Priyal quickly stood up. In her eyes there were no longer tears for her sister’s pain, but anger for the betrayal Aditya had given to her sister. The moment Priyal stood up, Kriti looked at her in complete shock. Tears were still falling from her eyes. Her nose and ears were still completely red because of crying. But seeing Priyal suddenly stand up like that, she started feeling that maybe something wrong was about to happen, something would surely go against her.

“Didi what happened?” Kirit asked in a trembling voice. She could see that fire in Priyal’s eyes. The anger was clearly visible on her face.

“I am going to settle the score with Aditya. What does he think, that he can betray and still escape? Absolutely not, never ever.” Priyal said angrily while looking at Kirit. Even now her heart was hurting for her sister, seeing her pain. But that pain was not bigger than her anger.

As soon as Kriti heard Aditya’s name, it felt like her heartbeat stopped for a moment. The tears in her eyes froze where they were. Her sobbing stopped. She was just looking at Priyal without blinking. She knew that if Priyal went to Aditya, then Aditya would tell her the truth, which she absolutely did not want. This was never her plan, never.

Kriti suddenly stood up taking support of Priyal’s hand. Her breaths were very fast. In her eyes now there was less pain and more fear — the fear of herself getting exposed.

“Didi please don’t go to Aditya. I don’t want these things to come between us again please didi. That’s why I didn’t tell you this till now… please don’t go to him.” Kriti requested Priyal. But Priyal had already made up her mind. She started looking into her eyes.

“I will go. I will go and question him. What does he think, that he will betray and just walk away? No. He will have to answer every question of mine properly. Just because you let him go doesn’t mean I will also let him go.” Priyal said strictly. This wasn’t just about her sister’s feelings, it was about betrayal. Priyal’s anger was increasing every moment.

“No didi… please don’t involve Aditya in all this. This is between us please don’t—” Kriti wiped her tears from her cheeks and spoke. Kriti’s body movements had completely changed. Where till now she looked emotionally broken, now she was trying to defeat herself.

Priyal looked at her with unbelievable eyes. She couldn’t understand why Kriti was now saving Aditya. Aditya had done so much with her

“Don’t get involved? All this happened because of Aditya and you are saying this? I know you still love him. You are saving him. But trust me this is the most foolish thing, Saving the wrong person. I can tolerate anything myself but—” Priyal suddenly looked straight into Kriti’s eyes, “not betrayal.” Priyal stretched the last word deeply, because she always acted upon every word she spoke.

“It’s not just about you. It’s about the one who did wrong. I can never leave those who do wrong, no matter who they are. This is not only for you but for every person with whom something wrong is happening. If there was someone else in your place, I would fight the same way for them too, Kriti.” Then Priyal looked at Kriti carefully and said, “the one who tolerates wrong is more guilty than the one who does wrong.” Priyal said it in one breath.

Kriti just stood there watching. Watching her sister’s anger. Watching her sister’s rules. And how intensely she was following them. Her words were getting stuck in her throat. She didn’t have a single word left to save herself.

The pity she had created in her sister’s eyes for herself till now would end in one moment if Aditya told the truth. The hatred she had planted in Priyal’s mind for Siya would disappear at once.

Before she could say anything, Priyal turned on her heels straight towards the door. Kriti inhaled quickly so that she could say something to stop Priyal, but before she could speak much, Priyal had already left the room. Kriti just stood there. Her mind was telling her to stop Priyal, to lie down in front of her to stop her, but her body wasn’t working.

She had created so many thoughts in her mind that now her mind wasn’t able to support her body’s actions.

On the other side, Priyal was walking quickly towards Aditya’s room. She had seen Aditya coming between them earlier and she knew she would find him there. And even if he didn’t, she would bring him from hell and then question him.

Priyal’s steps were big. Very fast. She hadn’t blinked even once on the way. Now her mind wanted only one thing and that was Aditya’s answer. Only that.

The room’s door was open. Priyal went inside the room. Aditya was standing facing the side of the bed. Priyal paused for a moment and looked around the entire room. As soon as her eyes fell on Aditya, she quickly went towards him.

