I don't think anyone is ever ready, but when someone makes you feel alive again it's kind of worth the risk.

DIVYA

I woke up quite late, unable to shake off the restlessness from the night before. The scene at Aakash's house had left me deeply disturbed. But my gut feeling told me there was more to this than met the eye. I had seen the love in Aakash's eyes for Ananya. There had to be a solid reason behind his sudden change, and today, I was determined to uncover it.

After a quick shower, I got ready for my mission. I chose an off-shoulder crop top and blue jeans, tied my hair into a ponytail, and applied a bit of makeup. Once I was satisfied with my look, I headed out.

I drove to my destination, parked my car, and walked into the building. The receptionist didn’t stop me, already familiar with who I was. I took the lift and headed straight to his office. The office was quiet, everyone busy with their work.

Without knocking, I walked into his cabin. "Good morning," I greeted. His shock was evident. I made my way to the chair in front of his desk and sat down.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, trying to mask his surprise.

"I just came to see you," I replied, flashing my sweetest smile.

"If you're here to lecture me about yesterday, you can leave," he said, irritation creeping into his voice.

"No, I'm not here for that," I said, picking up a paperweight and toying with it.

"Then why the hell are you here?" His anger was rising.

"Aakash, I have some questions, and only you can answer them," I said, locking eyes with him.

"Shanaya already told you the reason," he replied, looking away.

"I want to know the truth, not what everyone else thinks," I said firmly. "Why are you really doing this, Aakash?"

"I've known you since middle school, Aakash, and you're anything but a cheater," I said, leaning forward.

"Maybe I am," he replied, his voice strained.

"You can act like a ruthless businessman all you want, but I know you're a kindhearted person," I said, hoping to break through his facade. "Life isn't just black and white, Aakash. The truth lies in the shades of gray in between."

He chuckled at my words. "Ever thought of being a psychiatrist? You'd be great at it."

I smiled, glad to see a crack in his armor. Finally, he sighed and began to speak. "You're right, Divya. I didn't divorce Ananya because I don't love her. I did it to protect her."

"Protect her? From whom?" I asked, my concern deepening.

"My enemies. They're after her," he replied grimly.

"Are you saying they want to kill her?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

"Yes," he confirmed. The weight of his words hit me hard. Ananya's life was in danger.

"But why didn't you just tell her the truth instead of doing all this?" I pressed.

"I can't. She wouldn't understand," he said, shaking his head.

"Wait... she doesn't know about your real identity, does she?" His silence was enough of an answer.

"I can't believe it, Aakash. How could you lie to her about who you really are?" I asked, disbelief and frustration evident in my tone.

"Divya, she comes from a normal family. She wouldn't understand my world," he said, his voice pained.

"Aakash, she loves you. I'm sure if you told her the truth, she would have understood," I insisted.

"Fine, it was my mistake. I'll tell her when the time is right," he conceded.

"You're not seriously thinking of leaving her, right?" I asked, needing to hear his reassurance.

"Of course not. Once this is over, I'll tell her everything," he promised.

"Divya, you know the truth now, but I need you to keep it to yourself," he said earnestly.

"But..." I began, but he cut me off.

"I don't want to involve many people in this. Please understand," he pleaded.

"Okay, fine," I agreed reluctantly.

"I need another favor," he said, looking at me with a mixture of hope and desperation. I nodded, urging him to continue. "I've already appointed a few bodyguards to protect Ananya, but I want you to stay close to her. Keep an eye on everything and let me know if anything suspicious happens."

I smiled reassuringly. "Aakash, Ananya is my friend too. I'll make sure she's safe."

"Thanks a lot," he said, relief evident in his eyes.

"Anyway, I should go now," I said, standing up to leave.

As I walked out of his office, my mind raced with thoughts. The truth was out, but the danger was far from over. Ananya's safety was now a priority, and I was determined to protect her at all costs.

I opened the door and was about to walk out of the room when I suddenly bumped into someone, causing me to lose my balance. I closed my eyes and braced for the fall, but it never came.

Slowly opening my eyes, I found myself staring into a pair of cold grey eyes that sent a chill through my body. I gulped nervously. His warm hand was wrapped around my waist, touching the exposed skin where my crop top ended. Regret washed over me for wearing it. The feel of his hand on my body made me uncomfortable, and an electric current seemed to flow between us at the point of contact. Quickly, I came back to my senses and pushed him away, stepping back. He smirked, his expression unsettling.

I knew who he was; those grey eyes haunted me every night.

"What are you doing here?" Aakash growled, his voice filled with anger. "And that too, uninvited," he spat. It was clear he harbored intense dislike for this man.

"Move, I want to go," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. He raised an eyebrow, seemingly amused.

"Aakash, won't you introduce your friend to me?" the man said smoothly.

"Divya, meet Raghav Sinha, my one and only rival," Aakash said, his voice dripping with venom.

Rival? Holy crap! Is my family doing business with Aakash's rival?

"Raghav, move aside and let her go," Aakash commanded. Raghav stepped aside, giving me a path to leave. I sighed in relief. As I passed him, he leaned in and whispered near my ear, "We will meet soon, my angel." A chill ran down my spine.

I didn't say anything and just walked out of the cabin, closing the door behind me.

Today had been utterly exhausting, with a deluge of new revelations bombarding my senses. As I finally arrived home, drained both physically and emotionally, all I craved was solace. Slipping into my Mickey Mouse pajamas, I cocooned myself under the comforting warmth of a quilt and succumbed to the lure of sleep.

The tranquility was abruptly shattered by the insistent ringing of my doorbell. Irritation surged through me; I had no patience for uninvited interruptions, especially in my fatigued state. Yet, the persistent chimes refused to cease, pushing me to abandon my rest. With a mix of frustration and weariness, I stormed towards the door, ready to unleash my annoyance on whoever dared disturb my much-needed repose.

Throwing the door open, my scolding words froze on my lips as I registered who stood before me. Her presence was unexpected, bewildering even.

I frowned, unable to conceal my confusion. "What the hell are you doing here?"

I frowned deeply, trying to process the unexpected sight before me. What on earth was she doing here? It didn't make sense.

************

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