Chapter 16
Aditya
I pull up in front of my house, utterly drained.
It’s been five days since Sana and I shared that kiss—a kiss I never imagined could tilt my world off its axis, but damn, it did.
And what’s more, every second with her solidifies that she truly is the one who makes my heart race in a way no other woman ever has or ever will.
But since that kiss, Sana has done everything she can to avoid me.
Deep down, I know pushing her won’t help.
She needs space. She needs to come to terms with it on her own.
At the same time, backing off completely and letting her forget me is not an option.
That’s why, even though I haven’t shown her my face, I’ve called and messaged over a hundred times—yet every time, there’s been nothing but silence.
Fuck, this feeling of being ignored is nothing but a pure torture. How I desperately want her to think of me the way I’ve been missing her.
Grabbing my phone from the dashboard, I dial her number, hoping she’ll answer this time. But once again, there’s no reply. A slight pang of disappointment hits me, but I refuse to let it deflate me. Instead, I open the messenger, my fingers hovering over the keyboard as I start typing.
Me: Hey... I know you’ve been avoiding me, and I get it.
Things got complicated, and I don’t want to push you.
But I can’t pretend like that kiss didn’t mean something to me.
I miss you, Sana. Probably more than you want to hear.
But it’s the truth. Whenever you’re ready to talk, I’ll be here. Just... don’t shut me out completely.
I stare at the screen for a moment, my thumb hesitating over the send button before I finally press it.
Knowing she won’t reply, I get out of the car and walk towards my house, wanting nothing more than to hit the bed.
I need to figure out a new strategy to win Sana over.
This distance between us is eating me alive, and I can’t keep playing this waiting game.
I need to find a way to reach her, to make her realise that what we have is worth giving a chance.
I let out a huff and step inside, only to come face-to-face with my parents.
They’re seated on the couch, their faces hard, disappointment radiating through them as they fix their gazes on me.
I know why they’re here, and judging by their expressions, they’re ready to give me a piece of their mind for not showing up for dinner.
There’s no way I can avoid the storm that’s about to hit—not with the way they’re both staring at me. With a resigned sigh, I flop down on the couch opposite them.
“A call would have been appreciated before showing up,” I taunt, looking at them.
Mom’s lips press into a thin, disapproving line. “Really, Aditya? That’s all you’ve to say after what you did?”
I run a hand through my hair. “Look, I’m sorry that I couldn’t make it to dinner and for avoiding your calls.”
“That’s not good enough,” Dad snaps, crossing his arms over his chest. “You knew how important that dinner was, yet you didn’t bother showing up. Do you have any idea how embarrassed we were?”
“I was busy,” I mutter, my voice more defensive than apologetic.
“Busy?” Mom scoffs. “Stop making excuses, Aditya. You and I both know that’s a lie.”
I feel the frustration rising within me, my hands clenching into fists. “You are right, Mom. It’s a lie. I had no choice but to make excuses, because you don’t want to hear the truth.”
Mom’s expression hardens. “Really? Then enlighten us, Aditya. What’s the truth?”
I take a deep breath, my chest tightening. There’s no point in dancing around it anymore. “The truth is... I’m not ready to marry the woman you’ve chosen for me.”
Silence settles upon the room. Mom’s face falters, hurt flashing in her eyes, while Dad’s jaw tightens. I don’t look away, my gaze steady, not feeling an ounce of guilt for finally letting out what’s been eating me alive for days.
Dad exhales sharply, shaking his head. “If we leave it to you, you’ll never want to marry.”
I sit up straighter. “I do want to marry,”
“Then what’s the issue?” Mom presses firmly.
“The issue is, I don’t want to marry someone you chose,” I retort.
Mom and Dad exchange a look before Mom’s eyes lock onto mine. “Then who is it that you want to marry?”
I hold her gaze without flinching. “I have someone in mind.”
Her expression flickers with surprise before hardening. “Care to enlighten us with her name?”
I lean back casually on the couch. “She still needs to agree. Once she does, I’ll share her name.”
Mom and Dad look at me like I’m testing their last bit of patience. But I don’t waver. I’ve given them enough for now. The rest will come when the time is right.
“Aditya—” Dad starts, but I raise my hands, pushing myself to my feet.
“I don’t want to discuss this any further. Sorry, but I need to be somewhere.”
Without waiting for their reply, I turn and walk out of the house, letting the door close behind me.
I get into the car and grip the steering wheel, my mind racing. Enough of this waiting game. Enough of this distance. It’s time Sana and I face what we have between us. No more running. No more avoiding. I need to make her realise that hiding is no longer an option.
???
Not caring that it’s nearly eleven at night, I pull up in front of Sana’s house. The place is dark, the only faint glow coming from a streetlight. I know she lives with her mother, but that’s not going to stop me from seeing her tonight. I’m about to step out of the car when her front door opens.
