𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧: 𝐀𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐎𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐢 (𝟏𝟖+) ✅

30

Author's POV

"You're cute" Abhimaan said pulling her cheeks and Roop's eyes widened.

Abhimaan's casual compliment sent shockwaves through Roop's system, evident in her widened eyes. Karthik's reaction, however, was far from casual. His glare could have set Abhimaan ablaze if looks could kill.

"You seem to enjoy flirting with danger, Singh," Karthik gritted through clenched teeth.

Roop, perhaps trying to diffuse the tension, lightly poked Abhimaan's bicep.

"Kyo kitne sahi to hai!!" she teased, a hint of playfulness in her voice.

Abhimaan, ever the provocateur, smirked in response, further stoking Karthik's simmering frustration. Roop, meanwhile, blushed at the interaction, her embarrassment mingling with amusement as she engaged in a playful exchange with Karthik.

In a bold move, she reached out and wrapped her hands around Karthik's bicep, playfully swinging herself down from the table where she stood. Due to the slight height difference, she found herself hovering just above Karthik's eye level.

Karthik's expression softened at her touch, but the tension between them remained palpable.

"Oh hello, aapka final to ho gaya hain na ki aapko manana hai aur ab unke saath hi rahoge? Kahi aap wapas ek ghanta baad bolo ki I don't deserve her, mai bata rahin hu jutti khol ke marungi warna!" she said to Akshat and he raised his eyebrows in amusement.

"What if she likes Kunal now?" Akshat asked and Roop glared at him.

"What is up with people glaring me?" Akshat asked.

"Because you're stupid as fuck" they all said in unison. (A/N: And probably my readers too)

--

In Scotland now, it's been a week since they started trailing Riya. Thanks to Roop, they've been super sneaky about it. So sneaky that Riya spotted them on the very first day. She's acting like she doesn't see them, though. She's just not ready to deal with them yet. She's avoiding her brother too. He's off in Russia and hasn't even thought about them since he left. She hasn't called him because she figures he's better off not knowing what's going on.

The mere glimpse of Akshat unleashed a torrent of memories, flooding Riya's mind with emotions she had long suppressed. It all came rushing back—the first time she laid eyes on him, the sharp pang of recognition that cut through her like a knife.

It was a mundane day, much like any other, as she emerged from her college and idly picked up a pamphlet from the bus stand. That's when she noticed him, engrossed in his newspaper, but with it held upside down. The sight piqued her curiosity, and as she stole a sidelong glance at his face, her heart plummeted. She didn't need a second look to confirm his identity; she knew instinctively it was Akshat.

Hastening back to her dorm, she sought refuge behind the closed door of her bathroom. There, in the solitude of her despair, she allowed herself to succumb to the overwhelming weight of her emotions. She cried until her tears ran dry, the echoes of her anguish reverberating off the walls as she grappled with the pain of her past.

The memory of their subsequent encounters was etched in her mind like a cruel scar, each moment a searing reminder of the humiliation she endured. She couldn't forget the desperation in her own voice, the pleading in her eyes as she begged for understanding. In those moments, she felt reduced to nothing but dirt beneath his feet, her self-worth crumbling in the face of his indifference.

The wounds he inflicted upon her soul ran deep, leaving her emotionally battered and bruised. And now, as fate would have it, their paths crossed once more, reopening old wounds and dredging up the painful memories she had fought so hard to bury.