CHAPTER 24（MAHI）
The car finally stopped.
I immediately looked out of the window.
Then blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Nothing.
There was absolutely nothing.
No buildings.
No lights.
No people.
Just darkness.
I slowly turned toward Aryan.
"Are we staying in the dark?"
A laugh escaped him.
"No."
A pause.
Then he added,
"Just no."
I stared at him.
"What kind of answer is that?"
His smile only grew.
I swear this man enjoyed being difficult.
"Aryan."
"What?"
"You never give a straight answer."
Instead of responding, he simply stepped out of the car.
Unbelievable.
Absolutely unbelievable.
A moment later, my door opened.
Cold air immediately brushed against my skin.
A shiver ran through me.
I stepped outside and wrapped my arms around myself.
The night was quiet.
Too quiet.
The only sounds were the wind and distant rustling leaves.
I looked around again.
Still nothing.
Not a single clue.
I narrowed my eyes.
"This is how horror movies start."
Aryan laughed.
An actual laugh.
Then started walking down a narrow path.
Without explaining anything.
Of course.
I sighed dramatically and followed him.
Because apparently...
Following mysterious men into dark places had become a normal part of my life.
A fact that concerned me greatly.
Aryan suddenly stopped walking.
I almost walked straight into him.
"What—"
The words died in my throat.
A blindfold rested in his hand.
I looked at the blindfold.
Then at him.
Then back at the blindfold.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
"No."
A smile appeared on his face.
The dangerous kind.
The kind that meant he had already made up his mind.
I pointed at the blindfold.
"You are not putting that on me."
He nodded.
"I am going to do exactly that."
I stared at him.
The audacity.
The absolute audacity.
"Aryan."
"What?"
"I will fall."
He took a step closer.
Close enough for me to see the amusement in his eyes.
Then he leaned down slightly and said,
"I'll catch you."
My heart betrayed me immediately.
A smile threatened to appear.
I bit the inside of my cheek and forced it back.
No.
Absolutely not.
He was not getting that satisfaction.
I straightened.
Recovered what remained of my dignity.
And crossed my arms.
"I am not joking."
Aryan straightened too.
The amusement never leaving his face.
"Neither am I."
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then he lifted the blindfold slightly.
I narrowed my eyes.
He raised an eyebrow.
A challenge.
The traitor was challenging me.
I released a dramatic sigh.
"If I fall—"
"You won't."
"If I do—"
"I'll catch you."
I pointed a finger at him.
"You sound very confident."
His smile softened.
Just slightly.
"Because I am."
And somehow...
That answer made me trust him far more than it should have.
I released a long breath.
Then slowly closed my eyes.
"Fine."
Victory flashed across Aryan's face.
The traitor.
A moment later, I felt him step behind me.
The blindfold settled gently over my eyes.
Darkness.
Complete darkness.
I blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Honestly?
There wasn't much difference.
I couldn't see anything before either.
I stretched a hand out instinctively, trying to find him.
Instead, I felt him move behind me.
Then—
One arm slid beneath my knees.
The other wrapped securely around my waist.
The ground disappeared beneath my feet.
"ARYAN!"
My shriek echoed through the night.
"What are you doing?!"
The idiot actually laughed.
Laughed.
Then started walking.
Completely unbothered.
"You said you were afraid of falling."
I opened my mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
A pause.
Then he said calmly,
"Now you can't fall."
I stared into the darkness behind the blindfold.
Speechless.
Absolutely speechless.
His arm tightened slightly around my waist to keep me steady.
Meanwhile, my dignity continued to suffer.
"Aryan."
"Hm?"
"Put me down."
"No."
"Aryan."
"No."
I could hear the smile in his voice.
The annoying man was enjoying this.
Far too much.
I crossed my arms.
Or at least tried to.
Which was difficult while being carried like a kidnapped princess.
"This is ridiculous."
"I know."
"You are impossible."
"I know."
I groaned.
The worst part?
I could feel myself smiling.
And unfortunately...
Aryan Rathore knew it too.
I released a long breath.
Then slowly closed my eyes.
"Fine."
Victory flashed across Aryan's face.
The traitor.
A moment later, I felt him step behind me.
The blindfold settled gently over my eyes.
Darkness.
Complete darkness.
I blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Honestly?
There wasn't much difference.
I couldn't see anything before either.
I stretched a hand out instinctively, trying to find him.
Instead, I felt him move behind me.
Then—
One arm slid beneath my knees.
The other wrapped securely around my waist.
The ground disappeared beneath my feet.
"ARYAN!"
My shriek echoed through the night.
"What are you doing?!"
The idiot actually laughed.
Laughed.
Then started walking.
Completely unbothered.
"You said you were afraid of falling."
