Between Love and Hate

Ch-1 Blue Lotus

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                                                                                  Tara Tarini Nayak

"I hate you! How could you do this to me? I gave you everything—my soul, my heart, my body—and you broke my trust. I don't ever want to see your face again! Get out of my sight!" I turned my back to him, furious.

But he grabbed my hand and pulled me back. "Honey, I'm sorry! I swear, I didn't mean to cheat on you. I swear on our baby, please, don't leave me. I can't live without you. I'll die!" His voice trembled as he forcefully kissed me.

"Cut!" the director's voice sliced through the tension. I shook myself free from the character and stepped back from my co-actor, Arush.

"Good job, Tara and Arush," the director said, smiling. "That was intense. Let's wrap up for today."

Arush and I exchanged a quick smile before I headed toward my vanity van to change. I was ready to put the day's emotions behind me and go home. When I stepped inside the van, something immediately caught my eye: a bouquet of blue lotuses on the table.

Blue lotuses. My favorite. Rare, and almost impossible to find in a bustling city like Hyderabad.

Curious, I picked them up and noticed a small note tucked inside: *To my lovely Bangaram – from your beloved SN.*

My stomach churned, and I spun around to my assistant. "What the hell is this? Who sent these?"

She looked as confused as I was. "I don't know, ma'am. They were here when I came in."

This wasn't the first time. For the past year, I have been receiving anonymous notes and gifts like this. My team tried everything to trace them, but whoever this *SN* was, he covered his tracks well. All we knew was his nickname—and that he might know Telugu, considering he called me *Bangaram,* a term of endearment.

"Bloody stalker," I muttered, tossing the note into the dustbin. But the flowers? I didn't have the heart to throw them away. They were too beautiful and hard to come by. I handed them to my assistant. "You keep these."

This SN... whoever he was, he knew too much about me—my favorite flowers, my schedule, whether I was working or at home. It was unsettling. As a star, obsessive fans and stalkers were nothing new to me. I'd had my fair share. But this one was different. He knew me too well. He was always one step ahead.

I should be scared. Any normal person would be. But I wasn't some helpless woman. I am Tara Tarini Nayak. I knew how to handle myself—on screen, off-screen, in my personal life, and in any dangerous situations that came my way. I wasn't going to let fear control me.

After changing into my regular clothes, I slid into my car and headed home, trying to shake off the discomfort that lingered.

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