Part 10

AUTHOR POV

The moment Rudra walked out of the meeting hall without even sparing her a glance, something inside Maher shattered.

She had told herself she wouldn't expect anything from him. That it didn't matter if he ignored her. That she was over it.

But reality was cruel.

Her fingers trembled as she clenched Kian's car keys in her palm, her nails digging into the metal. She barely heard Kian calling after her as she walked away in a daze, her legs moving on their own.

Before she knew it, she was inside his car, gripping the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

And then—she drove.

She didn't know where.

She didn't care.

The world outside blurred, the bright sunlight and city noise fading into nothing. The sound of the engine roared in her ears, but inside, there was only silence—a deafening, suffocating silence.

Her breathing was shallow, uneven. Her chest ached, as if something heavy was pressing down on it, crushing her.

Why did it still hurt?

Why did he still have the power to break her like this?

She bit her lip, fighting the tears that threatened to spill. No. Not again. Not for him.

She was done crying for Rudra Singhania.

She had to be.

Meanwhile... Kian

Kian watched in utter disbelief as Maher stormed off.

With his car.

"Did... she just...?" His brain short-circuited for a second before realization fully hit. "SHE STOLE MY DAMN CAR?!?"

He ran a hand down his face, exhaling sharply.

"Do I call the cops?" he muttered to himself. "File a missing car report? No, wait—file a missing best friend report, because apparently, she's lost all common sense?"

But the humor faded as soon as he checked the GPS location.

She wasn't heading home.

She wasn't heading anywhere.

Her movements were erratic, like she was just driving aimlessly, and that terrified him.

He immediately booked a cab, muttering a curse under his breath.

By the time he reached the location where the car had stopped, his chest was tight with worry.

The car was parked at the side of an empty road, the engine still warm. But there was no sign of Maher.

His stomach clenched. Where the hell was she?

Panic surged through his veins as he rushed forward, scanning the area desperately.

"MAHER!" he shouted, his voice raw with urgency.

No answer.

The silence was suffocating.

His heart pounded wildly as he ran past the car, searching the wide-open space, his mind spiraling with worst-case scenarios.

And then—he saw her.

A small, frozen figure, standing a few steps away, her back turned to him.

Kian stilled.

Something about her felt wrong.

Her shoulders were stiff, her arms hung limply by her sides. Even from a distance, he could see her uneven breathing.

Then—before he could react—she turned and stumbled toward him.

And everything else disappeared.

For a second, he didn't move.

Didn't breathe.

Then his arms wrapped around her tightly, instinctively, like he was holding together something that was on the verge of breaking.

She was shaking.

Her body felt cold, despite the warm afternoon air.

His grip tightened as he felt her bury her face into his chest, her fingers clutching onto his shirt like he was the only thing keeping her from falling apart.

"You scared the hell out of me, Maher," he whispered, his voice raw with emotion.

She didn't reply. She just held on tighter.

And Kian knew—she had been running, not from a place, but from the memories that refused to let her go.

And all he could do... was hold her together.

MAHER POV 

I didn't know how long I stood there, wrapped in Kian's arms, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me.

My fingers had curled into the fabric of his shirt as if it were the only thing anchoring me.

Slowly, the storm inside me began to settle. My heartbeat, once erratic, found a rhythm again. My breathing steadied.

Sensing the change, Kian finally spoke. "Wanna talk?"

His voice was soft, patient—never demanding, never pushing.

I loosened my grip on him and stepped back slightly, meeting his gaze. I wanted to say something, anything, but the words refused to come.

How was I supposed to explain something I didn't even understand myself?

Kian studied me for a moment, then—without another word—he took my hand in his, his grip warm and firm. Not forcing, just guiding.

"Come with me," he said.

And for some reason, I did.

The drive was silent.

Kian didn't ask where I wanted to go, and I didn't ask where he was taking me. I simply let the road unfold ahead of us, the hum of the engine lulling me into a strange sense of calm.

After a while, he stopped the car.

I blinked, looking around.

It was breathtaking.

I stepped out, my eyes widening as I took in the surroundings—a hidden paradise tucked away from the chaos of the world.

Tall, ancient trees stood like guardians, their branches stretching towards the sky. The air smelled fresh, crisp, untouched. Birds chirped, butterflies fluttered lazily, and a gentle breeze made the leaves dance.

And then, further ahead, nestled among the trees—a house.

A beautiful wooden house.

I turned to Kian, silently questioning.

He chuckled at my curiosity. "This place..." he exhaled, his eyes softening, "is where I find peace. It's important to me."

I didn't ask why.

Some places didn't need explanations. They just were.

But then—a sound caught my attention.

The soothing, rhythmic rush of water.

A waterfall.

Drawn by it, I walked forward, my feet moving on their own.

Kian followed silently as I stepped past the trees and finally saw it—a cascade of water tumbling down smooth rocks into a crystal-clear pool below. The sunlight caught the droplets, making them sparkle like scattered diamonds.

It was mesmerizing.

Kian leaned in slightly, his breath fanning against my ear.

"Beautiful, right?"

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"Very much."

We sat by the water's edge, saying nothing.

And for the first time in a long while... silence didn't feel heavy.

It felt peaceful.

The silence stretched between us, but this time, it wasn't uncomfortable. It wasn't suffocating like before. The sound of the waterfall filled the air, blending with the rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of birds.

I stared at the water, my fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on the smooth rock beneath me. Should I tell him?

I had never spoken about it before. Not to anyone.

But something about this place, about Kian sitting next to me with his usual ease, made me feel... safe.

So, before I could stop myself, before the fear of reopening old wounds could hold me back, I spoke.

"Rudra was my ex-boyfriend."

The moment the words left my lips, I felt a weight shift off my chest. Not disappear, but shift.

Kian, who had been watching the water, suddenly stiffened. I turned to look at him and found him staring at me, his brows drawn together in pure shock.

"What?" His voice came out sharper than usual, filled with disbelief. "Rudra? As in... your soon-to-be jiju Rudra?"

I swallowed, nodding.

For a moment, Kian just stared at me, processing what I had just revealed. His usually carefree expression was replaced with something else entirely—concern, confusion, and something else I couldn't quite place.

He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a breath. "Okay, hold on. You're telling me that the guy I had a whole damn business meeting with today—the guy who is supposed to marry Isha—is your ex?"

I nodded again, looking away.

Kian let out a humorless chuckle, shaking his head. "Wow. Just... wow."

Silence fell again, but this time, it was heavier.

I didn't know what he was thinking, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to.

For the longest time, I had kept this truth locked away. Buried so deep that even I had convinced myself it didn't matter anymore.

But it did.

Because the moment I saw Rudra today, the moment I saw him standing there with Isha, it all came rushing back.

The love. The pain. The heartbreak.

And now, Kian knew.

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of my past settle between us.

And then, I waited.

For his reaction. For his questions.

For whatever came next.

Hello Guys,

What do you think about Kian ??

How do you like the bond between Maher and Rudra .

Do tell me , your opinions matters a lot

If find any Grammatical error , then do tell me.

Thank You