While Nikki and Biki are talking, Heena comes to meet Nikki at the counter after finishing her coffee. Seeing Nikki upset, she asks if everything is fine. Nikki replies, everything is fine. Heena tells Nikki, I am leaving now. We will meet later. Aarav is still trying to remember Nikki's face. And Aarav and Heena leave from there.
Niki's Silence and Restlessness Throughout the Day
Since morning, ever since Bikki had told her that Aditya was the owner of the restaurant, a storm had been raging in Niki's mind.
She was trying her best to act normal, but every time the door opened, she felt like he had arrived.
The café was getting less crowded, but her uneasiness wasn't fading.
Bikki's shift had ended. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he walked up to Niki.
"You're still staying?"
Niki nodded. "There's some work left."
Bikki looked at her carefully. "Are you okay?"
Niki forced a smile. "Yeah. You go."
Bikki took a deep breath and walked out. Now, Niki was alone in the café.
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Niki is Washing Dishes When Aditya Arrives (Night Time)
Niki stormed into the kitchen, the door swinging shut behind her with a soft thud. Her breath was uneven, her heart pounding in her chest.
She clenched the edge of the sink, trying to steady herself, but the betrayal sat heavy in her chest.
He's the owner.
The words echoed in her mind, louder than the rain tapping against the window.
Behind her, the door creaked open. She didn't have to look to know who it was. His presence filled the room, thick and suffocating.
"If you're here to watch me, go ahead. Just don't expect me to care."
Her voice was sharp, but her hands trembled as she picked up a glass, scrubbing it harder than necessary.
Aditya leaned casually against the counter, his arms crossed, eyes fixed on her back. His silence was heavier than words.
"I never asked you to care, Niki."
The sound of her name from his mouth made her fingers tighten around the glass. She hated the way her pulse quickened—hated how familiar his voice still felt, even after all these years.
She spun around, her eyes blazing.
"You knew I was coming here. You knew I would end up working for you."
Aditya's gaze remained steady, but there was something unreadable flickering beneath the surface.
"Maybe."
Niki stepped forward, closing the space between them. They were so close now that she could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin.
"Why didn't you stop me?"
Aditya's lips curved into a slow, bitter smile.
"Would you have listened?"
Her heart clenched. He was right—and he knew it. He always knew exactly which strings to pull.
"You had no right," she whispered, the anger in her voice cracking under the weight of everything she'd lost.
Aditya's smile faded. His fingers drummed lightly on the counter, that same maddening rhythm he used to have in school—like he was always two steps ahead.
"I didn't ask you to stay, Niki. You signed the contract. You walked in here on your own."
Niki's breath caught. He was turning it back on her, like he always did—twisting the truth until she couldn't tell if she was the victim or the fool.
Her eyes burned, but she refused to let him see.
"You trapped me."
Aditya took a step forward. Now they were inches apart—so close that the space between them felt like a live wire, humming with everything they weren't saying.
"I gave you a choice," he murmured. "You just didn't read the fine print."
Niki's heart slammed against her ribs. She should have walked away. She should have left him standing there, smug and untouchable.
But she didn't.
Instead, she leaned in—so close their foreheads nearly touched.
"You want to know why I stayed?" she whispered. "Because I don't run, Aditya. Not from you. Not anymore."
For a second, something flickered in his eyes—something almost like doubt. But then it was gone, buried beneath the same cold mask he always wore.
He reached out slowly—his fingers brushing against her wrist.
Niki's breath caught, but she didn't flinch.
"You should," he said softly. "Run."
Her heart slammed against her chest, but she forced herself to hold his gaze.
"Make me."
The challenge hung between them, sharp and dangerous.
Aditya's grip tightened for half a second—just long enough to remind her that he still could. That he still held every broken piece of her past in the palm of his hand.
But then he let go.
Niki stepped back, breaking the contact. Her pulse thundered in her ears, but she refused to let him see her shake.
She turned toward the door, her voice steady.
"I'm not scared of you anymore."
Aditya's laugh was soft—barely more than a breath.
"You should be."
Niki's fingers curled around the door handle, but she didn't look back.
"Maybe." She paused, her voice low. "But I think you're more scared of me."
Then she walked out, leaving him alone in the half-lit kitchen—his fingers still drumming that same haunting rhythm against the counter.
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