I opened my mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
A pause.
Then he said calmly,
"Now you can't fall."
I stared into the darkness behind the blindfold.
Speechless.
Absolutely speechless.
His arm tightened slightly around my waist to keep me steady.
Meanwhile, my dignity continued to suffer.
"Aryan."
"Hm?"
"Put me down."
"No."
"Aryan."
"No."
I could hear the smile in his voice.
The annoying man was enjoying this.
Far too much.
I crossed my arms.
Or at least tried to.
Which was difficult while being carried like a kidnapped princess.
"This is ridiculous."
"I know."
"You are impossible."
"I know."
I groaned.
The worst part?
I could feel myself smiling.
And unfortunately...
Aryan Rathore knew it too.
"Aryan," I said.
"How much longer?"
He shifted me slightly in his arms, adjusting his grip like I weighed nothing.
"Patience, Snowflake. Patience."
I pressed my lips together, trying to control the excitement bubbling inside me.
After a few minutes, he finally stopped.
Carefully, he placed me down on the ground.
My feet touched something steady.
"Now can I open it?"
Excitement ran through my veins painfully.
"Wait a second."
I let out a frustrated breath but stayed still.
A moment later, I felt his fingers at the back of my head.
The blindfold loosened.
Then fell away.
I squinted as light hit my eyes.
Everything was blurry for a second.
Then slowly...
My vision adjusted.
And I froze.
Completely still.
Because right in front of me was—
In front of me was a frozen lake.
Completely still.
Silent.
And glowing under the night sky.
But what made me freeze wasn't just the lake.
It was the moon.
Reflected perfectly on its surface.
As if it wasn't in the sky at all... but resting on the ice itself.
I stepped forward slowly.
My breath caught in my throat.
Moonlight spilled across the frozen surface in silver lines.
The same shade.
The same shimmer.
Just like my dress.
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
I just stared.
"Aryan..."
My voice came out softer than I expected.
"This is beautiful."
He smirked slightly.
That familiar, quiet expression of his.
"I know."
I turned toward him.
He was watching me, not the lake.
"I remembered you said you like nature."
A pause.
"So I thought..."
His gaze flicked back to the frozen lake.
"It would be better than any fancy restaurant."
Something warm settled in my chest.
I looked back at the lake.
Then at him again.
And for once...
I didn't have a comeback.
Just silence.
And the sound of my heartbeat in the cold night
I just stood there staring at the view.
It was... unreal.
The frozen lake shimmered under the moonlight, silver and still, like a painting someone had carefully drawn.
For a moment, I forgot to breathe.
"Can I skate here?"
I turned toward Aryan, excitement slipping into my voice.
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead...
He just smiled.
Then clapped twice.
My brows pulled together.
"What—"
Before I could finish, the entire lakeside lit up.
One by one.
Warm yellow lights flickered to life around the frozen bank.
Soft.
Golden.
Alive.
I froze.
Completely.
The cold silver glow of the moonlight now mixed with the warm lights, creating something almost magical.
Like two worlds were meeting in one place.
My chest tightened.
Warmth spread through me slowly.
A smile appeared on my face before I even realized it.
I looked at Aryan.
He was already watching me.
As if this was exactly what he wanted.
And somehow...
I couldn't look away from the view.
Or from him.
I turned toward Aryan.
And that's when I saw them.
Ice skates in his hands.
I looked at the skates.
Then at him.
Then back at the skates again.
A smile slowly formed on my lips before I could stop it.
I took them from him and carefully put them on.
Standing up, I hesitated at the edge of the ice.
A nervous breath escaped me.
"Will it break?"
Aryan let out a soft laugh.
"No, it won't."
I took a deep breath.
Trying to calm the small fear building inside me.
Then suddenly—
He stepped closer.
Interlinked his fingers with mine.
Warm.
Steady.
Certain.
And together, we stepped onto the ice.
For a second, my body stiffened.
Instinctively expecting the ice to crack beneath me.
To give way.
To drop us into freezing water in the middle of December.
But nothing happened.
No sound.
No break.
Just stillness.
I slowly released a breath of relief.
I looked at him.
He was already smiling.
And with his hand still holding mine, we slowly started to skate across the frozen surface.
Carefully.
Steadily.
Together.
The ice reflected the lights around us, glowing softly beneath our feet.
For a moment, everything felt unreal.
Then I spoke.
"So you remember every nonsense I say?"
I glanced at him.
He didn't even hesitate.
He nodded.
"Yes."
A pause.
Then he added,
"I like listening to your nonsense."
My steps slowed slightly.
I looked at him properly now.
He was still focused on skating, but his grip on my hand never loosened.
His voice was calm when he spoke again.
"A doctor who wishes on the first snowfall."
