A U T H O R 'S P O V

The music thundered through the Auditorium, reverberating off the grand Chandeliers and polished floor. Arya stood in the centre, her head tilted back in laughter as she swayed with the rhythm. Her bodycon dress clung to her like a second skin, exposing the smooth curves of her body. The deep wine red colour made her look majestic, the dress a stark contrast to her milky white skin.

She looked like she belonged there to the chaos. Like a queen regaining over decadence and sin.

Avyansh stood in the corner of the Auditorium, his gaze fixed on her. His jaw clenched when he saw another man spin her around. His hand lingering on her waist, a moment long on her waist.

He fisted his hand around the glass in His hand, his knuckles turned white with intensity. He looked at her, swaying to the music. Not caring about the world— about him. Her hair danced with her, and under the party lights, it looked like a midnight waterfall in the dark.

She was supposed to be his.

Not like this. Not when some other man's hand is on her waist.

She was his.

Unable to hold back any longer, Avyansh stormed to her across the crowd. He stood in front of them —Arya and the man she was dancing with. His towering presence cut through the chaos like a knife. The man dancing with her had barely time to talk to her, before Avyansh grabbed her wrist and pulled her over him.

“ Enough,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Arya glared up at him, her eyes blazing “ Let go of me, Avyansh”

“ Do you know what the hell you are doing?” He demanded, his grip firm but not painful on her wrist.

“ Dancing,” she replied curtly.

“ With whom?” He demanded, his eyes blazing with fury and jealousy.

“ Anyone who is not you,” his jaw tightened at her reply. Tears glistened in his eyes due to controlling his anger.

“Why are you hurting me like this? Please stop going closer to another man, when you know it's hurting me fucking much!” He yelled at her, his voice pained and broken.

“ Hurt?” Arya laughed bitterly, her own eyes betraying her.

“ You called this thing hurt? What you did to me is beyond hurt Mr. Avyansh Verma. You didn't hurt me, you broke me. Not little by little but all at once. You know the pain I got from you is beyond hurtful than the point I got from my own people”

She yelled at him with more intensity, not able to control her pain.

Avyansh felt a pang in his heart hearing her. She was right. He broke her but he has a reason. A reason he can't reveal to her, at least not until he finds the truth.

The truth which made him broke her.

The truth which made him break himself.

The truth which broke the whole verma family.

For the first time in four years, they both felt vulnerable. Both are fighting with their own demons and their decisions.

“ You shouldn't care about me Avyansh. You are engaged, remember?” she whispered, her voice filled with unsaid pain.

Avyansh gritted his teeth at the constant mention of his engagement in their every encounter.

The Engagement.

The fucking Engagement.

The whole reason for their misery now.

His jaw clenched, his eyes darkening with an emotion, she couldn't name at that time.

“ That doesn't mean, i will stand by and watch you throw yourself into danger”

“ Danger?,” Arya asked, yanking her hand free from his hold.

“ The only danger here is me being near you”

The words hit like a put in his gut. But before he could respond to her, Arya turned around and disappeared into the crowd.

Avyansh stood there frozen, the ache in his chest spreading like a wildfire.