Kiara's phone buzzed relentlessly as she stepped out of the studio. Paparazzi flashes blinded her, and the questions were sharper than ever:
"Kiara, is it true you're dating your co-star?"
Her breath caught. Dating? The rumour was absurd, yet the headlines were already trending. She pushed past the crowd, her heart pounding—not from fear, but from the thought of Aarav seeing this.
Back in Paris, Aarav stared at his screen. The article was everywhere:
"Kiara Kapoor and Rohan Malhotra—Chemistry On and Off Screen?"
He clenched his jaw, scrolling through photos of Kiara laughing with her co-star. He knew the industry thrived on gossip, but the seed of doubt was planted. And pride… pride made him put down his phone instead of calling her.
That night, Kiara dialled Aarav's number, praying he'd pick up. He didn't. Instead, a message arrived hours later:
"Busy. Talk later."
Two words that felt like a wall.
She walked to her balcony, staring at the stars that once promised forever. Her chest tightened. Was ambition tearing them apart? Or was love not enough when the world kept whispering lies?
As she turned to go inside, an envelope slid under her door. No name, no sender—just a note:
"Not everything shines under the stars."
Her fingers trembled. Anonymous notes had once brought them together. Now, they threatened to break them apart.