Riya rushed out of the bookstore, her mind spinning.
This wasn't possible.
This couldn't be real.
Back at the residency, she confronted Aarav.
"You knew, didn't you?"
He didn't deny it.
"I knew something," he admitted. "Not everything."
"You let this happen!"
"I was waiting for you to discover it," he said calmly.
"Why me?" she asked, her voice breaking.
Aarav looked at her with something she couldn't understand. "Because you're not just part of the story."
"Then what am I?"
"You're the one who can change it."