Scene: Hospital room
The beeping of the heart monitor echoed louder than it should have. Raj Malhotra sat frozen beside Vikram Mehta's hospital bed, watching his best friend fade in slow motion.
"You'll get better soon, don't worry," Raj said, forcing a smile. His voice was calm, but his eyes betrayed the worry he tried to hide. "Just take it easy and rest."
Vikram, though visibly exhausted, managed a weak smile. "Don't worry about me," he whispered. "I know I'll recover."
A moment of silence settled between them, heavy yet comfortable, filled with years of unspoken understanding. Then, as if trying to lighten the atmosphere, Vikram asked, "By the way, Raj, what's your son up to these days?"
Raj exhaled, his tone softening. "I'm preparing him to take over the company." He paused, then nodded slightly, as if convincing himself. "When you get out of this place, we'll go back to our old hangout spots just like the old days. So, get well soon."
Raj playfully patted Vikram's shoulder, but instead of responding with his usual chuckle, Vikram simply stared at him his eyes carrying a weight Raj hadn't noticed before.
Then, After a pause, Vikram's weak fingers curled around Raj's hand, his grip frail but firm enough to demand attention. "Listen," he said, his voice almost a whisper, "make me a promise."
Raj frowned. "What promise?"
"If something happens to me-"
"Stop," Raj interrupted, shaking his head. "What nonsense are you talking about? Nothing is going to happen to you. Don't say things like that."
But Vikram didn't let go of his hand. Instead, he squeezed it gently and whispered, "Promise me first that you will listen to what I have to say."
Raj sighed, letting out a small chuckle to mask his unease. "Alright, alright. What is it?"
Vikram's gaze softened, but his words carried a seriousness that sent a chill through Raj. "Promise me that if something happens to me, you will arrange for your son, Kushagra, to marry my daughter, Yani." He swallowed, his voice thick with emotion. "I know Yani will be happy with Kushagra. And I know... he will protect her when I'm not around."
Raj stared at his old friend, his heart tightening at the unspoken fear behind Vikram's words. Raj forced a smile, but his insides churned. "Is that all?" he whispered, blinking back something hot behind his eyes. "Fine, Vikram... I promise."
A small smile touched Vikram's lips, and for the first time in days, he looked at peace.
The last promise!!!
Scene: Raj Malhotra house
Raj Malhotra sat comfortably in his armchair, his posture relaxed, as if the conversation he was about to have was nothing more than a casual discussion. Across from him, Kushagra stood rigid, his jaw clenched and his fists tightening at his sides. His voice, though low, carried a sharp edge.
"Dad, seriously? This isn't a joke. We're talking about my future, not some business deal. How can you just decide that I'll marry someone I don't even know? How can you arrange my marriage like it's some board meeting?"
Raj, unaffected by Kushagra's frustration, took a leisurely sip of his coffee before placing the mug back on the table. His expression remained calm, almost indifferent.
"I know this isn't a joke, Kushagra. That's exactly why I've arranged your engagement with Yani. She's a sensible, capable girl who can take care of you, and I believe she's the right choice." His voice was steady, his words final.
Kushagra let out a short, humorless laugh, shaking his head. voice trembled with the fury he'd held in too long. "You didn't even ask me. You just... decided. Like my life is your business report?"
Taking a deep breath, Kushagra softened his tone, but his determination remained unshaken. "Actually, Dad, I like someone else. And yes, I will marry her no one else. Just to be clear."
"Dad. I. Am. Not. Marrying. Her."
For the first time, Raj's expression darkened. He leaned forward slightly, his tone losing its previous calmness.
"I don't care who she is. I gave my word. You will marry Yani, even if I have to drag you to the altar myself."
Kushagra's patience snapped. His voice rose slightly, his frustration boiling over.
"Dad, I've already told you I'm not marrying Yani! I will marry the one I lo-"
Before he could finish, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Irritated, he pulled it out and saw the name flashing on the screen Saniya.
For a moment, his anger disappeared. His tense shoulders relaxed slightly as he glanced at Raj before silently walking out of the room.
Stepping into the hallway, he answered the call, his voice instantly softer.
"Hello, Saniya?"
On the other end, a sweet, cheerful voice filled with excitement greeted him.
"Kushagra! Can you meet me right now? I have something important to tell you!"
