Will You Still Love Me?

CHAPTER 5

Author's POV

Samarth and Shridha had resumed their lives with a quiet, unspoken understanding. They both had their paths to follow, and they each committed themselves fully to their respective goals. Samarth, now the District Magistrate, threw himself into the city’s welfare. His days were filled with meetings, inspections, and decisions, every hour occupied with ensuring that his city ran efficiently. In contrast, Shridha was engrossed in her studies, preparing tirelessly for the IAS exams. She spent long hours at the library, her mind focused, her schedule unyielding.

Occasionally, their paths crossed at the library. They would see each other from across the room—Samarth scanning documents or discussing matters with a few officials, and Shridha, hunched over her notes, oblivious to the world around her. There was a quiet tension between them, unacknowledged but palpable. Neither spoke to the other, as if they were two planets in orbit, destined to cross paths but never collide.

It had been weeks since their last real interaction, and Shridha had done her best to push Samarth out of her mind. But sometimes, late at night when her mind was too tired to focus on her textbooks, she would find herself thinking about him. She would remember their time together, their dreams, the way he used to look at her. But then she would shake those thoughts away, reminding herself that she had moved on, that they both had.

One evening, Shridha’s friend Ruhi called her, bursting with excitement.

“Shridha! You have to come to my birthday party this weekend. We’re having it at this really cute café downtown. It’ll be fun!”

Shridha hesitated. She hadn’t gone out in months, her life consumed by her studies. “I don’t know, Ruhi. I’ve got so much to do—”

“No excuses!” Ruhi interrupted, her voice firm but playful. “You deserve a break. Plus, I haven’t seen you in forever. Just come, dress up, have fun. You won’t regret it.”

After a little more coaxing, Shridha finally agreed. A part of her was curious to see what it would be like to relax for a night, to step away from her books and embrace life for a few hours.

When the evening of Ruhi’s party arrived, Shridha stood in front of her mirror, feeling both excited and nervous. She hadn’t dressed up in ages, but tonight, she decided to allow herself a moment of indulgence. She wore a soft, pastel-colored dress that accentuated her features in just the right way. She let her hair fall in loose waves, her makeup simple but elegant. As she looked at herself, she felt a small flicker of confidence—something she hadn’t allowed herself to feel in a long time. For once, she embraced her beauty.

The café was bustling with people when she arrived. The soft glow of fairy lights twinkled overhead, and the smell of coffee and pastries filled the air. Ruhi greeted her with an enthusiastic hug, dragging her toward their group of friends, who were already chatting and laughing.

As Shridha settled in, she glanced around the café, taking in the lively atmosphere. But then, her gaze froze. Sitting in a booth near the back, she spotted Samarth. He was leaning forward, talking to a woman sitting across from him. The woman was beautiful, dressed in formal attire, and looked to be around his age. They seemed to be deep in conversation, and from where Shridha stood, they looked almost intimate.

Her heart sank.

She tried to tear her eyes away, but the image was burned into her mind. Samarth and this woman, sitting together, smiling, talking… It looked like a date.

Suddenly, her chest tightened. She hadn’t expected this. Seeing him with another woman—a beautiful woman—stirred something painful deep inside her. She hadn’t realized until this moment how much it still hurt to think of him with someone else.