Aditya didn’t even realize so quickly that someone had entered his room.

Priyal quickly grabbed Aditya’s arm and turned him towards herself.

Thud.

A strong punch landed on Aditya’s left cheek. Stronger than truth. Breaking every limit. The force was so much that Aditya took two steps back. He didn’t understand anything — who came, when they entered the room, turned him, and then punched him so hard. His hand directly went to his left cheek. At that moment he felt nothing but pain on his cheek.

Priyal’s eyes were glaring at Aditya, deadly glaring. Aditya’s face was still down. Slowly he was processing everything. In the meantime, Priyal again grabbed his collar and pulled him towards herself. And that was the moment when Aditya saw Priyal’s face.

Aditya didn’t understand anything. What suddenly happened to him. Why did it happen? Why did Priyal do this? Nothing. He just stood there with a blank expression. In his mind, the moment from a while ago was still running.

That punch

Straight to his face

“You are cheating on my sister with Siya, Aditya.” Priyal said each word very harshly. Every word from her mouth felt like a sword.

Hearing these words, Aditya’s eyebrows came closer. He didn’t understand cheating. That too on Priyal’s sister, meaning Kirit. When did he cheat on Kirit? And the biggest thing, how did Siya’s name come into all this?

“Answer me why are you standing like this? When you didn’t feel shame while cheating then why are you feeling it now while speaking? javab do mujhe.” Priyal said while shaking Aditya’s collar strongly. Her breath was very fast. Each of her words carried power.

Now Aditya understood everything. The lines on his forehead became clear. He understood that all this was the result of what he had just faced on the roof. His lips turned into a straight line. On his face now anger had replaced confusion. Without hearing his side, without hearing his story, how did Priyal decide that he was a cheater? That he was cheating someone— her sister.

He had never allowed anyone to define his character just by hearing someone else’s side of the story.

Priyal’s small but strong hands were tightly holding Aditya’s collar. Since her height was shorter, Aditya was slightly bent down. If in Priyal’s place there was a boy till now, maybe he wouldn’t have been standing so long while holding his collar, instead he would have regretted his action. For Aditya, the most important thing was his character — which he would never let anyone touch, not even let someone’s gaze stain it.

“Do you even know what nonsense you are saying? Doing anything without knowing the complete truth is pure foolishness, you must know that at least. Leave my collar now.” Aditya said in a firm voice. Just like Priyal’s eyes were burning with anger, now Aditya was the same. When he hadn’t done anything wrong, why would he fear anyone? Why would he feel guilty?

Hearing Aditya’s words, a bitter chuckle escaped from Priyal’s mouth. She slightly bent her neck to one side while staring at Aditya and left his collar. She kept her hands in the air for a few moments — exactly where they were, just not holding the collar this time.

“You have a lot of audacity. Even after doing wrong, you are defending yourself as if betrayal happened with you. As if you are innocent here. But the truth is the opposite. I know very well what big players you and Siya are. How big betrayers you both are. And Siya should get an award for acting innocent—” As soon as Priyal took Siya’s name, Aditya stopped her in between.

“There is no need to bring Siya’s name in between. If you come to talk to me then talk only about me.” Aditya looked straight into Priyal’s eyes. “Siya was innocent, she is and she will remain. And I will not tolerate even a single nonsense word about Siya. Understood?” Aditya said very clearly. He didn’t blink even once while speaking — because this was about Siya. For whom maybe his heart had already gone.

How could Aditya hear anything against his innocent wife? That wife who had only suffered till today, who had always been blamed for things she never did. But not this time, and not in front of Aditya.

Priyal looked at Aditya with shocked and bitter eyes. She couldn’t believe this was the same boy who loved her sister so much. The same boy who was now fighting with her for someone else.

“Aren’t you ashamed? Even after doing so wrong, even after betraying someone, you are looking straight into my eyes and protecting yourself and another cheater like you.” Priyal bitterly spoke again about Siya. Every time Siya’s name came from Aditya’s mouth, Priyal’s anger rose higher.

But Aditya couldn’t listen anymore. He didn’t have the tolerance to hear a single wrong word about his wife.

