𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬

• 7 •

NEXT DAY

Arya sat alone in the quiet café, her nerves beginning to get the better of her. She had been waiting for some time, scanning the faces of everyone who entered, but there was no sign of the mysterious stranger who had messaged her.

"Should I just go back home? Maybe someone is playing a prank on me," she thought, frustration and doubt creeping in.

Lost in her thoughts, Arya didn't notice the person approaching her until they spoke.

"Hi, I'm the one you're looking for."

Startled, Arya turned to face the speaker, her eyes widening in shock. "Aunty? Is that you?"

The woman before her smiled gently. "Yes, it's me."

Arya exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here? Are you here to meet someone?"

Her aunt shook her head. "No, I'm here to meet you."

Arya's eyes widened in surprise. "What? Are you the EnigmaticReader?"

Her aunt nodded, gesturing for Arya to take a seat beside her. "Yes, Arya, it's me."

Arya couldn't contain her confusion. "But when I asked you before, why did you say I was imagining things?"

Her aunt sighed. "Because, at first, I thought it was just a one-time occurrence. I believed it would stop, and you would forget about it. But then it happened again."

Arya was bewildered. "What are you talking about? Please, tell me everything."

Her aunt nodded and began to explain. "It all started when you entered his room while he was crying. Do you remember that scene? I didn't write that part of the story, but it seemed as though it had written itself. I was frustrated because his character disgusted me. He did whatever he pleased, and sometimes, I would write something else entirely. But when it got published, it wasn't my story anymore. It was as if he had a mind of his own. Then, I decided to kill him, to get rid of him. That's when he pulled you into his world."

Arya listened intently, her mind racing. "So, you're saying that he's the one who pulls me into his world?"

Her aunt nodded again. "Yes, i think. He calls you into his world when he feels vulnerable, when he needs something from you."

Arya listened in shock, trying to absorb the information. "So, that night when he was having sex HE me called into his world, coz he was feeling vulnerable, which is why he was exploiting himself without knowing he calls me inside?"

Her aunt replied, "Yes, it seems that way."

Arya couldn't help but wonder aloud, "So, aunty, how can we stop all of this?"

Her aunt contemplated for a moment. "I think the key to stopping this is to change the story. Aryan's character is rooted in a dark past, and his father was not killed by his mother. He needs to find love and confront his father's killer. Only then will this end."

Arya was concerned. "But how can we do that?"

Her aunt explained, "Arya, I believe you can be the key to his freedom. Once you lead him to find his true love and uncover the truth about his father's death, the story will come to its conclusion it's own."

Arya was willing to help, but she had concerns. "Aunty, how can I enter the book? And if I do, won't I be missing in the real world?"

Her aunt reassured her, "We will find a way for you to enter the story safely. And as for your absence in the real world, don't worry. You will return and continue with your life as if nothing happened. & I think, I can cover up for you here."

Arya nodded, determined to assist Aryan and bring the story to a close. However, her aunt had one more unsettling piece of information to share. "But, Arya, we don't know how the book ends. It will follow its natural course." Arya accepted this with a nod.

***

 She returned home, Arya agrees to help her aunt but yet a wave of melancholy washed over her. The realization sank in that she would have to part with her family the next day, leaving her uncertain about when she'd be able to return to them.

" Arya, dinner's ready," her mom calls from the kitchen.

"Coming" Arya replies with a smile.

At the dinner table, she looks at her parents and says, "Maa, Papa, you know I love you so much."

Her parents exchange a warm glance and respond together, "Yes, we know, beta. We love you too."

They enjoy their dinner with simple, happy conversation.

***

The next morning at her aunt's home

"Arya, I believe you were inadvertently pulled in while you were alone here, in my office with my pc on," her aunt began to explain.

"You were here, and the next chapter was set to begin. Maybe that's how you got pulled into the story. For now, let's try this approach. If it doesn't work, we'll have to consider other options or wait for you to be summoned back in."

Arya nods as she takes everything in. She is aware that her aunt has been drawn into the realm of books before.

"Arya, I'll leave you here," her aunt said, beginning to step away. However, she paused, turning back to Arya with a heartfelt plea. "Arya, please take care of yourself for me. Promise me you won't get hurt or become too attached to anything," she said, embracing her,Arya tightly before finally letting go.

With that her aunt's departure, Arya found herself alone in the office, a mix of anxiety and excitement coursing through her veins. She scanned the surroundings, a sense of anticipation hanging in the air, uncertain of what would unfold next. Suddenly, a powerful force enveloped her, pulling her into the very world described in the pages of the book. In an instant, Arya transformed, becoming a character woven intricately into the fabric of the story.