Chapter 18: chapter 18

The house was quiet that night, the only sounds coming from the occasional rustle of leaves outside and the faint ticking of the clock. Anushri lay in bed, her mind restless despite the calm of the evening. The memory of their dinner lingered in her thoughts—Amey’s rare smile, the way he’d opened up, if only a little.But questions she hadn’t dared to ask during the evening now bubbled to the surface. Why had he suggested the dinner? Did it mean something, or was it simply a moment of fleeting kindness? And why did he always seem to keep a part of himself locked away?The weight of her thoughts grew unbearable, and before she could stop herself, she found her feet carrying her to the living room, where Amey was still awake.He was sitting on the couch, his laptop open on the coffee table, though his gaze seemed far away. The soft glow of the lamp illuminated his features, highlighting the weariness in his eyes.“Amey?” she called hesitantly, standing near the doorway.He looked up, startled by her presence. “You’re still awake?”She nodded, stepping closer. “I couldn’t sleep. Can we talk?”Amey frowned slightly but gestured for her to sit. “Sure. What’s on your mind?”She hesitated, unsure of how to frame her thoughts. “I’ve been wondering... about you. About why you don’t believe in love or commitment.”His expression stiffened, and for a moment, she thought he might shut her out. But then he sighed, leaning back against the couch.“That’s a complicated question,” he said finally.“I’m not asking to pry,” she said quickly. “I just... I want to understand you, Amey. I want to know what made you this way.”He was silent for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the coffee table. Then he spoke, his voice low and tinged with a pain she hadn’t heard before.“Her name was Meera,” he began, his hands clasped tightly in his lap. “We were together for three years. I thought she was the one. She made me believe in everything—love, trust, forever. And then one day, she shattered it all.”Anushri’s breath caught in her throat, but she stayed quiet, letting him continue.“She told me she didn’t love me anymore,” he said, his jaw tightening. “That I wasn’t enough for her. It was like a switch flipped, and everything we’d built meant nothing to her.”The bitterness in his tone made her chest ache. She couldn’t imagine the kind of betrayal he’d experienced, but she could see how deeply it had scarred him.“I tried to fix it,” he continued. “I begged her to tell me what went wrong, but she didn’t care. She’d already moved on.”He let out a humorless laugh, his eyes filled with a mix of anger and sadness. “That’s when I decided love wasn’t worth it. It’s just a lie people tell themselves to feel less alone.”“Amey...” Anushri’s voice was barely above a whisper.He looked at her then, his eyes searching hers as if trying to gauge her reaction. “That’s why I’ve been the way I am. I didn’t want to hurt you, Anushri, but I also didn’t want to make promises I couldn’t keep.”Her heart ached at his words, and for a moment, she didn’t know what to say. But then she reached out, placing a hand over his.“You’re wrong,” she said softly. “Love isn’t what hurt you. It was losing someone you trusted. Real love doesn’t leave you broken, Amey. It heals you.”He stared at her, his expression unreadable, and for a moment, she wondered if she’d overstepped. But then he let out a soft sigh, his shoulders relaxing slightly.“You make it sound so simple,” he murmured.“It’s not,” she admitted. “But it’s worth it. At least, I think it is.”He didn’t respond, but the walls he’d built around himself seemed to crack, just a little.---Later, as Anushri lay in bed, she replayed their conversation in her mind. She understood him better now—the fear, the pain, the reluctance to open his heart again.But she also felt a quiet determination growing within her. She didn’t know if he’d ever be able to love her, but she wasn’t ready to give up on him.Because deep down, she believed that Amey wasn’t as broken as he thought. And if she could help him see that, then maybe—just maybe—they could find their way to something real.