Lyra Bennett ne mirror ke saamne khud ko dekha.
Black dress perfectly fit ho rahi thi, uski skin soft glow kar rahi thi, aur uski
aankhon me ek natural beauty thi jo kisi ko bhi attract kar sake. Log hamesha kehte the—"Lyra, tum perfect ho."
Par aaj… usse apni reflection me perfection nahi, sirf ek khamosh dar nazar aa raha tha.
Door ke bahar heavy footsteps ki awaaz aayi.
Uska heartbeat instantly fast ho gaya.
Kael.
Uska husband.
Aur shayad… uski sabse badi galti.
Door dheere se open hua, aur Kael
room me enter hua.
Black suit, sharp jawline, aur aankhon me woh cold intensity—
jo kisi ko bhi ek second me chup kara de.
"Ready ho?" usne seedha poocha.
Lyra ne halki si nod ki. "Haan…"
Kael ki nazar us par ruki. Dheere-dheere usne Lyra ko head se toe tak scan kiya. Jaise wo sirf dekh nahi raha… evaluate kar raha ho.
"Late ho," usne thandi awaaz me kaha.
Lyra ne turant reply diya, "Main bas—"
"Excuses mat do."
Uski voice calm thi… par us calm ke neeche ek dangerous gussa chhupa tha.
Room me silence fail gaya.
Lyra ne apne haath tight pakde. Ye silence usse hamesha uncomfortable karta tha, kyunki usse pata hota tha—storm abhi aana baaki hai.
Kael uske paas aaya. Itna close… ki Lyra uski perfume ki strong smell feel kar sakti thi.
"Tumhe pata hai mujhe kya pasand hai," usne dheere se kaha, uski
aankhen seedha Lyra ki aankhon me.
Lyra ne aankhen jhuka li. "Perfect hona…"
Kael ne halki si smirk ki. "Exactly."
Usne apni fingers se Lyra ki chin ko upar lift kiya. "Aur tum…"
Ek second ka pause.
"…abhi perfect nahi lag rahi."
Lyra ka heart drop ho gaya.
"Main try kar rahi hoon…" usne softly kaha.
Kael ne uski baat ignore kar di. Uski gaze ab bhi intense thi, jaise wo Lyra ke andar tak dekh raha ho.
"Try?" usne repeat kiya. "Mujhe try nahi chahiye, Lyra. Mujhe result chahiye."
Uski grip thodi tight hui. Pain nahi… par warning enough.
Lyra ne apni breath control karne ki koshish ki. "Main better karungi…"
Kael ne uske face ko kuch seconds tak dekha, phir dheere se usse chhod diya.
"Better nahi," usne seedha kaha. "Perfect."
Car ride me silence tha.
City lights fast blur ho rahi thi, par Lyra ka focus sirf apne thoughts par tha.
Ye shaadi… kab aisi ban gayi?
Shuru me Kael different tha. Calm, controlled, aur thoda distant… par itna cold nahi.
Ab… wo sirf ek cheez tha—control.
Aur Lyra us control me fasi hui thi.
Car ek luxury hotel ke saamne ruk gayi.
Kael ne bina uski taraf dekhe kaha, "Smile."
Lyra ne automatically apni expression change ki. Perfect smile. Perfect wife.
Door open hua. Cameras flash hue.
"Mr. Kael! Over here!"
"Sir, ek photo please!"
Kael instantly change ho gaya. Uska expression charming, confident, aur powerful ban gaya. Jaise wo duniya ka perfect man ho.
Aur Lyra… uske side me ek perfect accessory.
Usne Lyra ka waist lightly hold kiya. Bahar se wo touch gentle lag raha tha…
par Lyra jaanti thi—ye sirf show hai.
"Relax," Kael ne dheere se kaha, sirf uske liye. "Sab dekh rahe hain."
Lyra ne smile maintain rakhi.
Andar enter karte hi music, lights aur logon ki awaaz mix ho gayi. High society party. Sab rich, powerful aur fake smiles ke saath.
