Chapter 53
Author's POV:
The late-morning air was still, wrapped in a silence that felt almost cautious-like the world itself was waiting for something to shift.
Aayat sat in the passenger seat of Ayaan's car, fingers loosely curved around her phone, gaze lost somewhere outside the glass.
Her thoughts were a slow blur, heavy... but steady.
She didn't realize how much of her silence Ayaan had grown used to-how much he now listened to the quiet she didn't voice.
Ayaan was just walking toward the driver's side, adjusting the cuffs of his black shirt, when a sudden voice sliced through the stillness behind him.
"Ayaan...!"
The name-spoken with bright familiarity-made Aayat automatically lift her head.
Ayaan stopped, turned...
And behind him stood a girl.
Pretty. Well-dressed. Confident.
Someone who clearly felt she had the right to call his name like that.
Aayat's eyebrows rose just slightly... surprise, confusion, and something else-something uncomfortable-tightening inside her.
Ayaan blinked once, then a small smile touched his lips.
"Tum yahan? Kaise?"
He stepped forward, tone friendly in a way Aayat had never heard him use with another girl.
Aaliya walked closer, smiling easily.
"Woh... mujhe yahin paas mein kaam tha. Socha office ab wapsi mein office tumhare sath hi chali jau.... "
Ayaan chuckled softly.
"Sahi waqt par aa gayi. Main bas abhi nikalne hi wala tha."
And just like that... they slipped into conversation.
Aayat's chest tightened unexpectedly.
It wasn't jealousy. Not exactly.
It was the strangeness-the unfamiliarity-of seeing Ayaan so open... so casual... with someone who wasn't her.
In 9 years, she had only ever seen him cold, blunt, detached with every single person around him.
But now... this.
Aayat exhaled slowly, pushed the car door, and stepped out.
Aaliya followed the movement and her eyes landed on her-observing her from head to toe, just a little too sharply.
"Yeh kaun hain?", Aaliya asked, turning to Ayaan.
Ayaan looked at Aayat... and for a moment, something soft flickered in his eyes.
He waited until she came to stand beside him.
"Yeh Aayat hai."
His tone softened when he said her name... unconsciously.
Then he gestured toward the girl.
"Aur yeh Aaliya hai... meri friend."
Aayat nodded politely and extended her hand.
"Hi."
Aaliya's handshake was firm, a little forced.
"Hello."
Ayaan clapped his hands lightly.
"Chalo phir. Chalte hain."
He moved toward the driver's seat.
Aayat walked forward to take the passenger spot beside him-her usual place-
but before she could reach...
Aaliya brushed past her, gave her a slight push, and slid into the seat herself.
As if it belonged to her.
Aayat's fingers curled at her sides, but she didn't say anything.
She simply stepped back... inhaled once... and walked toward the back seat.
Ayaan noticed.
He paused before sitting, glancing through the mirror.
Aayat sat stiffly in the back, jaw tight, her irritation clear despite her silence.
He got in and said calmly,
"Seat belt pehen lo."
Aaliya immediately replied,
"Don't worry, pehen liya hai maine."
But his eyes were in the mirror-
on Aayat.
She hadn't moved.
She stared outside the window, cold, distant, refusing to give even this small acknowledgment.
Ayaan sighed quietly, unclicked his own belt, opened his door, and stepped out.
Aaliya frowned.
"Ayaan? Kahan ja rahe ho?"
But he didn't answer.
He walked to the back seat, opened Aayat's door gently.
Aayat looked up-startled.
Ayaan leaned in, close enough that she felt his breath brush her cheek.
His fingers brushed hers as he pulled the seat belt across her body.
Fastened it carefully.
Looked at her again.
For a moment... everything froze.
Their faces were inches apart.
Her breath hitched.
His heartbeat thudded loudly in his ears.
Ayaan pulled back abruptly, jaw clenched, eyes shaken.
He exhaled deeply, trying to steady himself as he returned to his seat.
"Ayaan... control."
He whispered under his breath, gripping the steering wheel hard.
Aaliya had seen it all-
and her expression darkened sharply.
Because in the last five months, she had not seen him be this gentle... with anyone.
But today... his softness belonged to someone else.
Aayat.
~
Hours passed.
Work helped distract her, but not fully.
Not from the strange twisting feeling inside her chest.