My breath caught for a second.
I looked away quickly.
Trying to hide the smile forming on my face.
But I think he still saw it.
Of course he did.
"Acha ji," I said.
He leaned slightly closer without letting go of my hand.
"Haan ji," he replied.
I rolled my eyes immediately, but there was no real irritation in it.
Only a smile I was trying very hard to hide.
We continued skating across the frozen lake together.
His hand stayed wrapped securely around mine.
Warm.
Steady.
Unmoving.
And for once...
I didn't feel like I was going to fall.
After skating for what felt like hours, we finally stepped off the ice.
My legs felt slightly tired as I sat down and started untying my skates.
The lake was still glowing under the warm lights, even though the moon had now disappeared behind thick clouds.
The silver reflection had softened.
Everything looked quieter.
Calmer.
A sudden chill brushed against my skin.
I glanced down.
A snowflake had landed on my hand.
Then another.
And another.
I looked up.
Snow was starting to fall slowly from the sky.
Soft.
Gentle.
Almost like the world was pausing just for a moment.
I whispered without thinking,
"I wish I could stay here for tonight."
A small laugh escaped Aryan.
I turned to him.
He was already looking at me.
"As you wish, Snowflake."
Then he clapped once.
I blinked.
Before I could ask anything—
A cabin came into view near the edge of the lake.
Its warm lights flickered on, glowing through the snowfall.
For a second, I just stared.
My eyes widened.
I slowly turned toward him.
"You must be joking."
He slipped his hands into his pockets, completely calm.
"No."
Just that.
One word.
And somehow...
I knew he wasn't.
We both made our way into the cabin.
The moment I stepped inside, warm air wrapped around me.
Instantly.
Comfortably.
I let out a small breath without realizing it.
I looked around slowly.
It was a wooden cabin, beautifully set up with soft, lavish carpets spread across the floor.
Two couches sat in the middle, facing a fireplace that was already burning.
The fire crackled softly, filling the space with a gentle glow.
Without thinking much, I walked straight toward it.
And sat down on the couch closest to the fire.
The warmth hit me properly now.
Slowly seeping into my frozen skin.
I closed my eyes for a moment.
Just a moment.
And let myself relax.
"Were you that cold?"
Aryan's voice broke the silence.
He sat down beside me on the couch.
Close enough that I could feel his presence, but not enough to disturb the warmth I had just settled into.
I nodded slowly.
Then opened my eyes properly and looked at him.
"So much."
A small smile appeared on his face.
But he didn't respond immediately.
Instead, his gaze moved toward the fire.
Watching the flames flicker and dance.
For a moment, I just looked at him.
At the way the firelight reflected in his dark eyes.
Softening them.
Making them look almost warm.
Almost different.
And I didn't even realize when I started staring.
He finally looked at me.
"Are you hungry?"
I nodded immediately.
"Very much."
A small smile appeared on his face.
Then he stood up and extended his hand toward me.
I looked at his hand.
Then at him.
Then back at his hand again.
A smile slowly formed on my lips.
"Where?"
He simply shrugged.
That careless, annoying shrug.
Which immediately made me roll my eyes.
But I still took his hand.
And stood up.
Together, we walked upstairs.
The moment I stepped in—
I froze.
It was a small glass room.
Completely surrounded by transparent walls.
And through it...
I could clearly see the snow falling outside.
Soft.
Slow.
Endless.
In the center of the room was a table.
Already set.
Already arranged with food.
Warm light from inside reflected against the glass, mixing with the white snowfall outside.
It looked like winter itself had been turned into a scene made just for me.
I turned toward Aryan slowly.
And for once...
I had no words.
He pulled the chair out for me.
I rolled my eyes playfully but still sat down.
Aryan took the chair opposite me.
Across the table.
Close enough to see everything clearly.
He rested his elbow on the table and placed his hand near his chin, watching me with that familiar smirk.
The one that always made me suspicious.
I looked away immediately.
But the smile on my face refused to leave.
I adjusted slightly in my seat and rested my chin on my hand, copying his posture without thinking.
When I looked back up, he was still watching me.
Unbothered.
Amused.
Like I was the only thing in the room worth looking at.
And somehow...
That thought made my heartbeat change.
The food was already placed neatly in front of us.
For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.
Only the soft sound of snowfall outside filled the silence.
Aryan was still watching me.
Unbothered.
Completely focused.
I cleared my throat and picked up my fork.
"This is... a lot."
He tilted his head slightly.
"What is?"
"This." I gestured around. "The lake. The lights. The cabin. The food. Are you trying to impress me or kidnap me slowly?"
A small smile appeared on his face.
"Both options are possible."
I narrowed my eyes immediately.
"Very funny."
"It wasn't a joke."
