Page 92 of Mrs. Rathore

His eyes flickered at the mention of Ira.

“I’m not your charity case,” I hissed. “I’m not some punishment you’re supposed to endure before returning to your perfect life with Ira. I was someone before you. I was a respected dancer, a whole person. And now? Now I can’t even stand without breaking.”

Aryan said nothing. He just looked at me, his eyes wide, and his lips parted.

“I wake up every morning wishing I could go back,” I murmured, my voice barely audible now. “Not to the accident, but to the moment before you entered my life. Before your car shattered my bones and your presence shattered my peace.”

He swallowed hard. “I know I made mistakes,” he said, his voice cracking, “and I know I can’t fix what I’ve broken. But I’m trying, Avni. I’m trying to be someone worthy of… forgiveness.”

I looked at him, hollow. “Forgiveness isn’t a prize you earn, Aryan. It’s something that grows in the space left behind by healing. But how can I heal when all you’ve ever done is hurt me?”

The silence that followed wasn’t awkward; it was final.

“You should leave now,” I said coldly, regaining control of my voice.

“I won’t leave,” he replied firmly, cutting through the tension between us. “You can’t even walk. How will you get to your room?”

“Don’t you dare touch me,” I snapped as he slid an arm beneath my knees. I pushed against his chest, panic flooding my voice. “Get away from me!”

“I’ll go,” he said tightly, “just as soon as I know you’re safe.”

Before I could protest again, he scooped me into his arms. I stiffened, turning my face away from him, swallowing my sobs.

He carried me inside and gently placed me on the bed. His eyes never left mine.

The pain in my leg was sharp and throbbing, but it still didn’t compare to the storm inside me. I bit my lip hard, trying to stop myself from falling apart.

“Avni…” he said softly, but I refused to meet his gaze. “Please. Just look at me.”

“Go away, Aryan,” I whispered, my voice trembling.

He reached forward and gently cupped my face. “I never realized what I’d taken from you until I saw you dancing out there. You looked like… like you belonged to the heavens.” His breath hitched. “And then I watched you fall, and it felt like I was the one shattering.”

He wiped away a tear that escaped my eye.

Then it happened.

I don’t know who leaned in first, but suddenly, our mouths met.

The kiss was desperate, raw, and hauntingly sweet. I gasped at the taste of him. He tasted like fire and longing. My fingers tangled in his thick hair, pulling him closer as I clung to the solid weight of his chest.

His hand cupped the side of my face while his lips claimed mine as it was unrelenting, rough, gentle, everything all at once. I moaned softly into his mouth, my entire body reacting in ways I had never thought were possible.

When we finally broke apart, we were both breathing heavily, our breaths uneven. My lips were swollen, and my chest heaved. I looked up at him, trying to find meaning in his gaze, but he had already turned away.

“Get some rest,” he said quietly. “I’ll call the doctor.”

He lingered by the door, his eyes flickering as if he had more to say. But he remained silent.

And then he left.

The door closed behind him with a soft click, and I was alone again, bathed in fading sunlight. The sharp pain in my leg pulsed with every heartbeat, and an emptiness so profound it felt like grief settled in.

________

Chapter 35

AVNI

---