“I already said once that not even a single word about Siya. Don’t you understand? What betrayal did I give, huh? When the full truth is not known, then an effort is made to know it, not to announce a decision like a mad person… What do you know about me and Siya? Just because your sister said something, you closed your eyes, believed her and came here to fight with me. And if you came to fight me then talk about me… don’t bring my Siya in between. And especially not when you don’t know even a single word about her.” Aditya warned Priyal.

For a moment, Priyal also went silent seeing Aditya’s anger. It was the first time she had seen him this angry. But more than his anger, it was his words and the way he was speaking. There was a truth in Aditya’s tone — which Priyal could actually feel. In her heart she felt somewhere she might be making a mistake by not hearing Aditya’s side of the story.

“What is the complete truth then tell me… let me also hear how a cheater can prove himself right… show me your truth.” Priyal said while giving Aditya a deadly glare.

“I think you have a serious lack of knowledge, the kind of knowledge your sister has given you. But it’s okay, I’ll give you the complete knowledge…. Let me tell you what happened when I went to the village one month ago,” Aditya said very smoothly. His eyes did not leave Priyal’s face even for a single moment.

“My marriage happened — with Siya.”

Aditya spoke his last words very carefully, deeply, and firmly. As soon as Priyal heard the word marriage, a gap formed between her lips. Her eyes remained exactly the way they were. Her shoulders, which were standing proudly until now, slowly started straightening stiffly. The sharp anger in her eyes disappeared for a moment. Her eyes were searching for truth in Aditya’s eyes. Every limit of thinking had been crossed in her mind.

Marriage.

With Siya.

This sentence was ringing in her head like a bell. Again and again, each time louder than before. Not a single word was coming out of her throat. Her tongue had stopped supporting her. She couldn’t believe her ears, whether what she had just heard was the truth or some very bad joke. This couldn’t be possible. How could Aditya be married — that too with Siya? They both are still so young. How could all this happen so suddenly?

“What happened…. Did you lose your senses after hearing the truth? You like hearing the truth, don’t you? So this is the truth. My truth. Siya’s truth. The truth of my marriage. So now will you say how I became a cheater? How did I cheat on your sister after getting married?” Aditya asked Priyal in a mocking tone. He knew that at this moment Priyal was completely shocked. She wasn’t even in a condition to speak. Still, he kept questioning her.

Because just a little while ago he had heard a lot about his innocent wife. This was his answer to all of that.

Hearing Aditya’s voice again, Priyal came back to her senses. She started blinking rapidly. Sweat began forming on her forehead. Just a few moments ago, her mind had completely exploded.

Priyal raised her index finger — which was trembling — towards Aditya and asked,

“You…. your…. marriage…. with Siya?”

The words were barely coming out of her mouth. And how could they? What Aditya had just said was nothing less than a shock. It was completely out of syllabus for Priyal. Her mind was still unable to process everything. Her body was not reacting normally yet.

“Yes… and I can stand in front of the whole world and say this. Siya is my wife… I got married to her one month ago. We are husband and wife,” Aditya said again in the same powerful tone. There is no hesitation in his voice, no shame,only pride.

Priyal held her forehead and sat down directly on the corner of the bed. She lowered her head. Her elbows rested on her knees and her head was hanging down, supported by her hands. Her breathing was still not normal. Such a big truth — she was not at all ready to hear something like this. She had never even imagined this in her dreams.

She had come to question Aditya, and instead she ended up discovering the biggest truth of his life. She was not prepared for this. Anyone in her place wouldn’t have been prepared either.

For a few moments, everything remained still. No one spoke. Neither of them moved from their place. Finally, Aditya’s anger calmed down. He walked to the other side of the bed, filled a glass with water, and came back to Priyal.

Maintaining a little distance, he sat on the bed and extended his hand toward her, holding the glass of water.

“Drink water,” he said shortly. He was still angry because Priyal had punched him very hard on his cheek. His entire cheek had turned red. And now he would have to go in front of everyone with that red mark. He didn’t even know what he would say to people, how he would explain that red mark on his face.

