Pari was shocked to see Ishaan in Rey’s room. He was seated on the couch, holding a glass of whiskey. She cleared her throat and swallowed hard at the sudden encounter.
Ishaan quickly placed the glass on the table and cleared his throat as well.
“I’m sorry, I thought you would have left, otherwise I wouldn’t have driven here. Ayaan called me to discuss something important, so I came over. Anyway, no issues—you carry on. I’ll leave and meet Ayaan at home,” Ishaan said, sauntering toward her, expecting her to give way. But Pari stood rooted to the spot, avoiding his gaze.
“It’s okay, this is your office too. You have every right to be here. I just got back from dinner with Varun and thought of staying a little longer at the office. Where is Ayaan?” Pari asked, glancing around the room in search of him.
“He got a call from Zara. He’ll be back shortly. Have a seat,” Ishaan mumbled. Pari sat on the couch, fidgeting with her fingers, while Ishaan leaned against the wall, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he noticed her nervousness.
“I can leave if you’re not comfortable with my presence,” Ishaan said softly.
Pari immediately denied it with a shake of her head but still didn’t speak to him. The air in the room felt heavy, and she could sense his gaze lingering on her. Ishaan moved toward the huge glass wall, his hands slipped into his pockets. Pari’s eyes fell on his stiff back—the white shirt clung perfectly to his frame, the sleeves rolled up to reveal his veiny arms, and a tiny hoop earring gleamed in his left ear.
Pari jumped when the door suddenly burst open, and she turned to glare at Ayaan.
“Pari, what are you doing here? Didn’t you leave already?” Ayaan asked, looking surprised.
“I had to take care of some work, so I just came back after dinner,” Pari replied calmly.
Ayaan pulled Ishaan to the couch, and before Pari could even process what was happening, Ayaan pushed Ishaan to sit right beside her and then quickly settled himself on Ishaan’s other side. Ishaan gulped, feeling his knees brush against Pari’s.
She made an attempt to get up, but Ishaan instinctively clutched her hand, stopping her. A part of him was terrified she might lash out—or worse, slap him—but to his utter shock, she didn’t. She stayed back, and only then did he release her hand.
“Bro, Zara is leaving for Delhi, and I won’t be able to meet her tomorrow. I’m really going to miss her. Tell me, what should I do?” Ayaan began ranting about Zara’s plan to join their mother, his words spilling out in frustration.
Ishaan chuckled, ruffling his hair gently. “Distance doesn’t change the intensity of the love you carry for her, Ayaan. You’ll miss her, yes, but that longing will only make your heart crave her love even more. Close your eyes, and all you’ll see is her. There might be countless distractions, even your own mind may try to play tricks on you, but your heart will always know what it wants—it will never betray you. Trust your heart, buddy. Let it yearn for her love. The waiting will only make it worth it when you finally meet her again.”
Ayaan and Pari were both stunned by his words. But for Pari, every word felt less for Ayaan and more for her. She swallowed hard, memories of the dreams she had carried of him all these years rushing back—the same dreams she had clung to even when he had stayed away. Her mind and heart clashed fiercely, and she could no longer bear it. Abruptly, she rose to her feet and walked out of the room.
“What happened to her?” Ayaan asked innocently, but Ishaan didn’t answer. He got up and followed Pari.
She stood by the glass wall, staring out at the empty road—it was close to midnight. Her eyes shut tightly as his familiar cologne drifted to her, hitting her senses like a wave.
“Are you playing with my mind?” she whispered, her voice trembling.
Ishaan moved to stand beside her, watching the turmoil etched across her face.
“No, Pari—you’re the one doing that to yourself. Why do you look so tense, so stressed, so confused? I’m not part of your life anymore. You chose someone else, and very soon you’ll be married to him. So what’s bothering you? I know I’m probably the last person you’d want to see, let alone talk to—but if you feel I’m not the same Ishaan anymore, then share your problems with me. I swear I’ll help you—genuinely. No mind games, no plotting, nothing. Just as a friend… as family. I’ll always be here, ready to help you.”
Pari exhaled deeply, her chest rising and falling as she looked at him, caught between resentment and a pull she could no longer deny.
“Thank you, I will surely come to you if I need your help, but right now I think I can manage on my own. It’s already late, I should be leaving.”
Pari turned to leave.
“You look tired, shall I drop you?”
Pari hesitated, and Ishaan took the cue. He turned away, hoping that one day she would trust him. He pressed the button for the elevator and soon arrived at the parking lot. Sitting in his car, he leaned back on the headrest and closed his eyes.
A sudden knock on the window made him open them. Pari stood by the passenger door. For a moment, he felt like a teenager, his heart leaping in excitement. He almost screamed with joy, but quickly controlled himself. He rushed out of the car and opened the door for her.
“You didn’t have to do this.”
Ishaan shook his head. “I do this for my mom, Ishi, and Adhvi—so I will do this for you too. A powerful woman doesn’t need a man to open the door for her, but a real man does it for the women in his life, no matter how strong or independent they are. This is my way of showing respect. You are my family, Pari.”
