Divya bit her lower lip, hiding her own smile.

"Yeh kya ho raha hai Darsh? Tumhari ego thik hai na? Bukhaar toh nahi hai?" She teased, leaning on the railing.

Darsh chuckled softly, looking up at the moon.

"Bukhaar hoga bhi toh tujhe kya? Na toh tu dawai dene aayegi, na sambhalne."

"Haan haan... sambhalne toh koi aur hi aayegi. Tumhare peeche line lagi hai na ladkiyon ki?"

Darsh smiled faintly, his eyes fixed on the stars.

"Lagi toh hai... par un line me sirf wohi aisa kar sakti hai mere liye."

Darsh leaned against the railing, the playful smile lingering on his face as Divya's annoyed voice echoed in his ears. Her sudden jealousy of herself amused him more than anything else.

"Isme kya hai... koi bhi aa jayega." She had huffed.

He smirked, his voice dropping into that soft, teasing tone that always made her heart flutter - not that she'd ever admit it.

"Koi nahi aa payega... only meri Anamika kar sakti hai. She doesn't fear anything."

Divya's fingers curled into a fist, irritation bubbling inside her. Why was he always bringing up this Anamika?

"She is not that special or extraordinary... bas raat ko milne hi aati hai na." She muttered, a pout forming on her lips without her even realizing.

Darsh bit his lip, trying hard to suppress the laugh threatening to escape.

"Tu aa sakti hai abhi?" He asked, the mischief twinkling in his eyes. "Nahi na... if I would call meri Anamika right now... toh wo toh aa jaati. Because she loves me."

Divya's nostrils flared, her heart doing somersaults at those three words.

"Haan toh... she loves you... mai thodi na karti hoon." She snapped, folding her arms across her chest like a stubborn child.

Darsh's smile widened, his heart oddly warming at her childish denial.

"Accha?" He drawled.

"Accha kya? Accha kya hota hai? I don't love you." She huffed, her cheeks heating up.

"Haan toh maine kab kaha tu karti hai?" He teased, voice low and calm - as if he knew exactly how much he was getting under her skin.

Divya's mouth opened and closed like a fish before she stomped her foot lightly.

"Whatever! Mai bhi aa sakti hoon... I am better than your Anamika."

Darsh couldn't hold it anymore - he chuckled, his deep laughter echoing in the silence of the night.

"Mazak tha... abhi 2 minute me tu so jayegi... and you might be yawning right now." He said lazily.

Divya, who was actually yawning at that exact moment, immediately clamped her hand over her mouth, glaring at the screen.

"Shut up Darsh!" She snapped and without another word, disconnected the call.

Darsh stared at the blank screen for a second before bursting into laughter, the kind that shook his shoulders and made his heart feel lighter.

Still smiling, he moved back inside, collapsing onto the couch. His fingers automatically reached for his phone.

He scrolled through his gallery, opening a folder hidden deep inside - US 😋.

A small, secret folder filled with candid pictures and silly videos of him, Vihaan, and Divya - all those memories they'd made together.

What nobody knew - not even Vihaan - was that Darsh had special folders for all his close ones. He kept them hidden, locked away behind passwords because... well, the world didn't need to know that the cool dude Darsh was actually this sentimental.

His thumb swiped through the pictures, but tonight... his eyes kept lingering on her.

Divya.

Her laughing face... her frowning face... her fake angry pout... her sleepy half-open eyes when she'd dozed off during night calls...

He didn't know what made him do it - maybe the night's loneliness or maybe the strange warmth bubbling in his heart - but his fingers started moving on their own.

One by one, he zoomed in on their group pictures... cropped Vihaan out...

And slowly started collecting only his and Divya's pictures.

Without realizing, a soft smile played on his lips.

By the time he finished, there was a b

rand new folder in his gallery -

"Anamika ✨"

He stared at the folder name for a few seconds, then shook his head with a faint chuckle.

Meanwhile, Arushi sat curled up on the bed, her knees drawn to her chest. Tear tracks stained her cheeks as she tried to suppress the sobs escaping her lips. Her phone vibrated, flashing Reyansh Calling...

She quickly wiped her tears and answered, trying to sound normal.

"Hello?"

"Hmmm... so madam remembered she has a phone?" Reyansh teased lightly.

"What do you want?" She asked, her voice softer than usual.

Reyansh's smile faded. He instantly caught the strain in her tone.

"What's wrong, Aru?" He asked, his voice turning gentle.

"Nothing... just tired." She lied, avoiding his question.

