𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐄

Chapter - 49

Nothing is more painful for me than you not being with me.

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AUTHOR'S POV

On the edge of the cliff, with the sky stretching infinitely above and the valley falling away beneath, Digvijay sat with Siya. Between them lay a weathered rock, a barrier that seemed almost symbolic of the space that had grown between them over these days. 

The wind tugged at their clothes, the evening sun casting long shadows across the rugged terrain. The tension in the air was palpable, though it was quiet except for the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant call of birds returning to their nests.

Siya’s eyes were fixed on the horizon, her face unreadable. Her hands were clasped in her lap, fingers intertwined tightly, as though holding onto something only she could understand. 

Digvijay, however, couldn’t stop glancing at her, as if willing her to meet his gaze, to acknowledge the words he had yet to say.

He sighed, leaning his elbows on his knees. His dark eyes traced the outline of the rock between them before he began to speak, his voice low but steady. 

"I was standing here, you know," he said, glancing over the edge of the cliff. "On this very spot, 5 years ago. I was 25 that time, angry, lost, and ready to give up. That day, I was planning to end it all. My parents had an accident. Business was at loss. Sohan was a silent kid but after his kidnapping he became distant. Everyone blames me. I lost all my hope."

Siya finally turned her head slightly, her eyes widened at his shocking revelation. She didn’t say anything, but her heart was pounding very fast.

"You were 14. A frustrated teenager like me," Digvijay continued, his lips curving into a bitter smile. "You were complaining to God. Why is your life so sad? Why did your father never love you? You had a sunflower in your hand. I saw you. You were shouting to the wind, complaining about life, about your parents, about school… I don’t even think you noticed me. But in a way, without knowing, you saved me. I watched you fight your own battles, and suddenly, I didn’t feel so alone. You gave me a reason to step back from the edge."

Siya blinked, her expression softening as she looked at him. Memories of that day flooded back to her, though they were vague—her youthful frustration, her feeling of isolation, but she didn’t recall seeing anyone else. How strange it was that her pain had unintentionally saved someone else.

Digvijay chuckled, though there was no humor in his voice. "I started following you after that. I had no idea why at the time—maybe it was fascination, But I knew I couldn’t get you out of my mind. You are so innocent for this world. For me you were an Angel who protected me. I should also protect that Angel?….. I wanted to understand why someone so young, so full of life, was so frustrated. And then…"

He paused, the memory of that day replaying vividly in his mind.

"I become your shadow. First it was just protection, but slowly I was enjoying looking at your smiley face. How you get happiness in small things. One day, I saw you in your twelfth-grade uniform, standing in the schoolyard, and a guy was there—Rohit, I think his name was? He was proposing to you. I remember how he looked at you, and I hated it. I didn’t know what it was, but something inside me snapped. The next day, when I saw him, I beat him up. He had no idea why, and I told myself it was because I wanted to protect you, but deep down, I knew it was more than that. I beat him because he made a bet on you."

Siya remained silent, her eyes downcast now, as if the weight of his words was too much to bear.

"I was mad," Digvijay continued, his voice quieter now. "I didn’t know how to deal with my feelings. I didn’t know what love was, but I didn’t want to lose you. Before meeting you, Love was cursed for me siya. I thought… if I married you, everything would fall into place. I made this plan in my head, thinking that you’d just go along with it because… because I loved you. But I never stopped to think about what you wanted."