Hearing his voice, Priyal looked at him. She took the glass from his hand and started drinking the water. She didn’t stop even once in between and finished the entire glass in one go. After drinking, she placed the empty glass on the floor beside her feet and ran her hand over her face once.

Now everything was making sense to her. This is why Aditya had broken up with Kriti m, because he was already married. He ended the relationship so that he wouldn’t become a cheater. So that he wouldn’t betray his wife. So that he wouldn’t ruin another girl’s life.

Priyal looked up at Aditya. Now she was feeling bad for whatever she had said — for Aditya and for Siya too. She felt ashamed of herself. It felt like she had done something terribly wrong. In her mind, she had already scolded herself many times for her behavior.

“I am sorry…. I truly had no idea that this was the truth… I just saw Kriti crying, so I asked her what happened. She told me that you left her because of Siya…. I had no idea this was the full truth… I am really sorry I said such wrong things… I am really sorry, Aditya,” Priyal said in a very soft tone.

She felt really bad. Without knowing the complete truth, she had created such a big scene.

“It’s okay…. Forget whatever happened. But now that you know the truth, don’t say anything about Siya,” Aditya said, giving a final warning as he looked at her.

“I won’t say anything…. I just got angry because I thought you both were doing something wrong. I really feel guilty, especially for what I said about Siya…. Will you tell me how all this happened? I mean your and Siya’s marriage…. How did it happen? You both are so young, still…” Priyal asked curiously.

Aditya looked at the floor and once again remembered the day he got married to Siya.

“Siya’s father had passed away… so we went there — me, Mama, Mami and Mummy. When we reached, we saw that Siya’s stepmother troubled her a lot, tortured her. I don’t even consider her a mother… she never looked at Siya with love, never loved her. When we were about to leave, she threw Siya out of the house by accusing her of theft,” Aditya started explaining slowly.

Priyal was listening very carefully to every word. She felt even worse for Siya. Siya had always suffered.

“What a horrible woman… who does that to her own daughter?” Priyal said in a disgusted tone.

“She was her stepmother. A very greedy and lazy woman. She always used Siya to get household work done… I really hate her,” Aditya replied in the same disgusted tone.

“Me too. What happened after that?” Priyal asked.

“Mama saw everything… he clearly said that Siya and Rohit would stay with us. Then her stepmother said that Mama would take Siya and Rohit to Delhi and sell them,” Aditya said with visible disgust. He absolutely hated talking about Siya’s stepmother.

“What a disgusting woman,” Priyal replied.

“Then Papa decided that he would get Siya married to me in front of the whole village. And he did that. Against everyone’s opinions, he got us married in a temple. I was very angry with Mama. I didn’t talk to him for many days. Then we came back here. In the beginning, I was very angry at Siya too. Because I loved Kriti, and because of Siya’s arrival, I could never belong to Kriti again. I used to shout at Siya… this continued for some days. Until then, I hadn’t told Kriti anything. But soon I realized that I couldn’t continue like this.”

Aditya felt bad while speaking each word. Every moment when he had behaved wrongly with Siya came back to him. The guilt was still visible in his eyes.

Priyal had also lowered her head. She was feeling bad after hearing everything.

“Then one day I told Kriti everything and ended our relationship. But that same day Mummy came to know about everything. She made me promise that I would try to make my life with Siya better. That I would give this marriage a chance. And I accepted that promise…. That’s the whole truth. Now if you want to confirm, you can ask anyone. I have no problem,” Aditya finally said, looking at Priyal.

But there was no doubt in Priyal’s eyes. Not even one percent. Her eyes had softened completely. She understood that more than Kriti, it was Siya and Aditya who had suffered the most.

“I trust you… and for the rest, I’ll ask your brother. He can never lie,” Priyal said while referring to Jay.

Aditya didn’t say anything, he just nodded his head slightly. He was well for now that there was no misunderstanding. And finally, Priyal had understood him without any other drama.

Priyal got up from her place and went and stood in front of Aditya. Aditya also started looking at Priyal. He did not understand why Priyal had come in front of him.