"Aru... I'm not stupid who will believe your 'I'm fine' nonsense." He said softly. "Tell me."

Her throat tightened, and for a few moments, there was only silence.

"They... they were right, Rey..." She finally whispered, her voice breaking.

"Who was right?" He asked, his brows furrowing.

"Those people... online... about my paintings." She sniffled. "They called it childish... said I shouldn't even call it an exhibition... that I'm just wasting everyone's time with my silly hobby."

Reyansh's jaw clenched. He could already feel the anger bubbling inside him, but he took a deep breath, calming himself down.

"Aru... why the hell are you listening to those nameless losers sitting behind a screen?" He asked gently. "Your paintings aren't just colours on canvas... they're pieces of you. Those idiots can't see it... but I know how special they are."

"They aren't special..." She mumbled. "They're right... I'm not an artist... I just got lucky once or twice."

Reyansh sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

"Arushi... listen to me-"

"I don't want to talk about it" She cut him off, her voice small and defeated. "I just... I just want to sleep."

Arav was sleeping peacefully, his arms tucked under the pillow when a soft knock echoed from the window. His brows furrowed in sleep, but he ignored it, thinking it was just his imagination.

Knock Knock

His eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the darkness of the room. The sound came again, a little louder this time. He turned towards the window ,and his heart almost stopped.

A shadowy figure stood there, long hair flying in the night breeze, face barely visible in the dim moonlight.

"Bhoot...bhoot... Bhoot!!" He whispered to himself, clutching the blanket tightly and ducking inside like a scared cat.

But the knocking didn't stop, in fact, it became more rapid.

"Hanuman chalisa..." He began chanting under his breath, squeezing his eyes shut.

When the knocking still didn't stop, he peeked out slowly, his heart thudding against his chest. With trembling hands, he switched on the light, thinking the ghost would disappear in brightness, but the figure was still there, staring straight at him.

His heart was about to jump out of his ribcage when the person smacked the glass impatiently.

"Arav!!"

His eyes widened, finally recognizing the voice.

"Ritika??"

He rushed to the window, unlocking it in disbelief.

"Tumhara dimag toh thik hai?? Raat ke 2 baje yeh sab kya hai?" He asked, pulling her inside quickly, checking around like a thief.

Ritika jumped inside gracefully, brushing her hair back like she had just made a grand entry in a film.

"Tumne kaha tha tumse milne ka mann ho toh aa jaana... aur apne pran nath ki baat mai kaise taal sakti hoon?" She said dramatically, placing a hand on her heart.

Arav blinked at her, deadpanned, then rolled his eyes.

"Pagal hai tum... koi dekh leta toh?? Aur tum akeli itni raat ko kaise aa gayi? Itna dangerous hai... tumhe kuch sochna nahi hota kya?"

Ritika smirked and fished out two small items from her bag - a small knife and a packet of red chilli powder.

She grinned cheekily and leaned closer, her voice turning mischievous.

"Accha ab jab aa hi gayi hoon... toh time waste kyun kar rahe hain?"

His brows shot up.

"Toh kya karein?" He asked cautiously, not trusting that glint in her eyes.

Ritika's smirk deepened, leaning against the wall with arms crossed.

"Tumhare room ke andar, tum aur tumhari girlfriend ek saath... aur tum pooch rahe ho kya karein?" She teased.

Arav's ears turned red, and he cleared his throat, pretending to act innocent.

Arav stumbled back, his heart thumping against his ribcage as Ritika took slow, deliberate steps towards him. His back hit the wall, leaving him with no escape.

"Ritika... tum.. kya kar rahi ho?" He stammered, gulping hard, his Adam's apple bobbing visibly.

A mischievous smirk played on her lips as she trailed her index finger along his sharp jawline, making him freeze on the spot.

"Wahi... jo hume karna chahiye... Swami." She whispered, her voice laced with mock seduction, leaning in dangerously close.

Arav's breath hitched, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights.

"M...mai...t...tum...abhi...raat ko-" His voice cracked mid-sentence, making Ritika bite her lip to suppress her laughter.

Her finger traced down his jaw, brushing lightly over his exposed collarbone, making him gulp so hard it was audible.

Ritika leaned in again, her face mere inches away, and she burst out laughing

"Swami, mai bhi bohot sanskari ladki hoon, samjhe? Main toh sirf baatein karne aayi thi." She whispered, eyes twinkling.

Arav shut his eyes tightly for a second, muttering something under his breath before he grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the door.

"Yahan nahi... terrace pe chalo." He whispered hurriedly.

