Gauri's breath caught as Vihaan's fingers slowly loosened around her wrist. The glint in his eyes was no longer warmth—it was mockery wrapped in charm. The air around them shimmered faintly, heavy with something dark and knowing.
"So," he drawled, circling her like a predator toying with its prey. "You really thought you could fool me, didn't you, Gauri?"
His voice was smooth, dangerous—each word laced with venomous amusement. He stopped just behind her, his shadow falling over hers. "You followed me, thinking I'd lead you to the Maan Kalash. Clever," he said, his tone softening only to harden again, "but foolish."
He moved in front of her now, his smirk deepening. "You see, I led you here. I wanted to see how far you'd go. I thought, perhaps, a little fun was in order before I destroy what's left of your hope."
Gauri stared at him, her heartbeat a mix of anger and ache. "You misled me…" she whispered.
He chuckled darkly. "No, Gauri. You misled yourself. All for this ridiculous emotion you call love." His gaze flickered—half Vihaan's tenderness, half Sarvansh's cruelty. "Tell me, was it worth it? Sacrificing your powers, your pride… all for a man who no longer exists?"
His words sliced through her like shards of ice, but she refused to waver. Lifting her chin, she met his stare head-on. "You can mock me all you want, Vihaan," she said, her voice trembling but resolute. "But love isn't foolish. It's strength."
He scoffed. "Strength? Or delusion?"
"Both," she said firmly. "Because I'm not just fighting to win back Vihaan's love… I'll win Sarvansh's heart too. You two may think you're separate, but I know the truth."
He blinked, momentarily thrown off.
"You're one," she whispered, stepping closer. "Two halves of the same soul. You can hide behind darkness, Vihaan… but your light still burns within it."
For a moment, the wind stilled. The teasing curve of his lips faltered—just slightly. The Vihaan she knew flickered behind those crimson eyes, before vanishing again beneath Sarvansh's smirk.
He leaned in, voice low. "Then try, Gauri. Try to love a monster. And when he breaks you, remember—you asked for it."
Her reply was steady, a quiet flame beneath the storm. "I've already been broken, Vihaan. Now, I burn."
The highway fell silent, the echo of their words hanging like prophecy between them.
The afternoon sun burned through a haze of gold and dust as Gauri stood on the highway, her heart still trembling from Vihaan's cruel revelation. The echo of his words — "You really thought you could fool me, Gauri?" — still rang in her ears, mingling with the restless hum of cicadas around them.
She stared at him, breath uneven. His once-soft eyes gleamed with wicked amusement — the smirk of Sarvansh shadowing the man she once loved.
"Such devotion," he mocked, circling her slowly. "But tell me, Gauri — what good is faith without power? You gave yours up, remember? For me." He laughed softly. "And now, you stand here powerless… while I hold both love and darkness in my hands."
A flash of pain crossed her face, but she didn't look away. "Maybe," she murmured. "But love can still change you — even if you don't realize it yet."
Vihaan tilted his head, studying her. "Still trying to redeem the monster?" He smirked. "You truly are my favorite fool."
Before Gauri could respond, a thunderous crack echoed nearby. Another massive tree, split by unseen force, crashed across the highway with a heavy thud. Dust rose, swirling around them like a spell.
Gauri's eyes widened. "What—?" she started, stepping back.
Vihaan merely smiled faintly, snapping his fingers as if it were all part of his plan. "Looks like the road ahead is blocked," he said coolly. "How poetic."
But before either could move, the low hum of an approaching car broke the silence. A sleek black car slowed to a stop a few feet away.
Vihaan's smirk returned. "Ah. Company."
Gauri turned toward the car, her heart thudding. The doors opened, and a young couple stepped out — the man with piercing eyes that carried both arrogance and mystery, the woman beside him graceful yet strong, her presence warm like light through glass.
"Oh, hello! Sorry, the road's completely blocked," Gauri said, forcing a polite smile, masking the storm within her. "We're just figuring out what to do."
As the introductions followed — "I'm Gauri. This is Vihaan." — and "I'm Kiara… and this is my husband, Yuvaan." — something electric passed between them.
When Gauri's hand brushed Kiara's, a subtle warmth spread — divine energy meeting its reflection. Both women paused, just for a heartbeat, sensing something unspoken.
Behind them, Vihaan and Yuvaan exchanged an equally tense glance — one cloaked in darkness, the other in barely-contained power. Neither spoke, but the air between them pulsed with quiet hostility, as if fate itself had drawn two forces from opposing realms into the same orbit.
"Looks like we're stuck till someone brings help," Vihaan said dryly.
"Or until someone does something," Yuvaan countered.
Kiara intervened gently, smiling as she placed a hand on Yuvaan's arm. "Maybe we can all move it together?"
Gauri nodded softly, though her gaze lingered on Vihaan — who, for just a moment, looked less like the man who mocked her and more like the one she once knew.
As they all stepped toward the fallen tree, Kiara murmured, "Sometimes, life throws obstacles to test how far we can go."
And Gauri replied, her voice low yet resolute, "Or to make us meet someone who reminds us why we keep going."
For a fleeting second, Vihaan's expression faltered — as though her words struck something deep within.
The wind shifted, carrying dust, leaves, and destiny in its wake — as four souls, strangers and yet bound by threads unseen, stood together at the crossroads of fate.