“I hit you badly… sorry for this too… I was very angry,so I hit you directly,” Priyal said while carefully looking at Aditya’s cheek. She had not touched Aditya now but she was only seeing his cheek bent like that.

Aditya’s cheek had become completely swollen. From far itself the condition of his cheek could be seen.

“It’s okay… but the problem is that if someone sees it then what will they say?” Aditya asked. Hearing this, Priyal also started thinking because what he said was right. If anyone saw the cheek then everyone would know that someone had hit him.

“I will bring an ice bag. It will have an effect. Maybe by morning this mark will also go away.” Priyal said softly. She was already feeling guilt.

Aditya nodded his head in yes and said “but don’t tell anyone else. No one else also knows that I was in a relationship with Kriti. So please now don’t say anything even by mistake” Aditya said to Priyal in a requesting tone. He did not want anything to get spoiled again.

“Yes yes I will not say. You don’t take tension. I will handle all this. Just coming” saying this, Priyal quickly went out of the room.

“Just let this get fine now” Aditya said to himself. He was afraid that if someone saw him he would have to answer many questions.

⁠❥⁠❥

Up on the roof everything had got divided and everyone was going to practice at night after dinner. Already cooking had started in the kitchen.

Siya was going straight towards the kitchen. She had not talked to Simran in the morning and she was missing Simran. But still in Siya’s mind whatever had happened on the roof was going on. The more she was thinking to put her mind somewhere else the more again and again her attention was going on that same matter.

After that moment she had not said about this to anyone neither to Richa nor to Sona. She did not want that again. If she talked about this then anyone’s mood would be spoiled, Already she had seen everyone’s mood in the morning.

Siya entered the kitchen. In the kitchen there were two servants and Payal, Simran and Swati. All three were busy doing something. Siya without going to anyone went straight to Simran. Seeing Simran, Siya felt her mother's presence and she went and stood beside Simran.

“Beta you here… do you need something” Simran asked as soon as she saw Siya. Payal and Swati also saw Siya but no one said anything.

“Nahi mummy… shall I help you with something” Siya asked while looking at Simran. She liked to work in the kitchen. And with Simran her heart got very engaged in working and making food. She had asked Simran with full heart.

“No no you go. Take a rest beta. Here we all are to work.. you have no need to do anything” Simran refused with a slight smile. Siya nodded her head and she quietly kept standing near Simran. If no one was there she would have surely hugged Simran by now. But everyone was there so she was just touching Simran’s pallu.

She was looking at Simran very lovingly. Inside Simran she saw both her mummy and papa. Whenever she came near Simran it felt like God had given her papa mummy again but in a new form.

Simran was also noticing Siya’s moment. But she was not saying anything because she did not want to highlight anything. She was feeling that somewhere Siya wanted to say something to her because since they had come here till now Simran had not given time to Siya. And Simran knew very well how much Siya needed time at this time.

“Arey Siya Suno” Payal called Siya in a sweet voice. As soon as she called, Simran, Siya and Swati started looking at her.

“You are here so make one cup of tea. See everyone is busy” Payal said to Siya with extra sugar coating. Siya as soon as she nodded yes. But Simran and Swati both knew what Payal was trying to do. She just wanted to make Siya feel like a servant. That is why leaving so many servants she had given her the work. She thought Siya was from a village, not that smart so she would easily do such work. And Payal would rule over her like a queen.

Swati sharply lowered her eyes. She did not like at all that Siya was working for Payal. Even if she did not like Siya and the reason was only marriage and nothing else.

Siya quickly picked the tea utensils from the counter and kept them on the gas. After that she turned on the gas stove. Her hands were moving in the same coordination. It was clearly visible how much experience she had working in the kitchen.

There was no irritation on Siya’s face. Her heart was pure. She was making tea from the heart for Payal. Siya again turned and looked at the beakers kept on the counter. She needed tea leaves but she did not understand in which beaker the chai patti would be.

“Mummy ji chai patti kaha per rakhi hai” Siya asked while simply looking at Simran. But Simran herself also did not know this.

