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There was a desolate hill station where heavy rain poured incessantly. On one side, a deep ravine loomed so frighteningly steep that even the bravest might shudder at the sight. Darkness engulfed the place, making the night even more menacing. Amid this eerie setting, she sat, drenched, crying her heart out, scolding herself. Her sobs merged with the sound of the rain, her tears camouflaged as they streamed down her face and disappeared into the downpour.
"Why, Agastya? Why did you do this to me?" Her voice cracked as she yelled into the void.
"What wrong did I ever do to you? Why did you hurt me like this? You know what, Agastya? I was falling in love with you. But how can I now? You've made me hate myself, Agastya. You've taught me nothing but pain."
She sat amidst the storm, her saree soaked in mud, the loose end flowing away with the water streaming past her. Her hair clung to her wet face, her clothes drenched to the core, shivering from the cold and her despair.
"How could you do this, Agastya? How could I ever love you after what you've done?" she cried, her voice barely audible in the storm.
Tears flowed relentlessly from her swollen eyes as she whispered, "Why, Agastya, why? What did I do to deserve this? I can't even hate you the way I want to. How do I explain this to my heart? How do I convince it to stop feeling for you? I curse the day I met you, the day I let my heart love you. Why did I have to love you? Why? Was this what I was supposed to see? You've shown me nothing but pain in this so-called love. You've given me tears I never thought I was capable of shedding. My life has changed so drastically because of you. I once believed loving you was the biggest victory of my life, but I was wrong. I've lost everything, Agastya. I've lost myself. Now, where do I go? What do I do? I don't know anymore."
She gritted her teeth and screamed, "I hate you, Agastya Rai Singhania! I hate you more than anyone could ever hate someone. I just hate you! I hate you! I hate you!"
Her words seemed resolute, her anger palpable. Yet, deep within, her heart refused to believe them. She knew she wasn't capable of truly hating him. Her mind tried to convince her otherwise, but her heart silently cried for him, unwilling to let go of the love she felt.
Flashback:
"Who are you?" (Adhrika asked. She was standing near a hill, surrounded by darkness. In front of her stood a person-a figure she could barely make out. As Adhrika observed closely, she realized it was probably a girl. The person wore a shirt and pants and had her face completely covered. Only her eyes were visible-dark, intense eyes that seemed to pierce through Adhrika. Initially, Adhrika thought it was a boy, but she was mistaken. When she noticed the figure's hair and the slight curve of her frame, she understood it was a girl. Her eyes were deep, jet black, and clearly visible in the dim light. Her nails were long, painted with red nail polish, and she had her face hidden behind a mask.)