Kushagra's smile cracked through the chaos in his mind.
"Right now? At this moment?" he teased, but then, remembering his conversation with his father, his tone turned slightly serious. "Actually... I need to talk to you too. Let's meet."
Scene:
He sat at the corner table of the dimly lit restaurant, The chandeliers cast golden shadows over his sharp features. His fingers tapped lightly against the coffee cup as he checked his watch she was a few minutes late, but he didn't mind.
Then, the entrance door swung open.
His eyee moment he saw her, time itself seemed to slow. Saniya stepped in, wrapped in an elegant White dress that hugged her curves just right. The soft waves of her hair cascaded down one shoulder, and the faintest smirk played on her lips as if she knew the effect she had on him.
He stood instantly, his grip tightening around the chair's edge as he adjusted his suit. His dark eyes never left her. She walked toward him with effortless grace, and as she reached the table, he pulled out the chair for her, his fingers grazing against her arm just for a second, but long enough to send a shiver through her.
With a slow, teasing smile, he leaned slightly closer and murmured, "Every time I see you, it feels like love itself is pulling me closer... and the crazy part? I don't even know if I want to resist." His voice was low, almost like a secret meant only for her.
Saniya held his gaze, her lips parting slightly, but no words came.
Kushagra settled back into his seat, watching her, waiting. Then, tilting his head, he asked, "So, tell me, sweetheart... what would you like to drink or eat?" His tone was casual, but there was something in his eyes something possessive, consuming as if she was the only thing on his menu tonight.
Saniya, in her sweet voice, replies, "I'll have one dark roast reverie." She leans slightly forward, resting her elbows on the table, her eyes scanning kushagra face with curiosity. Then, tilting her head slightly, she asks, "Now tell me, what was so serious that you needed to talk about? Did something happen?"
Kushagra watches her closely, his grip on the coffee cup tightening slightly. Her presence always had this effect on him making him both nervous and completely at ease at the same time. Her voice, soft yet demanding, pulls him back to the present.
He exhales slowly, as if trying to release the weight of his father's words from his chest. His father's voice echoes in his mind stern, final, inescapable.
Instead of answering immediately, he reaches across the table, gently taking her delicate hand in his. His fingers lightly trace the back of her palm before he softly squeezes it. A silent reassurance. A silent plea.
"Actually..." he starts, his voice lower than before.
But he stops.
How can he tell her?
How can he tell her that his father has already decided his fate? That their love, the future he had imagined with her, was slipping away from his grasp like sand through his fingers?
No.
Not now.
Instead, he lets out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head as if brushing away a passing thought. His other hand reaches into his pocket, fingertips brushing against the velvet box hidden inside.
A ring.
His decision is made.
Before he loses her, before fate takes control of his life he will claim her as his own.
For now, the truth can wait.
Saniya looks at him, concern flickering in her eyes. "What happened, kushagra?" she asks softly.
He doesn't answer immediately. Instead, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small velvet box. His hands tremble slightly as he opens it, revealing a delicate ring that glimmers under the restaurant's warm lights.
He pulled out the ring box with a shaky hand, voice cracking like glass. "Marry me. I won't let you slip away. Not again. Not without trying."
Saniya's breath catches in her throat. For a moment, she just stares at him, shock and disbelief clouding her expression. Then, suddenly, she pulls her hand back as if the very idea burns her.
Her eyes drop to the ring, lips parting as if the word "yes" almost escaped.
But then... her gaze flicks upward full of dreams, fear, and a war raging inside.
"No..." she whispers finally, so soft it almost gets lost in the hum of the restaurant.
She closes her eyes for a second too long like she's convincing herself that walking away is the right thing.
Her voice cracks. "I can't... even though I want to."
Kushagra's heart tightens. "No?" he repeats, his voice barely above a whisper.
Saniya exhales sharply, running a hand through her hair. "Kushagra, I can't do this. This is why I came here today to tell you that I've been given a chance to pursue my dream. I got an opportunity to become a model. My flight is tomorrow. I have to go. If I don't... my entire dream will be ruined."
She pauses, her eyes pleading as she leans slightly forward. "Can't you wait for me to come back?"
He stiffens at her words. His jaw clenches as he slowly closes the ring box and pulls his hand back. His fingers grip the box tightly before he sets it down on the table, his expression unreadable.
