Chapter 6

Kiyara's Point of View

The sun was warm against my skin as I sat on the rough concrete bench of the university courtyard. My tray of food sat untouched on my lap, turning cold just like the emptiness slowly spreading inside my chest.

Around me, life went on. Laughter floated in the air, students chatted about weekend plans, their latest crushes, gossip, and exams. The casual noise of normal life.

But my life wasn't normal anymore.

Not since he broke it.

Not since the day Raghav stopped being mine... and became someone else's husband.

I stared blankly at the ground, watching the little cracks in the cement, my fingers trembling slightly as they absentmindedly scrolled through my phone.

I wasn't even looking for anything.

Or maybe... deep down, I was.

Maybe I was searching for something to hurt myself with. Something to confirm the nightmare that I kept praying wasn't real.

And then... it came.

Right there.

A notification. A headline. A punch straight to my chest.

"Power Couple Raghav Kashyap and Wife Natasha Steal the Spotlight with a Romantic Dance and kiss"

My lungs tightened.

No.

No no no.

With shaking fingers, I tapped the article.

The screen lit up.

And my world dimmed.

There they were.

Raghav... and Natasha.

The first image hit me like a bullet.

Raghav standing under a shimmering crystal chandelier, dressed in a black suit.

His hair, perfectly trimmed.. his smile faint but elegant the smile the world adored.

And then there was her.

Natasha.

Draped in a gown that clung to her body like a second skin, her manicured hand rested delicately on his chest.

Her head tilted toward him. Her smile painted perfectly for the cameras. Her body pressed against his.

As if she belonged there.

As if she belonged with him.

"The way he looks at her... you can feel the love."

"A love story to envy."

"Their chemistry is undeniable."

My hands trembled. The phone almost slipped.

No. They don't know.

They don't know. They don't know.

THEY DON'T KNOW.

They don't know he loves me and me only.

Me. It was always me.

"Hey... Kiyara? You okay?" someone asked from beside me.

I blinked, forcing a breath. "Yeah... yeah. Just... scrolling."

But no. I wasn't okay. I was far from okay.

I scrolled further.

Photo after photo after photo.

There was one... his hand around her waist. His other hand held hers.

Her head rested slightly on his shoulder. His eyes... distant.

Or was that just my mind trying to make excuses for him?

Then the next picture.

A kiss.

A kiss.

My entire body went cold.

Her lips... brushing against his jaw. Close. Way too close to his lips.

The caption burned into my brain like fire.

"A couple madly in love a kiss that speaks a thousand words."

I wanted to scream.

To throw the phone. Smash it. Break it. Like how my heart shattered into pieces... right here... in the middle of the damn university courtyard.

My breathing grew uneven.

Why?

Why, Raghav?

You promised me. You swore.

"Kiyara... I would never touch her. I swear on my life. My body... my soul... they belong only to you. You are my first... and my last."

"Promise?"

"Promise, love. Forever."

Liar.

*

***

My brain, cruelly as ever, dragged me back to a memory. One I didn't have the strength to fight.

| FLASHBACK :- COLLEGE ANNUAL DANCE NIGHT. |

The lights were dim, colored spotlights swirled over the dance floor, making everything glow in shades of purple and gold.

Music pulsed through the air, soft, melodic, romantic.

I stood there, sipping my cold drink, scanning the crowd for him. And there he was.

Raghav.

Dressed in a black t shirt, black pants, his hair trimmed neatly in the way I always loved.

His smile... God, his smile.

He spotted me and grinned, weaving through the crowd to reach me. His arms wrapped around my waist from behind.

"Found you," he whispered against my ear.

"I wasn't hiding," I giggled.

Before he could reply, a girl from our class walked up tall, pretty, dressed. Her lips are painted cherry red.

"Hey Raghav... would you mind sharing a dance with me?" she asked, twirling a strand of her hair.

His body stiffened instantly. His grip around me tightened.

His smile vanished.

"No," he said. Shortly and cold.

The girl blinked. "Oh... sorry... I thought__"

She muttered something awkward and walked away.

I turned to him, surprised. "Raghav... why were you so__"

He didn't let me finish.

His hands cupped my face so gently, thumbs brushing my cheeks. His eyes burned into mine.

"Because, Kiyara... every touch of mine... every dance... every kiss... is reserved for you. Only you."

Before my heart could even process it, he pulled me onto the dance floor.

The slow song started. He rested his forehead against mine, swaying to the rhythm, our bodies pressed together, fitting perfectly.

And then... right there... under the dim lights, surrounded by strangers...

His lips met mine.

Soft and loving.

His hands trailed down my waist, holding me like I was something too precious for this world.

"I love you... Goddam so muchh," he whispered between kisses.

"Me too," I whispered back.

| FLASHBACK ENDS. |