Night of 25TH

CHAP 69: Almost Caught*

18+ scenes read-only if you are comfortable

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As soon as the words escaped her lips, Shubman, tears welling in his eyes, abruptly rose from his seat, anger etched across his face. Confusion flickered in the tea vendor's eyes, for just moments ago, the couple had appeared deeply immersed in a tender moment.

Anya, sensing the sudden shift, hurriedly trailed behind Shubman. "I'm sorry. I won't talk like that again," she pleaded, desperation in her voice.

"Get on the bike," he commanded, his gaze fixed ahead, refusing to meet her eyes.

"I am sorry," she repeated, her grip on his hand tightening.

"I said get on the bike," he snapped, revving the engine with an undercurrent of anger, tears threatening to spill from his eyes.

Silently, she complied, mounting the bike. She understood that his anger was justified; her earlier nonchalance had belittled the gravity of the situation. However, apologizing seemed futile in the face of his seething emotions. As the bike raced forward, she sat in silence, acutely aware that her words had wounded him deeply.

They passed through the house gates and noticed the entire family seated in the courtyard, engrossed in their morning tea.

"Puttar, kahaan gaye the?" Shubman's mom inquired, but instead of offering a response, he stormed inside the house with visible anger.

A collective sigh emanated from the family members, acknowledging another one of their frequent disagreements. Observing the resigned expressions around her, Anya took it upon herself to address the situation.

"I will talk to him," she declared. With that firm resolve, she trailed behind Shubman into the house, prepared to confront and reconcile.

The family exchanged understanding nods, well aware that the only person capable of both inciting such anger in him and bringing about a sense of calm was her. Determinedly, she made her way to his room, finding him curled up in a ball on the bed. His gaze was fixed outside the window, anger etched on his face, and he clutched the pillow tightly as tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Shubman," she said, her fingers gripping his biceps gently as she settled in front of him.

He yanked his arms away harshly, wiping away his tears with frustration, and stared out of the window, biting his lips, clearly unwilling to engage in conversation.

"I'm sorry. It's just that my feelings got the better of me," she said, her voice quivering with emotion. She couldn't hold back her tears. "It's the thing I always wanted, the thing I never thought would happen for me, and when it finally did, life decided to turn cruel."

He looked at her, tears streaming down her face, clutching her dress and gasping for breath. In a swift, compassionate gesture, he pulled her into his arms, his hands rubbing soothing circles on her back. Her head found a resting place on his chest as she continued to sob.

"Shhh, don't cry," he whispered gently, as she cried in the warmth of his embrace a comforting sanctuary. "It's just... I hate thinking about my life without you."

"Why does life have to be so cruel? How unbelievably unlucky," she uttered, her voice choked with sorrow. Tears continued to flow down her face, and her entire body shivered with the intensity of her uncontrollable sobs.

"First, losing hope that a stupid, normal girl like me could ever have a chance with you," she confessed, the pain evident in her words. "And then, against all the odds, I get that chance, only to be robbed of the opportunity to live it fully or savour the beauty I always craved for."