"Saniya..." he exhales, rubbing his forehead. "My dad has already arranged my marriage to someone else." His voice is strained, as if each word is costing him something.
He turns his face away, avoiding her gaze. "What should I do? You tell me. I'm trying to make him understand, but he just won't listen."
She bites her lip, struggling. "If you had asked me just a month ago... maybe things would've been different."
For the first time that evening, silence settles between them, heavy and suffocating.
Saniya gently turns Kushagra's face toward her, her fingers tracing the sharp lines of his jaw. "Look, Kushagra," she says softly, her voice carrying both warmth and firmness. "I know this is difficult for you, but I can't let my future slip away like this. You need to understand. You can't stop them-not until I come back."
She strokes his cheek gently, her touch lingering as if memorizing the feel of him.
He stares into her eyes, a storm of emotions swirling inside him love, desperation, fear of losing her. His lips part as he whispers, "But Saniya..."
Before he can continue, Saniya places a finger against his lips, silencing him. "Kushagra... don't do this," she murmurs, eyes glistening, "Please don't make this harder." she says with a soft smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes.
She rises from her chair, adjusting her dress, her movements graceful but hurried. "I have to go now I need to pack."
He quickly stands up, his heart racing. "I'll drop you home," he offers. "I can help you with your packing too."
Saniya shakes her head, stepping back slightly. "Oh no, there's no need for that, Kushagra..."
Before she can finish her sentence, Kushagra's phone buzzes in his pocket. He hesitates for a second before pulling it out, his gaze flickering to Saniya. His heart sinks when he sees the caller ID his father.
Reluctantly, he swipes to answer. "Hello?"
As he speaks, his eyes remain locked on Saniya, who is now walking toward the restaurant's exit. She didn't turn back. Not once. That hurt more than anything.
Then, Raj's voice cuts through the silence on the call, sharp and demanding. "Kushagra, where are you? Come home right now!"
Before he can even respond, the call disconnects.
Kushagra watched her walk away... unaware that she wasn't the one he'd end up marrying. Fate had already chosen another.
He clenches his jaw, frustration bubbling inside him. His grip tightens around his phone, his knuckles turning white. Taking a deep breath, he shoves it back into his pocket and turns toward the exit. Each step she took away from him dragged a piece of his soul behind her into the night, slipping away just like the dream he had built around her.
"Wait," he said, low but sharp. "You're not just walking away like that."
She froze. Her breath caught in her throat, shoulders tense. Slowly, she turned eyes stormy, lips parted like she was about to say something... but didn't.
He took a step closer. Then another.
His hand reached out, brushing her arm. Just a graze but it was electric.
"I'm still here," he murmured. "Still yours... if you just say it."
Saniya's throat bobbed with the swallow she didn't want him to notice. Her gaze flickered to his lips, then back to his eyes. That moment stretched thick with tension, air practically trembling between them.
"Kushagra..." she breathed, but the rest of the sentence never came.
Because he stepped into her space close, too close and cupped her jaw with one hand. His thumb gently traced her cheek. Her skin burned beneath his touch.
"Say it..." he whispered, voice rough with need. "Tell me you don't want this, and I'll stop."
Saniya's lips trembled. "I can't..." she whispered again, but her voice lacked conviction this time. Her heart screamed yes, but her mind threw warnings like bullets.
He's not yours.
You're leaving.
This will only hurt more.
But when his fingers brushed her jaw, and his eyes begged her silently...
Her resolve cracked.
Her hands curled into his shirt.
lips, trembling fingers.
He kissed her.
every second.
His lips moved against hers with hunger, but not rushed. Like he had all night. Like this was the kiss he'd been waiting to give her forever. Her hands found his collar, pulling him closer, drowning in him.
Time dissolved.
The world disappeared.
Only breath, lips, trembling fingers.
When they finally broke apart, foreheads pressed together, chests rising hard he whispered,
"I miss you"
Saniya turned to walk away, her heels clicking against the empty pavement
With a sigh, Kushagra runs a hand through his hair and strides toward his car. He unlocks it, slides into the driver's seat, and grips the steering wheel tightly before finally starting the engine.
As he pulls out of the parking lot, his mind races not just about his father's call, but about everything. Was this the last time he would see Saniya like this? As his?
The thought lingers, haunting him, as he drives toward home.