Mumbai:THE CITY of DREAMS.

part 2

Years passed, and time molded both Aarav and Meera into the people they were always meant to become—but at a cost. Meera thrived at Oxford, graduating with top honors and making a name for herself in corporate law. By the time she returned to India, she had grown into a confident, graceful woman, though she retained a quiet, introspective nature. Gone was the stormy girl from their childhood, replaced by someone who had learned to mask her emotions behind a calm exterior.

Aarav, too, had changed. The once gentle and sweet boy, who had always been at Meera's side, was now a successful businessman with a reputation for being ruthlessly efficient. He had grown colder over the years, using work to fill the void Meera's absence had left. He buried himself in endless meetings, business deals, and sleepless nights, becoming a workaholic whose kindness was now reserved for a very few.

Despite their successes, something was missing for both of them. Neither of them had found the courage to bridge the gap between them. And now, fate was about to throw them back into each other's orbit.

~~~~

It was her grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary—a grand event hosted in Mumbai. The entire extended family had gathered to celebrate the occasion. Meera arrived the evening before, standing at the threshold of the same city where she had left so much of herself behind.

She wasn't sure what to expect. Would things feel familiar again? Or had everything—including Aarav—moved on without her?

The next evening, dressed in a deep-blue saree that hugged her slender frame, Meera walked into the venue. Laughter, music, and family chatter filled the air, but her heart raced with anticipation. She knew Aarav would be there. And after years of silence, the thought of seeing him again made her both excited and nervous.

And then, she saw him.

Aarav stood near the bar, looking as sharp as ever in a tailored black suit. His features had matured—his jawline more defined, his presence commanding. His eyes, however, carried a certain weariness, as if the years had hardened him in ways she couldn't imagine.

But what caught her attention—and twisted her heart—was the woman standing beside him. A tall, beautiful woman, dressed elegantly and speaking to Aarav with easy familiarity. She touched his arm as she laughed at something, and it felt too intimate for Meera's liking.

Her stomach tightened. So, he had moved on.

Meera's chest ached in a way she hadn't expected. It was foolish, really—she had no right to feel jealous or hurt. It wasn't as if they had made any promises to each other, not since that long-ago declaration of marriage as kids. And yet, the sight of him with another woman stung.

~~~~

From across the room, Aarav spotted Meera the moment she entered. It was as if the world faded, leaving only her. She looked breathtaking—elegant and poised, carrying herself with a quiet grace that only added to her beauty. For a second, he could hardly breathe.

He had imagined this moment so many times—her return, their reunion. He had wondered what he would say, how he would act. But now that she was standing there, just a few feet away, he felt paralyzed.

His heart clenched as he noticed the way her eyes flicked toward his secretary, Shreya, standing beside him. The momentary flash of hurt in Meera's gaze did not go unnoticed by Aarav, and it cut deeper than he cared to admit. She thought Shreya was his girlfriend.

And yet, Meera made no move to come over. No smile, no wave, no sign that she had missed him even a little. It hurt more than he expected—more than it should have.

He had spent years telling himself that he didn't care if she came back or not, that he was over it. But now, standing in the same room as her, all those buried emotions came rushing back.

~~~~~~~~~

As the evening progressed, the two of them drifted through the celebration, exchanging polite smiles with family members but avoiding each other. Neither of them knew how to approach the other, and the weight of unspoken words grew heavier with every passing moment.

Aarav glanced at her from time to time, his gaze lingering longer than it should. She still had that habit of tucking her hair behind her ear when she was nervous, and her quiet presence still managed to draw him in like a magnet.

Meera, on the other hand, kept stealing glances at Aarav when she thought he wasn't looking. She hated how much she still cared; how much she wished things could go back to the way they once were. But it had been so long, and they had both changed so much. What if the Aarav she had known no longer existed?

~~~~~

The evening wore on, and the anniversary celebrations came to a close. Family members gathered for group photos, and Meera found herself standing just a few steps away from Aarav. The air between them crackled with tension, the unsaid words hanging heavily in the space they didn't dare close.

Aarav's secretary leaned in and whispered something to him, and Meera's heart sank again. She forced herself to look away, determined not to let her emotions show.

Just as she turned to leave, Aarav spoke softly, almost as if to himself. "You came back."

The words were simple, but the emotion in them was anything but. Meera's heart skipped a beat, and she looked up to find his eyes locked on hers—full of longing, regret, and something else she couldn't quite name.

"Yes," she whispered. "I came back."

But before either of them could say anything more, a family member called out to Meera, pulling her away. She gave Aarav a small, hesitant smile before walking off, leaving him standing there with his heart in his throat.

~~

That night, Aarav lay awake, staring at the ceiling. The image of Meera—beautiful, quiet, and just out of reach—haunted him.

He knew he should have said more, should have asked her why she had left, why she had never reached out. But the words had refused to come. And now, the distance between them felt greater than ever.

Meera, lying in her childhood bedroom, felt much the same. She knew she should have talked to him, should have told him how much she had missed him. But after all these years, it felt too late—too complicated.

Both of them lay awake that night, their hearts heavy with longing and regret. Neither of them knew how to bridge the gap between them.

But one thing was certain—no matter how much time had passed, no matter how much they had changed, the bond between them was still there. And neither of them was ready to let go just yet

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

i don't know whom to blame .

votessssssssssssss

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