that had once been so real between them.
Nikshant made his way through the bustling airport, his eyes scanning the crowd. He didnât care about the chaos or the noise. All that mattered was finding her, taking back what he had lost.
And as he walked through the terminal, his phone buzzing again, the notification lighting up the screen with a single message:
"They are at their penthouse, sir."
A surge of energy coursed through him as he read the message. His hand clenched into a fist, his resolve solidifying in that moment.
Iâm coming for you, Aaravi. I wonât stop until I bring you back.
The night was dark, the sky heavy with storm clouds as Nikshant stepped out of the car. The moment his feet touched the wet pavement, cold rain pelted against his skin, soaking him instantly. But he didnât flinch. Didnât care.
His heart was hammering against his ribs, his breathing uneven as he lifted his gaze towards the towering penthouse before him.
Sheâs in there.
The thought alone made his jaw clench, a sharp pang slicing through his chest.
His fingers curled into fists at his sides, his nails digging into his palms. How could she run away from him? How could she leave him like this?
A sharp gust of wind howled through the streets, but he remained unmoving. The rain blurred his vision, dripping from his hair and sliding down his face, but he didnât even bother wiping it away.
Nothing else mattered.
Not the storm.
Not the cold.
Not the people who passed by, casting strange looks his way.
His entire world had narrowed down to the woman inside that penthouse.
With a deep breath, he stepped forward.
And thenâ
"AARAVI ROY KAPOOR!" His voice rang through the empty street, loud and raw, filled with an ache that even the heavens above seemed to echo.
The rain poured harder, drumming against the pavement, against his skin, against his soul.
But he didnât move.
Didnât blink.
Didnât breathe.
He stood there, drenched and desperate, his gaze locked on the penthouse windows.
She had to come out.
She had to hear him.
She had to see him.
Minutes passed.
His clothes clung to his body, the fabric heavy with rain. His fingers were numb, his skin icy, but the fire burning inside him kept him from feeling any of it.
He waited.
For her.
For a single sign that she was still his.
But the windows remained closed.
The doors didnât open.
She was ignoring him.
His jaw tightened.
"AARAVI!" He yelled again, his voice hoarse. "I KNOW YOUâRE IN THERE!"
Still, silence.
His chest rose and fell erratically, his breath coming out in sharp bursts as frustration clawed at him.
Why wonât you come out?
He took a shaky breath, closing his eyes for a brief second before snapping them open again.
Fine.
If she wouldnât come outâ
Then he would wait.
For as long as it took.