The sky outside stretched endlessly, painted in soft shades of blue and white.
Meher sat quietly by the window of the private jet, her fingers lightly resting against the glass as she stared out at the clouds drifting below. It still felt unreal.
A private jet.
A forced marriage.
A honeymoon she never agreed to.
And yet… here she was.
She let out a small breath, trying to steady her thoughts.
"Stop overthinking," she whispered to herself.
"Too late for that, isn't it?"
Her head turned instantly.
Aarav sat across from her, his posture relaxed, but his eyes fixed on her like always—intense, unreadable, watching everything.
"You've been staring for the past ten minutes," he added calmly.
"I was looking outside," she replied quickly.
"Hmm."
That single sound made her more aware of herself than she wanted to be.
"Why are you even watching me?" she snapped.
A faint smirk touched his lips.
"Because I can."
She rolled her eyes, turning back toward the window.
But her heart didn't slow down.
Not when she knew he was still looking.
"Tumhe pata hai…" he said after a moment.
"…jab tum itni chup ho jaati ho na, tab aur interesting lagti ho."
(You know… when you get this quiet, you become more interesting.)
She didn't respond.
Didn't trust herself to.
"Ya phir…" he continued softly.
"…mere baare mein soch rahi ho?"
(Or maybe… you're thinking about me?)
Her cheeks warmed instantly.
"I'd rather jump out of this jet," she muttered.
"Try kar lo," he said calmly.
"…par land phir bhi mere paas hi karogi."
(You can try… but you'll still land with me.)
She looked at him again, annoyed.
But there was something else too.
Something she couldn't name.
Hours passed.
And slowly—
the view outside began to change.
Clouds parted.
Mountains appeared.
Tall.
Magnificent.
Covered in snow like a dream painted across reality.
Meher leaned forward unconsciously, her eyes widening.
"Ladakh…" she whispered.
Her voice softened in a way Aarav had never heard before.
"This is my dream place," she added quietly.
He watched her.
Not the mountains.
Not the sky.
Just her.
The way her eyes lit up.
The way her expression changed.
"You like it?" he asked.
She shook her head slightly.
"I don't like it," she said softly.
A pause.
"I love it."
Something shifted inside him.
Because for the first time—
she wasn't fighting.
Wasn't arguing.
She was just… happy.
And he realized something dangerous.
He wanted to be the reason for that happiness.
When the jet finally landed—
the cold air hit her face instantly.
Sharp.
Fresh.
Alive.
She stepped out, wrapping her arms around herself slightly as the wind brushed past her.
"It's beautiful…" she whispered.
"Tumhari tarah," Aarav said quietly behind her.
(Like you.)
She froze for a second.
Then turned around.
"Stop saying things like that," she said quickly.
But her voice lacked strength.
"Kyuuun?" he stepped closer.
"…pasand nahi aata?"
(Why? You don't like it?)
She looked away.
"Bas… mat kaha karo."
He didn't reply.
But he noticed.
Everything.
They had barely started walking—
when suddenly—
"Meher?!"
Her entire body stiffened.
That voice.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
She turned instantly.
Her eyes widened.
"Rohan?!"
Without thinking—
she ran toward him.
And hugged him tightly.
For a moment—
the world disappeared.
Everything felt normal again.
Safe.
Aarav stood where he was.
Frozen.
His jaw clenched slowly.
His eyes darkened.
Because he had never seen her like this.
Not with him.
Never with him.
"What are you doing here?!" Meher asked excitedly, pulling back.
Rohan laughed.
"I should ask you that! You vanished!"
"I didn't vanish, I—" she stopped, glancing back slightly.
At Aarav.
Then looked away.
"It's a long story."
Rohan's expression softened.
"Are you okay?"
That question—
simple.
Genuine.
Made her smile.
"Yes."
Aarav's fists clenched.
That smile.
It wasn't for him.
And something inside him didn't like that.
At all.
He walked toward them slowly.
Each step controlled.
Measured.
But inside—
everything was anything but calm.
"Kaun hai yeh?" he asked coldly.
(Who is he?)
Meher turned.
"My best friend."
A pause.
"Childhood best friend," she added deliberately.
Aarav's eyes darkened further.
Rohan extended his hand politely.
"Hi, I'm Rohan."
Aarav looked at his hand.
Then at him.
But didn't shake it.
Instead—
he looked at Meher.
"You never mentioned him."
"You never asked," she replied simply.
Silence.
Rohan glanced between them.
"So… you guys are…?"
"Married."
Aarav answered before she could.
The word hung in the air.
Heavy.
Rohan blinked.
"Wait—what? Since when?"
Meher forced a small smile.
"It just… happened."
He looked confused.
Concerned.
But before he could question further—
Meher stepped slightly closer to him again.
And Aarav noticed.
Every detail.
"You remember our Ladakh plan?" she asked Rohan, smiling.
"Of course!" he laughed. "You said we'd come here together one day."
Aarav's expression hardened instantly.
That was enough.
"Achha?" he said slowly.
"…plan bhi tha?"
(Oh? There was a plan too?)
Meher turned toward him.
"Jealous?" she asked softly.
A dangerous silence followed.
Aarav stepped closer.
Very close.
"Main jealous nahi hota," he said quietly.
A pause.
"Main possessive ho jata hoon."
(I don't get jealous… I become possessive.)
Her breath caught.
But instead of stepping back—
She smiled slightly.
"Same thing," she teased.
That was a mistake.
His eyes darkened even more.
"Farq hota hai," he murmured.
"There's a difference."
She held his gaze.
"Then show me."
Rohan cleared his throat awkwardly.
"I think I should—"
"No."
Aarav's voice cut through sharply.
Both of them looked at him.
"Stay."
His gaze remained locked on Meher.
"Tumhari friend hai na?"
(He's your friend, right?)
But the way he said it—
It didn't feel like permission.
It felt like a warning.
Meher swallowed slightly.
But instead of stepping back—
She leaned a little closer to Rohan again.
Deliberately.
And Aarav saw it.
Every second.
Every movement.
And inside him—
something burned.
Uncontrollable.
Unfamiliar.
Dangerous.
Because for the first time—
he wasn't in control.
And he didn't like that.
At all.
"Chalein?" Aarav said suddenly.
(Shall we go?)
His tone left no room for argument.
Meher looked at him.
Then at Rohan.
"I'll see you later," she said.
Rohan nodded.
"Take care."
But as she turned—
Aarav's hand moved to her wrist.
Firm.
Possessive.
"Zyada close hone ki zarurat nahi hai," he murmured.
(There's no need to get too close.)
Her eyes widened slightly.
"Relax," she said, pulling her hand back.
"He's just my friend."
"That's the problem."
Her breath hitched.
"What does that mean?"
He leaned closer.
"Tum samajh jaogi."
Her heartbeat raced again.
But this time—
she didn't feel scared.
She felt something else.
Power.
Because for the first time—
she had affected him.
And she knew it.
As they walked toward the car—
the cold wind brushed past them again.
Meher looked at the mountains one more time.
Free.
Beautiful.
Open.
Then she looked at Aarav.
Dark.
Intense.
Unpredictable.
And yet—
She smiled slightly.
Because somewhere between fear and chaos—
She had found something new.
Control.
And maybe…
She wasn't the only one losing it anymore.