Page 120 of Mrs. Rathore

It felt like a promise.

And yet, he had left.

Because for a man like Aryan, duty would always come first.

Still… I didn’t resent him. That part of him, the protector, the soldier, that’s what made him who he was. And maybe that’s what made me feel so heartbreakingly safe with him, even when he shattered me with a single glance.

My phone buzzed. I wasn’t expecting anything but when I looked, it was him.

ARYAN: I’m sorry again. I didn’t want to leave you like that. I can’t stop thinking about you.

My breath hitched. My fingers trembled slightly as I typed back:

ME: Just come back safe. That’s all I ask.

I pressed send and curled deeper beneath the blanket. The tears came slowly out of the longing. A quiet ache that refused to go away.

Because tonight, something had changed between us. He had seen all of me and he hadn’t looked away.

Even though the night had ended too soon, one thing was clear: Aryan wanted me as much as I wanted him. And it wasn’t just desire.

It was something dangerously close to devotion.

I closed my eyes, trying to quiet my thoughts, and willing sleep to take me. But somewhere deep in my chest, I knew...

This wasn’t the end.

This was the beginning of something neither of us was ready for, but both of us craved.

______

Chapter 48

AVNI

Since that day, Aryan had been extremely busy with his duty, barely getting enough sleep. He was on duty for over twelve hours a day, and when he was home, he was either exhausted or busy attending calls.

Yes, it wasn't very pleasant, but I got used to it. I focused on my dance practice and tried to forget that Aryan Rathore had kissed me passionately two weeks ago. I assumed he might have been drunk when he did that, perhaps it was just a moment of impulse because since then, he hadn’t shown me any real attention. We exchanged only a few words before he went to bed or got pulled away by important calls. Sometimes, it felt like he was the only officer responsible for taking care of the entire troop.

I was practicing Kathak in the garden, my AirPods plugged in as classical music played in my ears. I tried to concentrate, but I kept messing up. Still, I was determined to win the title next year, no matter what. I resumed my footwork, but the doorbell rang, interrupting my rhythm. I walked over to answer it.

When I opened the door, my jaw dropped.

Prashant was standing in the doorway with the same charming smile, holding a bouquet of colorful flowers.

“Hey, beautiful, what’s up?” he said. “Happy Birthday.”

“You remembered my birthday?” I gasped, genuinely surprised. I had only received calls from Papa, Rhea, Kavya, and Noor but Aryan hadn’t even mentioned it. He’d left for duty early in the morning without having breakfast, saying he’d eat at the mess.

“How could I forget? I celebrated it with you for ten years,” he grinned with a wink. “May I come in, Ma’am?”

“Yeah, sure.” I stepped aside, letting him in. He looked around, visibly impressed by the decor. Aryan had once told me to turn this flat into a home, so I had decorated it in purple and cream tones. I got a lot of ideas from Pinterest and YouTube. In the end, it turned out beautiful and elegant. Aryan didn’t particularly like purple, but he appreciated the effort.

“God, can you decorate my house too?” he asked, his eyes gleaming with appreciation.

“Avi!!” I heard two familiar voices call out. They were Prashant’s twin sisters, who were four years younger than I.

“Pari and Priya!!” I blurted out as I saw their identical, grown-up faces. They had blossomed into beautiful young women.