Chapter 50: chapter 49

Aarohi stared at her phone, her mind racing as she reread the message. It was short and cryptic, but the sender’s identity was clear:

"We need to talk. It’s about Vihaan. Meet me at the park near your college at 5 PM. Don’t bring Vihaan. – T"

Tara.

Aarohi’s instincts screamed at her to ignore it, but a small part of her couldn’t let go of the thought. What did Tara want now? Aarohi had seen how manipulative and obsessive she could be, but something about this felt... different. The tone of the message wasn’t a threat—it was almost desperate.

She paced her room, debating whether to tell Vihaan. He had been adamant about handling Tara on his own, but Aarohi didn’t want to drag him into more drama. Maybe if she confronted Tara directly, it could finally put an end to this.

With a deep breath, Aarohi decided. She would go—but she would be careful.

---

At 5 PM, Aarohi arrived at the park. The sun was setting, casting long shadows over the benches and pathways. She spotted Tara standing near a fountain, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable.

Aarohi approached cautiously, her heart pounding. “What do you want, Tara?”

Tara turned, a faint smile playing on her lips. “I wasn’t sure if you’d show up.”

“You didn’t give me much choice,” Aarohi replied, keeping her voice firm. “If this is about Vihaan—”

“This is all about Vihaan,” Tara interrupted, her tone sharp. She stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. “You think you’ve won, don’t you? That you’ve taken my place in his life.”

Aarohi frowned, her patience thinning. “Vihaan isn’t a prize, Tara. He’s a person. And he’s made it clear he doesn’t want you in his life anymore.”

Tara let out a bitter laugh. “You don’t understand, do you? Vihaan and I had something real. Something you could never understand. But then you came along and ruined everything.”

“Tara, whatever you had with Vihaan is over,” Aarohi said firmly. “It’s time to let go.”

But Tara’s expression darkened, and a dangerous edge crept into her voice. “Let go? You think it’s that easy? No, Aarohi. If I can’t have him, no one can.”

---

Before Aarohi could respond, Tara reached into her bag and pulled out a small knife, the blade catching the fading sunlight. Aarohi froze, her heart pounding in her chest.

“Tara, put that down,” Aarohi said, keeping her voice calm despite the panic rising inside her.

Tara stepped closer, her grip tightening on the knife. “You don’t deserve him. You don’t even know him the way I do. He’s mine!”

Aarohi backed away, her mind racing for a way out. She glanced around the park, hoping someone would see them, but the area was eerily empty.

“Hurting me won’t change anything,” Aarohi said, her voice trembling slightly. “Vihaan will never forgive you for this.”

Tara’s eyes flickered with hesitation, but it was fleeting. “It doesn’t matter. None of it matters anymore.”

Just as Tara lunged toward her, a voice rang out.

“Tara, stop!”

Aarohi turned to see Vihaan sprinting toward them, his face a mixture of anger and fear. Tara froze, her eyes wide with shock, giving Vihaan just enough time to close the distance.

He grabbed Tara’s wrist, twisting it until the knife clattered to the ground. Tara let out a cry of pain, struggling against his grip, but Vihaan held her firmly.

“It’s over, Tara,” he said coldly. “You’re done.”

Tara’s expression crumbled, tears streaming down her face. “Vihaan, please. I didn’t mean to—”

“You didn’t mean to threaten Aarohi with a knife?” Vihaan snapped, his voice dripping with anger. “Don’t play the victim, Tara. This is on you.”

---

The sound of sirens filled the air as the police arrived. Vihaan had called them on his way to the park, knowing Tara might try something drastic.

The officers quickly took Tara into custody, and she didn’t resist. As they led her away, she cast one last, desperate look at Vihaan.

“I loved you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Vihaan’s expression remained hard. “You don’t hurt the people you love, Tara. Get help.”

As the police car drove away, Vihaan turned to Aarohi, his anger melting into concern. “Are you okay? Did she hurt you?”

Aarohi shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “I’m fine, just... shaken.”

Vihaan pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. “I’m so sorry, Aarohi. I should’ve been here sooner.”

“It’s not your fault,” Aarohi murmured, her voice muffled against his chest. “I shouldn’t have come here alone.”

Vihaan cupped her face, looking into her eyes. “You don’t have to face anything alone. Not anymore.”

---

The next few days were quiet, a stark contrast to the chaos of the past weeks. Tara’s arrest had finally put an end to her interference, and Vihaan and Aarohi could breathe again.

One evening, as they sat together in Vihaan’s living room, Aarohi looked up from the wedding invitations spread out on the table.

“Do you think this will ever feel normal?” she asked softly.

Vihaan smiled, taking her hand in his. “Normal is overrated. But as long as we’re together, I think we’ll be okay.”

Aarohi smiled back, her heart feeling lighter than it had in weeks. For the first time, the thought of their wedding didn’t feel overwhelming—it felt right.

“Three months left,” Aarohi said, her voice tinged with excitement.

“Three months,” Vihaan echoed, his eyes warm. “And I can’t wait to call you my wife.”

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