Kavi sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the screen of his phone.
"It's me. Kiaan. We need to talk."
He had read the message at least a hundred times. His thumb hovered over the keyboard, frozen. The silence in the room felt louder with every passing second.
Finally, he typed a simple reply:
"Where?"
The answer came almost instantly.
A car will come to pick you up in 20 minutes. Please don't tell anyone. Location is private. I'll be waiting.
Kavi's heart started racing. A storm of butterflies twisted in his stomach. He stood up without thinking, grabbing a clean shirt and dark jeans.
He sprayed a light mist of cologne on his neck and quickly checked himself in the mirror.
He still looked tired,pale, with faint shadows under his eyes but at least now he looked presentable.
He picked up his phone and quietly left the room.
The mansion was alive with noise and color. Music played from the garden, where dance rehearsals were underway. Laughter echoed down the hallway, full of energy he couldn't connect with.
He paused for a moment at the open corridor.
Pinky, Roy, and Alina were in the middle of a messy-yet-fun Bollywood dance routine, trying to match their steps. Riya stood nearby, holding her cousin's baby Ena and bouncing her gently. Her face lit up the moment she saw him.
"Kavi!" she called out, smiling. "Where are you going? Don't tell me you're skipping dance practice again! You promised to try today!"
He gave her a small smile. It didn't reach his eyes. "I'll be back soon," he said quietly. "I just need to get something."
Riya pouted but didn't push.
Alina looked up, meeting his eyes for a brief second. She didn't say anything,
Alina looked up briefly, she knew what he must have been feeling truly since the whole alliance but didn't care, as long as he is meant for her alone.
She hadn't spoken a word about what she'd seen that day… but deep down, she felt she had done what need to be done.
Kavi walked away, his steps light but his heart heavy.
He didn't know where he was going.
But he knew who was waiting.
And despite everything — the betrayal, the heartbreak, the haunting silence, his heart still beat with a longing he couldn't explain.
This time… he wanted answers.
The drive was long. Longer than Kavi expected.
For nearly an hour, the car weaved through winding roads, past the city's edge, into stretches of trees and silence.
He stopped checking his phone halfway in no signal. Just the hum of the engine and the pounding of his heart for company.
Eventually, the Mercedes turned down a narrow gravel path leading to a secluded farmhouse tucked deep within the woods.
The structure was old but elegant, wrapped in bougainvillaea and draped in shadows. Isolated. Removed from noise, from people, from the world they once shared.
The car slowed to a stop.
Kavi hesitated.
The driver stepped out and opened the door without a word.
As Kavi stepped onto the gravel, the car pulled away just as silently as it had come, leaving only a fading trail of dust behind.
It was just him now. Him, the house… and Kiaan.
The wind was still. Even the birds were quiet.
Then, the door creaked open.
There he was.
Kiaan stood at the entrance, dressed in a simple black shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
His hair was tousled, like he hadn't slept. His eyes those familiar, devastating eyes were unreadable.
"Kavi," he said softly.
Kavi's throat tightened. He didn't reply. He couldn't.
"Come inside," Kiaan added gently, stepping aside.
Kavi nodded, silent, and walked forward. Each step on the wooden porch echoed louder than it should have.
As he crossed the threshold, the door shut behind him with a soft but final click.