The Business of Hearts

Chapter-16 A Haunting Return

Author's POV

As Kiara walked through the college corridors, a sense of dread washed over her. She felt as if someone was watching her, lurking just out of sight. Her heart raced, and she could feel anxiety tightening in her chest.

She turned around but found the corridor empty. Panic surged within her, and she started running, only to crash directly into Yuvaansh.

"Yuvaansh," she gasped, her voice shaky. "I think he's here. I can feel it!"

Yuvaansh turned to her, his expression serious. "Who? Kiara, you need to breathe. Focus on me." He held her shoulders firmly, trying to ground her.

"He's back. I know he is. I can feel him!" Kiara's eyes darted around, searching for any sign of danger.

"Just stay calm," Yuvaansh said, his voice steady. "I'll have my security check the area. No one is going to hurt you." He quickly pulled out his phone and signaled to his security team, directing them to search the direction Kiara had come from.

But Kiara could hardly hear him; her vision blurred, and the walls felt like they were closing in. "Yuvaansh, I can't... I can't breathe!" she cried, panic rising within her.

"Just take deep breaths, Kiara. I'm right here," he reassured her. But before he could say more, Kiara's knees buckled, and she fainted, collapsing into his arms.

"Kiara!" Yuvaansh shouted, quickly lifting her. "Get my car ready!" He carried her to the parking lot, his heart racing with concern. "You're going to be okay. I've got you."

As they rolled onto the plush carpet of Eesha's room, the heat between them intensified. Priyank pressed his lips against hers, their kisses becoming deeper and more urgent. But suddenly, he pulled back, a teasing smirk on his face.

"What's wrong? Don't you like it when your best friend's boyfriend kisses you?" he mocked.

Eesha frowned, annoyance bubbling up inside her. "Shut up, Priyank. Just kiss me again!" She tried to pull him back to her, craving the warmth of his body against hers.

Instead of kissing her, he slid down her body, trailing soft kisses along her jawline and neck. Eesha gasped when he reached her hips, his lips hovering over her clothed core. "Maybe you should think about who you're with," he whispered, his breath sending shivers through her.

Eesha bit her lip, trying to push away the guilt. "I can't... This is wrong," she stammered, but her body betrayed her, arching towards him.

"Does it feel wrong?" he replied, his lips brushing against her, igniting every nerve in her body. She let out a soft moan, torn between desire and her lingering thoughts about Sanjukta and Ahaan.

"Priyank, please..." she breathed, but he only smirked, kissing her core gently again, making her heart race with excitement and confusion. 

Sanjukta lay back against the pillows, a satisfied smile on her face as Ahaan kissed her neck softly. The air was warm and cozy in her apartment, and the two of them enjoyed the afterglow of their intimate moment.

Just as Ahaan leaned in for another kiss, his phone buzzed on the nightstand. He glanced at the screen and saw it was Yuvaansh calling. He hesitated, wanting to ignore it and focus on Sanjukta, but she nudged him gently.

"Ahaan, you should pick it up. It might be important," she said, her voice a mix of concern and curiosity.

With a sigh, Ahaan grabbed his phone and answered. "Yuvaansh, what's up?" he asked, still trying to keep his focus on Sanjukta.

"Get Sanjukta and Eesha over here. Kiara fainted," Yuvaansh said, his voice urgent.

Ahaan's heart dropped. "What? Do you know what happened?" he asked, sitting up straighter in bed.

"Not yet. Just hurry," Yuvaansh replied.

Ahaan quickly relayed the information to Sanjukta. Her expression shifted from relaxed to worried in an instant. "We need to get dressed now," she said, jumping out of bed.

They hurriedly got ready, Sanjukta throwing on a simple dress while Ahaan slipped into his jeans and a shirt. Once they were dressed, Ahaan texted Priyank and Eesha, letting them know what was happening.

Meanwhile, Priyank and Eesha were in their apartment when they received the message. "Kiara fainted?" Eesha exclaimed, her eyes wide with worry. "We need to go!"

Priyank nodded, already moving towards the door. "Let's go. We can't waste any time," he said as they rushed out, eager to support their friend.

The group reached Yuvaansh's penthouse, where he waited by the door, his usual confident demeanor replaced with a tense, cold expression. As they filed in, they could tell something was weighing on him deeply. Kiara lay resting in one of the rooms, but his focus was solely on the friends before him.

Yuvaansh crossed his arms, eyes scanning each of them. "Did you all know about Kiara's anxiety?" he asked, his tone serious.

They exchanged nervous glances before Priyank nodded. "Yes, we knew," he admitted, sighing. "It's...complicated."

Yuvaansh's jaw tightened. "She was saying someone was following her before she fainted," he said slowly. "She seemed genuinely terrified."

At his words, the group tensed, the air growing heavier. Priyank finally spoke, breaking the silence. "Yuvaansh, there's something you should know. Kiara had a stalker in the past. Someone we thought was... taken care of."

Yuvaansh's brows furrowed, but he nodded for Priyank to continue.

"Around six years ago, Kiara started receiving strange messages. At first, it seemed like an annoying prank. But then it got worse. He started sending her pictures—pictures taken of her in places she thought were private. Her dorm, her room at Oxford, even public places she thought were safe," Priyank explained, his voice heavy with guilt.

Sanjukta chimed in. "We tried to protect her, but it escalated fast. We didn't know who he was at first. Kiara was freaked out, and it started affecting her studies and mental health. So, we decided to take things into our own hands."

Eesha, looking uncomfortable, added, "Our parents even got involved at some points when things got tricky. They... they helped clean things up whenever it crossed legal boundaries."

Yuvaansh ran a hand through his hair, his expression unreadable but tense. "What do you mean by 'taken care of'?"

Priyank hesitated but finally confessed, "We killed him. Or at least we thought we did. That night... we saw him go down."

A spark of shock flashed across Yuvaansh's face, though he kept his tone even. "You're saying this man was shot? And you thought he was dead?"

Priyank nodded, visibly strained. "It was... chaos. And we all saw him collapse. The situation was dire, and we thought it was over."

Yuvaansh's fists clenched, a storm brewing behind his eyes. "So, no one thought to follow up, to make sure he was actually gone?"

Eesha winced at his harsh tone. "Yuvaansh, we were just kids ourselves. All we wanted was to keep Kiara safe. And... you have to understand, she thought it was over too. She'd been able to heal, to move on."

Yuvaansh shook his head, frustration etched into every line on his face. "You have no idea how dangerous this could still be for her," he said, his voice low.

Seeing his concern, Sanjukta looked away, guilt-ridden. She finally spoke up, her voice small. "We know you care about Kiara. We do, too, which is why we'll do whatever we need to now to make sure she's safe."

Yuvaansh's gaze softened, but his worry remained. "Then, we have to find out who's behind this—and make sure this time, he's gone for good."

TBC