Chapter 30
Karan
“So what do you want to talk about, Karan?”
Amyra turns her head towards me just as a rush of cool air brushes her face, tinting her cheeks red while her hair slips forward, veiling half of her face.
Without thinking, I lift my hand to move the hair strands aside, but she nudges back, untangling them herself. I pull my hand away, embarrassed.
“What’s the matter, Karan?” she repeats, her expression settling into seriousness. I inhale deeply, finally ready to say the words I’ve been rehearsing all week.
“My internship will be over once we return to India. This conference is the final milestone of my training before I leave B&T Corp and join my father’s company.” I keep my tone neutral, though I catch the soft gasp that escapes her.
“Why, Karan? Aren’t you completing the internship with us?” she asks, shock flickering across her face.
“No, Amyra. Dad’s plan for me was to have six months of training at B&T Corp before I returned. That time has already passed. I don’t have a choice anymore.”
“That’s… really sad,” she says quietly. “I thought we’d finish together. I don’t think work will feel the same without you.” It’s the first time I’ve seen such intensity in her voice, and the idea of leaving seems to affect her more than I ever expected.
I assumed my departure wouldn’t matter to her much, but knowing I mean something stirs an unfamiliar warmth inside me.
Still, I can't keep my feelings tucked behind the mask of friendship. If not now, I may never get another chance. I need to take that one brave step to speak my heart before I disappear from B&T Corp.
“But that’s not why I asked you to meet me, Amyra,” I add. “There’s something else I need to confess.”
Her eyes widen at the word confess, and she watches me silently, waiting for me to continue.
Okay, Karan. You’ve done this once. You can do it again.
“I love you, Amyra.”
My voice is barely above a whisper, but loud enough for her to hear. Instead of surprise, disappointment washes over her face, edged with exhaustion.
“Haven’t we moved past this back in our university days?”
A tired sarcasm slips from her lips, and my heart clenches at her distant voice.
“We did,” I say, steady despite the ache.
“But I could never erase you from my mind or my heart. Even after I dropped out of University, you stayed with me. When I saw you again at the convocation, everything I felt only grew stronger. And when my father suggested an internship at another company, I chose B&T without hesitation, hoping I’d get another chance with you.
The last seven months working beside you have been the best days of my life.
I want this—for a lifetime. Please, Amyra.
Give me a chance. Let us be something more than just friends. ”
I rarely feel this desperate to want something so badly, like it feels urgent and necessary.
Beyond my internship deadline, there’s another reason that pushed me to speak today. Not an influence, but feeling threatened by someone.
Reyansh Thakur.
The thought of losing Amyra because of him unsettles me deeply. Especially that party night when he risked his life to shield her from the falling glass, and the way she cried over his injury. Watching them felt like witnessing a couple caring for each other, and it left me raw and vulnerable.
Over the past month, his behaviour toward her has shifted, every smile, every touch, every word of praise feeding a slow-burning fear in my chest. It urges me to act before he takes her away from me.
I don’t understand his attention when he’s already in a relationship, but I can’t stay silent just because he’s supposedly off-limits. What if he breaks up with Aditi? What if I lose Amyra without ever trying? Despite the anxiety clawing at me, I chose to listen to those intrusive thoughts.
That’s why this international conference felt like the right moment, the right place to open my heart. And here I am, finally doing it.
“But Karan,” she says softly, “didn’t I tell you months ago that I wasn’t interested in a relationship? I don’t know when I led you to believe I’d reciprocate your feelings, especially when I’m already in love with another man.”
My eyes squeeze shut at her words, exhaustion flooding me. I’m tired of hearing her speak of loving Reyansh, especially when he already belongs to someone else.
“It’s been almost nine months since he went out of your reach, dating your sister. So why are you still living in the past and stopping yourself from moving on with new hope?”
“Then what about you, Karan?”
Her gaze sharpens, anger flashing in her eyes, and the question catches me off guard.
“What about me?”
“In my case, Reyansh was never in love with me, and I chose to move on silently. But with you, I turned down your confession long ago and made it clear I wasn’t interested because I was still struggling with my unrequited love.
So what made you continue developing feelings for me?
Why didn’t you move on from me the way you expect me to move on from Reyansh? ”
Our steps come to a halt as we face each other. The harsh truth in her voice sends a chill through me, settling heavy in my chest, making it hard to breathe. I already feel like getting rejected again, and the weight of it crushes me.
“Because I loved you too much to forget you, Amyra.”