Pari said nothing and quietly buckled her seatbelt. Ishaan looked up at the sky and silently thanked the universe—because this was the first time they would be driving together in his car. He promised himself he would do everything in his power to make it memorable for her.
He didn’t start any conversation, but from the corner of his eye he noticed her stealing glances at him, as if debating whether to speak. He waited patiently.
“How is your life?” she finally asked.
Ishaan smiled at her question and shrugged. “Just the same, nothing special. I’m focused only on my business now, but I’m happy to be back home—this time, forever.”
He turned his attention back to driving. Suddenly, the car slowed and stopped. Pari looked at him in surprise. Ishaan pointed at a small kulfi shop.
Her lips curved into a smile—it was the same shop they used to visit during their late-night drives with Ishika, Ayaan, Adhvika, and Reyansh.
“I haven’t had this in a long time. Do you want one now?” Ishaan asked.
Pari nodded eagerly.
They got down from the car and walked toward the shop. The old man instantly recognized them and smiled warmly. Ishaan hugged him, and Pari looked bewildered at the sight of Ishaan embracing a stranger.
“It’s been so many years. I thought you had forgotten me and my kulfi,” the old man said. Pari frowned at his words.
“This is his favorite kulfi… so why would he say he hasn’t had it in so many years? He could have come here after returning from London. He’s such a mystery… everything about him, and everything happening around us, feels like a mystery.” she thought.
Her thoughts were interrupted when Ishaan handed her a kulfi. He thanked the old man, and they walked back to the car.
“I really missed this,” Ishaan said, relishing the taste. He couldn’t help noticing the way Pari ate hers, and he coughed, suppressing the sound that almost escaped his throat. When he spotted a bit of kulfi at the corner of her lips, he handed her a tissue, pointing to her mouth.
Once they were done, Ishaan felt a quiet joy fill him as he started driving her home.
“Seems like you wanted to ask me something. Go ahead, shoot,” he said.
Pari arched a brow, surprised that he had guessed her thoughts.
“Kulfi is your favorite… I mean, it’s everyone’s favorite. Rey Uncle would buy it for us every time he sneaked us out. So why didn’t you have it all these years—and why today?”
Ishaan smiled faintly, scratching his brow.
“You already hate me… Would you hate me even more if I told you that kulfi at that shop held memories? Memories I wasn’t ready to face alone?”
Pari was taken aback by his honesty. They didn’t speak further, but her thoughts drifted back to their childhood, when they used to enjoy night rides with kulfi, and even as teenagers, how Ishaan would look at her and give his kulfi to her.
Soon, Ishaan stopped the car in front of her bungalow. Pari was about to open the door but paused, turning to look at him.
“I didn’t hate you, Ishaan. I hated your arrogance, your temper, your extreme possessiveness. You were overbearing… and I hated that.”
Ishaan nodded quietly. Opening the dashboard, he pulled out her favorite chocolate and placed it before her.
“Do you hate me now? I mean, the arrogance, the short temper—all the things you once hated?” he asked, his voice low, almost vulnerable.
Pari picked up the chocolate but said nothing. She got out of the car and walked away without looking back.
Ishaan leaned against the headrest, watching her disappearing figure.
“Thank you, Pari. I know you love me, you could never truly hate me. Despite everything, you still love me, I still live in your heart. And soon, you’ll realize it’s me who owns it . Today marks the beginning of our new journey… our love.“
He drove back home and spotted Ayaan sulking in the garden, speaking to Zara over the phone. Not wanting to disturb him, Ishaan quietly entered his room.
At Pari’s home, she changed into shorts and a camisole, then lay on her bed. Lost in thought, she absentmindedly rotated the ring on her finger, which suddenly felt unbearably heavy. Sitting against the headboard, she pinched the bridge of her nose.
“The Varun I’m seeing now… he’s definitely not the same person who was once my best friend, not the man I thought I knew for years. He used to be selfless, caring, never greedy. But now? Everything he says and does feels like it carries a hidden motive. The way he walks, talks, treats people—it’s all different. Before our engagement, he had no interest in my business or visiting Rey’s arcade. Yet today, he suddenly showed up. And how could it be just coincidence that Meghna was at the same hotel, at the exact same time we were there for dinner? And why do they want Meghna to join Rey’s business group? What am I missing here? Am I blind to everything happening around me? Should I talk to someone? “
Pari pushed aside the comforter and stepped out onto the balcony, staring at the empty night sky.
“Varun knows everyone in my family… even the bond I share with Rey Uncle, Vaishu Aunty, and all their children. Then how did I never know about Meghna until the family picnic? They seemed so close. Why did he hide her from me? She didn’t show up for the engagement, and even her parents weren’t there. The sneaky glances between the two of them at the hotel definitely doesn’t seem to be casual. Now suddenly, Varun himself feels like a mystery. And Ishaan? What did he mean last night? God, I can’t handle all these mysteries at once.”
Frustrated, she pulled at her hair, pacing the balcony restlessly. Eventually, exhaustion overtook her, and she fell asleep on the couch under the open sky.
*********************
A/N:
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