The night was silent.
Shina stood near the lake, her tears falling softly into the water.
Ripples spread… then disappeared.
"Ashura… I hate you…"
Her voice trembled.
"Are you crying?"
A voice suddenly echoed beside her.
"…And did you just say Ashura?"
Shina froze.
Slowly, she turned back.
A girl stood there.
Long, thick black hair…
A loose hoodie covering her figure…
Hands tucked into her pockets.
She was just… standing there.
Watching.
Silent.
Calm.
"Did you say… Ashura?"
Her voice was soft.
Too soft.
Shina quickly wiped her tears.
The moonlight fell straight onto her face, revealing her trembling eyes.
"…Yes."
Her voice was weak.
"Do you know him…?"
The girl smiled faintly.
"Come with me."
Shina frowned slightly.
"…Who are you?"
"I know Ashura too."
A small, unreadable smile appeared on her lips.
Shina hesitated…
Then slowly nodded.
"…Okay."
And without another word—
She followed her.
Ashura ran through the empty streets.
His breath was uneven.
Shina… I'm sorry…
His thoughts echoed loudly in his mind.
I didn't mean to hurt you…
He clenched his teeth.
"…I just wanted you to stay away from this… from me…"
He suddenly stopped.
The street was empty.
Too empty.
Ashura gasped—
And dropped to his knees.
"…I lost again…"
His voice cracked.
"…another loved one…"
His fist tightened.
Too tight.
Blood slowly began to pour from his palm…
Dripping onto the cold ground.
Inside the house—
The lights were dim.
Silence filled the room.
Until—
"YOU WHAT?!"
Nyra's scream shattered everything.
"You fixed Ashura's engagement?!"
Her voice trembled with shock.
Rivaan sighed calmly.
"Don't act so dramatic."
Rishabh puffed his cheek.
"Dad… at least you could've told us."
Nyra stood up abruptly.
"With that girl?!"
Her eyes burned with anger.
"You're mad, Dad! How could you fix my brother's marriage like this?!"
Avni chuckled lightly.
"Sorry Nyra… but Ashura is already engaged."
Ruhi glanced at her calmly.
"You didn't tell Nyra didi?"
Rivaan shook his head.
"…I forgot."
Nyra's expression darkened.
"You're the worst, Dad."
"I said sorry."
Rivaan replied without emotion.
At the back—
Yash, Reyansh, and Harsh stood silently.
"…We're stuck in a family war again," Yash muttered nervously.
Reyansh sighed.
"Let's go. This isn't our matter."
Harsh opened the door.
"Ruhi, Avni didi, Nyra didi… we're leaving."
Without waiting—
He pulled them along and stepped out.
Ruhi looked confused.
"…Where did they go?"
Avni shook her head slowly.
"…I don't know."
In a quiet apartment—
Shina sat at the table.
The girl placed a cup of coffee in front of her.
"Thanks…" Shina said softly, forcing a small smile as she took a sip.
"It's fine."
The girl sat across from her.
Her eyes… calm.
Too calm.
"So…"
She leaned slightly forward.
"You're his bride?"
Shina froze for a moment.
Then nodded slowly.
"…Maybe."
Her voice trembled.
"But… Ashura doesn't see me that way."
Her fingers tightened around the cup.
"…I think."
She lowered her gaze.
"By the way… what's your name?"
The girl played with a strand of her long black hair.
"…Riya."
Shina's eyes widened slightly.
"…Riya…?"
Her mind froze.
Riya…
That name…
Her thoughts rushed back—
Reyansh's words echoing in her mind.
"In childhood… Ashura had a friend… Riya…"
"…but she left him."
Shina slowly looked up.
Her eyes filled with confusion… and something deeper.
"…You're… that Riya?"
She smirked slightly.
"…So, you know me."
Her eyes stayed locked on Shina.
"Who told you about me?"
Shina forced a nervous smile.
"…A friend of Ashura."
