CRIMSON VEIL

17. rituals

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AUTHOR

Her breath hitched at his confession, and her eyes widened. She opened her mouth to say something but couldn't find the words.

He knows.

How?

She had never told anyone about the ring—the only ring with her name engraved on it and a blank space beside it reserved for her loved one. She had always made sure that no one knew about it; it was a secret between her and her grandma.

Suddenly, the hot air that had been tickling her ear faded, pulling her out of her thoughts. Her eyes fluttered open, realizing she had closed them for a moment.

His face came into view as he pulled back to see her clearly. His curious eyes scanned every inch of her face: her flushed cheeks, her wide-open eyes.

Her lips parted to say something, but she stopped as the sound of a throat clearing caught her attention, making both of them turn their heads.

Ahaan appeared in their peripheral vision.

Hurriedly, she removed herself from Veer's hold and stepped back, catching a glimpse of Veer clenching his fist.

Ignoring the warmth on her cheeks, she stood in her place beside Veer, and welcomed the guests as they came up to the stage to offer their good wishes.

After the process was done, she stepped down from the stage with Avni, but her mind remained focused on his confession.

Suddenly, Avni nudged her. "Where were you lost?" Avni's genuine concern about her zoning out was evident.

She simply shook her head at Avni's question. "Nowhere," she whispered, and took a seat beside her sister. Her eyes wandered until they fixed on the sky.

The sun was about to set, leaving an orange hue behind, transforming the sky into a canvas: birds flew around the sun, and large green trees with off-white decorative lights enhanced the scenery.

She smiled, looking up at the sky and admiring its beauty.

It was a perfect picture for her.

But what she hadn't expected in this perfect picture was seeing herself dancing with Veer on the beautifully decorated open stage—white curtains draped around and tangled together at the top in a knot.

It all happened in a couple of minutes as the announcer revealed that there would be a couple dance featuring the main couples of the event, which took Siya by surprise—she hadn't anticipated this for the evening.

A strong pair of hands twirled her around, bringing her back to the present. Her hands instinctively landed on his broad shoulders, and her eyes locked with his.