“It is in the yellow, which is kept in the corner. And next to this in the big beaker is sugar.. and yes take ginger from there” Payal told with a slight smile. Siya listened to everything carefully and as payal had told she picked that same beaker. And then got busy making tea.

“When there are so many servants then why does she not tell them” Swati said to herself. She lifted her head up and saw Ankit was coming into the kitchen.

Ankit came straight to Swati. There was a phone in his hand. There was some confusion on his face. He came straight to Swati and showed her his phone.

“Siya did you study or not” Simran remembered that Siya had not studied today so she directly asked Siya. As soon as she asked this everyone’s attention shifted to Siya. Except Payal, everyone wanted to know whether she had studied or not.

As soon as Siya heard this she lowered her eyes. The whole day I went shopping. And then everyone went on the roof. Now night has come. She did not give any answer but while lowering her eyes she lightly shook her head. Simran did not say anything to Siya. She was just looking at her. She was a little disappointed in Siya.

“I think you should leave all this and study” Swati said in a strict voice but today there was no taunt in her voice which always used to be there. Today there was a worry about Siya’s study. Siya, Simran and Ankit all were looking at Swati with little shock and surprise.

No one had expected that Swati would show her worry towards Siya like this.

“From study your future will be made not by making tea in the kitchen. So go and study Swati said in the final tone. Others were just standing and listening to Swati. For them today something very different had happened. This was completely out of their expectation.

Siya did not say anything but she directly turned off the gas stove and from there with slow steps went away. She did not even once lift her eyelids and look at anyone. She did not understand whether she should feel happy or sad. Swati had said something to her, had scolded her but today she had scolded her for her good.

As soon as coming out of the kitchen slowly slowly a smile started coming on Siya’s lips. She was feeling good that today for the first time Swati had taken her side, thinking about how good she had scolded her. For her this scolding was not less than any big award.

She just with a light smile went towards the stairs. Her mind was still on that same moment in the kitchen.

On the other side Payal was staring at Swati. She understood that Swati had scolded Siya only so that she could not make tea for Payal. Payal pressing her lips tightly against each other again started doing her work but her attention was still on that same matter.

⁠❥❥

“Today something unbelievable happened… I still cannot believe that Mami ji told me to study.” Siya was walking through the corridor while talking to herself. Everything that had happened in the kitchen was replaying again and again in her mind. A faint smile rested on her lips.

“Mein jaldi se jakar Richa and Sona. Mami ji loves me so much. I used to think that she doesn’t like me, but she silently cares about me. That’s why today she scolded me.” Siya again became happy on her own and accepted this in her heart.

“SIYA!!!”

Siya suddenly heard a loud voice from behind. She quickly turned back and saw Priyal running toward her. 

There was an ice pack in her hand.

“What happened, didi?”

Priyal came and stood right in front of Siya. Without saying anything, she directly grabbed Siya’s right hand and started running… in the direction of Aditya’s room. Siya could not understand why Priyal was dragging her like this.

“Come fast yaar,” Priyal said in a low voice. Siya was still running behind her. Priyal’s breathing had become very fast, as if she had been running around for quite some time.

“Didi what happened… Why are we running like this?”

“Just come quietly.”

After that, Siya did not ask anything. Like a good child, she silently kept running behind Priyal. Priyal was still holding her hand. Both of them stopped exactly in front of Aditya’s room. At first, Siya could not understand which room they were standing in front of.

But as soon as they entered the room, Aditya was sitting while holding his cheek. Siya’s heartbeat almost stopped the moment she realized that she was in Aditya’s room.

Aditya looked up, and his condition also became the same. He looked at Priyal with a disappointed expression, as if asking why she had brought Siya there. Now Siya would also see what had happened to his cheek.

“Go ahead,” Priyal again held Siya’s hand and brought her directly in front of Aditya. Siya still did not understand why Aditya was holding his cheek. Then suddenly Priyal placed the ice bag in front of her. Siya just kept looking at the ice bag; she could not understand anything.

Meanwhile, Aditya lowered his face because he knew that very soon Siya would see his red cheek.

