The engagement ended on a grand note—laughter, music, and celebration filled the air. The newly engaged couple swayed gracefully in each other’s arms, performing a mesmerizing dance as the crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Shanaya basked in the attention, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction, her smile wide with pride.
But Agastya?
Every step he took, every move he made—it was all an act. A meaningless performance for a moment he didn’t care for. His mind, his heart, his very existence was consumed by one name.
Siya.
Like a silent prayer, like an unending mantra, her name echoed in his mind, refusing to leave. His eyes, dark and restless, scanned the hall, searching for her. And when he finally saw her, it was like the world around him faded away.
She was descending from the terrace, her steps slow, her shoulders heavy.
And he just… stared.
His breath hitched, his gaze unwavering. He didn’t blink—not even once. He noticed everything.
Her trembling hands, her quivering lips, the paleness of her face—as if the life had been drained from her.
And he knew.
He was the reason.
He should have felt proud. He should have smirked in satisfaction.
But he didn’t.
Instead, a sharp, inexplicable rage coiled within him. A rage that wasn’t meant for her but for himself.
Jaw clenched, he walked to the bar, grabbing a glass of whiskey. The weight in his chest pressed down harder, suffocating him. He took a sip, then another, but it wasn’t enough.
With a sudden surge of frustration, he crushed the glass in his hand, the shards digging into his skin. But the pain? It was nothing compared to the storm raging inside him.
And for the first time, he hated himself for what he had done to her.
-----
With the engagement finally over and the guests gone, Aggarwal Villa fell into a deep, eerie silence. The grandeur of the evening still lingered in the air, but the noise, the laughter, the applause—it had all faded.
In her lavishly decorated room, Shanaya Aggarwal stood before an oversized mirror, admiring herself as she tried on every piece of jewelry she could find. Diamond bangles, emerald necklaces, statement rings— each piece shimmered under the golden lights of her vanity, reflecting her immense wealth and status. And she? She was proud.
A smirk curled on her lips as she twirled in front of the mirror, basking in the reality of her engagement. She had everything. Money, luxury, power—and now, Agastya Raichand.
Or so she thought.
Because in the very next second, a bitter thought crept into her mind.
She remembered how, throughout the evening, Agastya’s gaze had been anywhere but on her. How his attention had been fixated on someone else.
Siya.
Her eyes darkened, her fists clenched. She had seen everything. The way Agastya’s eyes searched for her, the way his entire focus was drawn to her. Even during their engagement, even when he was standing beside her—his mind, his eyes, his thoughts had been on Siya.
And Shanaya hated it.
She hated how, despite being the perfect, rich, stunning fiancée, she still had to compete with a middle-class nobody. She hated how Siya, without even trying, stole the attention that should have been hers.
With a frustrated sigh, she sat down on her plush bed, running her fingers through her hair, before finally whispering to herself,
"Galti toh meri hi hai… Kyu maine first place mein usse bheja apne Agastya se milne ke liye?" (It’s my fault… Why did I even send her to meet Agastya in the first place?)
But then, as if reassuring herself, her lips curled into a knowing smirk.
"Par koi nahi… Shanaya knows how to control men." (But no worries… Shanaya knows how to control men.)
And with that self-assured confidence, she finally closed her eyes and drifted into sleep.
Unaware that some things, once lost, can never be controlled again.
------
In a lavish, grand bedroom, exuding wealth and opulence, Agastya Khatri sat across from the swimming pool, lost in thought. The moonlight reflected off the still water, casting a ghostly glow over his sharp features. A half-filled glass of wine rested in his hand, and beside him, an almost empty bottle stood as a silent witness to his turmoil.
The entire villa was silent. His father had retired to his room the moment he returned, and the guests had long since left. Yet, amidst this stillness, Agastya remained awake. Sitting on a poolside lounge chair, he took a slow sip of his drink, his gaze fixed on the endless night sky.
And then, in a hushed, almost broken whisper, he spoke,
"How beautifully you destroyed me, Siya Chaudhary…"
A bitter chuckle escaped his lips as he swirled the glass in his hand. His voice, laced with a mix of pain and resentment, barely rose above the night breeze.
"Even now… I can’t bring myself to hate you."
His jaw clenched, his grip tightening around the glass as a wave of raw emotions surged within him.
"All girls are the same. You’re the same. Just like her."
His voice turned hoarse, heavy with something deeper. Something darker.
"You are just like my mother."
The moment those words left his lips, a single tear slipped from his eye. But he didn’t wipe it away. He let it fall, unnoticed, like a forgotten scar.
The alcohol in his veins fueled his emotions, making him feel too much, remember too much.
And with that, his mind drifted back to the moment everything began—
To the day he met Siya Chaudhary, disguised as Shanaya Aggarwal.
To the beginning of a deception that had unknowingly ensnared his heart.
-------
~Thanku>❤
~Please click on the star button and follow me
~More likes, more comments, more followers are equal to more frequent updates
Write a comment ...