The next day, Aarav went to River Bridge. Riya was waiting, her eyes bright with anticipation.
"I missed you," she said softly. "I've been counting the hours."
He swallowed. "Riya… there's something I need to confess."
She tilted her head. "What is it?"
He hesitated, heart hammering. "I saw… I saw what could happen to you. If I keep seeing you like this, if we continue… it might—"
Riya's brow furrowed. "It might what?"
"It could erase us," he admitted, voice breaking. "Or worse… hurt you in ways we can't fix."
Her eyes filled with tears, but she smiled faintly. "Aarav… I don't care about the danger. I care about you. I care about us."
Aarav shook his head, torn. "But love isn't always enough. Sometimes… we have to protect the ones we love by letting go."
Riya's hand lingered on his cheek. "Then let me decide," she whispered. "Let me choose to be with you, even if it's risky."
The tension between fate and desire stretched thin, fragile as glass. Aarav realized that protecting her might mean his own heartbreak. But he also understood that some love demanded courage beyond fear.