By lunch break, Aayat leaned back in her chair, eyelids closed, fingers resting over her forehead.
A quiet knock echoed.
She didn't respond-she didn't hear.
Ayaan opened the door and stepped inside anyway.
He walked closer... and then stopped.
Just watching her.
Something calm settled in him at the sight-something he never felt with anyone else.
After a few seconds, he spoke softly.
"Aayat."
Her eyes fluttered open... confusion flashing first, then surprise.
"Tum yahan? Tum kab aaye andar?"
Ayaan smiled gently.
"Bas abhi aya. Chalo, lunch saath karte hain."
She shook her head.
"Mujhe bohut kaam hai... main nahi aa sakti."
Ayaan raised a brow, amused.
"Haan, woh toh dikh raha hai. Tum bohot 'kaam' kar rahi ho."
His tone dripped with sarcasm.
He stepped closer, extended his hand.
"Chalo ab."
For a moment, Aayat looked at his hand-
then at his face.
Slowly... she placed her hand in his.
His fingers wrapped around hers like they belonged there.
~
LUNCH - IN THE PARK
Ayaan didn't take her to any restaurant.
He drove toward a quiet green park tucked behind the city.
Aayat frowned.
"Hum yahan kyun aaye hain?"
Ayaan gave a mysterious smirk.
"Surprise."
He took out a lunchbox-neat, organized... and smelling amazing.
She blinked.
"Tum... yeh sab tumne?"
Ayaan looked away like it was no big deal.
"Haan. Maine banaya."
Aayat stared at him as if trying to read him.
He cleared his throat.
"Aur haan... yeh khid-maat meri sirf tumhare liye hain."
Her heart skipped.
They sat under the shade of a tree.
Ayaan opened the box- chicken, rice, salad-perfectly cooked.
He handed her a bite.
"Taste karo."
Aayat took it... and her eyes widened.
"Ayaan... yeh toh bohot acha bana hai."
He grinned like a child.
"Obviously. Main hoon hi perfect. Har cheez mein."
She laughed-soft, real.
The sound hit him right in his chest.
For the first time in months...
he felt alive.
They argued lightly over food, shared bites, teased each other-
Ayaan refusing to let her open even one container herself.
"Ayaan, main kar lugy-"
"Chup. Tum Sirf baitho."
She rolled her eyes but listened.
At one point, a butterfly flew near her and she instinctively flinched.
Ayaan leaned closer.
"Dar gaye? Eik butterfly se .... Seriously.."
She glared.
"Main nahi darti kisi se."
He smirked.
"Haan, pata hai. Tum sirf... logo se attach hone se darti hoon..."
Aayat stiffened.
His gaze gentled immediately.
"I didn't mean it like that."
But she shook her head, looking away.
He watched her for a long moment-
the fragile edges she hid
the broken pieces she never spoke about
the soft heart beneath all that cold.
"Aayat..."
His voice dropped.
"Main tumhe samjhne ki koshish kar raha hoon aayat. Tum badali badali lag rahi ho... ek pal gussa hoti ho , dusre pal normal. Office mein b tumhara dyan nahi hain... kya hua hain tumhe? Mujhe batao, agar koi problem hain toh...."
She didn't reply.
But her shoulders softened slightly.
And for Ayaan... that was enough.
~
After lunch, Ayaan drove her to a nearby mall.
Aayat frowned immediately.
"Ayaan, mujhe shopping nahi karni."
He shrugged.
"Maine pucha bhi nahi."
She stared at him.
He looked away innocently.
Inside the store, Ayaan began picking dresses, holding them against her.
"Yeh acha hai."
"Ayaan, itna bright hai-"
"Tum par acha lagega."
Next:
"Yeh bhi le lo."
" Princess dress? Seriously? Mein na hi bachi ho aur na hi princess"
"For me, tum ho meri Princess."
She froze-
and so did he.
Ayaan quickly cleared his throat.
"Mera matlab... tum par acha lagega."
She looked down, cheeks warm.
He picked a black dress next.
"Yeh try karo."
"Ayaan, main-"
He cut her off.
"Please."
The one word tore down her resistance.
She took the dress.
When she came out of the trial room, Ayaan... forgot to breathe.
She looked breathtaking.
