Author's POV :
The next day dawned with a cold, hard light that pierced through the curtains of their bedroom. Ashritha stirred, her dreams troubled by the echoes of their conversation. She reached out for Akarsh, but the bed was empty, the cold sheets a stark reminder of his absence. Panic gripped her as she threw the covers aside, her heart racing. Where was he? Had he left her? Her mind swirled with scenarios, each more terrifying than the last.
Her breath hitched as she heard the distant chime of the doorbell. Fear turned to anger as she recognized the sound of footsteps approaching the room. It couldn't be. Not him. Not now. But as the door swung open, there he was, Vikram Chauhan, his eyes filled with a smug satisfaction that made her blood boil. "What are you doing here?" she hissed, her voice a low, deadly whisper.
Vikram's smile was like a serpent's, slippery and cold. "To celebrate our victory, of course," he said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him. "Your little confession was the final piece of the puzzle. Soon, Akarsh will be out of the picture, and we can be together."
Her eyes narrowed, the plan that had once seemed so clear now a tangled mess. "What do you mean?" she demanded, her voice sharp as a whip. "We agreed to keep our relationship a secret until the right moment."
Vikram sauntered closer, his movements infused with the confidence of a man who knew he held all the cards. "The right moment is now, my love," he said, his voice a purr that sent a shiver down her spine. "With Akarsh distracted by your little confession, we can move more freely. Your secret is our leverage."
But Ashritha's mind was racing, her thoughts colliding like storm clouds. "You can't be here," she hissed, pushing him away. "If Akarsh finds out, everything will be ruined."
And then, as if on cue, she heard Akarsh's voice, the sound of his footsteps approaching. Her heart leaped into her throat, and she felt the color drain from her face. "What's going on here?" he called out, his tone casual but with an underlying edge that sent a shiver down her spine.
Vikram's smile never wavered, but his eyes flickered to hers, a silent message that sent a chill down her back. "Ashritha and I were just catching up on old times," he said, his voice as smooth as ever.
Her heart hammered in her chest as Akarsh's footsteps grew louder, the door handle turning with a soft click. She couldn't move, couldn't breathe, as the room grew smaller, the air thick with tension. And then, the unthinkable happened. Akarsh stepped into the room, his eyes cold and calculating. But instead of anger, a strange amusement danced in their depths.
"Vikram," he said, his voice as smooth as velvet. "What a surprise."
Ashritha felt the blood drain from her face as Akarsh stepped into the room. She had never seen this side of him before, the one that was cold and calculating, a stark contrast to the loving husband she had always known. His eyes met hers for a brief second, and she saw the glint of something dark and dangerous, something that made her heart race with fear.
"Vikram," Akarsh said, his voice a smooth, deadly calm. "What a surprise to see you here."Her heart racing, Ashritha watched as the two men she had played against each other exchanged a knowing smile. "What's going on?" she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper.
Vikram's eyes danced with mischief as he stepped aside, revealing Akarsh's hand on the doorframe. "Allow me to explain," he said, his smile widening. "You see, Akarsh and I go way back. Best friends, actually."
Ashritha's world tilted on its axis. "Best friends?" she echoed, her voice a hollow shell of its former self.
"Ah, the plot thickens," Akarsh said, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he stepped closer to the bed. "Vikram here has been kind enough to fill me in on your little... affair. It seems we have all been playing a game, but it's not quite the one you thought, my dear."
