Layers of Us

Chapter 39: Neverending Night! (Part 2)🌙✨️

When she came back into his arms, she leaned in close, her lips brushing against his cheek as she whispered, “I like this game.”

Ram felt his pulse quicken. “You’re not even playing it properly.”

“Then let’s keep playing,” she said, her voice filled with mischief. “Your turn, Mr. Kapoor. Truth or dare?”

He smirked, looking down at her. “Truth.”

“Coward,” she teased, poking his chest. “Fine. Why did you ask me to dance with you?”

Ram’s smile faded slightly, replaced by a look of sincerity. “Because I wanted to hold you close. I wanted to be near you, even if just for a moment.”

Her breath hitched, and for the first time that night, her teasing expression softened. “That’s… the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

He chuckled nervously, his hands tightening around her waist. “Don’t get used to it.”

She grinned, standing on her tiptoes to press a soft kiss to his cheek. “Too late, Mr. Kapoor.”

"Okay, next question, "What’s your biggest fear, Mr. Kapoor?"

Ram’s gaze dropped to his hands for a moment before returning to her face. His voice was quieter this time. "Losing you."

Tripura froze, her breath catching in her throat.

Ram continued, his voice steady despite the vulnerability in his words. "I’ve already lost too many pieces of myself over the years, Tripura. The idea of losing someone who’s brought so much light into my life… terrifies me."

The air felt heavy between them, and Tripura’s fingers twitched as if she wanted to reach out to him. But she simply swallowed and pressed on.

"Okay, then, next question, "How many women have you been with... intimately?"

Ram’s smirk disappeared, his jaw tightening slightly. He shifted uncomfortably but held her gaze. "Tripura…"

"No. You promised, Mr. Kapoor." She said.

He let out a slow breath, running a hand through his hair. "Many, actually every other day to be honest, but enough for me to realize how empty those moments were. Back then, it felt… easier to lose myself in something fleeting, something that didn’t require vulnerability. But it never felt real. It never felt… whole."

Tripura nodded, her gaze steady but softer now. "And did you ever… feel guilty about it?"

"All the time," Ram admitted quietly. "Because deep down, I knew I wasn’t fixing anything. I was just avoiding my own emptiness."

The silence lingered for a moment before Tripura sighed. "Alright, Mr. Kapoor. Fourth question."

Ram tilted his head, watching her carefully. "Go on, Tripura. Ask."

She hesitated for a moment before speaking softly. "If you could go back in time and change one thing… just one thing about your life, what would it be?"

A faint sigh escaped him before he spoke, his voice low yet steady.
"If I could go back… I would change everything. Every reckless choice, every meaningless night, every careless word spoken in anger. I’d go back and fix my image, not for the world, but for myself… so I could have been worthy of you from the very beginning."

Tripura’s breath hitched, but he continued.

"I would have married you not out of obligation, but out of love, out of desire to build a life with you. And from the very next second of our marriage, I would have loved you — wholeheartedly, unapologetically, without hesitation. I would have cherished you, protected you, and made sure you never had a single doubt about how much you mean to me."