ʜᴇᴀʀᴛʙᴇᴀᴛꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀʟʟᴡᴀʏꜱ

──★ .EPILOGUE 4 ̟ !!

— AUTHOR’S POV —

The rain had started drizzling again, casting a silver veil over the dimly lit streets. Ishan’s car weaved through the maze of familiar lanes, his heart hammering against his ribs. His knuckles turned white against the steering wheel as his eyes frantically scanned every corner, every alley. The night stretched endlessly, each second dragging like eternity.

He had looked everywhere, their favorite café, the park where they’d spend hours talking about everything and nothing, the bustling bookstore she loved to escape to when the world felt too loud. But there was no sign of her.

A hollow sense of dread curled around his chest as he pulled over at the last place he could think of, the old library at the edge of town. The rain blurred his vision, but he didn’t care. He stepped out, his clothes instantly drenched, and shouted into the night.

“Avni!”

His voice echoed through the silence.

Nothing.

His fingers raked through his wet hair, tugging at the roots in frustration. The ache in his chest grew unbearable. Then, his phone buzzed. He snatched it out of his pocket, hope flickering for a split second. But it wasn’t her.

It was Nidhi.

“Did you find her?” she asked, her voice laced with worry.

“No,” he rasped, leaning against the hood of his car. “Her phone is still off. I don’t know where else to look, Nidhi. I don’t know what to do.”

“Ishan… go back to home. It’s late. You won’t be able to think straight like this. We’ll look for her again tomorrow, okay? Just… don’t lose hope.”

Hope? How could he not, when the girl who meant everything to him had vanished? But he had no choice. With a heavy heart, he ended the call and drove back, the rain intensifying as if mirroring the storm raging inside him.

As he pulled into the driveway, his breath caught.

A lone figure sat on the steps of his porch, curled up against the cold, arms wrapped around her knees. Her clothes were soaked through, her hair clinging to her face in wet strands. For a moment, he thought he was hallucinating, his mind playing cruel tricks on him.

“Avni?”

Her head shot up.

And when their eyes met, relief crashed over him like a tidal wave.

She scrambled to her feet, stumbling slightly, but before she could say anything, he was already moving. Without hesitation, he pulled her into his arms. She collapsed against him, gripping the back of his shirt like she was afraid he’d disappear.

“I’m sorry,” she choked out, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m so, so sorry.”

His arms tightened around her, his heart still hammering wildly. “Where the hell have you been?” His voice was hoarse, raw with emotion. “Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?”

She didn’t answer. She just buried her face deeper into his chest, her body trembling against his. That’s when he realized, she wasn’t just wet from the rain.