2. Reunited

TRIPTI SINGH

Today was Meher's Mehendi, and I woke up feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. I wore a green silk kurti and paired it with a beautiful set of jhumkas gifted by my mother. I rarely get the chance to dress up, so I made sure to savor this moment.

Yet, as I adjusted my dupatta, the embarrassment of last night's accident resurfaced. I couldn't stop replaying the image of myself barging into someone's private moment. What must they think of me? I needed to share this with my friends, but first, I headed to the cafeteria, where they were already seated.

From a distance, I could tell something was wrong. Everyone, except Palak, looked visibly annoyed. Palak, as usual, seemed unbothered, happily scrolling through her phone while waiting to order. I took a seat beside Veda and asked what had happened. Swastika, glaring at Palak, huffed about her ruining the mood. Palak, unaffected, shrugged and signaled a waiter to take their order.

It was then that Veda dropped the bomb-Sameer Shrivastava, Meher's fiancé, was the same Sameer from our school days. Shocked, I asked if they were sure. Sameer had been our classmate from kindergarten to junior high, and now we were about to be his saalis. But the revelation didn't stop there.

If Sameer was here, it meant he'd invite his friends, including him. My words made Veda visibly uncomfortable, and I couldn't blame her. Her nightmare, her downfall, and once, her everything-Aadvik Malhotra-was likely here.

VEDA ROY

The mere thought of him unsettled me. I hadn't seen him yet, but I could feel his presence lingering in the air. Aadvik Malhotra, CEO of the Malhotra Group of Companies, a name that once meant love and joy, now felt like a reminder of heartbreak. My throat tightened, and tears welled in my eyes. Swastika noticed and asked what was wrong, but I quickly brushed it off, claiming something had gotten into my eye. I hated lying to them, but I couldn't bring myself to share how much his memory still affected me.

Excusing myself, I said I needed fresh air. They let me go, their concerned eyes following me. Wandering through the venue, I tried to distract myself by clicking pictures. The Mehendi decorations were breathtaking, with walls adorned in flowers and the word "Mehendi" written beautifully at the center. I was so engrossed in my phone that I didn't notice someone in my way until I bumped into them.

Looking up, I froze. Dark brown eyes locked with mine, and my breath caught. It was him. Aadvik Malhotra. His eyes, once warm with love, were now cold and distant. We stared at each other for what felt like an eternity until I finally looked away and walked past him. My tears spilled over, blurring my vision, and I didn't care where I was going. My heart felt heavy, and I couldn't shake the pain.

Just when I thought I could escape, I felt a tug on my dupatta. Turning around, I found him holding its hem, his expression unreadable. His gaze held the same intensity it once did when he confessed his love. My heart raced, but I forced myself to remain calm. I snatched my dupatta from his grasp and walked away, but he grabbed my hand and dropped to his knees.

The sight shocked me to my core. A crowd quickly gathered, phones out, recording the spectacle. There he was, the CEO of a multimillion-dollar company, on his knees, asking for forgiveness. "Maaf kardo, Veda," he whispered, his voice breaking. After nine years, he was here, apologizing in front of strangers at someone else's wedding. Tears brimmed in my eyes, but I refused to let him see me cry. Leaning in, I whispered, "Bhaad me jao," before walking away, leaving him kneeling and humiliated.

My mind was a whirlwind of emotions as I returned to the cafeteria. I hoped I wouldn't run into him again, but deep down, I knew this was far from over.

Meanwhile, in another part of the hotel, Aadvik was dealing with his own turmoil. Darsh, his best friend, had disappeared, and the events of the previous night weighed heavily on him. The memory of the girl with green jhumkas barging into his room still haunted him. Her shocked expression and the awkwardness of the moment made his cheeks burn every time he thought about it. He prayed he wouldn't see her again, but fate had other plans.

While looking for Darsh, he stumbled upon a commotion in the cafeteria. A girl in green silk was surrounded by people, and he assumed she was being proposed to. Curious, he stepped closer to see the lucky guy. Instead, he caught sight of her face and froze. It was the same girl-the one who had walked in on him last night. The sight of her made his cheeks heat again, and for a moment, he wished he could disappear.