Not because of the dress-
but because she finally looked like herself, not the exhausted version he saw lately.
He stepped closer.
"Aayat..."
His voice was barely a whisper.
"Tum... perfect lag rahi ho."
Aayat's heart stumbled.
"Ayaan per..."
Ayaan smiled softly.
"Bas. Yeh dress le rahe hein."
" Tumhara damagh kharab hain kya? It's too expensive-"
"Tum par acha lag raha hai ye. Aur Price ka kya masla? Itna kamati ho tum... Aur waise be ye mere paise hain..."
" Haan toh... Fazool karchi nahi karni chahiye..."
" Kanjoos..."
She shook her head, but he had already gone to the counter.
Later, he took her to an ice-cream stall.
Aayat narrowed her eyes.
"Itni bacho wali harkatein?"
Ayaan held out the cone.
"Zada zubaan mat chalao. Ice-cream lo."
She laughed-actually laughed-and took a bite.
Halfway through eating, her ice-cream dripped on her hand.
"Uff, yaar-"
Before she could move, he held her wrist and wiped it gently with a tissue.
Slow.
Careful.
Almost reverent.
Aayat went still.
Ayaan didn't look up-
because he knew if he saw her eyes right now... he'd lose every piece of his composure.
~
By the time they stepped out of the mall, the sky had turned a deep navy blue-quiet, calm, almost protective. The city lights shimmered in the distance, but around them... there was only a soft, unspoken stillness.
Aayat walked beside Ayaan, shopping bag in their hands, her heartbeat still uneven from the day that refused to feel real.
Ayaan unlocked the car and opened her door.
She slid inside, and he followed.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
The silence was warm... charged... filled with emotions both were too afraid to admit.
Aayat finally whispered, eyes lowered,
"Aaj... aaj ka din acha tha."
Ayaan's fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
He looked at her-really looked at her.
Her hair slightly messed from the wind.
Her hands loosely folded in her lap.
Her face softer.
He exhaled deeply.
" Eik baat hamesha yaad rakhna ... Main sirf tumhare saath aise rehta hoon, aayat.
"
His voice was quiet. Raw.
"Baaqi sab ke saath.
.. bas normal hoon. Mera banaya khana ya phir shopping, ya ghoomna , ye sab sirf tumhare liye hain.
.. mujhe shopping se nafrat thi but tumhe pasand hain , islye mujhe tumhare saath pasand hain.
.. Isliye kabhi ye mat sochna , kay tum se zada koi zaroori hain mere liye. .."
Her breath hitched, but she didn't look away.
Something in her eyes-fragile, questioning-told him she felt it too.
He started the car.
The drive back to the penthouse was slow and silent.
The kind of silence that didn't suffocate...
the kind that settled between two people who were learning each other's rhythm.
When they reached the entrance, Ayaan stepped out and came around to open her door again.
Aayat blinked.
"Tum... itna khayal kyun rakhte ho mera? Bina mere kuch kahay, meri har baat kaise samj jate ho?"
Ayaan went still.
Then, slowly... he bent down a little, his face close to hers.
His voice dropped, barely a whisper-
honest, vulnerable, unguarded.
"Kyun ke... tum apni ho."
Aayat's heartbeat stumbled.
She looked away for half a second, trying to gather herself.
They walked toward the penthouse quietly.
Inside, the soft lights glowed warm against the silence.
Aayat set the shopping bag on the table.
Ayaan removed his watch, loosening the tension in his shoulders.
And then-
for the first time all day-
they were alone.
Truly, completely alone.
Aayat turned slightly, her eyes meeting his.
And Ayaan... simply stared.
Like he hadn't seen anyone prettier
any moment gentler
any silence heavier
in his entire life.
Something shifted in the air-
a pull neither of them could deny.
Aayat swallowed, voice low.
"Ayaan mein..."
He stepped closer-just one step.
"Hmm?"
She didn't continue.
She couldn't.
Her heart was too loud.
Ayaan's gaze softened... dangerously so.
He didn't touch her.
He didn't say anything more.
He just stood there, close enough for her breath to brush his skin...
letting the night wrap around them
letting the silence speak for both of them
letting the moment hold what neither could say.
Aayat couldn't understand what was happening to her... and Ayaan-he was fighting a battle no one could see. But the moment was slipping out of their control.
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