Chapter-5: When the Past Returns

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The days that followed were lighter, filled with easy smiles and quiet companionship. Veer and Anaya began to share small, intimate moments—a shared joke over breakfast, a walk on the terrace after dinner, the subtle warmth of intertwined fingers while watching television.

Though the shadows of their past lingered, they no longer loomed. Instead, they faded gently into the background as their present took shape.

Anaya had never felt more hopeful. She continued her business studies, often showing Veer her assignments and asking for his opinion. He admired her sharp thinking, her attention to detail, and the way she spoke with such conviction. They debated market trends over coffee and discussed new startups at the dinner table.

One evening, as they reviewed a case study together, Veer looked up from her notes.

“You’d make a great CEO one day,” he said sincerely.

Anaya blinked, surprised. “You really think so?”

“I know so.”

His words lingered with her. For so long, she had lived under the weight of being someone’s wife, someone’s daughter. But here, for the first time, she felt seen—as herself.

But just as their bond began to blossom, an unexpected visitor arrived to shake their fragile peace.

It was a Thursday afternoon when Veer received a call from the front gate. Anaya was preparing lunch when she heard the sharp shift in his tone.

“What is she doing here?” Veer asked, voice taut.

Anaya turned, a question in her eyes.

He hesitated. “It’s Meera. She’s here.”

Anaya froze, the knife in her hand stilling mid-cut.

“Should I—should I leave?” she asked quietly.

Veer shook his head. “No. This is your home.”

He stepped out to meet Meera, leaving Anaya standing in the kitchen, her heart pounding.

From the living room, she heard Meera’s voice—smooth, confident, and as polished as ever.

“You’re looking well, Veer,” Meera said.

“What do you want?” Veer asked coldly.

“I made a mistake,” she said. “I was confused. You know I always had ambition, but I thought Vikrant would help me achieve it. I was wrong. He used me.”

“That’s not my problem anymore,” Veer replied.

“I want to fix things,” Meera said. “We were good together. You know that.”

Anaya stepped quietly to the hallway, just out of sight. She couldn’t help herself.

“We were,” Veer admitted. “But you left when things weren’t convenient anymore. You didn’t even look back.”

“I didn’t know what I was doing,” Meera pleaded. “But you’re still wearing the watch I gifted you. That must mean something.”

Veer looked at the watch. It had become a habit, not a memory.

He slowly unclasped it and set it down on the table.

“You were my past,” he said. “Anaya is my future.”

Silence stretched.

“I see,” Meera said, her voice tight.

“She stood by me when I was impossible. She gave me warmth when I didn’t deserve it. I won’t betray that.”

Anaya backed away quietly, tears burning her eyes—not from pain, but from the overwhelming wave of relief.

A few minutes later, Veer returned to the kitchen. Anaya pretended to be busy at the stove.

“She’s gone,” he said gently.

Anaya nodded.

Veer walked over and took her hand, turning her to face him.

“I chose you, Anaya,” he said. “Not out of duty or pressure. Because I want you.”

She looked up at him, searching his eyes. “Even if she hadn’t come back, would you have said that?”

He held her gaze. “Yes. But now I understand how much I mean it.”

She stepped closer, resting her forehead against his. “Then promise me we’ll leave the past behind us.”

“I promise.”

That night, they stood hand in hand on the balcony as the city lights twinkled below. For the first time, their hearts beat in sync—not because of destiny or obligation, but because they had chosen each other through the chaos.

In a world where so many love stories break before they even begin, theirs was different.

It was broken first—and then built from the shards into something even stronger.

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