The following evening, Aarav arrived at River Bridge earlier than usual. Riya was already there, radiant as ever, unaware of the storm looming over them.
"I thought I'd be too late," she said with a smile. "I was worried."
He hesitated. "Riya… there's something I need to tell you."
She tilted her head. "What is it?"
"I… I might not be able to see you tomorrow," he confessed. "Time… it's complicated. And I just… I need to make sure you're safe, even if it means staying apart."
Her smile faltered. "Aarav…"
He reached for her hand. "I love you. But love sometimes means letting go, even when it hurts."
Tears welled up in Riya's eyes. "Letting go? After everything we've shared?"
"I'm trying to protect you," he whispered. "If I don't… everything could end."
She pressed her forehead against his shoulder, trembling. "I don't care about the danger. I care about us."
But Aarav couldn't ignore the messages, the visions, the warnings. For the first time, he felt the weight of their love pressing down on him, heavy and impossible.
The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky red. And in that fleeting, fiery light, Aarav made a choice:
He would act with caution. Protect Riya. Even if it meant heartbreak.