I swallow hard when I see her step outside.
Her face is free of makeup and she looks effortlessly beautiful under the soft moonlight.
Her dark hair is piled up into a messy bun, a few loose strands framing her delicate features.
She’s wearing pyjama bottoms covered with tiny teddy bears and a pink tank top that clings to her slender frame.
There’s something so simple yet mesmerising about her like this—cute, completely herself.
She moves to sit on the steps of her porch, tilting her head back to gaze up at the sky as she rubs her arms against the cold. I continue to watch her as she appears lost in thought, completely unaware of my presence.
But a split second later, fear grips me.
I spot a shadow creeping towards her. My heart slams against my ribs when I see a man coming to stand in front of her, a knife pointed right at her. Even in the dark, I don’t miss the way her body stiffens as she slowly rises to her feet, her fear palpable.
I don’t think. I don’t hesitate. I throw open the car door and rush towards them. The man is so focused on Sana that he doesn’t hear me coming. Then, in one swift motion, I grab him from behind, forcing him to drop the knife as I lock my arms around his torso in a crushing grip.
He jerks violently, struggling against me. “Let me go,” he shouts.
A fury unlike anything I’ve ever known erupts within me. My vision blurs at the edges as pure rage takes over. I fucking feel out of control, my body trembling with the urge to kill this bastard for daring to threaten the woman I love.
I tighten my grip, yanking him back as he continues to struggle uselessly against me. Leaning in close, my voice drops to a deadly whisper right against his ear, “No chance. You dared to scare my woman, and now you’re going to pay.”
I’m about to turn him around when he suddenly jabs his elbow into my ribs, the blow making me double over in pain. He slips from my grip and disappears into the darkness before I can recover from the blow.
“Aditya, are you okay?” Sana’s voice trembles as she takes two steps towards me, her hands gripping my shoulder, fear etched across her face.
I straighten, ignoring the dull ache in my ribs. My hands instinctively reach for her, cupping her face gently. “I’m fine,” I say, my voice steady despite the adrenaline still coursing through me. “Are you okay?”
Her eyes shimmer with unshed tears as she nods. “Yeah... just shaken up. I… I didn’t see him coming.”
“It’s okay. I’m here. You’re safe. I won’t let anything happen to you,” I whisper, my voice firm with promise. I pull her into my chest and wrap my arms around her tightly.
She exhales shakily against my chest, her fingers clutching my shirt. “For once, your stalking came in use,” she jokes, her voice muffled. “Thank you… for coming.”
I press a gentle kiss to the top of her head, holding her even tighter. “Always, Sana. Nothing in this world could have kept me from you.”
Her body goes rigid, tension seeping back into her frame before she pulls away, creating distance between us. Her eyes avoid mine as she whispers, “You need to leave.”
I shake my head, my jaw set with determination. “No. Not until we talk.”
Sana exhales sharply, shaking her head. “Aditya—”
“No,” I cut her off, my voice firm yet gentle. “I’ve given you space, I’ve given you time. But now, you need to address this—us. The kiss. Everything that’s been happening between us. No more avoiding.”
She wraps her arms around herself, her gaze flickering between me and the ground. Her voice cracks as she finally whispers. “I’m scared, Aditya. I’ve already told you this.”
I take a careful step toward her, my heart clenching at the raw vulnerability in her voice. “Scared of what?”
She swallows hard, her fingers tightening around her arms. “Scared of losing you. Of messing this up. Of… feeling so much, so fast. It’s all overwhelming, Aditya. You have started to mean something to me, and if this goes wrong… I don’t know if I could handle it.”
Her confession knocks me for a loop. I reach for her, gently prying her arms away from her body and holding her hands in mine. “Sana,” I say, my thumbs brushing over her knuckles, “I would never let that happen. I’m not going anywhere. And you don’t have to be afraid of how fast this feels.”
She finally looks at me, her eyes glassy with emotions she’s been holding back. “It’s too fast,” she breathes.
“Then we’ll slow down,” I say softly, squeezing her hands. “We take it one step at a time. We’ll do this at your pace. But don’t shut me out, please. Don’t pretend this doesn’t exist.”
Her lips quivers, and she just stares at me as if searching for something—maybe reassurance, maybe hope. And I give it to her in the only way I know how. I bring her hands up to my chest, letting her feel the steady, unshaken rhythm of my heart.
“I’m right here, Sana. With you. For you.”
A single tear slips down her cheek, and I catch it with my thumb, cupping her face. “We don’t have to figure it all out tonight. Just… don’t push me away.”
She closes her eyes, exhaling shakily before nodding. “Okay,” she whispers.
I smile. It’s not everything—but it’s something. And sometimes, that’s all a man needs to keep pushing forward.