The Past Walks In

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Continuation from last chapter.

Aashna was humming softly to herself as she curled the last strand of her hair, watching it bounce back into place. The sounds of laughter and cheering from downstairs filtered through the slightly open window of the villa, making her smile. The boys were probably watching some funny video or engaged in one of their ridiculous bets. She picked up her earrings, about to put them on, when the door creaked open.

Thinking it was Dhruvin coming to rush her, she didn’t even glance back as she said, “Haan zaala maza, Dhruvin. Just help me wear this earring, na.”

She turned slightly, expecting to feel his warm presence behind her, only to freeze mid-motion.

It wasn’t Dhruvin.

It was the man who had once made her life a living hell.

Nishant Solanki.

Her breath hitched. The curling iron slipped from her fingers, clattering against the dresser, but she didn’t move to pick it up. Her entire body turned ice cold, a whimper caught in her throat as she stared at him, horror-struck. The years of torment, the reason she had to change schools, the nightmares that never truly left her—even after all these years, just the sight of him brought it all back.

Nishant, however, looked equally surprised to see her. His lips parted slightly before he stepped closer. “Wait… what are you doing here?” His eyes scanned her face, his expression shifting into something unreadable. “You have no idea how much I searched for you after you left school.”

Searched for her? She didn’t know what was more terrifying—the fact that he had been looking for her or that he was standing right here, in the same room as her.

Her body refused to respond. Anxiety crawled up her throat, her breathing uneven. Just as she felt herself spiraling, a familiar voice cut through the suffocating air.

“Hey! This is my room. Yours is in the left corner.”

Dhruvin.

Aashna barely registered anything except the sheer relief washing over her at the sound of his voice. But then, his next words made her stomach drop further.

“Oh, and you’ve finally met Aashu—I mean, Aashna Pathak. My girlfriend.”

She flinched at the way Nishant’s gaze snapped back to her, his eyes now holding an entirely new kind of intrigue. He let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head as if amused.

“Girlfriend, huh?” He gave her a once-over before smirking. “Well, I’ll see you both later. I need to freshen up before we head out.”

As soon as he left the room, Dhruvin’s playful smirk dropped, his brows furrowing as he stepped closer. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

She forced herself to shake her head. “Nothing,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

He didn’t buy it. His eyes scanned her face, concern flickering in them. “You sure?”

Aashna swallowed thickly before shifting her gaze back to him. “What is he doing here?”

“Oh, Nishant?” Dhruvin scratched the back of his head. “He’s an old school friend. Apparently, Manan and Raj got in contact with him over the weekend and invited him to the party.”

School friend. If only Dhruvin knew what that meant for her.

Seeing her struggle with her earring, Dhruvin took it from her, carefully fastening it onto her ear. His hands lingered against her skin, grounding her, before he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “Come down soon, okay? We have to leave.”

She nodded, but it took her a few extra minutes to gather herself. Aashna placed her palms on the dresser, inhaling deeply before exhaling. “It’s fine. He’s just another guy now. He doesn’t matter.”

Once she felt like she wouldn’t crumble, she headed downstairs, only to be pulled aside by Advait the moment he saw her.

“Are you okay?” he asked, eyes searching hers.

She hesitated before nodding. “I will be.”

His gaze darkened slightly. “If anything happens—”

“I’ll handle it,” she assured him, even if she wasn’t sure how.

The group finally left for brunch. Aashna sat beside Dhruvin, keeping close, as if she were afraid to put any distance between them. And maybe she was.

Across the table, Nishant sat directly in front of them, watching her too closely for her liking. When they ordered food, he leaned forward slightly, directing his question to Dhruvin.

“So, how did you two meet?” His tone was casual, but the curiosity was sharp.

“First time we met was in the lift,” Dhruvin answered without hesitation. “She was being all grumpy and broody, but I knew she’d eventually fall for me.”

Aashna rolled her eyes, but the warmth of his hand on her thigh under the table kept her grounded. She hadn’t even realized how tense she was until he did that, his fingers giving a reassuring squeeze.

Nishant chuckled. “Lift, huh? Interesting.”

Aashna’s fingers trembled slightly. Her anxiety was back, making her stomach churn. She barely touched her food, and Dhruvin noticed instantly.

He tore off a small piece of paratha, holding it up to her lips. “Eat.”

She shook her head lightly. “I’m not—”

“Aashu,” he said firmly, voice low enough for only her to hear. “Please.”

Reluctantly, she took a bite, and only then did he continue eating, feeding her another bite after every one of his own.

When the cake arrived, the group cheered, clapping as Dhruvin cut into it. Aashna fed him a piece, and he did the same for her. Just as she was about to move away, Nishant reached over, swiping a bit of the cream onto his finger before smearing it over Dhruvin’s cheek.

“Couldn’t let you go without this,” he said with a grin.

It was an innocent gesture. At least, to the others, it seemed so.

But Aashna knew better.

She saw the flicker of his gaze toward her, and she stiffened instantly. It was as if he wanted to do that to her but knew he couldn’t. Adwait, who had been watching, clenched his jaw.

Everyone else joined in the cake fight, smearing it all over each other, but Aashna felt sick to her stomach.

She turned slightly, burying her face into Dhruvin’s shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her, pressing a quick kiss to the top of her head before whispering, “You okay?”

She just nodded, her grip on his shirt tightening slightly.

And as the celebration continued, she knew one thing for certain—Nishant’s presence was going to make this trip far more difficult than she had ever anticipated.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Author’s Note

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