MasukAdvika's pov “But I said I’m sorry… I won’t do it again,” I whispered, clinging to a fragile hope that maybe just maybe he would let it go this time.His punishments were never something you could forget… or survive easily.“Sorry?” he repeated, his voice cold and almost amused.“Advika, I think you’ve forgotten something.” He stepped closer, his presence suffocating. “I’m not a good man. I don’t accept apologies.”And he was right. He never had. And every time, he made sure I remembered that in the cruelest way possible.“But before that, we were about to go for dinner… so we’ll go, right?” he said casually, as if nothing had just happened.Relief flooded through me so suddenly that I almost felt dizzy. Thank God… not now. Not this time. Maybe I still had time. Time to think. Time to fix things especially the letter.I simply nodded, not trusting my voice to stay steady.Without another word, he grabbed my wrist and started walking toward the main door. His grip wasn’t painfully
Aviraj's pov “Actually, I’m working on it,” Tapish said, his tone turning a bit more serious. “I’ve found a few pieces of the puzzle. I just need to put them together. Once I do, I’ll let you know. I’m close… very close.”That was exactly what I expected from him.Then, just as quickly, his usual mocking tone returned.“So, now that you got your update, can I hang up?” he asked.“Of course,” I replied dryly, irritation slipping into my voice. Without waiting for anything further, I ended the call.I sank into the couch and picked up my phone, opening Aaradhya’s picture.For a moment, my breath stilled.I had almost lost this… almost lost the only thing I had left of her. But thankfully, I had saved it on another device. A precaution I had taken long ago one that proved necessary. Because of Advika.She had tried to erase it.A faint shadow crossed my face at the thought. I had already made sure she would never dare to repeat that mistake again.My gaze softened slightly as I looked a
Author's pov Advika’s legs trembled as another sharp wave of pain spread through her abdomen. She was about to sink down onto the floor again, but before she could, Aviraj suddenly stepped forward.In one swift movement, he caught her.Advika gasped softly as he lifted her into his arms and carried her toward the bed. Within seconds he placed her down on the mattress.The moment he released her, Advika quickly crawled backward across the bed, putting as much distance between them as possible. She sat there with fearful eyes though they were red due to crying and also puffy. “What… what are you doing?” she asked fearfully. Her voice trembled because she already knew what he might do. He landed forward.“Turn back, Advika,” Aviraj said as he leaned slightly toward her.Advika flinched at his voice. Her body stiffened instantly. She closed her eyes tightly because she was certain that he would not spare her now. Her mind filled with fear as she waited for whatever he was about to do.B
Half an hour passed. Advika was still sitting on the floor, her back resting weakly against the side of the bed. Her eyes were swollen from crying, and every few minutes another tear slipped silently down her cheek. For a moment she thought she should have accepted his offer to help. Maybe things would have been easier. But then the memory of earlier flashed in her mind. how he had demanded a kiss from her in exchange for a phone. Her chest tightened again. No… trusting him was never a good idea. She wiped her face with the back of her hand and tried to think of some way to manage the situation on her own. But nothing came to her mind. Just thenThe door creaked open. Advika immediately looked up.Her heart skipped when she saw who it was Aviraj. He walked inside as if nothing had happened. “Why...” she started to speak. But before she could finish her sentence, he placed a bag on the bed and sat down beside it. “Before you say anything,” he said calmly, “I brought what you nee
Aviraj's pov I walked toward her slowly. She was laying with her back to me, still curled up on the floor."What the hell are you doing on the floor... and at this late hour?" I asked again. She didn't answer me. My jaw tightened.Why does she always manage to irritate me when I'm already trying to stay calm?I stepped closer and knelt down beside her. Without waiting for a response, I held her shoulders and turned her slightly so she was facing me."Adv..."The word stopped in my throat.Her face.Tears were streaming down her cheeks.Her eyes were red and glossy, and she looked like she had been crying for a long time. For a second, I just stared at her. What the hell? Why is she crying now? A strange irritation mixed with something else tightened in my chest."Why are you crying?" I demanded, my voice lower now. But even as I asked, something about the way she looked made my anger falter."I don't want to tell you," she said, her voice trembling and broken. I exhaled sharply. God...
Advika's pov The long black gown looked beautiful on me. I stood inside the trial room, staring at my reflection in the mirror. The soft fabric flowed down elegantly, hugging my frame before falling smoothly to the floor. For a moment, I almost forgot everything else and just looked at myself.It had been nearly an hour since we arrived at the mall.And in that entire hour, Dadi had bought more dresses than I could even count. Every few minutes she would hand me another gown and tell me to try it on.At first, I didn’t protest. But now I am exhausted.I finally opened the handle of the trial room door and stepped outside.Dadi was sitting on the sofa, patiently waiting for me. Her eyes lifted the moment she saw me. I stopped in front of her.“You look beautiful in this too,” she said with a small approving smile. Before I could even respond, she picked up another gown from the nearby rack and held it out toward me. My eyes widened in shock. Another one? I felt my shoulders slump.“P







