HEALING LEADS TO HEARTBREAK.
"If loving you is madness, then let the world burn-I'd choose your chaos over anyone else's calm."
★★★
Aarti's world is shattered after being betrayed by her first love, leaving her battling not only brain cancer but als...
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Three years ago, Age: twenty four
At London.
"Rehan, do you know this place?" Vyom, my younger brother, asked, looking towards the zoo in front of us. "Of course, how could I easily forget this place?" I teased my voice was normal, and he rolled his eyes.
This was the place where we had come once before, and Vyom had accidentally gone near the tiger's enclosure and teased it, causing the tiger to growl loudly. The look on Vyom's face that day was priceless.
We had just landed here today to attend some family functions, and Mom and Dad had sent us since they couldn't make it due to work and didn't want to upset their relatives.
"I was young back then, and anyone would get scared with such a sudden growl. You would've gotten scared too, but now Vyom isn't afraid of anything." He exclaimed at last looking like a confident king.
We walked further, where many people with their children were playing and taking pictures with small animals. My hands were in my pockets. "Really? Then I think you'd dare to go take a photo with that tiger again," I chuckled.
"Kritika, we're leaving. You two hurry up and-ouch," a girl collided with me forcefully as she was calling out to someone while looking back. "I'm so sorry," she said from behind me, but before I could turn around and see her face, she already turned her face.
"Let's go, I want to show you something," a guy holding her wrist said, and dragged her along. I was still watching her until she get disappeared from my view.
"I'm so sorry."
"Check this out, I got a pic with the tiger!" Vyom exclaimed, showing me the photo of him grinning in front of the tiger's enclosure. The tiger looked menacing in the background. "Nice," I said.
"What were you staring at just now?" Vyom asked, noticing my gaze still fixed in the distance. "I'm not sure... something weird just happened," I said with a faint smile. "Did you spot a foreigner or something?" Vyom teased, and I shook my head.
"Never mind, let's go. We're already late for the party," I said, walking towards the exit.
★
The London skyline glittered like diamonds beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows of my room. I stood at the glass, a glass of scotch in hand, the city's pulse beating in time with mine. My empire stretched across continents, a web of power and influence forged through ruthless ambition and calculated risk.
I need to relax.
I stepped into the marble-lined bathroom, I didn't lock the door just closed it. The soft glow of the lights enveloping me like a cocoon. With a turn of the faucet, hot water cascaded down, steam rising to fog the mirrors. I shed my clothes, the weight of the day washing away with the water.
Under the scorching jets, I closed my eyes, letting the tension seep out of my muscles. The world might be complex, but in moments like these, simplicity was all I needed.
I wrapped the towel around my waist, the soft fabric a brief respite from the chill of uncertainty. Stepping out of the bathroom, I expected solitude. Instead, I saw a figure slipping into the room, the door creaking softly behind her. Before I could react, the lights died, plunging the room into darkness.
The sound of muffled sobs filled the air, a quiet despair that seemed to shake her very being. She didn't know I was watching, frozen in the shadows. Her silhouette was shrouded in darkness, her face hidden from view.
Yet, the way she trembled with each sniffle spoke volumes. Who was she? And why was she breaking down in my room? Without any invitation.
The city lights streaming through the window danced across her glittery dress, casting a mesmerizing glow on the fabric. Her slender back rose and fell with each ragged breath, a testament to her silent sobbing. I leaned against the bathroom doorframe, my eyes fixed on her.
Despite my exhaustion, my curiosity was piqued. But my patience was wearing thin. I was tired from my long trip and yearned for some peace. I decided to speak up.
"This isn't a public space. You need to leave." I said, my voice low and firm, cutting through the darkness.
She slowly turned back toward me, her sobbing subsiding, perhaps realizing she'd come to the wrong place. For a few seconds, I tried to catch glimpses of her face, but the dim lighting obscured my view.
The next moment, she stepped swiftly toward me, her heels clicking on the floor, and grasped my face in her palms. She pressed her soft lips to mine, leaving me frozen in place, unable to process what was happening.
She was consumed by anger, or perhaps she needed someone to calm her down. I chose to help her by wrapping my arms around her back, drawing her closer, and responding to her kiss with equal intensity and passion.
As I deepened the kiss, I felt her tension slowly unravel, her body relaxing into mine. My own emotions were a jumble of surprise and curiosity, mixed with a spark of attraction. I wasn't sure what had triggered her outburst, but in that moment, I didn't care.
All I knew was the sensation of her lips on mine, the way her body fit against me, and the intoxicating rush of adrenaline that came with the unexpected intimacy.
Fuck. I'm obsessed.
The sudden ring shattered the intensity of the moment, and she abruptly pulled away, her eyes downcast. And then I caught sight of a tiny diamond-shaped tattoo on her chest, nestled just beneath her collarbone.
Her hands trembled as she smoothed her hair, her voice barely above a whisper when she spoke.
"I'm so sorry... I'm-" The words trailed off, and with the same swift steps that brought her to me, she turned and left, disappearing into the darkness, leaving me confused.
I stood there, feeling a strange sense of loss as she disappeared from sight. It will be weird to say but I felt bad because she left.
I couldn't shake off the urge to talk to her, to know her name, her story, everything. Regret washed over me for not catching a glimpse of her face. My heartbeat still pounded in my chest like a drum, and sweat trickled down my skin as if I'd just finished an intense workout.
Just then, the lights flickered on, and I was taken aback by the harsh brightness. It felt like the lights had turned on my reality, highlighting the surreal nature of what had just happened. I shook my head, chuckling wryly at the timing.
I walked over to my wardrobe, swapping my clothes for a casual T-shirt and sweatpants.
My mind was still reeling with thoughts of her, trying to process what had just happened. I couldn't shake off the memory of our encounter, and what frustrated me the most was not getting a glimpse of her face. Such a shit I'm. Huff.
I shook my head, attempting to clear my thoughts, and reached for my phone on the table. That's when my gaze fell upon her standing by the door. "So you left?" I muttered, noticing the handkerchief she had left behind. I strode towards it and bent down on one knee to pick it up.
The white handkerchief had an intricate embroidery design, and my eyes landed on a beautifully embroidered letter "A". Maybe her name starts with A, I thought, a smile creeping onto my face.
The thought filled me with hope that one day I'd meet the mysterious woman again, and this time, I wouldn't let her slip away. "Now, I will find you no matter what."
☄️🌊
So. I decided to start this story again as a new and different version from the previous one with so much mystery and secrets. I hope you'll all like it and enjoy it too.