"Ohhoo... akele me romance karna hai?" She teased, making him glare at her.

They sat in the farthest corner of the terrace, the cold night breeze brushing against their faces. The whole world was asleep, but for them, this night felt like the most special one - a secret, stolen moment before everything changed.

Ritika rested her head on Arav's shoulder, closing her eyes as if trying to capture the warmth of this moment forever.

"I can't believe it..." She whispered, her voice barely audible in the silence of the night. "Kal iss time tak... we will be married."

A soft smile curved on Arav's lips as he laced his fingers with hers, squeezing her hand gently.

"I can't wait for tomorrow." He whispered back, his eyes shining in the moonlight.

Ritika opened her eyes, looking at him with a faint smile, but there was a glint of unshed tears in her eyes.

"I want to marry you, Arav... but... I don't want this night to end." She whispered, her voice heavy with emotions. "This phase... ye jo humare rishte ka waqt tha na - girlfriend boyfriend wala... it was so beautiful... I can't imagine it's ending."

Arav's heart clenched seeing her like this. He turned his head slightly, pressing a soft kiss on her hair.

"It's not ending, Ritika... it's just changing... It's a journey to further happiness." He whispered softly.

Ritika smiled, but her fingers gripped his hand tighter as if she was scared of letting go.

"This is the last time we are meeting as girlfriend and boyfriend... agar engagement part ko hata den toh." She chuckled softly, her voice breaking.

Arav smiled, his heart swelling with love.

"Thank you." He whispered out of nowhere.

She frowned, looking up at him.

"For what?"

Arav turned his face towards her, his eyes glimmering with raw honesty.

"Thank you for falling for a stupid, simple man like me." He said with a small chuckle. "Warna mai toh itna bewkuf tha ki abhi tak apni feelings samajhne me hi lag jata... aur jab realise kiya tab bhi kitni der tak tumhe khud se door rakha... I was a jerk, Ritika."

His voice cracked at the end, guilt flickering in his eyes.

Ritika's heart squeezed hearing his words. She shifted, facing him properly and cupped his face in her palms.

"Oye... don't you dare say anything about my Arav." She whispered, her eyes shining.

He looked at her, surprised.

"Tumhari simplicity hi tumhari sabse special quality thi... aur aise hi nahi I fell for you... tumhare pyar me gir gayi thi mai Arav Rajvansh. Bas ek baar socho... The Ritika Malhotra... sabke dil ki dhadkan, tumpe fida thi, Toh don't you dare underestimate my choice." She teased, trying to lighten the moment.

Arav's eyes softened.

Without thinking twice, he took her hand in his and pressed a soft kiss on her palm.

"I can't believe it sachi mein!!" She beamed, twirling with childlike excitement. "Tomorrow... I will be Ritika Arav Rajvansh... Arav, you have no idea how many times I dreamt about this!! But no dream was ever this special!"

Her voice was laced with wonder, as if the reality felt too beautiful to be true.

Arav stood up, his heart swelling at her innocence. He smiled softly before stepping forward, his hands finding her waist to steady her.

"You also have no idea how many times I dream about you, dressed as my bride, walking towards me." His voice dropped to a soft murmur, eyes turning dreamy.

"Par jab bhi tumhara haath pakadne jaata tha na... wo gadha alarm baj jata tha." He pouted dramatically.

Ritika giggled, her laughter echoing in the night.

Suddenly, Ritika's eyes sparkled as she remembered something.

"You know, aaj Gauri Poojan me moti ki mala mere sar pe gir gayi thi... Mummy ne pehna diya... she said Maa Durga blessed me."

Excitedly, she removed her dupatta from her shoulder, revealing the delicate pearl garland resting on her collarbone.

Arav's smile widened. His fingers traced the pearls lightly, the gesture tender... but the moment he touched it, the fragile thread snapped - the pearls scattered onto the floor like tiny droplets of moonlight.

Ritika gasped, freezing in shock.

Arav's face paled.

"Shit!" He muttered, immediately dropping to his knees. "I... I just touched it... Oh God, Ritika... I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to-"

His voice cracked, panic flashing in his eyes as he tried to gather the pearls with trembling hands.

Ritika blinked at him, momentarily surprised by his reaction.

"Arav... it's okay... bas ek mala thi... itna panic kyun ho rahe ho?" She said softly, kneeling beside him.

But he wasn't listening.

"Nahi... yeh bohot shubh hoti hai... Maa ka ashirwad tha... aur maine tod diya... shaadi se ek din pehle... yeh acha sign nahi hai, Ritika..." His voice shook, guilt seeping into every word.

