Pari thought for a while after hearing Ishaan’s question, and his heart thudded against his ribcage as he anticipated her answer. Deep down, he already knew what it would be, but he prayed she would finally admit that she trusted him.
The few seconds of silence cut through the air like a knife.
“Pari,” Ishaan whispered her name, and their eyes locked.
“Do you think I would be here with you in your car, all alone, if I didn’t trust you?”
Hearing her answer, Ishaan felt as though the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. An immense sense of relief washed over him, and he shut his eyes, sighing deeply. Pari noticed the way his shoulders eased at her words.
He smiled when she softly mumbled, “Thank you,” before starting the car again. Soon, they arrived at his hotel, and he led her to a private dining room. A circular table stood before them, filled with dishes—most of which she could already tell were her favorites.
They sat down next to each other. Ishaan reached to serve her a starter, but Pari stopped him with her palm.
“I trust you because I can see that you’ve changed for the better. I know you’ve redeemed yourself for your actions, and I’m sorry you had to miss your amma all these years. I never spoke to you, and no one else spoke about you when I was around, so I had no idea aunty had avoided you for so long. She doesn’t deserve this, and neither do you.”
Before she could continue, Ishaan interrupted her.
“I hurt you, Pari, and I deserve to be punished. I hurt amma with my behavior, so I deserved her wrath too. Sure, it hurt to stay away from you all, but I had to prove to myself that I was worthy of your love and care.”
Pari sensed there was more behind his words.
“What did you do all these years? I’m not forcing you to share… only if you want to.”
Ishaan turned fully toward her, took a long breath, and replied,
“I underwent counseling to control my anger. The personal counselor dad arranged for me helped me a lot. I will never let you or my family down again—not by my actions, not by my words. Family means everything to me.”
Pari gulped at his words, and after a few seconds, Ishaan looked at her.
“You mean everything to me.”, Ishaan spoke in a low husky voice.
Her heart skipped a beat. Ishaan reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek, but froze when he realized what he was doing. For Pari, the world seemed to vanish around her except for him. Her hand moved on its own and held his.
They were close—too close.
“I missed you, Pari. Every day has been hell without you by my side. I truly missed you. Please forgive me for hurting you.” Ishaan confessed to her and looked at her hand that was holding his.
For the first time, Pari heard vulnerability in his voice and saw truth glistening in his moist eyes. He was holding back, fighting not to break down. His palm cupped her cheek, his thumb caressing her skin so gently. The way he looked at her—it was as if she was the most precious thing in the world. His eyes glimmered with something she had refused to acknowledge all these years.
He wasn’t just looking at her. He was looking into her heart, into her soul.
“Ishaan…” she mumbled. That single word broke the last string of restraint in him. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against hers, eyes closed. For the first time, she saw him—the real him, stripped of defenses, raw and vulnerable.
Ishaan pulled back slightly and Pari saw his wet eye lashes. She felt her heart ache on seeing him so vulnerable. Ishaan pressed a soft, tender kiss to her forehead. Pari felt a peace she had been missing for years. Her heart leapt with a joy she had been depriving herself of. It was as though life itself had returned to her body, excitement coursing through her blood. She felt as if she had finally found her missing piece. A lone tear escaped her eye, and Ishaan gently wiped it away with his thumb before it could it touch her cheek and shook his head.
” I don’t want to be the reason behind your eyes Pari. I only want your smile. ” Ishaan said and flicked her nose just he would do when they were kids.
“I missed you,” she whispered. Ishaan’s face lit up with a smile at her confession.
“You won’t miss me anymore. I swear, Pari, I’ll never hurt you, never leave you. You are my home.” His voice trembled with conviction before he pressed his lips gently against her right eye.
Every wall she had built around her heart crumbled, leaving her vulnerable to him. She broke down, letting him see her emotions—raw and unguarded—just as he had shown her his. Ishaan cupped her face, gently wiping her tears, while Pari held his hand against her cheek. In that moment, they weren’t anything else but just Pari and Ishu.
Pari smiled and leaned into his palm, caressing her cheek against his palm on her palm. Ishaan chuckled and caressed her cheek with his thumb. His gaze shifted from her eyes to her lips. His heart bled for her love; he had spent years yearning for this moment. Now, with her beside him, he wanted nothing more than to kiss her, to confess his undying love. But he wouldn’t take that step without her consent. His eyes flickered between her lips and her gaze, silently asking for permission.
Pari’s whole body froze, but for the first time, both her mind and heart aligned. She gave a small nod.
Ishaan leaned closer, their lips just a breath away, when his eyes caught a sparkle. He stilled. The ring on her finger glimmered under the light.
And just like that—the moment shattered.
Pari noticed his gaze and realized he was staring at the ring.
