The air in the room feels heavy, almost suffocating. My body trembles as I replay Abhay Raichand's words in my mind: "You killed innocent people. You're no better than me."
Ashtram Raghuvanshi, the man I loved, is a Mafia King-a devil who has blood on his hands. The realization hits me like a storm, leaving my heart shattered.
Ashtram kneels before me, his hands trembling as he unties the ropes around my wrists and ankles. His touch is gentle, as though he's afraid of breaking me further. When the restraints fall away, he pulls me into his arms, holding me tightly as if I might disappear.
But instead of comfort, his embrace ignites a fire of anger and betrayal within me. I shove him away with all my strength, my voice sharp and trembling.
"Don't touch me!"
His dark eyes widen, hurt flashing across his face. "Angel..." he whispers, his voice soft but filled with desperation. He tries to reach for me again, but I step back, glaring at him with all the pain in my heart.
"No!" My voice cracks as tears blur my vision. "You think I don't know what you are? You think I can just forget what I saw? You killed him-just like that. Without mercy. Without hesitation."
His jaw tightens, and his dark aura seems to grow more intense. "He hurt you," he growls, his voice low and dangerous. "He wanted to kill you. He deserved to die."
"You're no better than them!" I snap, my tears falling freely. "You're a devil. Abhay said it-you've killed innocent people. How could you? How could you lie to me?"
He doesn't flinch, his gaze locking onto mine with a terrifying intensity. "Yes," he says quietly, his tone raw and unapologetic. "I am a devil. I've done things I can't undo. I've killed. I've destroyed. And I'll do it all again if it means keeping you safe."
He takes a step closer, his voice dropping to a possessive growl. "You're mine, Niranya. My Angel. My light in the darkness. And I will never let you go."
"Don't come closer," I whisper, my voice trembling. "Don't try to justify this. You're no better than the people you fight against."
"Angel, don't do this," he warns, his tone dark and dangerous. "You don't understand the world I live in. Hate me, scream at me, but don't walk away. You're mine."
"You don't own me, Ash!" I shout, shaking my head. My breath hitches as he steps closer, his gaze locked onto me like a predator watching its prey.
"I already do," he murmurs, a dark promise laced in his voice. "You are mine, Angel-just as I am yours. Bound, claimed, consumed. No one takes us away from each other... not even ourselves."
His words terrify me. The possessiveness in his tone feels like chains tightening around my heart.
"No, Ash," I whisper, tears streaming down my face. "You don't own me. And I can't do this anymore. I can't even look at you right now."
Before he can respond, I turn and run out of the room, my legs carrying me as fast as they can.
The moment I step outside, the cold rain crashes down on me, soaking me to the bone. The storm rages, thunder rumbling in the distance as if the heavens are mourning alongside me. My knees give out, and I collapse onto the wet ground, the weight of my emotions too much to bear.
I cry, my sobs mixing with the sound of the rain. My heart feels like it's breaking into pieces, the love I felt for him now tangled in a web of fear and betrayal.
Behind me, I hear the sound of heavy footsteps. I know it's him. His presence is a storm in itself, dark and inescapable.
"Go away!" I scream through the rain, my voice breaking as I clutch my chest.
I never wanted my Angel to see this side of me. Not like this. I've kept my darkness hidden for so long, buried beneath layers of lies and silence. But because of that bastard Abhay, everything has been dragged out into the open. Now, she sees me as the monster I've worked so hard to shield her from.
The pain in her eyes-the betrayal-it cuts deeper than any wound I've ever felt. She thinks I'm no different than the people I fight against, the people I've killed. But she doesn't understand.
I never killed innocent people. I did what I had to do to protect the ones I love, to protect her. Every action, every decision I've made, it was all for her. For us. But she can't see that. All she sees is the blood on my hands, and I can't blame her.
I step closer, my voice a mix of desperation and frustration. "Niranya, please..."
But she's too far gone in her anger and fear. She turns away from me, her body rigid, her heart closed off.
"Don't you dare try to justify this," she snaps, her voice trembling. "You're a devil. Abhay was right. You killed him without hesitation. You took his life like it was nothing."
I can feel the weight of her words, the way they tear through me. But I can't let her go on believing this.
"No, Angel," I growl, my voice low, controlled. "I didn't kill him for no reason. He hurt you. He wanted to end your life. He deserved what he got."
But she shakes her head, tears streaming down her face. "I don't care! I don't care what he did. You still killed him. And I can't be with someone like you."
It's like a punch to the gut. Her rejection. The fear in her eyes. It's all too much. But I can't let her walk away, not like this. Not when she doesn't understand.
I take a step forward, my voice quieter now, almost pleading. "You don't know the world I live in, Niranya. I never wanted you to see this side of me. But I will do anything to keep you safe. I'll kill anyone who tries to take you away from me."
She looks at me then, eyes full of hurt, of betrayal. "You think you can just control me? Own me?" Her voice cracks, but her gaze is unwavering.
My heart shatters at the words, but I can't stop myself. "Yes, I can." I step closer, my voice dropping to a whisper. "I already do. You belong to me, Angel. And I will never let you go. No one will take you from me. Not even you."
The terror in her eyes makes my blood run cold. I don't want to hurt her. I don't want to push her away, but she has to understand.
She turns away from me, shaking her head. Her sobs mix with the rain, and I can't take it anymore. I need to make her see. I need to make her understand.
I follow her out into the storm, the rain drenching me as I chase after her. "Angel," I call, my voice hoarse, but she doesn't stop.
She crumbles to her knees in the downpour, her cries filling the air. And that's when I know-I can't lose her. Not like this. Not because of lies, not because of that bastard Abhay.
I step closer, my heart aching as I reach out to her.
