Riya sat on the edge of her bed, the newspaper still lying on the table. Headlines screamed her name, her picture with Aarav was everywhere. She closed her eyes, running a hand through her hair.
But before the tears could fall, her phone rang again. It was Aarav.
"Riya… don't cry. Meet me at the beach tonight. No cameras. No noise. Just us."
Her lips trembled into a small smile. Even when his own world was shaking, Aarav thought of her first.
Moonlight Escape
That night, she wore a simple dress, no makeup, no designer heels. Just Riya. When she reached the beach, Aarav was already there, barefoot, holding two kulfis from a roadside stall.
"Millionaires eat kulfi too, right?" he teased, handing her one.
She laughed, the sound mixing with the waves. "Only when someone special feeds them."
He smiled and gently touched her lips with the cold kulfi before she took a bite. She gasped. "That's freezing!"
Aarav leaned close. "I'll warm you up."
His lips met hers, soft and playful at first, then deeper, more desperate. The waves crashed behind them, the world forgotten.
The Confession
After the kiss, Riya rested her head on his shoulder. "Aarav… people will keep judging. They'll say I don't belong with you. They'll call you a nobody."
He held her tighter. "Let them talk. To me, you're not Riya Malhotra, the millionaire. You're just… my Riya."
Her heart swelled, tears finally spilling. She hugged him so tightly it almost hurt. "Why are you so good, Aarav? I don't deserve you."
He kissed away her tears. "You deserve everything. And I'll prove it — not with money, but with love."
Twist of Fate
As they walked along the empty beach, Aarav suddenly stopped. His eyes lit up. "Wait here."
He ran back to a small group of street musicians sitting by a fire. After a quick word, he picked up his guitar and started playing.
Soon, the night filled with music — raw, soulful, and straight from his heart. He sang about a woman who was like the moon, untouchable yet his light. His voice cracked with emotion, and every word was clearly for her.
People nearby stopped to listen. Some clapped. But Riya… she stood frozen, hand on her mouth, crying silently.
She had power, money, fame — but no one had ever loved her like this.
The Silent Promise
When Aarav returned, Riya kissed him with a passion that surprised even herself. Between kisses, she whispered, "Promise me you'll never leave."
Aarav cupped her face, looking straight into her teary eyes. "Even if the whole world stands against us, I'll still be here. Always."
And in that moment, under the stars and the sound of the ocean, Riya Malhotra — the Ice Queen — broke completely. She cried, she laughed, she loved.
For the first time, she felt free.