"Stay close," Kael ne kaha.
Lyra ne nod kiya.
Par jaise hi wo logon se milne laga, Lyra thoda side ho gayi. Usse thodi fresh air chahiye thi.
Wo balcony ki taraf chali gayi.
Cold air ne uske face ko touch kiya. Usne aankhen band ki.
Kaash sab itna complicated na hota…
"Beautiful night, right?"
Lyra ne aankhen kholi.
Ek unknown ladki uske paas khadi thi.
Tall, confident, aur insanely beautiful. Uski presence hi different thi—jaise wo kisi se darte hi nahi.
Lyra ne halka sa smile diya. "Haan…"
Ladki ne usse dekha, thoda interest ke saath. "You're Kael's wife, right?"
Lyra thodi surprise hui. "Yes…"
"Hmm…" ladki ne slow nod kiya. "Lucky ho tum.
Lyra ne kuch reply nahi kiya. Lucky? Ye word usse ajeeb laga.
"Main Selene hoon," usne casually kaha.
Lyra ne naam repeat kiya, "Selene…"
Naam me hi kuch mysterious tha.
Selene ne halka sa smile kiya.
"Interesting choice hai… Kael ka."
Lyra ka heart ek second ke liye skip hua.
"Tum kya matlab—"
"Nothing," Selene ne interrupt kiya.
"Bas… wo jo chahta hai, wo le leta hai."
Lyra silent ho gayi.
Usse ajeeb sa feel hua—jaise ye ladki Kael ko zyada achhe se jaanti ho.
Aur ye thought… uncomfortable tha.
"Lyra."
Kael ki voice peeche se aayi.
Lyra turant straight ho gayi.
Selene ne side glance diya, phir halki si smirk ke saath wahan se move kar gayi.
Kael ne usse jaate hue dekha… thodi der zyada.
Lyra ne notice kiya.
Aur uske andar ek strange sa feeling aayi—jealousy? ya warning?
"Tum yahan kya kar rahi ho?" Kael ne poocha.
"Bas… fresh air…"
Kael ne uski baat ignore kar di. "Chalo."
Lyra uske saath chalne lagi, par uska mind ab bhi Selene par atka hua tha.
Wo ladki… kaun thi?
Aur sabse important—
Kael usse kaise jaanta hai?
Raat ke end me, jab wo ghar wapas aaye, silence phir se unke beech aa gaya.
Room me enter karte hi Kael ne apna coat utara.
"Tum usse baat kar rahi thi," usne casually kaha.
Lyra freeze ho gayi. "Kisse?"
Kael ne uski taraf dekha. "Selene."
Uska naam uske lips se itna easily nikla… jaise wo familiar ho.
Lyra ka heart tighten hua. "Wo… bas casual baat thi."
Kael dheere-dheere uske paas aaya.
"Stay away from her," usne low voice me kaha.
Lyra confused ho gayi. "Kyun?"
Kael ne uski aankhon me directly dekha.
"Because," usne softly kaha, "main nahi chahta tum unnecessary cheezon me involve ho."
Ye answer nahi tha. Ye warning thi.
Lyra ne dheere se poocha, "Tum usse jaante ho?"
Silence.
Kael ne kuch seconds tak usse dekha… phir slight smile ki.
"Tumhe jitna jaana zaruri hai… utna hi jaano."
Lyra ka chest heavy ho gaya.
Ye words simple the… par unke peeche kuch aur tha.
Kuch dark.
Kuch hidden.
Aur jaise hi Kael usse paas se cross karke room se bahar gaya, Lyra ko ek baat clear ho gayi—
Uski shaadi sirf control ka game nahi thi…
Isme secrets bhi the.
Aur Selene…
Un secrets ka part thi.
Cliffhanger
Lyra ne apni saari himmat jod kar kaha,
"Ek din main tumhare rules tod dungi…"
Kael ke lips par halki si smirk aayi.
Wo dheere se uske kaan ke paas jhuk kar bola—
"Try it… and I'll show you what breaking really feels like."