Meera's voice softened as she continued, her thoughts tumbling out in a raw, unguarded manner. "You know, Aryan… for the longest time, I was jealous of her. I couldn't help it. Aarohi had everything—her father's power, her status, the way everyone just… admired her. And I felt so small compared to her. Like no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't catch up."
Her fingers curled into fists, nails pressing into her palms as if grounding herself. "I hated it. I hated how easy everything seemed for her. And how, no matter what I did, I could never be like that. So, yeah, I was jealous. And I was angry. But at the same time, I wanted to protect her. I wanted to remind her of who she used to be—who I knew she was, before everything changed."
She exhaled sharply, the weight of her words pressing down on her chest. "But then… she showed up."
Aryan's brow furrowed. "Who showed up?"
Before Meera could answer, a sound behind them sliced through the silence—footsteps, soft but deliberate.
Meera's breath hitched. She turned, her stomach knotting.
Aarohi stood there, her arms crossed, her gaze sharp. A slow smirk curled her lips. She had been listening.
For a moment, none of them moved. The air thickened, the weight of unspoken words pressing against Meera's ribs. Then, Aarohi laughed—a low, hollow sound that sent a chill down Meera's spine.
It wasn't amusement. It wasn't joy. It was something else. Something sharp-edged and dangerous.
Meera's nails dug deeper into her skin, her pulse roaring in her ears. She glanced at Aryan, who had stiffened beside her, his expression unreadable.
Aarohi tilted her head, watching Meera closely—too closely. And then, just for a fraction of a second, her smirk wavered. It was so quick, so fleeting, Meera almost missed it.
Doubt.
The moment passed. Aarohi's gaze turned cold again, distant. Detached.
Meera swallowed, her throat dry. "She… she heard everything," she whispered.
Aryan shifted slightly, as if debating whether to step between them. Meera barely noticed. The dread in her chest was too suffocating.
"I don't know what to do anymore," she admitted, her voice barely audible. "Everything's changed. I thought I knew who she was, but now… I don't even recognize her. And I'm scared, Aryan. I'm scared of what's going to happen next."
Aarohi said nothing. She only watched, her silence louder than words.
Meera felt something inside her crack. She turned back to Aryan, her voice hollow.
"I don't think I can save her anymore."
The weight of that truth settled over her like a final, crushing blow.
Aarohi's smirk deepened as she stepped forward, her voice laced with amusement—yet something colder lurked beneath. "Save me?" she scoffed. "You really think I need saving, Meera?"
Meera flinched at the sharpness in her tone.
Aarohi's gaze bore into her, unreadable but unyielding. "Where I am, what I've become—it's my choice. I don't regret it. And I don't need you to drag me back to something I walked away from."
Meera's breath caught. "But Aarohi—"
Aarohi cut her off, her expression twisting into something darker. "No. What I don't understand is how you could do this. How could you spill my personal life to someone else?" Her voice was quieter now, but it held a dangerous edge. "How could you be such a digger, Meera?"
Meera's throat tightened. "I wasn't—I was just trying to—"
"To what?" Aarohi challenged, stepping even closer. "To ease your guilt? To make yourself feel better for being jealous? Or is it just who you are now—someone who throws words around without thinking about the consequences?"
Aryan's jaw clenched, his voice cutting through the tension. "You should stay away from your father, Aarohi."
For the first time, Aarohi's expression flickered—just slightly. Then, just as quickly, her walls slammed back up.
She turned her gaze on Aryan, the air between them thick with something unspoken. "Stay out of my business," she warned, her voice lower now, more controlled. "You don't understand what you're stepping into. It's dangerous—for both of you."
Her words hung heavy in the silence.
Meera's heart pounded. She searched Aarohi's face for something—anything—that would prove her wrong. But all she saw was the finality in her eyes.
Aarohi had made her choice.
Aryan took a step forward, his eyes locked onto Aarohi's. "I don't care what you say," he said firmly. "I'm still going to try. I'll do everything I can to save you, Aarohi. Whether you like it or not… you should wait. Just wait. I'll find a way."
His voice cracked, just a little—but his conviction stood strong.
Meera turned to look at him, shocked by the sudden intensity.
Aarohi didn't move. For a heartbeat, she just stared at him.
Then, slowly, her lips curled into a cold smile.
"Then start counting your alive days, Aryan," she said, her voice like ice. "And don't even think about digging into my matters again."
Her eyes glinted—not with emotion, but with something far more dangerous.
"This isn't a threat," she whispered. "It's a warning."
The silence that followed was suffocating. Even the air seemed to go still.
Meera's breath trembled in her chest, the weight of Aarohi's words sinking deep into her bones.
And for the first time… she realized just how far gone Aarohi really was.
"I don't care what you say...I'm still going to try. I will do everything just wait..."