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All three vehicles came to a stop at their destination—Silent Valley, a place people often visited for camping and early-morning treks to the viewpoint, where the sunrise spilled over the mountains like fire.
One by one, everyone stepped out of their cars, stretching and shaking off the long drive.
Inside the black Brabus, Yunah was still asleep—peaceful, unaware of the world around her.
Meena leaned forward from the back seat, about to wake her—
"Don't wake her up," Noah said quietly, stopping her with a hand.
Meena hesitated. "But—"
"Let her sleep." His voice wasn't loud, but it left no room for argument.
Without another word, Noah stepped out of the car and headed straight for the campervan.
"Where's Yunah?" Serena asked, her eyes immediately searching for her as she began unloading supplies.
"She's sleeping," Noah replied, lifting a box from the van as if it were nothing
.
"What?" Serena whipped her head towards him. "She's sleeping and you didn't wake her up?" Her voice shot up. She dropped the things she was holding, dusting her hands sharply. "How dare she sleep while the rest of us are working?" She turned and marched towards Noah's car.
Noah stepped in front of her, blocking her path without raising his voice."Let her sleep," he said calmly. "I'll handle the extra work." Then, as if it were obvious, he added, "She barely slept last night because of the drama."
The words hit Meena like a quiet punch. Guilt settled heavy in her chest.
"Wahhh," Serena scoffed, staring at Noah in disbelief. "You're impossible." She threw her hands up. "I can't even argue with you."
Turning away, she stormed back towards the open grassy ground, picking up the supplies and carrying them off with exaggerated effort.
Noah watched her go for a second—then turned back to the van, already reaching for the next box.
Soon, everyone settled into their roles.
The men worked together setting up the tents, the air on their side filled with loud laughter, teasing, and the rhythmic thuds of poles being fixed into the ground.
On the other side, the women unfolded the portable tables and began chopping fruits so everyone could eat together later.
The difference in atmosphere was obvious.
Where the men's side was light and noisy, the girls' side was wrapped in an uncomfortable silence—especially between Meena and Serena. Unfortunately, the two of them had been assigned the same task.
They stood side by side, cutting fruits on the table, the soft thud-thud of the knife against the board the only sound between them. No words. No glances. Just tension thick enough to taste. But silence like that never lasts forever.
Meena was the first to stop. Her knife paused mid-air. She took a slow breath and finally turned to Serena. "I'm sorry… for everything," she said quietly.
Serena didn't look at her right away. Her hands kept moving, precise and controlled.
"What's the use of saying sorry," Serena replied coldly, "when the damage is already done?" She finally turned her gaze towards Meena. "An apology won't heal the wounds you gave Yunah."
Meena lowered her eyes.
"And I'm not the one you should be apologising to," Serena continued, her voice still firm—but not cruel. Then she sighed. "But… let's accept what's already happened. And try to move on." She held Meena's gaze, making her words clear.
"Hm…" Meena nodded, swallowing hard.
The tension between them eased—just a little.
Serena wasn't ready to forgive her. Not yet. But she also didn't want to push Meena further into guilt when she was already emotionally broken.
The past is the past, Serena told herself.
The girl standing in front of me is the present Meena—not the one who hurt Yunah back then.
Without another word, they went back to cutting fruits.This time, the silence didn't feel as sharp.
****************
Noah opened the car trunk and took out a few red-wine bottles, placing them on the ground. He grabbed a water bottle for himself and took a long drink.That's when his eyes caught movement nearby.
Preeti was walking towards the campsite, arms overloaded with several small bags stacked awkwardly against her chest. She was clearly struggling. As she came closer, her foot slipped slightly—and in the next second, the bags tumbled from her hands, scattering across the grass.
Noah watched. He had no intention of stepping in.But then a thought crossed his mind—Yunah.If she found out he'd stood there and done nothing while her friend struggled, she'd be furious.With a quiet sigh, Noah closed the bottle and moved.He squatted down in front of Preeti without a word, collecting the scattered bags and items one by one. He didn't look at her. Didn't acknowledge her presence beyond the act itself.
Preeti, however, froze. Her grip tightened on her dress as her eyes darted—not to Noah—but past him.
To her husband.
