The Shadow of Retribution: A tale of vengeance and the price of justice.

Chapter 2

The Past

11th August 2022
Kathmandu, Nepal.

Jared spoke, "Baby, now that I've arrived in Nagaland, I'll return to Darjeeling within a month. During that time, I plan to bring my family to meet your mother and discuss our marriage. This time, I promise to make things right between us. I long for us to spend forever together."

"I've always loved you and always will," I replied.

Jared added, "I have a commitment in Delhi tomorrow, so I'll respond early in the morning since I have a late-night flight tonight."

"What's your reason for choosing Delhi, D?" I inquired.

He paused, and I wondered if he was planning to reunite with someone, possibly an old friend or flame. The thought unsettled me, but I couldn't deny my feelings - after eight years, I still couldn't bear the idea of him with anyone else. Our past encounters, even when I was with my boyfriend, left me uneasy seeing Jared with other girls. How could I accept it? Jared was my first love, my only love - the one who held my heart captive since high school. He represented my first everything, and no one had ever compared to him.

It was ironic that I still loved him more than anything, considering our tumultuous past and the fact that he had prioritized his friend's feelings over mine, especially since his friend had romantic feelings for me.

During our conversation, my mind wandered back to the day we first met in high school. I recalled rushing to class and accidentally colliding with him, and the moment I looked up, I was struck by his breathtaking appearance. His face was truly divine, a glimpse of what heaven and its angels might look like.
In that instant, I realized this person would have a profound impact on my life, and I would eventually surrender to him. After two months following our initial meeting, we finally got together, and I discovered he had an overwhelming affection for me, surpassing my own feelings. I became the center of Jared's world, his everything.

He let out a loud scream over the phone.

"I was lost in thoughts about us," I responded.

"I have a surprise for you, thats why Delhi, but I'm not at liberty to disclose it just yet," he said.

I couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement; he had always known how to bring me joy, and his presence alone was enough to make me happy.

"I'll see you soon, D," I said. "To be honest, I miss you and I've come to realize that I can't imagine living without you."

"I love you, baby," he replied. "I have to go now, but we'll catch up soon?"

After we hung up, I spent the entire night envisioning a future, unaware that it would mark the end of something that had never truly begun.