Important notice ⚠️:

Hey guys , it's Nisha here.

So actually I need to say something about this chapter . This chapter expresses the feelings of a person in depth and detailed way. I worked really hard on writing this one though 😭. I had to do some research on how to write while expressing the characters emotions really well. And I think I did a good job at it too 😁. It took lots of my time and efforts.

So don't forget to give your feedback about how you feel about this new couples and their lives and tell me if I need to change something, i will gladly hear it and try to change it for the next one.

(This chapter is both emotional and sweet , hope you like it )

Happy reading guys 🥳 .

Don't forget to vote and comment as much as you can , I will be grateful for your support.

Chapter 3. The engagement (part-2)

Ananya's POV

Ananya stood by the entrance of the grand hall, trying to focus on the beauty of the engagement ceremony. She had been feeling happy and relaxed, watching her best friend Riya step into this new phase of life. The entire hall was filled with an infectious warmth, families laughing and teasing each other, while soft lights glimmered from the ceiling. It was the kind of atmosphere that would usually lift Ananya’s spirits. And it had been working—until she felt herself stumble.

Distracted by her thoughts, Ananya's foot caught on the edge of her lehenga, and before she could steady herself, she tripped forward, her hands reaching out to break the fall. A gasp escaped her lips as she braced herself for the impact.

But instead of hitting the floor, she felt strong hands grab her by the arms, steadying her.

“Careful,” a voice murmured, low and familiar, its warmth sinking into her skin like ice water.

Her heart stopped, her breath catching in her throat as she slowly looked up. No. It can’t be. Not him. Not here.

Her gaze collided with deep, regret-filled eyes, and time seemed to freeze. Kabir.

The world around her blurred into insignificance as she stared at the man who had once been her entire universe. The shock in his eyes mirrored her own, but it was the rush of emotions—emotions she thought she had buried—that hit her like a tidal wave. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest as memories, long-buried and unwanted, surged to the surface with a force that left her breathless.

Ananya blinked, trying to steady herself, but it was no use. The moment her eyes met Kabir’s, she felt everything—the pain, the betrayal, the love that had turned into ashes in her hands. It all came rushing back, threatening to overwhelm her.

For years, she had tried to forget. She had convinced herself she was over him, over the heartbreak. She had moved on, built a life without him. But seeing him now, so close, so real... It was as if the walls she had built so painstakingly had begun to crumble in mere seconds.

She pulled away abruptly, her hands trembling as she backed away from him. The air felt thick, heavy with the weight of unspoken words and unfinished business. Her throat tightened as she struggled to keep the tears at bay, her mind screaming at her to get away, to escape.

Why him? Why now?

Ananya’s legs felt unsteady as she took a step back, then another. She didn’t say a word, didn’t trust herself to speak. Her heart was racing, her pulse deafening in her ears as she turned and walked away, the tears burning the back of her eyes. She had promised herself that she would never let him hurt her again, never let him back into her life in any way. But seeing him now, after all these years... it was as if her past had come back to life, raw and fresh.

She reached a quieter corner of the hall, out of sight from the others. Pressing her back against the wall, she clutched her hands to her chest, as if trying to hold herself together. Her chest ached, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps as she blinked rapidly, forcing the tears away.

Why now? She had rebuilt herself, hadn’t she? She had promised herself she wouldn’t let the past dictate her future. But here she was, breaking down like she hadn’t healed at all.

Her hands balled into fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. Seeing him again had been like reopening a wound that had never truly healed. She hated that he still had this effect on her, that just one encounter could unravel years of careful healing.

I’m stronger than this. She repeated it in her mind like a mantra, trying to push away the hurt. But the way Kabir had looked at her—the regret in his eyes—it only made things worse. It brought back memories of a time when she had loved him with everything she had, and he had shattered her heart in return.

How dare he? Her jaw clenched as she thought about how he had the audacity to even look at her like that, as though he was sorry. Sorry doesn’t fix everything.

Ananya exhaled shakily, her body trembling as she wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. She couldn’t break, not now. Not in front of everyone. She had survived before, and she would survive again. She had no choice but to push him back to where he belonged—into the past, where he could no longer hurt her.