A lone tear slips down before I can stop it. I wipe it away instantly. Her expression softens, regret flickering across her face, but she closes her eyes briefly, steadying herself before speaking again.
“This may sound cruel, but I’m sorry for hurting you a second time, Karan.
Love is complicated, it doesn’t fade easily, and we’re both proof of that.
I don’t think I’ll move on from Reyansh anytime soon because I never got closure.
But with you, we both know this won’t work.
So please focus on your career and stop holding on to me.
” The strain in her voice reveals how uncomfortable she feels, and yet I can’t bring myself to walk away after being rejected twice.
“I’m begging you, just give me one chance, Amyra. I am sure I can change the dynamics between us.” My voice drops into a plea, and I hate how helpless I sound.
“Let me tell you what will happen if we date while I still carry unresolved feelings for someone, Karan.” She pauses, drawing a deep breath, then leans against the cold metal railing. Turning away, she faces the sleeping city, the sky above scattered with distant lights.
“If we start dating, you’ll spend your time trying to make me comfortable, while I’ll feel overwhelmed.
I might try to give you a chance, but I’ll fail because my heart and mind will keep drifting back to Reyansh.
That will ruin everything you try to build.
Your genuine efforts will make me feel guilty for pretending to be happy while I’m still stuck in the past, slowly losing myself.
Eventually, I’ll be forced to break up with you, or you may even feel frustrated and forced to give up on me.
There’s no future for us together, Karan, so there’s no point in starting something that’s bound to be doomed.
I hope you understand.” The sincerity in her eyes leaves me with no room to argue.
I hate how effortlessly she dismantles my dreams.
“Do you even know what it feels like to be rejected a second time?” I ask, my voice trembling, a storm of emotion threatening to burst forth.
“It’s like a bullet to the heart, sharp and sudden, leaving a searing pain that blurs everything around me, extinguishing any flicker of hope for the future.
” I swallow hard, the weight of my words heavy on my chest, but she stands before me, utterly unmoved.
“Please don’t make this harder for both of us, Karan. Try to understand—”
“I can’t fathom why you cling so desperately to a man who doesn’t see you as anything more than a fleeting shadow,” I interject, anger lacing my voice.
“And it baffles me that you’re pining for someone who’s already taken.
How can you be so pitiful, so shameless?
” The words tumble out before I can rein them back, each one sharper than the last. The instant they escape, a wave of regret crashes over me, drowning out my thoughts as I realize the absurdity of my outburst.
When I look at Amyra, fresh tears glisten in her eyes, and a burning fire of shame ignites within me.
“Amyra, I— I’ve lost my mind. I’m so sorry. Please forgive—”
“Whether I’m pitiful or shameless is none of your concern, Mr. Karan Mahajan,” she replies coldly, her voice as steady as ice. “Please, just let me go.” She begins to turn away, and instinctively, I reach out, grabbing her wrist gently.
“I swear it was unintentional. Please don’t leave me with this bitter taste.” She pulls her hand back, fixing me with an unwavering gaze that pierces through my defenses.
“I know your intentions weren’t meant to hurt, but they reflect how you truly feel, Karan.
In the brief time we’ve known each other, you’ve become a cherished friend, and I value the bonds I forge.
I want to keep in touch even after you leave the company.
But I won’t use you as a rebound to forget another.
I refuse to give false hope or exploit your feelings.
You need to accept reality and focus on your future.
You deserve someone who can offer you complete attention and unwavering commitment.
I hope we both find solace from the agony of unrequited love. ”
Her voice steadies as she steps closer, wrapping her arms around me in a gentle embrace, patting my back softly.
I close my eyes, savoring the warmth I’ve always longed for, the sweet touch flooding my heart with emotion.
My vision blurs as I return the hug, however briefly.
But then, without a moment’s hesitation, she pulls away.
Speechless, I watch as she takes my hand and shakes it gently, a bittersweet farewell.
“I wish you all the best in your future, Karan. I’m always just a call away as a friend. Until we meet again.” With a small smile, she lets go and turns away, disappearing into the darkness.
It’s over.
I’m losing a woman who is so pure-hearted, fiercely loyal, and profoundly kind.
I can’t blame her as she was clear from the beginning.
I’m the one who ignored the signs and let my feelings grow.
Now that every chance is gone, I must accept the darkness surrounding me and gather the courage to walk through it until I find the light again.
It won’t be easy, but I have no choice except to move forward and leave this phase behind. As for Reyansh, he must be blind not to see the unconditional love she holds for him. Or maybe, someday, he will.
As for me, it’s time for me to return to my roots and focus on what truly matters in life.