Sabin stood a short distance away, staring at them. His expression was dark. Possessive. Furious. It wasn't concern. It was control.
Preeti's face drained of colour. Fear flickered in her eyes as she watched Sabin's clenched jaw and burning stare. She swallowed hard, her fingers trembling.
They both stood up at the same time.
"Here," Noah said flatly, handing her the bags. Only then did he look at her—and instantly sensed something was wrong.
"T-thank y-you…" Preeti said, her voice barely steady. Her eyes kept drifting back towards Sabin, as if she needed to make sure he wasn't still watching.
Noah followed her gaze.
The moment his eyes landed on Sabin, the man looked away—too quickly. But Noah had already seen enough. His expression hardened. So that's how it is, he thought.
Preeti and Sabin's marriage wasn't as smooth as they pretended it was in front of others.
Not even close.
*******************
In no time, everything fell into place. The string lights glowed softly against the trees and van, the folding tables were set, the BBQ grill and cooking stove fired up, and the tents stood ready on the grass. The air was already thick with laughter, smoke, and the sizzle of chicken and pork hitting the grill.
That's when the roar of a bike cut through the noise.
Serena turned just in time to see Sharon pulling in, helmet tucked under his arm, far too relaxed for someone who had arrived this late.
Her mood dropped instantly."You seriously decided to show up now?" she snapped as he walked over. "When everything's already done?"
Sharon grinned, completely unfazed. "Not my fault. Had something urgent to deal with." He glanced around at the crowd, then casually dropped into a foldable chair. "And look at this—so many people. Why are you even complaining?"
Serena shot him a death glare, but before she could fire back, laughter and chatter from the others drowned her out as they continued preparing the BBQ.
While everyone's attention stayed on food and banter, Noah quietly stepped away.
Without drawing notice, he headed towards his car.
Nisha's eyes followed him instantly. From the moment she had arrived in Algarah, her focus had been fixed on Noah alone—every movement, every expression. And now, watching him walk away without a word, her curiosity flared.
"Where are you going, Noah?" she asked, unable to hold it in.
He didn't stop. Didn't turn.
"I'm going to check on Di," Noah replied flatly, already moving towards the car.
Not even a glance spared her way.
Nisha stood there, fingers curling slightly at her sides.
Because it was clear—
since the very beginning, Noah's world revolved around Yunah.
******************
Inside Noah's car, Yunah stirred as distant voices and movement outside finally reached her. She blinked awake, disoriented at first—then realised she had slept deeply.
Almost too deeply.
Nearly three hours.
She hadn't slept well the night before. Meena's presence, her words, the unresolved mess—it had all weighed heavy. But now, wrapped in silence and exhaustion, her body had taken what it needed.
She stretched slightly just as the car door opened.
Noah was already there.
"You woke up, Di," he said gently, leaning against the open door.
"Yeah…" Yunah murmured, glancing at her wristwatch.
Her eyes widened.
"It's 3 p.m. already?" She jolted upright, panic flickering across her face. "Why didn't you wake me up?" She scratched the back of her head, clearly embarrassed.
Noah smiled softly. "You barely slept last night. I didn't want to disturb you." Then, casually, "And don't feel bad. You're not the only one. That weird guy from the stadium showed up late too."
Yunah scoffed. "You mean Sharon? Why are you calling him weird?"
"I just think—" Noah started.
Buzz...
The sound cut through the air.Yunah's phone lit up which was on the centre console. Noah's eyes rolled down on the screen recognising the number instantly as it belonged to her ex, Gaurav. His jaw tightened.
Yunah grabbed the phone and reached for the screen, instinctively about to answer
but—
Noah grabbed her wrist.
"Don't pick up."
His voice was low. Commanding.The warmth in his expression vanished, replaced by something sharp, cold—possessive. His grip wasn't painful, but it was firm enough to leave no room for argument.
Yunah froze.
A chill ran straight down her spine as she lifted her eyes to meet his.Those eyes weren't gentle anymore.They were dark. Dangerous. Unyielding. For a moment, she forgot how to breathe—stuck between confusion and the sudden, overwhelming intensity radiating from him.
She didn't move.
She didn't speak.
She just stared back at Noah, caught in the weight of his gaze, as the phone continued to buzz between them.