The Ideal Stranger

Chapter 7: Threads of the Past

  Days passed, and though Aanya tried to avoid him, she couldn't stop thinking about Rohan. She found herself drawn to the same café, hoping to catch a glimpse of him, despite the growing dread in her chest. His messages continued—sometimes light and flirtatious, other times cryptic and intense.

  One evening, after a particularly long day at work, she decided to confront the growing tension in her mind. She needed answers. If Rohan was hiding something, she had to know.

  She texted him.

  Aanya: Can we meet? I have some questions.

  His reply came almost instantly.

  Rohan: Of course. I'll be waiting at our café.

  When she arrived, she spotted him seated at their usual table, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp, watching her every move. The café felt different now, its warm glow muted by the tension between them. She sat down across from him, her heart racing.

  "I've been thinking a lot about us," Aanya began, her voice steady but guarded. "You seem to know more about me than you're letting on."

  Rohan smiled, a soft, almost apologetic curve of his lips. "I told you before, Aanya, I feel like I've known you for a long time."

  Her breath hitched. "But we haven't... have we?"

  He leaned forward, his gaze holding hers. "Maybe we have, in another way. Have you ever felt like you've lived something before? Like this moment, right now, has happened before?"

  Aanya frowned, her unease growing. "What are you talking about?"

  Rohan's eyes darkened. "You don't remember, do you?"

  Her pulse quickened. "Remember what?"

  Before he could answer, the bell above the café door jingled. Aanya turned to see Inspector Raj walking in, his sharp eyes scanning the room until they landed on her and Rohan.

  He walked straight to their table. "Aanya, can I have a word?"

  Rohan's expression hardened, but he didn't move. Aanya, torn between the two men, stood up, her mind swirling with confusion.

  Raj pulled her aside, his voice low but firm. "You need to stop seeing him."

  "What? Why?" Aanya asked, her voice a whisper as her gaze flicked between Rohan and Raj.

   "There are things about him you don't know," Raj said, his jaw tight. "We've been investigating him for months. He's not who he says he is."

  Aanya's heart dropped. "What do you mean?"

  "Rohan has a history—one that involves following women, manipulating them," Raj continued.   "He's dangerous."

  Aanya shook her head, disbelief clouding her mind. "No... there must be some mistake. He's just... intense. He's not dangerous."

  But as she glanced back at Rohan, who was watching them with an unreadable expression, she realized that deep down, she had always known something was off. The warnings, the strange familiarity—it all started to make sense.