Ishaan leaned back, raking his fingers through his hair.
He knew Varun meant nothing to her, but still—he couldn’t bring himself to kiss her while that ring remained on her finger. It felt wrong.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
Pari understood and cursed herself for not removing it immediately after walking out of the ball room. They had dinner, though neither ate much. The silence between them carried a hint of awkwardness, but it vanished the moment a plate of honey cake was set before them. Ishaan picked up a piece with his hand and brought it to her lips, just like he used to do when they were kids.
They got lost in the memory of those days, and Pari giggled, opening her mouth like the little girl she once was. Ishaan fed her, chuckling when she gobbled half the piece and tried to chew with her mouth full. She looked irresistibly cute, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
He was about to place the remaining piece back on the plate when Pari caught his wrist and popped it into her mouth. She closed her eyes, moaning softly at the taste.
Ishaan swallowed hard at the sight.
“She doesn’t even try, yet she’s the perfect seductress, waking up every damn hormone in me. God, she’d be perfect moaning my name beneath me.” Ishaan thought.
He quickly reached for his glass and sipped some water, forcing his gaze away—but it was useless. His eyes betrayed him again when the kulfi was served. He tried not to look, but his jaw dropped as he caught sight of her licking the kulfi, her tongue wrapping around it slowly, savoring every bit.
His self-control snapped. His hand moved before his mind could stop it, and he wiped a streak of kulfi from the corner of her lips.
Pari froze. Ishaan cleared his throat and turned away immediately.
” Damn my heart and mind. They have their own system whenever she’s around. I thought I could stay in control, but the truth is—I’ll always dance to her tune. Not that I mind. I’d do anything if it means having her forever. Only if she’d removed that ring… we could’ve had our first kiss. I would’ve shown her I’m her man.”
His endless thoughts shattered when Pari shook his shoulder.
“You seem to be lost. Is everything okay?”
Ishaan only hummed in reply. They walked out together, their hands brushing, their fingers aching to entwine, but before either could give in, they reached his car. Ishaan quickly opened the door for her.
“So, tell me… what’s your next plan?”
Pari stayed quiet for a while and took a long breath, turning her attention to him.
“I do have a plan, but I think we have some discussions to finish first. The last time, you said you knew a lot and wanted me to trust you before you revealed it. I trust you now, Ishaan. I just wish there were no secrets between us.”
Ishaan nodded and pulled the car to a stop. He unbuckled his seatbelt and turned fully toward her.
“He’s not just behind you, Pari. His history is rooted deep in our family, involving our parents. You’ll learn that truth at the right time. But tell me… would you believe me if I said he was the one who came between us? I know it’s hard to take my words at face value, but I will let you meet someone who can show you what kind of man he really is. Be ready for lunch tomorrow. I’ll take you to them,” Ishaan said, his gaze steady on her.
“I trust you, Ishaan. I always did… but I let my fear of your anger cloud that trust.”
“I won’t lie to you, Pari. I still get angry at times—it’s an emotion every human carries. But I’ve learned how to express it better. Life taught me that lesson the hard way,” Ishaan replied, before buckling his seatbelt again and continuing to drive.
When they reached her home, he stopped the car in the porch. Pari stepped out and walked toward the steps, but paused. She turned over her shoulder and waved. Ishaan smiled and nodded in response.
Later, Ishaan entered his home to find Reyansh sitting in the living room, eyes fixed on his MacBook. Ishaan pulled off his hoodie and sat beside him.
“We’ve let this game drag on too long, appa. Pari has suffered enough because of that bastard. I think it’s time to end this. She’s already seen his true colors, and I’m ready to expose what he did in the past. I can’t keep holding back,” Ishaan said, his jaw clenched tight.
Reyansh set the MacBook aside and turned to his son.
“Ishu, you know why we’ve let him play this long. You’re close to winning Pari’s heart, and he’s just a tool in this. We’ve all waited for her to realize your love on her own. She had to face her fear, and now, finally, things are falling into place. She’s delicate, but she needs to become strong enough to face the world. We shall play the cards at the right time “
Ishaan nodded, and Reyansh patted his shoulder.
Later, in his room, Ishaan sank into the couch. His gaze fell on the photo frame on the tea table—a picture of him and Pari as children, pulling each other’s noses. Her nose was scrunched, her brows knitted, while he was grinning from ear to ear.
Memories of their time together at the private dining room, in his car, and at the hotel flooded his mind. The way she lost herself in him every time he came close was enough to drive him mad.
“I’ll break him piece by piece and destroy his entire family, And the woman behind this… she’ll regret ever scheming against our family, let alone dragging you into her dirty game and using you as a pawn.” Ishaan swore under his breath.
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A/N:
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