“Siya, take this and put it on Aditya’s cheek,” Priyal handed the ice bag to Siya. But Siya could not understand anything; she was just looking at Aditya like a small child who does not know what to do.

“Kya hua aapke cheek ko ?” Siya asked very softly. Her condition was getting worse while asking this. Her heartbeat had become very fast. As soon as she spoke, she nervously bit her lower lip.

Hearing Siya’s sweet voice, Aditya forgot everything and started looking straight into her eyes. Slowly, he removed his hand from his cheek. Half of his cheek had turned red, as if someone had slapped him very hard. Aditya knew that now he would have to answer Siya’s questions.

Seeing Aditya’s red cheek, Siya’s eyes widened instantly. The lip that was stuck between her teeth also slipped free. Her eyes got fixed only on his cheek. Half of his cheek had turned red, in a very bad way.

Siya tightly held her dupatta.

“How did this happen to you… how did it become like this?” Siya asked hesitantly. She swallowed her saliva.

Aditya once looked at Priyal with sharp eyes and then looked back at Siya. The moment he looked at Siya, his eyes again became soft and filled with affection. He licked his lower lip. He could not understand what he should tell her. How could he tell her that Priyal had slapped him because she thought he was cheating on her sister?

And the biggest thing was—how would he tell her that he had told Priyal about their marriage?

“I will tell you later. For now just put this ice bag on Aditya’s cheek. Somehow the redness should go away,” Priyal said. Hearing her voice, Siya blinked quickly and tightly wrapped her fingers around the ice bag, even though her heart was hurting a lot seeing Aditya’s face in this condition.

She took small steps toward Aditya and stood right in front of him. Aditya slightly leaned his face back. In her hurry, Siya had come very close to him. His nose was only inches away from touching her skin. But at that moment, she could see only his cheek.

Aditya’s face was at the level of Siya’s chest because he was sitting on the bed. Slowly, with trembling hands, she moved her hand toward his other cheek and very gently placed her soft long fingers on it.

The moment her fingers touched Aditya’s cheek, a strange electricity ran through both of their bodies. Aditya could not take his eyes off Siya’s face. His heartbeat was not under his control. Siya was standing so close to him—this was the second time today. Every time he came this close to Siya, his control over his own breathing started slipping away.

Siya’s touch was so soft and sweet that Aditya did not feel like letting her go even for a moment. With a little force, Siya slightly lifted his face so that she could see his cheek properly.

As soon as she did that, her eyes first met Aditya’s eyes. His eyes held strange emotions for her—emotions that could not be explained, only felt. Only through his eyes.

Aditya was simply admiring Siya’s face. It felt as if God had created her features with extreme precision and patience. How could everything be so perfect, so lovable? To Aditya, she looked like a fairy standing in front of him, as if she had come straight from heaven just for him, sent by God only for Aditya.

Siya’s hands were still trembling. She still could not believe what she was doing. She was standing so close to Aditya—and she had placed her hand on his cheek. This was the first time in her life. Aditya’s gaze was not leaving her even for a second. There was a strange attraction pulling both of them more and more toward each other.

Gathering a lot of courage, Siya shifted her gaze from his eyes to his cheek. The emotions in her eyes were replaced by worry. She did not ask him again because she did not want to upset him, but her heart was loudly screaming to know how he got hurt, when he got hurt… how much pain he must be feeling.

Siya lifted her other hand in which she was holding the ice bag. Very carefully and very gently, she placed it on Aditya’s cheek. Her hands trembled again while touching him.

As soon as the ice bag came in contact with his cheek, a wave of pain ran through his body. But Aditya’s fingers found their safe place.

Dupatta.

Siya’s dupatta, which was brushing against him as she bent toward his cheek. Aditya’s fingers quickly grabbed the edge of her dupatta between his fingers.

Siya immediately felt it when Aditya touched her again—not directly, but through her dupatta. Her chest was rising and falling very fast. Aditya being so close to her—and that too holding onto her—was beyond Siya’s imagination. But today destiny had brought them this close. Like every time, fate had played its move again, making them do something neither of them had ever imagined.

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✦ ✦ ✦ To Be Continued ✦ ✦ ✦