Riya tilted her head.
"Hm… that idiot Yash? Or that stupid Harsh?"
"No…" Shina shook her head softly.
She took a sip of her coffee.
"…Someone else."
Riya leaned back slightly.
"So…"
"You're just Ashura's friend?"
Her gaze sharpened.
"Only a friend?"
Shina hesitated.
"…Yes."
Riya's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Really…?"
A small pause.
Then—
"I was his girlfriend."
Shina's eyes widened instantly.
"…What?"
"You… were his girlfriend?"
Riya nodded casually.
"Hm."
"We were in a relationship for a year."
Silence filled the room.
Shina looked down at her cup.
"…I see…"
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
But inside—
Something burned.
A quiet… painful jealousy.
Slowly rising.
Riya leaned back slightly, a teasing smile playing on her lips.
"You know… Ashura was pretty popular back in school."
Her eyes gleamed.
"I started dating him when he was in 8th grade."
Shina's fingers tightened around her cup.
"…8th grade?"
Her voice was uneasy.
"Isn't that… too young?"
Riya shrugged lightly.
"Yeah…"
"But he loved me a lot."
Her smile deepened.
"You know…"
"He used to smile with me… eat with me…"
A pause.
Then—
"…we even kissed."
The cup slipped from Shina's hand.
Clink—
It hit the table, spilling slightly.
Her eyes trembled.
"…You… kissed each other?"
Her voice broke.
Riya nodded casually.
"Hmm… yeah."
"He was really… addicted to me."
She leaned forward—
And gently tapped Shina's nose.
"So…"
Her eyes locked onto hers.
"How long have you been with him?"
Shina Nervously Hesitate.
Riya leaned back in her chair.
"But… I left him."
She straightened slightly.
Shina looked at her, confused.
"…Why?"
Riya tilted her head.
"Why…?"
Shina asked again, quicker this time.
Riya's lips curled into a faint smile.
"…Because he was a murderer."
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Shina's eyes widened.
"…What…?"
Riya crossed her legs, placing them casually on the table as she leaned back completely.
"It's risky… staying with someone like him."
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
Shina's fingers trembled slightly.
"…Why…?"
Riya chuckled softly.
"Ashura was always stubborn…"
Her eyes darkened just a little.
"When I left him…"
A pause.
"…he cried for me."
Shina blinked.
"…He cried?"
Her voice was filled with disbelief.
Riya nodded slowly.
"Hm."
"He did."
Riya clasped her hands together, resting her chin lightly on them.
She looked straight at Shina.
"You know…"
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"When I left him…"
Her eyes softened for a second.
"…he said something to me."
Flashback
Ashura ran toward her.
His breath was uneven.
His eyes… desperate.
"Riya—!"
"Why are you still following me?!" she snapped.
"I already told you… I found someone else."
Ashura froze.
"…Who is that bastard?"
Slap—
Her hand struck his cheek.
"Stay polite."
Ashura staggered slightly.
Still holding the flower in his hand—
He clenched it tightly.
The petals crushed slowly.
Tears rolled down his face.
"Please… don't leave me…"
His voice broke completely.
He grabbed her hands tightly.
"You're everything to me…"
Riya's expression turned cold.
She pushed him away harshly.
"I hate you, Ashura."
"A murderer doesn't deserve love."
Her words cut deeper than anything.
She kicked him down.
Ashura collapsed.
Crying.
Begging.
"Please… don't leave me…"
"Please… Riya…"
But she didn't stop.
She just walked away.
Without looking back.
Present
Riya leaned back, calm as ever.
"He was so childish back then."
A small smirk formed.
"I kinda want to see him now…"
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Is he still like that?"
Shina didn't respond.
Her eyes…
Went completely silent.
Riya giggled softly.
"Boys are so foolish…"
Her tone turned sharper.
"When we dated… I did love Ashura. I won't lie."
She shrugged lightly.
