Forgotten Fires

Chapter 4

Aarini

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of a knock on the gate. At first, everything was a blur, and I couldn’t quite remember what had happened the night before. But soon, the events from yesterday flashed back into my mind—everything from the conversation to the emotions I had felt. My heart raced as I remembered it all.

I thought, maybe this time it’s Reyan at the door, and the thought gave me a strange mix of relief and anxiety. I quickly got up from the bed, eager to see who it was. 

When I opened the door, however, it wasn’t Reyan standing there at all.

It was my mom.

She looked at me with concern, her eyes soft and full of care. "How are you, Aarini? Are you feeling better now?" she asked, her voice laced with genuine worry.

I smiled at her, trying to ease her anxiety. "Yes, Mom, I’m totally fine," I replied, though I wasn’t sure if I felt entirely okay. Still, I didn’t want her to worry.

She gently patted my head, her gaze still searching my face. "Are you sure?" she asked, her tone filled with love and concern.

I nodded, this time with a bigger, more confident smile. "Yes, Mom, I’m sure," I said, trying to convince both her and myself.

She smiled back, her worry starting to fade. "Okay, then. Quickly freshen up and come downstairs for breakfast. And don’t forget to wake up Tara too," she said with a soft smile before turning to leave.

After freshening up, I woke Tara up, and we went downstairs for breakfast.

When we reached the dining table, everyone was already there except Kavya and Reyan.

"Are you okay?" Ayaan asked with concern, his brow furrowed. I paused for a moment, suddenly overwhelmed by the weight of everything that had happened. 

How could I forget to thank Ayaan? He had saved my life yesterday, while the one I loved, the one I trusted with everything, had left me to die. 

"Thank you so much, Ayaan, for yesterday," I said, my voice soft but sincere. "And yes, I'm fine now." 

I gave him a smile, but inside, I was still trying to come to terms with everything. Ayaan nodded, but his worried gaze lingered a little longer than usual. It was clear he wasn’t just concerned about my well-being, but also about the deeper things I wasn’t ready to talk about.

Since childhood, Ayaan had always been my best friend. Even though he was three years older than me, I never felt the age gap.

But ever since Reyan and I started our relationship, my bond with Ayaan began to break. At first, I was really concerned about it, but with time, I got used to it.

I still remember the time when Ayaan saved me from bullies. It was during our school days, and I had always been the shy, quiet one. One afternoon, as I was walking home, a group of older kids cornered me near the school gate. They started teasing me, calling me names and pushing me around. I tried to stand my ground, but I wasn’t strong enough to fight back.

Just as one of them grabbed my backpack and pulled me backward, I heard a familiar voice.

"Hey, leave her alone!" Ayaan’s voice rang out from behind.

I turned around, my heart skipping a beat. Ayaan was standing there, looking more confident than I had ever seen him. The bullies paused, sizing him up, but Ayaan didn't flinch.

"What's your problem, huh?" one of them sneered, trying to act tough.

"She's not your punching bag," Ayaan replied calmly, stepping forward with a look of determination. "And if you don’t let her go, you’ll regret it."

The bullies exchanged uncertain glances. They had always been used to picking on kids smaller than them, but Ayaan wasn’t intimidated. After a tense moment, they muttered something under their breath and walked away.

"Are you okay?" Ayaan asked, his tone softer now, as he turned to face me.

I nodded, feeling both relieved and grateful. "Yeah, thanks to you."

Ayaan smiled, ruffling my hair. "I told you I'd always have your back."

From that day on, I knew I could count on him no matter what. It was more than just a friendship; it was a bond built on trust and loyalty. And despite everything that had happened since, that memory would always stay with me.

"Aarini, we’ve decided something," my dad said, his voice steady as he casually stirred his coffee, his eyes meeting mine. "Since you want to take over my company, I think it's important for you to gain some experience first. After talking it over with Vijay uncle, we've decided that you should work at Vijay uncle’s company—under Reyan."

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What will Aarini do know will she accept it or reject it.

Okay guys so I am thinking of making my chapters a little long. So from the next chapter, all chapters are going to be long.

Guess who's the male lead Ayaan or Reyan

And who you want to be the Male lead.

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