𝐑𝐞𝐛𝐞𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒚-𝒔𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏⁠♡

The night was eerily quiet, but inside the grand palace, a storm raged between two souls.

Ishanvi stood near the balcony, her arms wrapped around herself as the cool wind brushed against her skin. The silver moonlight bathed her face, but her eyes-usually filled with warmth-were blank.

The words she had overheard earlier still echoed in her mind.

Aayansh had been in a coma.

For one and half months.

And she hadn't even known.

A part of her wanted to run to him, to demand why he had hidden such a big truth. Another part-one that was drowning in pain-wanted to shut him out completely.

Behind her, the door creaked open.

Her body tensed.

She didn't turn around, but she knew it was him.

Aayansh.

He walked towards her slowly, his heart pounding with every step. He had faced enemies, betrayal, even death-but this moment terrified him the most.

When he finally reached her, he did something he had never done before.

He knelt down.

Ishanvi sucked in a sharp breath as she felt his hands softly touch her feet.

And then, before she could move-he lowered his head, pressing it against them.

"Aayansh!" she gasped, trying to step back, but his grip tightened-firm, yet desperate.

"Maaf kar do mujhe, Ishanvi," his voice came out hoarse, raw with emotions he never let anyone see.

[Forgive me, Ishanvi.]

Her throat tightened.

Her heart screamed at her to pull him up, to tell him he didn't have to do this.

But her pain... it refused to let go.

"Uthiye," she said, her voice colder than she intended.

[Get up.]

Aayansh shook his head, his grip on her feet tightening slightly "Nahi, jab tak tum mujhe maaf nahi karti, main yahi rahunga."

[No. Until you forgive me, I won't move from here.]

Her eyes burned.

"Aapko pata bhi hai maine kya saha hai, Aayansh?" Her voice cracked. Aapne zyada chot lagi thi ya mujhe?"

[Do you even know what I went through, Aayansh? Were you hurt more, or was I?]

Aayansh slowly lifted his head, his dark eyes locking onto hers.

She could see it-the regret, the exhaustion, the unspoken words.

"Main wapas aata, Ishanvi," he whispered, "par mujhme himmat nahi thi."