Ashes of a Broken Heart

Chapter 11: Falling Deeper

The days following their decision to date blurred into a whirlwind of emotions for Tejasswi. She felt herself falling deeper, sinking into Karan's world, a world that seemed to revolve solely around him. Every text, every glance, every touch—they all held a weight she hadn't anticipated, and she found herself eagerly seeking out his attention more and more.

It was as if he had become the center of her universe, and Tejasswi was powerless to resist. Every day spent with him only deepened her feelings, making her feel more attached, more dependent. She hadn't realized how much she had come to rely on him until one evening when she sat on her couch, phone in hand, waiting for his message.

The silence in her apartment felt suffocating.

"Why hasn't he called yet?" she mumbled to herself, glancing at her phone for the hundredth time. She had texted him an hour ago—nothing too major, just a casual 'missing you' message. Normally, Karan would respond quickly, sometimes even calling her right after. But today, there was nothing but radio silence.

Her thoughts raced. Did I say something wrong? She couldn't understand why the thought of not hearing from him bothered her so much. A few weeks ago, she was perfectly content being independent, focused on her own life. But now? Now she felt incomplete without him.

Just as the anxiety started creeping in, her phone buzzed. Relief washed over her as she saw his name flash on the screen.

"Sorry, busy tha. Tum kaise ho, Teju?"

Her heart fluttered, the nickname always sending a warm feeling through her. She smiled down at the screen, quickly typing back.

"I'm good now that I've heard from you. Can we meet tonight?"

The reply was instant. "Of course. Be there in an hour."

Karan leaned back on his couch after texting her, a faint smirk playing on his lips. He knew exactly how much she was craving his attention, how deeply she was starting to fall for him. Just as planned. It wasn't hard to see how emotionally entangled she had become, and he had skillfully kept her on that edge—giving her just enough to keep her hooked, but never too much to make her feel secure.

But even as he thought this, a strange feeling tugged at his chest. It was subtle, something he could easily ignore if he wanted to, but it was there—like a whisper in the back of his mind. He pushed it aside quickly. This is just part of the plan, he reminded himself. She's just a pawn.

Still, he couldn't deny that her presence stirred something in him that he hadn't anticipated. Whenever he saw her smile, whenever she looked at him with those trusting eyes, a part of him—small, but noticeable—felt guilty. He hated it.

"Focus, Karan," he muttered to himself, standing up and grabbing his jacket. Revenge had been his motivation for so long, he couldn't afford to let anything distract him. Least of all his growing... fondness for her.

Tejasswi practically jumped off the couch when she heard the knock on her door. Karan stood there, looking effortlessly handsome as usual, his presence alone enough to make her forget the anxious hour she had spent waiting for him.

"Tum ready ho?" he asked with a teasing smile, his eyes scanning her from head to toe.

"Hamesha," Tejasswi smiled, stepping forward and slipping her hand into his. The warmth of his grip instantly calmed her nerves, like everything was right again.

As they walked through the city streets, Tejasswi found herself clinging to him—not just physically, but emotionally. Every word he said, every glance he gave her, felt like validation. It was as if Karan was her anchor, and without him, she was drifting. She didn't like how dependent she was becoming, but the pull was undeniable. The way he made her feel was intoxicating, and she was too far in now to back away.

"Tejasswi," Karan said softly as they reached a quiet park, the city lights twinkling around them. "You've changed."

She blinked, confused. "Kya matlab?"

He looked at her thoughtfully, his expression unreadable. "I mean, tum meri wajah se itna involved ho gayi ho. You're constantly thinking about me, aren't you?" His words weren't accusatory, but they struck her hard, exposing the very thing she had been trying to ignore.

Tejasswi bit her lip, unsure how to respond. "Karan, it's just... I care about you. I can't help it. Tum ho mere liye ab... everything."

He smiled, that same charming smile that always made her weak. "Good. I want you to depend on me. Main hamesha tumhare saath hoon, Tejasswi." His words were meant to reassure her, but there was a subtle edge to them—one that she didn't catch.

Tejasswi's heart swelled at his reassurance, leaning in closer to him. "Mujhe pata hai. Tum par bharosa kar sakti hoon, right?"

Karan's eyes flickered, but he nodded smoothly. "Hamesha."

But deep down, beneath the surface of his calm exterior, Karan wrestled with his emotions. There was that pull again—that part of him that found it harder and harder to see Tejasswi as just a pawn. Her innocence, her trust in him—it gnawed at him, clashing with his deep-rooted need for revenge.

He had started this with a plan—to make her fall completely for him, to make her depend on him so fully that when he ripped it all away, it would destroy her. That was the end goal. And yet...

Why did it feel more complicated now?

Karan clenched his jaw, his arm tightening around her waist as they continued walking. He wouldn't let himself get distracted. He had come too far to let his emotions cloud his judgment. Tejasswi might have gotten under his skin, but that didn't change the ultimate goal.

The thought of breaking her still brought him satisfaction. But now, mixed in with that satisfaction, was something unexpected—something he wasn't ready to confront just yet.

As the night wore on, Tejasswi's laughter filled the air, and Karan found himself smiling along with her, despite himself. His plan was still intact... but for how long?