UNWILLINGLY HIS

Anay's entry

**At Aahana’s House**

Samaira had barely settled into the cozy guest room at Aahana’s house, the familiar scent of lavender and home-cooked meals offering a brief sense of comfort. She hadn’t seen Aahana in years, but this place felt like a sanctuary, a safe haven from the storm that was Advait and his relentless pursuit. Her mind was still a whirlwind, every sound, every passing moment filled with the heavy tension of what she’d just left behind.

Less than an hour passed before the doorbell rang, shattering the fragile calm that had settled around her. Her pulse spiked, and for a moment, her heart seemed to stop altogether. How had Advait found her so quickly? She knew better than to think she could escape him so easily. He was dangerous—calculating—nothing ever slipped past him.

Aahana, who had been in the kitchen, raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Looks like someone's early for our little reunion,” she said, wiping her hands on a dish towel. But Samaira didn’t share her enthusiasm.

With every step she took toward the door, the dread gnawed at her insides. Could it be him? Was it his men? She held her breath as she opened the door, only to find Anay standing there, his smile bright but confused.

Samaira’s heart skipped a beat, but relief flooded her instantly. It wasn’t Advait. Still, the tension in her chest didn’t quite dissipate. Anay, Aahana’s boyfriend, stood at the threshold, looking startled to see her after all this time.

“Samaira?” he asked, blinking in surprise. “What—what are you doing here?”

She managed a strained smile, the weight of her situation still heavy on her shoulders. “I... I needed some time away. Things have been crazy.” She stepped aside to let him in. “It’s good to see you.”

Aahana, who had followed Samaira to the door, brightened at the sight of Anay. “You’re early,” she teased, walking over to give him a quick hug. Her eyes lit up in a way Samaira couldn’t help but notice.

Samaira didn’t miss the way Anay hesitated for a moment before hugging Aahana back, as though his mind was elsewhere. His eyes flickered briefly to Samaira before quickly returning to Aahana, a look that made Samaira’s chest tighten for a reason she couldn’t quite explain. It was subtle, but it didn’t go unnoticed.

As Aahana pulled back, Samaira couldn’t resist a playful nudge. “So, you two are finally together now, huh?” she whispered in Aahana’s ear teasingly, her tone light, though she couldn’t mask the little knot of something deep inside her.

Aahana laughed, a little self-conscious. “I guess so,” she said, shaking her head. “I never stood a chance, huh?” Her voice carried a mix of teasing and affection, her eyes sparkling with something like relief. She had been the one to propose to Anay multiple times in the past, but he had always refused. His reason had always been the same—he was unsure about his feelings for her, a statement that had planted seeds of doubt in Aahana’s mind. She had even jokingly accused him of liking Samaira instead.

Samaira never gave it much thought, never entertained the idea. She had always seen Anay as just a friend. She knew that Aahana had liked him from the beginning, and she had always been aware of the subtle tension between them. But Samaira had never felt anything more than friendship for Anay, no matter how much Aahana teased her about it.

She shot Aahana a teasing grin, whispering, “I always knew he liked me,” her voice light and playful, though there was a flicker of something else beneath the words. Aahana’s cheeks flushed, but she just swatted Samaira away with a laugh.

Anay, clearly flustered by Samaira’s teasing, looked at her, his expression a mixture of confusion and embarrassment. “What? No—” He cleared his throat, glancing between the two women. “It’s not like that.”

Samaira couldn’t help but laugh softly, her chest tight with something she didn’t want to name. “I’m just messing with you,” she said with a shrug. “I’m happy for both of you. Really.”

Anay’s face relaxed, though he still seemed a little embarrassed by the playful jab. “Thanks,” he said, his voice sincere, but there was a hesitance in it that Samaira didn’t quite understand. He had always been the reserved type, but there was something different about him today. A look that made Samaira pause, something in the way he looked at her that made her question if there was more beneath the surface.

Aahana smiled at Samaira, though her gaze softened, her expression a mix of emotions. She had always been protective of Anay, teasing Samaira about how much he seemed to like her, but deep down, Aahana had always known the truth. She knew that Anay had been unsure of his feelings for her for years, and that uncertainty had always made her question herself.

When Anay had finally proposed to her, it had been a relief—a decision that, despite her doubts, had felt like a culmination of everything they’d been through. Samaira, though, couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness for her friend. She had always thought that love wasn’t meant for her. She had never believed she was capable of falling in love.

But then, Advait had come into her life.

It was a cruel twist of fate. Just when she had convinced herself that love wasn’t in the cards for her, Advait—dangerous, unpredictable, and impossibly charismatic—had swept into her world, pulling her into a whirlwind of passion, lies, and betrayal.

She swallowed hard, pushing the thought of Advait away. She wasn’t going to let her personal demons ruin the moment. She was happy for Aahana, really she was. And yet, there was something deep inside her—something buried under the surface—that whispered that love, for her, was a dangerous game.

She glanced at Aahana and Anay, who were lost in their own little world now. Samaira smiled softly, feeling both a sense of relief and sadness all at once. Maybe it was because she felt like an outsider, like she had been left behind in a world where love was something others could have but she couldn’t.

But then she remembered—what had she really ever had, to begin with? All her life, love had seemed like a distant dream, just out of reach. And now, as she stood in this room, she realized that even when she thought she had found it, it was all just an illusion. Advait had proven that.

Her fate had always been cruel, always turning her world upside down, just when she thought she understood it. But now? Now she wasn’t sure if she could ever trust in love again. Not with Advait still haunting her, still playing his twisted games.