"Go away!" she screams through the rain, but I won't. I can't. I won't let her push me away, not when everything inside me is screaming to make her understand.
"I'm here, Angel," I say, my voice rough, but steady. "I'm not going anywhere."
Her pain is like a dagger to my soul, but I won't let her go. Not without a fight.
"I'm here, Angel," his voice reaches me, rough but steady, but I can't bring myself to look at him. Not now. Not after everything I've learned, everything he's done. My stomach churns with disgust as the reality of it all crashes down on me.
I can hear his footsteps, the sound of him coming closer, but I refuse to face him. I can't. The man I once thought I knew-the man I loved-was nothing more than a monster. A killer. A criminal.
My whole body shakes with anger, fear, and betrayal. I pull my knees tighter to my chest, trying to protect myself from the storm of emotions inside me. I don't want him near me. I don't want him to touch me. Not after what he's done.
His presence is suffocating, like the rain that's soaking through my clothes, but I can't run anymore. I can't outrun this pain, this truth. He's here, right in front of me, and I hate him for it. I hate him for being the reason my world has turned upside down.
"You think I'll just forgive you?" I whisper, my voice shaking with a mix of hurt and fury. "You think I'll let you back into my life after everything? After what you've done?"
I hear him move closer, but I won't let myself look at him. I can't bring myself to meet his gaze. His eyes, once the ones that made me feel safe, now feel like daggers, piercing through me with every glance.
I clench my fists, trying to hold onto some semblance of control. I won't cry for him. I won't let him see me break. Not anymore. He doesn't deserve it.
"Please," his voice cracks, but I don't care. The hurt in his voice only makes me feel more repulsed. It doesn't change the fact that he's the reason for all this pain. He's the reason my heart is breaking.
"I said leave me alone, Ashtram!" I scream, my voice raw, but firm. "I don't want to see you. I don't want to hear you. You're a Devil, and I don't care about your excuses. I can't be with someone like you!"
The words feel like they're tearing through me, but I have to say them. I have to let him know that I won't forgive him. I won't go back to the lies, to the darkness that he brought into my life.
I feel his presence right behind me, but I don't turn around. I won't. I don't want to see his face, the face of the man who has destroyed everything I once believed in.
"Please," he says again, his voice desperate. But I won't let him pull me back in. I won't let him control me anymore.
I turn my head away from him, my breath catching in my throat. "Just leave, Ashtram. Please."
And as the rain continues to pour down, I feel a part of me breaking, but I know this is the only way. I have to let him go. I have to make him understand that he can't have me anymore. Not like this. Not after everything he has done.
I watch as she struggles to stand, her movements shaky and her back turned to me, but I won't let her walk away. Not like this. Not when everything inside me is begging for her to stay, for her to understand that I would do anything for her.
"Stop," I command, my voice a low growl. "It's late, Angel. You shouldn't be out here alone."
She doesn't even look at me as she takes another step, her body stiff with anger. "I can handle myself," she snaps, her voice tight with emotion.
"No, you can't," I reply, my voice firmer now, stepping closer to her. "Not like this. Not in this condition." I can't let her leave like this, not after everything that's happened, not when I know she's not thinking straight.
She spins around, finally meeting my gaze, her eyes blazing with fury and hurt. "You think you can control me, don't you?" she hisses. "You think you can just dictate my life, my choices? Well, I'm done with you. I don't care if it's late, I don't care about anything you say. I'm leaving. And you can't stop me."
I feel the sting of her words, but I won't back down. I can't let her go out there, not when she's so upset, not when she's in this emotional state. I say, my voice quieter now, but still full of authority. "I just need to make sure you're safe. I'm not letting you walk away alone in the middle of the night. Not when you're like this."
She takes a step forward, getting closer to me, and I can see the raw emotion in her eyes. "I don't need your protection," she spits. "I don't need anything from you."
Her words slice through me, but I don't flinch. I know I have to stay calm, to keep my composure. But I won't let her leave.
Before I can respond, a voice cuts through the tension.
"Astram, what's going on?" Vedant's voice, sharp but concerned, interrupts the moment. I glance at him, and he takes in the scene-Niranya standing there, drenched in the rain, clearly upset, and me, standing too close, trying to stop her from leaving.
I run a hand through my wet hair, frustration mounting. "She's leaving. I'm not letting her go alone."
Vedant raises an eyebrow, his gaze flicking between Niranya and me. He steps closer to her, giving me a quick glance before turning his attention back to her. "Niranya, why don't you let me take you home? It's not safe out here, especially with how things are between you two right now. He's not going to hurt you, but you're not in the best headspace to be walking around alone."
I can see her body tense at the mention of me, but Vedant's presence seems to calm her, just enough. She looks at him, eyes full of hesitation, then at me, as though weighing her options.
"I'm not staying with him," she says, her voice cold and firm.
"I know," I reply, though it stings. I step back a little, keeping my distance but still watching her closely. "But you need to get home. You can't be out here like this, Niranya."
Vedant steps closer to her. "Let's go. I'll take you to your place." His voice is gentle, not trying to force anything, but firm enough to guide her.
She looks between me and Vedant for a long moment, her expression torn, before she finally nods reluctantly.
"Fine," she says, her voice brittle. She's broken, and I know that, but it doesn't make it any easier to accept. It doesn't make it any easier to watch her walk away, even if it's with Vedant.
"Take care of her," I say, my voice tight, though there's no anger. Just a deep, raw ache that makes my chest feel hollow.
"I will," Vedant replies, giving me a quick, knowing look.
As they walk away, my heart remains heavy, the rain still pouring down, soaking everything in its path. I can't let her go, but I know she won't listen to me right now.
But I will fix this. I will make her understand. I will do whatever it takes to get her back.
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