Her Nightmare | 18+

|| Chapter 24 ||

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PARINIDHI

As the festivities came to a close, guests began to trickle out one by one. Devansh and I lingered near the doorway, exchanging final farewells with each departing guest.

Reshna had already accompanied Anshika to the room, ensuring she got the rest she needed.

Approaching us with a friendly smile, Ekta expressed her pleasure, saying, "It was delightful meeting you, Pari. Let's plan to meet again soon."

Devansh exchanged a hug with Ekta's husband, but my gaze swept the room, failing to locate Sidhharth.

Even though I wanted to inquire about Sidhharth, I held back in Devansh's presence, anticipating his potential misinterpretation of my question and the repercussions that might follow.

The fear of his disapproval kept me from speaking up.

"Where's Sid?" Devansh inquired, his gaze shifting towards Ekta.

The first time Devansh posed a question, it didn't pierce through my ears like usual.

Instead, I fixed my gaze on Ekta, yearning for any sliver of information regarding Sidhharth's mysterious absence.

"He's been gone with Nirav for a while now," Ekta disclosed knowingly. "You know how Sidhharth is, he tends to vanish in the company of friends."

The memory is clear in my mind as Devansh and I returned to the party, Sidhharth's absence was noticeable. It wasn't just that he was missing; it felt like he was deliberately avoiding us.

My suspicion grew, especially since Sidhharth's face looked scared and shocked when Devansh mentioned Anshika's name.

"Goodbye, Pari," Ekta said with a final, warm smile before she and her husband left.

Devansh turned to me, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. "Have you had dinner?" The softness in his tone was disconcerting.

I shook my head, my eyes fixed on the floor, unwilling to meet his gaze.

"Let's eat together," he suggested, his unexpected kindness catching me off guard. I looked up, startled by his gentle approach, a stark contrast to his usual demeanor.

I nodded, and as we moved to the dining table, I instinctively left two chairs between us, my nerves keeping me at a cautious distance.

Devansh had already directed the staff to call it a night, having put in an extraordinary effort in orchestrating the party and ensuring the guests were well taken care of. As a result, there was nobody left to attend to us.

"I can manage," I offered, but Devansh immediately gestured to stop me and served the food himself.

He then brought his plate over and sat beside me, causing me to shift nervously in my chair.

I couldn't fathom Devansh's changing demeanor, nor did I have the desire to understand.

Silently, I lowered my head and began eating, every morsel feeling stuck in my throat due to Devansh's close proximity.

As I wrapped up my meal, heading towards my room, the distinct rhythm of Devansh's footsteps echoed down the corridor.

Instantly, my body tensed, my heart quickening its pace as I halted mid-step, pivoting to glance back over my shoulder.

"You won't be staying in this room anymore," Devansh's words struck me like a sledgehammer, sending shockwaves through my mind.

Was he implying that I should move in with him?