Author's POV :
Once they reached Samay's house, the grandeur of the Sinha mansion seemed to amplify the tension between them. The opulent halls, a testament to his family's wealth and status, felt like a prison, closing in on them with every step they took. The warm embrace of his mother, Revati, offered little comfort as they retreated to his room, the sanctuary of his teenage years now a battleground for their relationship.
The door clicked shut behind them, and the weight of the silence was almost palpable. Saanvi sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes searching his, looking for the answers she hadn't found in the library. "Samay," she began, her voice shaky. "What's going on? Who is she to you?"
Samay took a deep breath, his heart hammering in his chest. He knew he had to be honest, to lay it all out on the line. "Amisha is nothing to me, Saanvi," he said firmly. "She's just a new student who's obsessed with the idea of being with someone like me."Saanvi searched his eyes, looking for the slightest hint of deceit. "Obsessed?" she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes," Samay said, his voice heavy with conviction. "Her parents are the ones behind it all. They've taught her to be like this. It's a game to them, a way to get back at my family."
Saanvi's eyes searched his, and for a moment, she felt a pang of doubt. But then she remembered the countless times Samay had been there for her, the way his eyes lit up when he talked about their future together. She believed him.
"But why would she do this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "What does she want from us?"
Samay sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "Her mother, Riya, has always had a vendetta against my family," he explained, the words tasting bitter on his tongue. "When my parents were in college, she was obsessed with my dad. But he chose my mom, Revati, and she's never forgiven them for it."
"So it's about their history?" Saanvi's voice was calm, but her eyes were stormy. "But why me? Why would she have any hate for me?"
Samay sat down beside her, his eyes never leaving hers. "It's not just about me, Saanvi," he said, his voice raw with frustration. "It's about you too. She saw you as a threat, the moment she saw us together. You're everything she's not - kind, smart, and loved by everyone."
"But why?" Saanvi whispered, her eyes welling up with tears. "What did I ever do to her?"
Samay pulled her into a tight embrace, his heart breaking at the sight of her pain. "It's not about you, Saanvi," he said, his voice a soothing balm to her troubled thoughts. "It's about history repeating itself. You're just like your mother, the queen bee of the college, loved by everyone. And just like how Riya was jealous of your mom, she's jealous of you now."
Saanvi leaned into his embrace, her thoughts racing. "But why?" she murmured, her voice muffled against his chest. "What does she hope to achieve?"
Samay held her tightly, his voice a gentle rumble. "It's a twisted game of power, Saanvi," he said.
"Her mother, Riya, never got over the fact that your mom, Ankitha, was the one who was truly loved, the queen bee of the college. She's always resented that, and now she sees you as a threat to her own daughter's status."
He took a deep breath, his heart aching for her. "But you can't let her win, Saan," he whispered. "You're stronger than she'll ever be."
Saanvi pulled back, a ghost of a smile playing on her lips. "Stronger?" she repeated, raising an eyebrow. "How do you figure that?"
Samay chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, for starters, you've got the moves," he teased, mimicking her coffee toss. "You could've been a pro basketball player with that arm."
