The café felt colder than usual, though nothing had changed. The same dim lighting, the same low hum of background chatter, the same scent of coffee beans lingering in the air. And yet, for Abhi, the entire place felt different. As if the walls had closed in on him, suffocating him in the weight of a truth he hadn't been ready to face.
His fingers gripped the edge of the table, his mind racing as Ruhi's words replayed in his head. Every laugh, every touch, every whisper between them-had it all been a well-rehearsed act?
He wanted to move, to walk away before she noticed him, but his feet refused. He had come here prepared to mend whatever rift had formed between them, but instead, he found himself staring at the shattered remains of something he once believed was love.
At the table, Ruhi let out an exaggerated sigh, running a hand through her hair. "I don't know why he's acting so distant lately. He should know by now that I'm the only one who truly understands him."
Aarav smirked, stirring his drink lazily. "You mean you're the only one who knows how to manipulate him?"
Ruhi shot him a glare but didn't deny it. Instead, she leaned forward, voice laced with quiet confidence. "Abhi needs me. He might not realize it now, but he does. And if I have to remind him, I will."
Aarav raised a brow. "And what if he finds out?"
Ruhi scoffed, a smile tugging at her lips. "Abhi is too naive. He sees what he wants to see. As long as I play my part, he won't question it."
Abhi felt something inside him crack. The way she spoke about him-as if he were a fool, a pawn in her carefully crafted game-made his stomach churn. He had trusted her. He had defended her. And all along, she had been feeding him lies.
He pushed his chair back, the scrape of the legs against the floor cutting through the air. Ruhi's laughter faltered as she turned her head, her eyes locking onto his. For a moment, she froze, her expression unreadable.
Abhi didn't speak. He didn't cause a scene. He simply stared at her, the betrayal evident in his gaze. And then, without a word, he turned and walked out of the café.
Ruhi shot up from her seat. "Abhi, wait-"
But he was already gone.
The café returned to its usual rhythm, but for Ruhi, everything had changed. She stood motionless, her heart pounding. She had always been in control. Always one step ahead.
But now?
Now, for the first time, she felt something unfamiliar creeping into her chest.
Fear.
Because Abhi had finally seen the truth.
And he wasn't coming back.
......to be continued......