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Kabir's POV:

Kabir’s world seemed to tilt on its axis the moment he reached out to stop her fall.

Ananya.

His heart nearly stopped as he looked down at her, the disbelief in her eyes a mirror of his own. He had imagined this moment a thousand times, but none of those scenarios had prepared him for the real thing. He wasn’t ready. Not for this. Not for her.

His hands trembled as he steadied her, but his mind was spinning. Ananya.The name alone carried so much weight—guilt, regret, sorrow. He had spent the past few years haunted by the memory of her, the memory of what he had done to her. And now, here she was, standing before him like a ghost from his past, and it was tearing him apart from the inside.

Her wide eyes held shock at first, but then they quickly shifted—hardened, turning cold and distant. Kabir’s heart sank as he saw the hurt flash across her face, and he knew that whatever pain she had once felt, she hadn’t forgotten it. She hates me. He could see it in her eyes. And God, he deserved it.

The guilt, the regret—it had always been there, simmering beneath the surface. But now, standing in front of her, it hit him like a punch to the gut. The memories of the way he had hurt her came rushing back, and he felt sick to his stomach. He had been a fool back then—young, reckless, and selfish. He had destroyed something beautiful, something pure, and he had never forgiven himself for it.

He swallowed hard, his throat tight as she pulled away from him. He could feel the distance growing between them, both physically and emotionally. The look in her eyes—the hate, the hurt—it twisted the knife of guilt even deeper.

God, I’m sorry. He wanted to say the words, but they caught in his throat. What good would they do now? Sorry couldn’t fix the pain he had caused, the trust he had broken.

He watched her retreat, his heart aching with every step she took away from him. Part of him wanted to chase after her, to beg her to let him explain, to tell her that he had never stopped thinking about her, that the regret had never left him. But he couldn’t. He had no right to ask for her forgiveness, not after what he had done.

His mind was a whirlwind of emotions—regret, guilt, and a deep, aching longing that had never truly gone away. He had thought he could move on, but now, seeing her again, it was clear that he had never really let her go. She was still in his heart, still a part of him, and that realization cut him deeper than he ever thought possible.

As she disappeared into the crowd, Kabir stood frozen, his fists clenched at his sides. I did this. He had been the one to hurt her, to destroy everything they had. And now, the weight of that mistake was crashing down on him all over again.

He took a step toward the direction she had gone, but then stopped himself. No. Today wasn’t about him. It wasn’t about his guilt or his regret. It was Arjun and Riya’s engagement, and he couldn’t afford to ruin it with his past mistakes. He would have to wait, to find another time—if there ever was one—to make things right with Ananya.

But even as he stood there, forcing himself to stay rooted in place, he couldn’t shake the gnawing ache in his chest. I’m sorry, Ananya. The words remained unspoken, but they echoed in his mind, a constant reminder of the pain he had caused.

For now, he had to let her go again, even though it tore him apart to do so. He could only hope that one day, somehow, he would get the chance to make things right. But as he watched her slip away, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the damage was already too deep to repair.

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Vivaan’s POV:

Vivaan Kapoor stood at the edge of the party, glancing around the hall as the engagement festivities continued. The celebration was in full swing, with laughter echoing through the room, but his attention wasn’t on the crowd. Instead, it was on the group of girls sitting near the dessert table.

He hadn’t been able to stop stealing glances at one girl in particular.

She was sitting there with two of her friends, laughing, her head slightly tilted back in pure, carefree joy. Her cherry-red gown flowed around her like liquid fire, shimmering under the lights, hugging her slender figure perfectly. Strands of her dark hair danced around her glowing face, her eyes twinkling with a mischievous spark. He felt his breath hitch, his heart skipping a beat. It wasn’t just her beauty—it was the way she owned the room without even trying. That laugh, that effortless grace—she was magnetic, and in that moment, Vivaan knew he was completely, helplessly captivated.

The sound of her laughter was unexpected, soft but rich, and it changed her entire demeanor. Her face lit up, her smile radiant, and for a moment, Vivaan couldn’t tear his eyes away. She looked like an angel in that moment.

Vivaan’s heart thudded in his chest as he watched her. There was something about her laughter that caught him off guard, something that made his chest feel warm. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he knew one thing—he had never felt like this before.

