Chapter 11

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AUTHOR POV

"No... please, no..."

Esha's voice trembled, barely audible, as she murmured in the grip of a nightmare. Her body quivered, the sheets tangled around her like chains and beads of sweat formed on her brow, slipping down her face like streams of hot water. Her terror was tangible, a silent cry for help that echoed in the stillness of the room.

"No, please, leave me..." The words broke free in a frantic whisper, laced with desperation. She was lost in a world of fear, unable to escape the torment of her dreams.

"Esha, wake up."

Dhruv's voice was soft but urgent, breaking through the haze of her nightmare. He shook her gently, his concern growing with each passing second. She gripped his hand fiercely, her fingers icy with fear.

"Please... I beg you... please leave me..." Her words were desperate, like a drowning person reaching for air.

"Esha, wake up," Dhruv repeated, his voice steady but filled with reassurance. "No one is doing anything to you." He held her hand firmly, his touch a steadying force as he tried to pull her back from the edge of her nightmare.

"Wake up, Esha... don't be scared. I'm here." His voice was a quiet promise, the calmness of it sinking into her like a balm against the rawness of her fear. He shook her gently, urging her to wake up, to come back to the safety of the present.

"No..."

Esha's eyes snapped open, her breath coming in frantic gasps, as though she had been held underwater and was finally surfacing for air. Her chest heaved, the remnants of the nightmare still clinging to her like a shadow.

Without thinking, Dhruv pulled her into his arms, pressing her head against his chest, his heartbeat steady and comforting.

"I'm here," he whispered.

The simplicity of his words wrapped around her like a blanket, warm and protective, shielding her from the coldness of her lingering fear. It was enough to quiet the storm raging inside her, if only for a moment.

But then, as the weight of their position registered, Dhruv slowly pulled away, an uncomfortable flush creeping up his neck. He cleared his throat, his movements awkward, before he reached for the glass of water on the nightstand.

"Drink some," he said, his voice soft and caring.

Esha's hands shook as she took the glass, the tremors from the nightmare still rippling through her. She sipped the water slowly, allowing the coolness to ground her, to ease the frantic pulse in her veins.

The room fell into a quiet silence, the kind that only comes after a storm, and Dhruv gave her the time she needed to settle herself. He could see the fear still lurking in her eyes, the traces of something darker, but he said nothing, allowing her space.

After a moment, Dhruv spoke again, his voice calm and steady. "What happened?"

Esha's response was quick and dismissive.

"Just a nightmare. Nothing."

Her words were flat, and Dhruv could feel the distance she was putting between them. He wanted to press her, to understand what had shaken her so deeply, but he knew better than to force it. His heart ached with the weight of her silence, the weight of whatever she was keeping to herself.

"If you want to talk about it, I'm here," Dhruv said gently. "But if not, you don't have to. I'll stay with you." over the night are the words he swallowed.

Esha's eyes flickered toward him for a moment, her face unreadable, before she turned away, her voice cold.

"You can leave now. I'm fine. I'll be okay."

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