"I cared for him… a little."
Her lips curled.
"But then he started talking about our future…"
She laughed.
"How foolish can boys be?"
"They really think we'll stay with them forever?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"That's impossible."
She leaned back, relaxed.
"It's not that I hated Ashura…"
"I just found someone better."
A faint smirk.
"Rich. Calm. Elegant. A topper… famous…"
She giggled again.
"Perfect husband material."
Shina's fingers slowly tightened.
"When I left him…"
Riya continued casually.
"He kept coming back."
"Again… and again… and again…"
She raised her fingers slightly.
"Fifty-six times."
"I rejected him every single time."
Her voice turned cold.
"He's just a shameless coward."
"Can't even forget one girl…"
"And people think he's strong?"
She chuckled.
"He's just a baby."
Silence.
Heavy.
Still.
Shina slowly stood up.
Her face… unreadable.
She picked up the cup.
Riya frowned slightly.
"…What are you doing?"
BAM—
The hot coffee splashed across Riya's face.
"AHHH—!"
Her scream echoed through the room.
Riya stumbled back, covering her face.
"Ahh—! You bitch! What did you do?!"
She screamed in pain.
Shina didn't respond.
Her grip tightened.
The empty cup slipped from her hand and hit the floor.
Clatter.
Riya tried to crawl back.
Her breathing was uneven.
Shina stepped forward.
Slowly.
Each step… heavy.
"…You call yourself a girl?"
Her voice was low.
Cold.
Riya froze.
Shina exhaled sharply.
"A woman…"
She continued,
"…is someone who protects the one she loves."
Her eyes burned.
"Boys aren't foolish."
"They're loyal."
A pause.
"And Ashura…"
Her voice softened for a second—
"…was loyal."
Riya trembled.
Shina's gaze hardened again.
"You didn't leave him because he was a murderer."
Her voice cut through the silence.
"You left him because you found someone 'better'."
A step closer.
"You twisted his character… to justify yourself."
Riya shook her head weakly.
"N-No…"
Shina grabbed her jacket and pulled her slightly forward.
"Don't lie."
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"You played with him."
A long silence.
Riya's body trembled.
Shina slowly let go.
Stepping back.
"A real woman…"
"…never shames the one who loved her."
She turned away.
Then paused.
Without looking back—
"Don't come near me again."
Her tone was deadly calm.
"…or I won't stay this calm next time."
Riya sat frozen.
Shaking.
Unable to speak.
Shina walked to the door.
Opened it.
And left.
Without another word.
The atmosphere shifted.
In a dimly lit room—
A boy sat at a table.
Silently.
A guard stood beside him.
"Sir… your father has decided…"
He hesitated.
"…to transfer all his wealth to your sister."
Silence.
The boy didn't move.
Then—
A faint smile appeared.
"…That's stupidity."
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
"Father shouldn't have done that."
Crack—
The glass in his hand shattered.
Blood slowly dripped down his fingers.
But he didn't react.
His expression twisted slightly.
"I hate him…"
A pause.
His eyes darkened.
"…and I hate you, Shina."
His voice broke—just a little.
"…I should've killed you back then."
He slowly stood up.
The chair slid back with a sharp sound.
"Prepare everything."
His tone returned to normal.
"We're leaving for India."
The guard bowed immediately.
"Yes, sir."
Ashura stood up slowly.
His eyes were heavy… but determined.
"…I need to find Shina."
He exhaled softly.
Then—
A voice echoed from behind.
"Oh… so you're Ashura."
"The one everyone admires."
Ashura let out a small chuckle.
"…Another threat?"
He turned back.
His gaze—
Cold.
Sharp.
"But you don't sound like Ishaan."
Silence.
Then—
From the darkness…
A pair of glowing red eyes appeared.
Watching him.
Unblinking.
Ashura's expression didn't change.
But deep inside—
He knew.
"…This is bad."
Chapter 9 End.