That made me pause.
Then I rolled my eyes.
"You're impossible."
"I've been told that."
"By who?"
He leaned back slightly in his chair.
"People who didn't know me well."
A brief silence settled between us.
My fork stopped halfway to my mouth.
Then I looked at him.
"You don't talk about yourself much."
Aryan raised an eyebrow.
"You noticed?"
"I notice things."
"Do you?"
His tone was teasing again.
I pointed at him with my fork.
"Yes. For example, you talk like everything is planned."
"It is."
That made me blink.
"Even this?"
He glanced around the cabin.
"Especially this."
I shook my head slowly.
"You're ridiculous."
"And you're loud."
I gasped.
"Excuse me?"
He smirked.
"You asked."
I leaned forward slightly.
"I am not loud."
"You are."
"I am expressive."
"Same thing."
I opened my mouth, then closed it again.
Because I had no comeback for that.
Aryan leaned forward slightly too, resting his forearms on the table.
"Eat."
"I am eating."
"You are arguing."
"I can do both."
A soft laugh escaped him.
And somehow...
That laugh made me forget what I was even annoyed about.
For a moment, I just looked at him.
Then at the food.
Then back at him.
The silence softened.
Less teasing now.
More comfortable.
I finally spoke quietly.
"Last night..."
Aryan's expression shifted slightly.
Just a little.
He didn't interrupt.
I looked down at my plate.
"I was really scared."
A pause.
"I thought something had happened to you."
The room became quieter.
Even the snowfall outside felt distant now.
Aryan's voice was lower when he finally spoke.
"I know."
I looked up at him.
"You know?"
He nodded.
"You don't hide it well, Mahi."
I frowned slightly.
"I do."
"You don't."
That made me look away again.
But this time, I didn't argue.
After a moment, I whispered,
"I don't like feeling that way."
Aryan leaned back slightly.
His eyes stayed on me.
"You won't have to."
I looked at him again.
"That's a big promise."
"I don't make small ones."
Silence again.
But this time it wasn't heavy.
It was warm.
Comfortable.
I picked up my fork again, breaking the moment softly.
"You know... this is actually nice."
Aryan smirked.
"Only nice?"
I rolled my eyes.
"Don't push it."
He smiled slightly.
And for the first time that night...
Neither of us argued.
We just ate.
Together.
While the snow kept falling outside the glass walls.
Aryan was the first to speak again.
"You said you like nature."
I nodded slightly.
"I do."
He studied me for a moment.
"Always?"
I paused.
Then shook my head a little.
"Not always."
That made him lean forward slightly.
"Then when did it start?"
I hesitated.
My fork stopped halfway.
And for a second, I wasn't in the cabin anymore.
"I think... after I started studying medicine."
Aryan didn't interrupt.
He just listened.
I continued quietly.
"Before that, everything felt very loud. People. Expectations. Noise."
I looked down at my plate.
"But nature... it doesn't ask anything from you."
A small silence followed.
Then Aryan said softly,
"It just lets you exist."
I looked up at him quickly.
He nodded once.
I didn't know why that simple line made my chest feel tight.
I swallowed and changed my grip on the fork.
"I used to run outside a lot when I was younger."
"Run?"
He raised an eyebrow.
"Yes."
A small smile appeared on my face.
"Not like exercise. Just... running away from everything."
Aryan tilted his head slightly.
"From what?"
I hesitated again.
Then shrugged.
"Everything. Arguments. Pressure. Being told what to do."
A pause.
"And sometimes... people not understanding me."
The room got quieter again.
Aryan didn't speak immediately.
When he did, his voice was lower.
"Do you still feel like that?"
I looked at him.
And for a second, I didn't answer.
Because the honest answer felt too heavy.
So I gave a softer one.
"Not as much."
He studied me carefully.
I quickly added,
"Now I have work. That helps."
Aryan didn't look fully convinced.
But he nodded anyway.
Then he said,
"You look like someone who doesn't like staying still."
I laughed a little.
"Is that your diagnosis now?"
His lips twitched.
"Observation."
I leaned back slightly in my chair.
"You're wrong sometimes, you know."
"Rarely."
I rolled my eyes.
"See? Arrogant."
He didn't deny it.
Instead, he asked,
"What do you run from now?"
The question made me pause.
The fork stopped again.
I looked down.
Then slowly back at him.
"I don't think I run anymore."
A beat.
Then I added quietly,
"Not when I'm with you."
The words hung in the air.
Even I noticed them after I said them.
Aryan didn't smile this time.
But his eyes softened slightly.
Just a little.
Like he understood exactly what that meant.
Outside, the snow kept falling.
Inside, neither of us spoke for a moment.
And somehow...
That silence felt louder than any conversation.