Chapter 21: Her Answer

Dia’s POV

I couldn’t sleep that night. Ekansh’s words replayed in my mind, each one echoing louder than the last. His confession, his promise—it felt like a storm had swept through me, leaving no corner of my heart untouched.

I sat on the edge of my bed, staring out at the moonlit garden. How had I ended up here? How had the man I feared most become the one I trusted the most? My mind was at war, but my heart… my heart already knew the answer.

The first rays of dawn filtered through the curtains as I made my decision. I wasn’t sure where this path would lead, but I couldn’t deny what I felt any longer. I had to tell him.

With trembling hands, I opened the door and stepped into the hallway. His room was down the corridor, the door slightly ajar. I hesitated for a moment before pushing it open.

He was sitting on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. The sight of him, so vulnerable, made my chest ache. When he looked up and saw me, his eyes widened in surprise.

“Dia?” he said, standing up quickly. “Is everything okay?”

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “Yes,” I whispered, my voice steady despite the nerves wracking my body.

His brows furrowed in confusion. “Yes?”

I nodded, stepping closer. “Yes, Ekansh. I… I feel the same.”

Ekansh’s POV

For a moment, I thought I was imagining her words. I had spent the entire night agonizing over my confession, replaying every moment of her reaction and berating myself for laying my feelings bare. But now… now she was standing here, telling me she felt the same.

“Dia,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “Do you… do you mean it?”

Her eyes met mine, and I saw no hesitation in them. “Yes,” she repeated, louder this time. “I don’t know when it happened, but somewhere along the way, you became more than just someone I feared. You became my protector, my… everything.”

Her words shattered every wall I had built around myself. Without thinking, I closed the distance between us, cupping her face gently in my hands.

“You have no idea how much that means to me,” I said, my voice raw with emotion. “I promise you, Dia, I’ll protect you with everything I have. I’ll make you happy, no matter what it takes.”

A single tear slipped down her cheek, and I wiped it away with my thumb. “I trust you, Ekansh,” she whispered.

Dia’s POV

His words, his touch—they made me feel something I hadn’t felt in so long: safe. He pulled me into a gentle embrace, his arms wrapping around me like a shield.

“I won’t let anything hurt you again,” he murmured against my hair.

For the first time in weeks, I allowed myself to relax in his arms. The pain, the fear, the uncertainty—it all faded away, replaced by the steady beat of his heart against mine.

In that moment, I realized that despite everything, despite how we started, Ekansh had become my safe haven. And I wasn’t going to fight it anymore.

Ekansh’s POV

As I held her, I made a silent vow. Dia wasn’t just someone I cared for—she was my everything. And I would destroy anyone who tried to take her from me again.

This wasn’t just love. This was war. And for her, I would win.