The night felt heavier than usual.
Aara sat on the edge of her bed, phone resting in her palm, its screen dark but warm—as if it already knew what she was about to do. She had tried to distract herself all evening: helping her mother in the kitchen, listening to her brother talk endlessly about college plans, pretending that everything was normal.
But it wasn't.
Kabir's absence had carved a quiet space in her thoughts.
She told herself she was only calling for clarity. For answers. For closure.
Her finger hovered for a moment—then she pressed call.
---
Kabir was in the middle of a closed-door meeting when his phone vibrated.
Aara.
The room went silent as he stood abruptly. "Five minutes," he said, already walking out.
He answered before the second ring.
"Aara?"
Her voice came softly, hesitant. "Am I disturbing you?"
"No," he said immediately. "Never."
She swallowed. "I… you've been away. I just wanted to know if you're okay."
For a moment, Kabir said nothing. No one ever asked him that.
"I'm fine," he replied quietly. "You shouldn't worry."
"I know," she said. "But I did."
Something loosened in his chest.
"Are you safe?" he asked.
"Yes," she answered. "At home. With my family."
He closed his eyes briefly. "Good."
The call ended without promises, without explanations—but the silence between them had changed.
---
That night, Aara sat between her mother and brother as they watched an old movie together. Laughter filled the room—warm, familiar, grounding. Her mother reached out, adjusting Aara's dupatta gently.
"You've been quiet lately," her mother said. "Is work tiring you?"
Aara smiled. "A little. But I'm learning."
Her brother grinned. "She's just becoming important now."
Aara laughed, but her heart tightened.
Family meant safety.
And she was beginning to understand how fragile that safety could be.
---
Miles away, Kabir stood before a glass wall overlooking a massive industrial site.
"The project goes to Rathod Industries," the investor announced.
The room erupted in applause.
Kabir nodded once—calm, controlled—but inside, satisfaction burned sharp and clean. This project wasn't just profit. It was power. Stability. A shield.
He stepped aside, dialing a familiar number.
"She's safe," Rahul answered before Kabir could speak.
Kabir allowed himself a faint smile. "Good. And tell Kavya—thank you for keeping her grounded."
Rahul chuckled softly. "You noticed."
"I notice everything," Kabir replied.
---
Rahul and Kavya were walking together along a quiet street, coffee cups in hand.
"You don't have to check on me every time," Kavya said.
Rahul smiled. "Habit."
She glanced at him. "You're different when Kabir's not around."
"Am I?"
"Yes," she said. "Lighter."
He considered that. "Maybe because I don't carry his shadows."
Kavya slowed. "And Aara?"
Rahul's expression softened. "She's stronger than she knows. But even strong people need someone watching their back."
Their steps matched unconsciously.
Something quiet, steady, and real began to take shape between them.
---
Later that night, Kabir stood alone again, city lights reflecting in his eyes.
Aara had called him.
Not out of fear.
Not out of obligation.
But because she wanted to.
He looked at his phone, a rare softness touching his otherwise ruthless resolve.
He had won a project.
But tonight, the victory that mattered most was smaller—and far more dangerous.
Because distance had broken.
And Kabir Rathod knew one truth with terrifying clarity:
Once Aara chose him—even with a simple phone call—
There would be no turning back.