MY MOON

7 YEARS LATER

Alex's POV:

The sun seemed brighter today, casting a warm glow over the sprawling estate. I come here every year to Spain for the golf matches, but this year felt different. Walking through the garden, I felt the sun's rays on my face, a sensation that reminded me of her—of Alya and her  laugh. My friend hosts this annual golf match since our college time, and for the past seven years, I had stayed away. The desire to participate, to be part of anything, had vanished for last seven years. But this year, my friend had insisted, practically dragged me here. But this place is worth coming, it is beautiful, with its vibrant flowers and perfectly manicured lawns.

"Alex?" a familiar voice called out, pulling me from my thoughts.

I turned, and there she was—Alya. Standing before me, she looked more radiant than ever, having aged gracefully into a stunning woman. She wore a long white gown, her hair tied up with little makeup on. She is a women now.

"Alya?" I said, my voice breaking with a mix of surprise and emotion.

Alya's POV:

The way he called my name—it was a sound I had longed to hear again for so many years. Alex had aged like fine wine no one would believe he is 40, his features are more distinguished and his presence even more commanding.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, happy to see him again. "Came for a golf match. And you?" he asked.

Alex's POV:

"I-" Before she could finish, a small girl came running towards her. "Mumma!" she called, her little legs moving as fast as they could. Its Alya's daughter I guessed by the way she crawled up to Alya saying mumma!

"She is beautiful," I said, watching as Alya bent down to sit in her level. "She is," Alya smiled, looking at her daughter.

"Aradhyaaa!" a man's voice came from behind, calling out to the little girl. I turned and was taken aback to see Dev, my former PA.

As Dev lifted Aradhya into his arms, he said, "How many times do I tell you—" He stopped mid-sentence when he saw me.

"Sir?" Dev was clearly surprised, just as much as I was.

"Dev? Did you both—?" I asked, trying to process the scene before me.

"Yes," Alya said, wrapping her arm around his. "A few years back, on a business trip, we fell in love again and got married soon after. I guess there is something like destiny right? And now we have this beautiful baby girl. Her name is Aradhya, she's two this year," she said.

I felt a pang of sadness mixed with a lot of happiness for her. Alya had moved on and found happiness, and I realized that was what truly mattered.

Alya's POV:

Seeing the mixture of emotions on Alex's face tugged at my heart. He looked happy for me, but there was a sadness in his eyes.

"Alex, it's good to see you, by the way." I said softly, trying to bridge the silence.

"It's good to see you too, Alya. I'm glad you've found happiness," he replied, his voice sincere.

Alex's POV:

As I watched Alya with her family, a sense of closure washed over me. She had moved on and built a beautiful life. The years apart had been hard but seeing her happy made it a little easier to let go of the past.

"I'm really happy for you, Alya," I said, my voice steady despite the emotions churning inside. "Thank you, Alex. Tell me about you," she replied, giving me smile.

Alya's POV:

"Yeah..." Alex said, glancing around until his eyes found a woman with flowers. "There she is, Rose. My Fiancé." He pointed towards her. She was stunning, with fiery red hair and a radiant smile. I felt a pang of jealousy, but it was quickly overshadowed by genuine happiness for Alex. He had moved on, and that was what mattered.

Rose signaled Alex to hurry, showing her watch, and indicating they were running late.

"I guess that's my cue," Alex said.

"I'm happy for you, Alex. She's beautiful." I said sincerely.

He smiled, a bittersweet expression that mirrored my own feelings. I extended my hand towards him, he left out a soft smile before he took my hand and shook it warmly.

"Goodbye, Alex," I said.

"Goodbye, Alya," he replied with a smile, and then he turned to walk towards Rose.

"Thank you," I said stopping him. "For not waiting for me."

He gave a soft smile with a nod and walked towards Rose.

"Why did you lie to him that we're married? When u just came to visit me and my family?" Dev asked, his voice filled with confusion.

"I wanted to make sure he thought I had moved on, its easier this way," I said, my voice wavering.

"This is why I say you shouldn't call Aunty Alya 'Mumma'," Dev said gently to Aradhya. "Now let's go to your real mumma," he continued, taking her inside. I forced a laugh, masking the pain.

As I walked back in, I glanced at Alex and Rose again. Despite the ache in my heart, I was genuinely happy for him. He deserved happiness, even if it wasn't with me.

Alex's POV:

I lied.

"Sir, we are late. Here is the bouquet you asked me to prepare for your friend. Your friends have already arrived," said Rose, my new PA.

I looked back at Alya, watching her go inside with her family. For a moment, I imagined myself in dev's place holding Alya's kid but seeing her with Dev, It felt like a chapter closing, a bittersweet relief washing over me.

Alya's POV:

While having lunch with Dev's family, my mind was filled with old memories of Alex and me. I had tried to move on, but the truth was, I couldn't. He was the love of my life, and no one else could fill that void. And maybe, just maybe, this was how it was meant to be. Our love was real, intense, but sometimes, love doesn't get the happy ending it deserves. It's a harsh reality, but a reality nonetheless.

Alex's POV:

As I sat in the car, all I could think about was Alya—her laugh, her scent. Driving away, I kept glancing in the rearview mirror where we both stood before, hoping to catch one last glimpse of Alya but I didn't. She felt like a distant dream, fading away yet always lingering at the back of my mind. I knew I would never truly move on. She was my last and only true love, and that kind of love doesn't just disappear.

Alya's POV:

Years from now, I will still remember him. In the quiet moments, when the world is still and the night is calm, I will think of Alex over and over again. Perhaps in another lifetime, our story will have the ending we both longed for. Maybe in another lifetime, I will find him again, and he will find me. We will fall in love again. Until then, I will always carry him with me, in my heart, always. I once thought we were going to have it all, but like all good things, this too came to an end.

Alex's POV:

Years from now, I will definently find myself returning to this garden in Spain, hoping to see her again. Each time, I will leave with a piece of my heart still waiting for her, still hoping to catch another glimpse of her. I would always leave the last page of my story blank, hoping for a different ending, till the end of the time. Because some stories are never really over, they just pause, waiting for the right moment to begin again. Alya Rastogi, She was my moon. A moon to my darkened life. A moon, so bright and beautiful. A moon, close enough to love and appreciate, but never close enough to hold and have. This was a story about love, about Alex Hall and Alya Rastogi, but it wasn't a love story. The end.

                                                                                                                                                                                   THE END.