For a few seconds—
nothing existed except his arms around her.
No distance.
No silence.
Just warmth.
Real.
Meher's breathing slowly steadied.
Her fingers were still clutching his shirt—
as if letting go would make him disappear again.
"Aarav…" she whispered.
"Hm?"
"I meant it."
He pulled back just enough to look at her.
"I know."
A pause.
Then—
something changed.
Very suddenly.
Meher's expression stilled.
Her eyes—
lost focus.
"Aarav…?"
He noticed instantly.
"What happened?"
She blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then—
a sharp breath.
And it hit.
Not like a thought.
Like a collision.
A dark hallway.
A phone in her hand.
Someone speaking softly.
"Bas yeh location forward kar do."
(Just forward this location.)
Her own fingers—
typing.
A message sent.
She gasped.
"Aah—"
"Meher!"
Her hand flew to her head.
Pain.
Sudden.
Piercing.
"Aarav…" her voice trembled, "I—I saw something—"
His whole body tensed.
"What did you see?"
She tried to breathe.
But another flash came.
A silver ring.
A man's wrist.
A low voice.
"Usse kuch yaad nahi rahega."
(She won't remember anything.)
Then darkness.
"Aarav!"
This time she almost lost balance.
He caught her immediately.
"Easy—easy, look at me."
Her heartbeat was wild now.
Her fingers dug into his arm.
"I sent something…"
His face changed.
"What?"
"I don't know—" she said, almost panicking. "A location… maybe… I don't know…"
"It's okay."
"No, it's not!"
Her voice cracked.
"I did it… I actually did it…"
Tears rushed to her eyes.
"I told you… I told you I didn't remember…"
"I know."
"But now I saw it—"
Another flash.
A white wall.
A door half-open.
And then—
A face.
Not fully clear.
But familiar.
Too familiar.
Meher froze.
Her breathing stopped for a second.
"No…"
"What?" Aarav said sharply.
She stared ahead—
like she was seeing something right through the room.
"No… no, that can't be…"
"Meher, tell me."
Her lips parted.
And when she finally spoke—
her voice was barely there.
"It wasn't just him."
Aarav went still.
"What do you mean?"
She looked at him.
Terrified.
"Someone else was there."
A pause.
Then—
very softly—
"I know that face."
Silence.
Heavy.
Aarav's grip on her tightened.
"Whose face?"
Her eyes filled again.
Because now—
she wasn't scared of the memory.
She was scared of what it meant.
"I… I think…"
Her breath shook.
"…it was someone close."
And that—
changed everything.The panic hadn't fully left her.
Her fingers were still trembling in his grip.
But Aarav didn't rush.
Didn't react impulsively.
This time—
he became calm.
Focused.
Because this—
needed control.
"Sit," he said softly.
Meher looked at him—
still shaken—
but nodded.
He guided her to the couch—
slowly—
carefully.
"Breathe."
She tried.
"Inhale… slowly."
He demonstrated—
steady.
"Exhale."
Her breathing followed his.
Gradually—
her heartbeat slowed.
"Good," he murmured.
A pause.
Then—
he sat in front of her.
Close enough to hold her—
but not overwhelming.
"Now listen to me."
She nodded faintly.
"Hum jaldi nahi karenge."
(We won't rush.)
"Okay…"
"Jo yaad aata hai… bas woh batao."
(Tell me only what you remember.)
"No guessing."
"No forcing."
"Sirf jo dikhe."
(Only what you see.)
She swallowed.
"Okay…"
Aarav leaned slightly forward.
"Close your eyes."
She hesitated.
Then slowly—
closed them.
"I'm here," he added quietly.
That—
made it easier.
"Start from the beginning…"
"Phone…"
Her brows furrowed.
"My phone…"
"Good. Kahan ho tum?"
(Where are you?)
"A room…"
"Describe it."
"White walls…"
"A door…"
"Half open…"
Her breathing started to change again.
Aarav noticed immediately.
"Easy… slow…"
She steadied slightly.
"Koi hai wahan?"
(Is someone there?)
A pause.
"…haan."
His eyes sharpened.
"Kaun?"
(Who?)
"I can't see clearly…"
"Try mat karo."
(Don't try to force it.)
"Bas jo dikh raha hai woh bolo."
(Just say what you see.)
"A hand…"
"Silver ring…"
Aarav's jaw tightened slightly.
"Voice?"
"Soft…"
"Calm…"
"Dangerous…"
A pause.
"Woh keh raha hai…"
Her voice dropped.
"Location forward karo…"
Aarav's eyes darkened.
"And you?"
"I'm… doing it…"
Her fingers twitched unconsciously.
"Stop."
Aarav said it instantly.
She opened her eyes—
gasping.
"I sent it…"
"I know."
Silence.
Then—
he leaned closer.
"Next."
She shook her head.
"I don't want to—"
"Meher."
His voice softened.
"Main yahin hoon."
(I'm right here.)
A pause.
Then slowly—
she closed her eyes again.
"Door…"
"Woh khul raha hai…"
(It's opening…)
Her breathing picked up again.
Aarav's hand moved—
holding hers tightly.
"Focus."
"Koi andar aa raha hai…"
(Someone is entering…)
A long pause.
Then suddenly—
her fingers tightened around his.
"Aarav…"
"Haan…"
Her voice trembled.
"I know this person…"
His heart skipped.
"Kaun?"
Silence.
Then—
a whisper.
"…ghar ka hai."
(It's someone from the house.)
Everything stopped.
Aarav went completely still.
"Sure?"
Her eyes opened slowly.
Tears already there.
"Haan…"
Her lips trembled.
"I've seen him before…"
A pause.
"Roz…"
(Daily…)
That—
was worse than anything.
Because now—
this wasn't an outsider.
This was someone—
they trusted.
Aarav stood up slowly.
His expression—
no longer soft.
Controlled.
Cold.
Because now—
this wasn't just about memory.
This was about betrayal.
Inside their own walls.
He looked at her—
one last time.
"We finish this."
His voice—
quiet.
But final.
.
.
.hope you like it