AFTAAB'S POV
The clock struck three.
The sound echoed longer than it should have in the empty hallway outside my study.
Most of the estate was asleep by now. Lights off. Doors shut. Even the guards spoke softer at this hour.
Only two rooms were still awake.
Mine.
And my father's.
A thin strip of light cut through the south wing corridor — his study door.
He'd still be inside.
Planning.
He never slept when ambition kept him company.
Krish hadn't returned either. He'd stormed out earlier, nursing whatever pride I had bruised.
The estate felt quieter without his noise.
My phone vibrated against the desk.
Once.
Then again.
The first report.
Right on schedule.
Sara first.
Enough dirt to bury the engagement twice over.
The second file opened.
Chaaya.
No records worth mentioning. No parents. No past.
And yet… she had taken in six children like they were her own.
What a strange little thing.
Most people struggled to care for themselves.
But look at this — she was collecting responsibilities like shells.
KRISH POV
What a terrible friend.
No—scratch that.
What a disaster of a human being.
Only Aftaab could ruin a man's love story and then walk back to his study like he just finished a board meeting.
I stormed off. Made it very clear I was pissed.
Did he even care? Or at least pretend to care about this poor soul?
Of course not.
Stone face. Zero guilt. Probably already buried in some file like the world depended on it.
God… sometimes I want to smack him hard.
Or strangle him.
Haven't decided yet.
I hopped into my car and drove off into the streets with no destination in mind. I wandered through the commercial area looking for good food, but everything felt… the same. Predictable. Routine.
Nothing new. Nothing exciting.
What a boring city.
I drove further out, toward the outskirts, the roads growing quieter, the lights dimmer. That's when I saw it—a small tiffin stall, wrapped in warm steam and the kind of smell that hits you straight in the soul.
Hmmm.
Now that looks interesting.
I pulled over and walked in.
The menu was simple—humble dishes, nothing fancy. But somehow, that made it better.
I ordered a plate of puri and masala dosa and sat down at one of the small tables, ready to dig in.
Finally.
Peace.
"Woof… woof…"
What the—
Which witch of the west is that?
A small paw nudged my foot.
I looked down.
A tiny puppy stared up at me with full concentration… and then slowly shifted its gaze to my food.
…No way.
"Shoo. Shoo. Get away," I muttered, waving it off. "This is mine. Not yours. I'm not giving you a bite."
I turned away and continued eating.
Or at least, I tried to.
The little monster walked right in front of me again.
Blocked my view.
What a bandit.
"Just go away…"
I tried to nudge it aside with my foot, but it didn't move. Just stood there. Staring. Waiting.
I was still trying to drive it away when a group of girls walked into the stall and sat at a nearby table.
And of course… they started whispering.
Loud enough for me to hear.
"Look at that petty guy… looks handsome but can't even show a little empathy to that poor puppy."
…Excuse me?
What did she just—
I clenched my jaw.
Fine.
Fine.
Just one bite.
It won't kill me.
I tore off a small piece of dosa and tossed it toward the puppy.
It gobbled it down in less than a second.
Before I could even react—
It attacked.
In the time it took me to eat one puri…
That little demon devoured my entire dosa.
Gone.
Finished.
Vanished.
I stared at the empty plate.
Then at the puppy.
Then back at the plate.
How… how does a creature that small eat a whole dosa before I even finish one puri?
What kind of injustice is this?
What a terrible day.
First my so-called best friend comes between me and my lady love…
And now this tiny demon comes between me and my first love—food.
I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair, glaring one last time at the culprit.
The puppy sat there happily, licking its paws like it had just conquered a kingdom.
Unbelievable.
"Enjoy it," I muttered, pushing my plate away and standing up. "You've officially ruined my night."
It didn't even look guilty.
Of course it didn't.
I tossed some cash onto the counter and walked out before I did something irrational—like arguing with a dog in public.
The night air hit my face, cool and quiet.
Good.
I needed that.
I shoved my hands into my pockets and started walking. No direction. No plan.
Just… away.
Away from the stall.
Away from that demon.
Away from everything that felt annoyingly out of my control.
The road stretched ahead, dimly lit, the hum of the city fading with every step I took.
At first, I didn't notice.
Why would I?
It felt normal.
Just another quiet stretch of road.
But the further I walked, the thinner the lights became.
Shops disappeared.
Voices faded.
Even the distant sound of traffic… dissolved into nothing.
Only my footsteps remained.
Soft. Hollow.
Echoing more than they should.
I frowned slightly, glancing around.
When did it get this quiet?
The air felt… different.
Heavier.
Cooler.
A faint smell of damp earth replaced the usual mix of food and fuel.
I slowed down.
"Great," I muttered under my breath. "Now I've walked into the middle of nowhere."
I turned back instinctively—
And paused.
The road behind me didn't look the same.
Or maybe… I just didn't remember it this way.
The lights were farther than they should be.
Too far.
A faint unease crept up my spine.
I scoffed at myself.
"Relax. It's just a road."
Still, I reached for my phone.
No signal.
Of course.
Perfect.
I let out a dry laugh, shaking my head. "Amazing. Truly amazing. First food betrayal, now network betrayal."
I shoved the phone back into my pocket and kept walking.
Forward felt easier than turning back.
Always did.
The path narrowed gradually, the ground rough beneath my feet now. Gravel. Dirt. Roots pushing through cracks like they had been there longer than the road itself.
That's when I noticed the trees.
Tall.
Too tall.
Their branches stretched overhead, weaving into each other, swallowing what little light remained.
The air grew still.
Unnaturally still.
Even the insects were quiet.
No crickets.
No rustling leaves.
Nothing.
Just silence.
My steps slowed again.
This wasn't the outskirts anymore.
This was—
I stopped.
A faint memory brushed against my mind. Something I'd heard before. Something people didn't talk about unless they lowered their voices.
I turned slowly, scanning the darkness.
The trees. The stillness. The absence of sound.
A single thought settled in, heavy and unwelcome.
"…No."
I let out a small breath, almost a laugh.
"No, no. That's ridiculous."
But my feet didn't move.
Because deep down—
I knew.
I hadn't just wandered too far.
I had crossed into a place people avoided.
A place no one entered without a reason.
And never… by accident.
The silence pressed in closer.
Like the land itself was aware of me.
Watching.
Waiting.
And for the first time that night—
I didn't feel annoyed.
I felt… wrong.
Very, very wrong.
"…Okay," I whispered under my breath, the humor finally gone.
"This might actually be a problem."