It wasn’t like him to be so captivated by someone, but there was something about her that drew him in, something he couldn’t quite explain.

Whatever it was, Vivaan was hooked.

As the evening went on, Vivaan made his way toward Riya as he saw her with Riya few moments ago , hoping to get more information about the girl who had completely captivated him.

“hey, Bhabhi,” Vivaan greeted, his usual smile in place.

Riya turned to him, her face slightly tense. “Yes,Vivaan?”

He grinned sheepishly. “Just wanted to ask about that girl you were with earlier. The one you were talking to .”

Riya gave him a questioning look, and for a moment, she seemed to hesitate.

"The red dress one."he said.

“Nisha?” she asked, her tone confused.

“ohh so that's her name - Nisha , beautiful just like her,” Vivaan said under his breath , feeling his heart race as he said her name. “Who is she?”

Riya sighed, a small smile playing on her lips as she glanced at him. “She’s my best friend. But Vivaan…” She paused, raising an eyebrow. “Why are you asking?”

Vivaan scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “I don’t know… I guess I just noticed her. She’s... different.”

Riya laughed softly, though there was a hint of teasing tone in her voice. “Different, huh? Let me guess—you’re interested in her?”

Vivaan’s face lit up with a grin, his eyes sparkling. “Maybe. She seems… interesting.”

Riya sighed dramatically, shaking her head. “Oh boy. I feel bad for you, Vivaan.”

“Why?” He frowned, confused. “What’s wrong with liking her? Is she taken or something ? he asked feeling defeated all of a sudden.”

Riya smirked, gesturing over to where Arjun stood nearby. “No. She is single.”

A huge smile immediately made its way on vivaan's face .“Then what's the problem? ”

Well, for starters, she’s as grumpy as your brother here.”

Vivaan glanced over at Arjun, who raised an eyebrow at the mention of his name but said nothing.

“And,” Riya continued, her tone turning more serious.

“...Nisha doesn’t believe in love.” Riya’s voice softened as she glanced over at her best friend, her eyes filled with a mixture of fondness and concern. “She’s been through a lot. She’s not an easy one to handle, trust me.”

Vivaan’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “Not an easy one to handle?” He couldn’t reconcile the laughing woman he had seen earlier with the cold, guarded persona Riya was describing.

Riya chuckled, a bit of sympathy in her voice. “Let’s just say Nisha has a way of building walls around her heart. And just like your brother,” she shot Arjun another glance , “she’s not exactly waiting for someone to break them down.”

Vivaan crossed his arms, his expression contemplative. “Well, maybe she hasn’t met the right person yet,” he said, a spark of determination lighting his eyes.

Riya gave him a half-smile. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“Dead serious,” Vivaan replied, his voice confident but with a lightness that was characteristic of him. “I mean, just because someone’s been hurt before doesn’t mean they can’t find happiness again, right? Besides, I like a challenge.”

Riya shook her head with a playful sigh. “Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Nisha is tough, but if anyone could make her smile like that again, maybe it’s you.” She paused, giving him a long, assessing look. “Just don’t get your hopes up too high.”

Vivaan’s grin widened, and his eyes sparkled with the thrill of the unknown. “Oh, don’t worry about me, Bhabhi . Focus on my brother more . Opps sorry ,  your finance and besides I don’t give up that easily.”

He turned back toward the crowd, his gaze finding Nisha once more, surrounded by her friends, her expression now serious and distant again. But Vivaan had seen something in her —not just the grumpy woman who kept everyone at arm’s length, but the person behind that mask. The one who could laugh, who could smile with such genuine warmth that it lit up the entire room.

He had no idea how he was going to win her heart, but one thing was for sure—he wasn’t going to walk away without trying. Vivaan was the type to follow his instincts, and his instincts were telling him that Nisha Sharma was worth the effort.

As he stood there, watching her from across the room, he couldn’t help but feel like he was on the edge of something big—something he had never experienced before. Nisha was different, and that difference intrigued him. He wasn’t looking for a fleeting romance or an easy win. No, this time, he was in it for something real.

And he had a feeling that Nisha, no matter how much she tried to hide it, was going to be the most real thing he had ever encountered.

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The end

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