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Gauri's POV~

"In the present, can we be friends again?"

I stared at him, utterly amazed.

What had gotten into him today? Had an alien taken over his body?

First, that forehead kiss—the warmth of which still lingered—and now this.

After years of loneliness, his presence felt both comforting and familiar to my soul.

He looked at me with so much hope that, for a moment, he didn’t seem like the CEO I had read about in magazines.

"Friends?" I repeated, unsure of what to say.

"Yeah. You know, it’s really annoying to talk to someone you once knew like they’re a stranger."

I understood what he meant.

Back when Abhi introduced us, I had been about to deny our friendship when Rajveer had answered for me: "Yeah, we’re friends."

And now, after all these years, he was asking the same question again.

"Okay," I finally decided to give it a shot.

His eyes widened slightly. "Okay?"

He looked at me as if he hadn’t expected me to agree.

"Oh, okay," he repeated, clearing his throat. "Umm… so, I can come here to meet you and that little angel?" He avoided my gaze, looking everywhere but at me.

I chuckled. Was he nervous?

"Yes, Mr. Kapoor, you can come here anytime." I tried to tease him.

But he had other plans.

"I think Raj would be better. It sounds nice coming from you."

His words caught me off guard, suddenly reminding me of our last encounter—at Chandni’s wedding.

Before I could dwell on the memory, he spoke again.

"I’ll take my leave now. See you tomorrow."

I watched him walk away, his smile lingering in my mind.

I wonder how many girls have fallen for his charm, his gentleness…

Oh! And his wittiness. The voice in my head added.

And just like that, another memory came rushing back.

Four Years Ago – Rambagh Palace

I was searching for a book in my bag when a sudden knock on the door made me pause.

I glanced at the time. 10:25 PM. It was late.

Expecting room service, I walked to the door and opened it—

Only to freeze in place.

Rajveer.

For a long second, our eyes locked. The world seemed to slow down until he broke eye contact, clearing his throat.

"Hey, sorry to disturb you. Can I take my phone charger?" He got straight to the point.

"Charger?" I frowned. This was my room.

"Yeah, Sourav said he left my charger here before you moved in," he explained.

I just nodded, stepping aside to let him in.

Before I could fully process his presence, my foot slipped on the rug near the bed.

My breath hitched. I was about to crash to the floor when a strong grip caught me by the waist.

Rajveer.

He held me tightly, trying to steady us both—

But in the end, we both fell to the ground.

Pain shot through my ankle.

"Ahh," I hissed, clutching it.

Rajveer quickly sat up, his hands on my arms. "Are you okay?" Worry laced his voice.

"Ahh, my ankle…" I winced.

Without hesitation, he helped me up and guided me to the bed.

Then, without saying a word, he walked out.

I barely had time to wonder where he went before he returned, carrying a cold water bottle.

He shut the door and knelt before me.

"I’m sorry. That was my fault," he murmured, setting the bottle beside him.

"Don’t blame yourself. It was my clumsiness," I muttered, feeling utterly embarrassed.

Meeting my crush after four years and falling in front of him? Just perfect.

I didn’t want him to think I was trying to seduce him. I knew about his relationship, and I would never involve myself with a committed man.

"What are you doing?" I asked, panicked, as he reached for my ankle.

"You’ve got a sprain. Let me help." His voice was gentle as he removed my hand from his.

I swallowed hard.

His gaze flickered from my eyes to my lips before shifting back to my ankle.

As soon as he moved it slightly, the pain shot through me. My hands instinctively gripped his shoulders.

"Ahh! No, it hurts!" Tears welled in my eyes.

His expression softened.

One tear escaped, trailing down my cheek.

His eyes followed it, his gaze deepening.

The world seemed to still.

His eyes glowed in the dim light, dark and endless, holding secrets I longed to unravel.

He looked at me like no one ever had before. Like I was seen.

Like I mattered.

And then—

"Ahh, Raj—" My words muffled against his palm.

He had twisted my ankle before I could even realize what was happening.

I barely had time to react before something cold pressed against it.

The water bottle.

The pain faded almost instantly.

"Hmm. Raj? Not bad," he teased, standing up and removing his hand from my mouth.

I rolled my eyes.

"Try to stand," he instructed softly.

I hesitated but followed his lead.

There was still a dull ache, but I could walk.

Rajveer walked over to a drawer, retrieving his charger before turning back to me.

His gaze swept over me from head to toe.

"Does it still hurt? Should I take you to a doctor?"

I shook my head. "No, it’s fine. Thank you."

He nodded, heading for the door.

"Take rest. Good night."

And just like that, he was gone.

I stared at the door long after it had closed.

Would it be ridiculous to admit that I loved the pain—if it meant he would be this close to me again?

I shut the door with a sigh, as if trying to close the door to my own heart.

"Didi, where’s the uncle?"

Nidhi’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

I chuckled, even as a familiar moisture glistened in my eyes.

Some wounds never truly heal.

Some memories never truly fade.

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