Somewhere In Heart

Chapter 8

The morning light filtered through the curtains as Akshara stirred awake. A soft groan left her lips as she stretched, her body feeling oddly warm.

"Mmhh-mhh..."

Her gaze fell on Abhimanyu, who was still asleep beside her. His shirt was draped across his lap, but the rest of him was bare. Her breath hitched.

"W-What?" she whispered, her heart pounding. "This... this can't be real."

Panic set in as she glanced down at herself. She was wrapped in his long woolen coat—thick, warm, and unmistakably his. Hesitantly, she pulled it aside, only to realize the truth. She was naked.

"No... no, this can't be happening," she murmured, her eyes darting around the room. And then, her gaze landed on the empty wine bottles scattered on the floor.

Her breathing grew shallow. "How did this happen? How could I let this happen?" Tears welled up in her eyes. "I made a huge mistake... but I can't just leave Abhimanyu like this either..."

Hearing her whispers, Abhimanyu stirred awake. His eyes fluttered open, and the first thing he saw was Akshara, her face pale and her hands trembling. He followed her gaze and saw what she had seen—the scattered bottles, their state, the undeniable truth.

"Akshu..." he said softly.

She turned to him, her voice shaking. "You're awake..."

"What... what did we do?" he asked, his throat dry.

"We did what we should have never done," she said, wiping her tears.

Abhimanyu sat up immediately. "Akshu, don't panic. I'm here. Please don't cry."

"This shouldn't have happened, Abhi," she sobbed, hugging herself.

He reached out, but she pushed him away. "Stay away from me, Abhimanyu! Just forget that any of this happened. And from now on, don't ever come to see me again. Just drop me home and leave."

"Akshu—"

"Please!" she pleaded.

He clenched his jaw but nodded. Without another word, he drove her home.

As soon as she stepped inside, she collapsed onto the couch, her face buried in her hands. "What have I done... how could I let this happen...?"

Meanwhile, at the entrance, Abhinav walked in, holding a single rose in his hand.

"Today, I'll finally tell Akshara ji how much I love her," he murmured, taking a deep breath. But as he stepped inside, his smile faded. Akshara was crying in her room, her shoulders shaking.

His fingers tightened around the rose. "Why is she crying like that...? Maybe now isn't the right time."

Taking a deep breath, he stepped closer. "Akshara ji?"

Akshara quickly wiped her tears and turned to face him. "Abhinav ji? You're here?"

"Are you okay? Why were you crying?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

"I-It's nothing... just a headache," she said, forcing a small smile.

Abhinav studied her face, knowing she was lying.

"Did you need something?" she asked, trying to sound normal.

"Oh, no... nothing important. I just came to see you. You should rest, I'll leave," he said, forcing a smile before walking away.

As he stepped outside, he clenched his fist. "Something is definitely wrong. I've seen Akshara ji cry before, but never like this... She's hiding something. And I'll find out what it is."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Abhimanyu sat in his car, gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white.

"What did I do... how did I let this happen...?" His voice trembled. "We were drunk, but still... I can't just let this go. I can't leave Akshu like this... What if—no, no. That can't be true..."