Her Innocent Love

18 ~ Lost and Found

Hello Hello Janemans. My apologies for making you wait but this chapter is slightly longer than others. Please leave your precious comments so that I can know how you are finding the story so far. Lastly if you like it, please vote. Love you all❤️

Aathiya's POV

You ever think you won't survive if a certain person leaves your life? Like, you're convinced their absence will break you. But then they leave... and you're still here. Breathing. Somehow, life just moves forward, dragging you along with it. We don't get the luxury of stopping, no matter how much it hurts. So, we learn to live without them.

Now here I am, back to my lonely, silent night shifts, and yet, everything feels... different.

It's wild how much things have changed in just a few weeks. There was a time when I thought the pain of losing Gaurav would consume me, that every memory of him would tear me apart. But then, Reyansh showed up. Like a solid, unshakable wall between me and all the hurt. He didn't push or demand anything from me—he was just there. it's something I never expected.

And you know what? I adore our friendship. It's real. There's no ulterior motive behind it, no hidden agenda like so many others who pretend to care just to pull you into their bed like Gaurav, who acted like he cared until I realized what he really wanted. And when I said no, he didn't even try to hide his disgust. The mask he wore fell so easily. Reyansh? He's not like that. He's definitely different

"Excuse me, miss. Can I get my package? Should be under Jack Miller," a guest interrupted, pulling me back to the present.

I blinked, forcing a polite smile. "Sure, sir. Just a moment."

Seriously? It's 1 AM and this guy just now remembers his package has been sitting at the front desk all day? People... I sighed and reached for my keys to open the parcel room but came up empty-handed. My chest tightened. Where are the keys?

fumbled through the drawers and checked every cabinet, my hands moving faster with every second that passed. They had to be here somewhere.

"How long will it take, Miss?" the guest asked, his voice tinged with impatience.

I swallowed hard. My heart raced, but I forced myself to keep calm. "I'm really sorry, sir. I can't seem to find the key right now. Would it be okay if you came by in the morning?" I tried to sound confident, but inside, I dreaded his reaction.

To my surprise, he smiled. "No problem. I'll come back tomorrow. I'm here all week anyway."

I exhaled slowly, thanking Babaji internally. But where on earth could those keys be?

Author's POV

The guest had finally left, and Aathiya's heart raced as she frantically searched for the hotel keys. Every nook and cranny had been scoured, but the keys remained elusive. Her mind was a whirlwind, panic swirling within her like a storm. She tried to remember the last time she had seen them, but nothing came to mind, only the suffocating sensation creeping over her.

"What's happening to me?" she gasped, her breaths coming in shallow bursts. "I can't breathe. Why do I feel so trapped?" Desperation clawed at her throat. "Please, relax, Aathiya. You can find it." She attempted to soothe herself, but the words felt empty as her body ignited with anxiety, and her palms grew clammy.

In a moment of sheer desperation, she dialed Reyansh's number. The phone rang a few times before he picked up, his voice calm and soothing. "Hey Aathiya, what's up?" He was aware that she had a night shift.

"Reyansh, I lost the hotel keys! I've looked everywhere, but I can't find them!" Her words tumbled out in a frantic rush, each syllable dripping with urgency.