Ved Singhaniya, the sole heir of the Singhaniya's and a force of destruction, carried a curse from a past life-a burden etched into his very existence. Yet, every curse has its cure, and for him, she was his panacea, his salvation.
Akira Suryawanshi...
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THE SHADOW
It was the first time in my twenty-six years that I had ever planned a date night for someone, the first time I cooked for someone other than myself. And, if I'm being honest, I found myself surprisingly content in the process. There was something deeply fulfilling about it, about the way it made me feel present, needed, and... connected.
As we sat together, the evening unfolding quietly, I couldn't help but notice how she kept gazing up at the stars. The look in her eyes brought me back to a moment from two years ago-when I had stood beneath a sky just as vast, staring into the endless expanse for meaning, for a glimpse of hope, or maybe just for some sense of purpose. Her eyes reflected that same emptiness, that same searching, as if she, too, was willing to risk everything just to escape the crushing weight of it all.
My grip tighten on the handlebars as I accelerated down the desolate road, the wind biting at my face, the world rushing past in a blur. The isolated cottage that awaited me felt more like a sanctuary than ever, a place I'd retreated to in search of peace from the chaos. But tonight, that peace felt elusive-almost like a mirage.
I couldn't shake the memory of earlier, during our date, when I caught a glimpse of Jay-my friend. When she mentioned something about my eyes, it hit me like a jolt. I knew, then, that my expression must have shifted, a sharp,uncomfortable flicker crossing my face. A wave of self-loathing washed over me. I had probably looked at her like I was judging her, like I was angry-like I was closing off. And in that moment, I cursed myself for not explaining sooner. For not letting her see the full picture, the weight I was carrying. Instead, she must have thought I was glaring at her, perhaps wondering what she had done wrong.
I left my bike in the garage and stopped by the cottage backyard as I approached the middle of the woods. My stomach flared up. He caught sight of her. When my foes were after me everywhere, I didn't want anyone to find out about her. It's not that I didn't trust him-I do, after all, just not with her. I would jump into hell before putting her at stake.
I stepped into the hall, after giving each corner a glimpse, I found him standing at the cabinet looking into the photo frames. His eyes were glued onto the big frame placed over the mantle piece, and there I knew, I was fucked up. He didn't turn back, though he would be sure of my presence.
I cleared my throat, breaking into the eerie silence.
As I spoke, my voice laced with a quiet intensity, I moved closer to him. "If you gaze at them with those eyes, the people in the frame might come to life."
He turned toward me, his stare sharp and unyielding, cutting through the space between us. "One of them is alive, isn't she?" His voice was a low growl, the question charged with dark certainty.