Ritika stared at him in disbelief for a second before breaking into a soft giggle.

"Arav Rajvansh... tum sach me ekdum typical ITV ki bahu jaise behave kar rahe ho!" She teased, cupping his face.

He looked at her, utterly flustered.

"Ritika, it's not funny... yeh bohot bura sign hai... I messed up."

Her grin softened into something more tender.

"Shh..." She whispered, brushing her thumb over his lips. "Even if it's a sign... humara pyaar uss sign se bohot zyada strong hai... hai na?"

He blinked at her, still breathless.

"Tum mujhe chhor ke jaoge?" She asked, her eyes searching his.

His heart squeezed painfully.

"Kabhi nahi." He whispered without missing a beat.

"Mai bhi..." She whispered back, smiling through the shimmer of unshed tears.

"Toh bas... problem solved." She grinned, wiping away his panic like magic. "Hum sath hain, sath rahenge... aur agar kuch bura bhi hua... toh bhi hum dono milkar sab thik kar denge."

Arav's lips parted, the knot of fear in his chest slowly easing with her words.

"Pakka?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

She held out her little finger.

"Tumhari kasam."

A small smile tugged at his lips, and he hooked his pinky with hers.

For a second, they simply sat there - two souls bound by a promise far greater than any superstition.

Without warning, Arav pulled her into a bone-crushing hug, burying his face in her hair.

The moonlight filtered through the slightly open window, casting a soft glow inside the room where Shahswat was sleeping soundly, his face calm and peaceful. The faint sound of crickets echoed outside as the night wrapped everything in silence.

A mischievous grin spread across Siya's face as she carefully climbed through the window, having scaled the pipe once again without a second thought. Her eyes twinkled with mischief as she tiptoed closer, her heart fluttering seeing him sleep so serenely.

She sat cross-legged beside him on the bed, resting her hands on her cheeks, her gaze fixed on him.

"Sote hue koi itna handsome kaise lag sakta hai?" She whispered softly to herself, a dreamy smile playing on her lips.

Her fingers automatically reached out, gently brushing the strands of hair from his forehead before she quickly took off the black thread from her wrist and did nazar utaarna for him, murmuring under her breath.

"Kahin meri buri nazar na lag jaye..."

Just then, as if sensing someone's presence, Shahswat's eyes fluttered open. For a second, his sleep-dazed brain couldn't register the figure in front of him - but the moment realization dawned, his eyes widened in horror.

He was about to scream when Siya's palm clamped over his mouth.

"Shhh... ham Siya..." She whispered dramatically, leaning close to his face.

His squinted eyes tried to adjust to the dim light before they narrowed in disbelief.

"Siya??" He mumbled against her palm. "What the hell?? Tum yahan kya kar rahi ho? Is waqt??"

She grinned sheepishly.

"Aapko dekhne aayi thi..." She whispered innocently, as if breaking into someone's room in the middle of the night was the most normal thing in the world.

He sat up abruptly, glancing at the other side of the bed where Akash was snoring away, completely oblivious.

Without wasting another second, Shahswat grabbed Siya's wrist and dragged her towards the far corner of the room, away from Akash.

"Window se aayi? Phir se?" He whispered harshly, his brows furrowing. "Itni raat mein? Mishti, ye kya bachpana hai? Maine uss din bhi kaha tha-"

His voice was all set to give her a full-fledged lecture - but before he could complete the sentence, Siya leaned in and pressed her soft lips against his, cutting him off mid-sentence.

His eyes widened in shock, the words dying in his throat.

For a few seconds, he completely froze - his hands hovering in the air, his heart hammering against his chest.

Siya pulled back slowly, a teasing smirk dancing on her lips.

"Y... yeh... tum..." He stuttered like a malfunctioning robot.

She giggled, tapping his nose lightly.

The night was still, the soft moonlight casting a silver hue over the terrace. The cool breeze brushed against their faces as Siya dragged Shashwat up the narrow staircase, their footsteps muffled against the old concrete steps. The terrace was divided into two parts by a waist-high wall, one side connected to the main staircase where anyone could come, while the other side remained secluded, a small hidden corner where the world seemed to pause.

As soon as they reached the farthest corner, away from any prying eyes, Siya turned around abruptly and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug.

Shashwat stiffened for a second, caught off guard.

"Siya... tum theek ho na?" He asked softly, concern flickering in his eyes as his hands automatically circled around her waist, holding her close.

She buried her face in