Silence didn't stay.
It broke.
Anaya stepped back.
Once.
Then again.
Her breath uneven.
Her thoughts louder than anything around her.
"…no…"
A whisper.
Because this—
This was too much.
Too fast.
Too real.
"…I can't—"
Her fingers tightened around her lehenga.
And then—
She turned.
Running.
Just like before.
The fabric gathered in her hands—
Steps hurried.
Tears blurring everything in front of her.
The door was right there.
Just a few steps more.
Her hand reached for the handle—
"—you said you'll listen to me till the end this time."
His voice.
Not loud.
But it stopped her.
Completely.
Her fingers froze.
Still resting on the handle.
Because those words—
Weren't just a reminder.
They were a plea.
A promise.
Slowly—
She closed her eyes.
Tears slipping down—
Quiet.
But unstoppable.
Her grip loosened.
But she didn't turn immediately.
Didn't trust herself to.
Behind her—
Reyansh stood where she had left him.
Not moving closer.
Because this time—
He wouldn't force her.
"…I'm sorry."
The words came out—
Broken.
Raw.
Not rehearsed.
Not controlled.
Just real.
"…it's my fault."
A pause.
"…all of it."
Her breath hitched.
Because that—
She didn't expect.
"…I should've stopped you that day."
His voice trembled slightly.
"…I should've held you there—made you listen—"
A sharp breath.
"…but I didn't."
The memory hit him too.
That corridor.
Her running away.
"…I went after you."
His voice softened.
"…but you were already gone."
A pause.
"…and after that…"
He laughed faintly.
Empty.
"…I thought you chose to leave."
Her brows knit slightly.
"…I thought you didn't want me anymore."
Those words—
Echoed.
Because she had thought the same.
"…so I stopped trying."
The confession sat heavy.
"…I told myself… you moved on."
Another breath.
"…and maybe I should too."
But he hadn't.
Not really.
"…I was wrong."
Silence.
"…I should've found you."
His voice dropped further.
"…I should've tried harder."
Her fingers curled slightly again.
"…I should've come after you—no matter what."
Because love—
Was supposed to fight.
And he hadn't.
"…and now…"
His gaze lowered.
"…now it's happening again."
Her chest tightened.
"…you're standing there…"
A pause.
"…ready to walk away."
Her grip on the handle trembled.
Because he wasn't wrong.
"…and this time…"
His voice almost broke.
"…it's still my fault."
Tears slipped faster down her cheeks.
"…if I had told you earlier…"
His breath shook.
"…if I hadn't hidden everything…"
"…it wouldn't hurt like this."
Not this deep.
Not like something was tearing apart again.
"…I didn't want to lose you."
A whisper.
"…so I hid the truth."
Irony.
Because that—
Was exactly what caused it.
"…and now…"
His voice faded slightly.
"…I might lose you because of it."
Silence.
Heavy.
Because nothing needed to be added.
Everything was already there.
Anaya stood still.
Her hand still on the door.
Tears falling quietly.
Because now—
It wasn't just about what happened.
It was about what they both felt.
Back then.
And now.
Slowly—
Very slowly—
Her fingers slipped away from the handle.
Not opening it.
Not leaving.
But not turning either.
Yet.
Because this time—
She didn't run.
Not completely.
And that—
Meant something had changed.
Behind her—
Reyansh didn't move.
Didn't speak again.
Because now—
The next step—
Was hers.
And for the first time—
He was ready to accept it.
Whatever it was.
She didn't open the door.
She turned.
Slowly at first—
Then all at once.
And before he could even process—
She walked straight toward him.
Fast.
Determined.
And then—
Her fists collided with his chest.
"Stupid!"
Another hit.
"Stupid—stupid—stupid!"
Each word—
Laced with everything she had held in.
Reyansh didn't move.
Didn't stop her.
Because this—
This wasn't anger.
This was pain finally finding its way out.
"Why?!"
Another hit.
"Why didn't you stop me?!"
Her voice broke.
"Why didn't you hold me back?!"
Her fists landed again—
Less controlled now.
More desperate.
"Why did you let me go?!"
Tears streamed freely down her cheeks.
"Why do you always just—accept it?!"
Her voice cracked harder.
"You're doing the same thing again!"
Hit.
"Why are you letting me leave?!"
Hit.
"You should've stopped me!"
Her hands trembled now.
"You should've held me—"
A sob escaped.
"—and made me listen!"
Her fists weakened—
But she didn't stop.
"You should've told me again and again—"
Her voice broke completely.
"—that it wasn't what I thought—"
Another hit—
But softer.
"You should've shouted at me!"
A broken laugh through tears.
"You should've blamed me—"
Her hands fell against his chest now.
"—for not listening…"
"…for running away…"
"…for not stopping…"
Her voice faded into sobs.
"…for being stupid…"
Her movements had slowed—
But something else hadn't.
The faint sound—
Of glass breaking.
And that's when—
He moved.
Gently—
He caught her wrists.
Not harsh.
Careful.
His gaze dropped instantly.
Her bangles—
Shattered.
A thin line of red—
Tracing along her wrist.
"…Anaya—"
His voice shifted.
Concern replacing everything.
But before he could say anything—
She pulled slightly.
Not to break free.
But to look at him.
Her eyes—
Red.
Filled.
But clear.
"I love you, dumbo."
The words came out—
Soft.
But they hit harder than anything before.
"I still love you."
A tear slipped down again.
"I can never hate you."
Her lips trembled.
"How could you even imagine that…"
Silence.
Because this—
This was the answer.
Not anger.
Not distance.
Love.
Unchanged.
Reyansh's grip on her wrists softened.
Careful not to hurt her.
Because now—
Everything inside him—
Had stilled.
"…Ana…"
The name slipped out again.
Not controlled.
Not hidden.
Just felt.
His thumb brushed lightly near her injured wrist—
Careful.
Gentle.
"…you're bleeding."
But she shook her head slightly.
Like that didn't matter.
Because right now—
It didn't.
"…don't let me go again."
A whisper.
So soft—
Yet so heavy.
Her fingers curled slightly—
Even in his hold.
"…even if I try to run."
Her eyes met his.
This time—
Not confused.
Not distant.
Certain.
"…stop me."
A pause.
"…this time."
And that—
That was everything he needed to hear.
Because this time—
She wasn't walking away.
She was asking him—
To stay.
To fight.
To hold on.
And he would.
This time—
He would.
Slowly—
He pulled her closer.
Not rushing.
Not overwhelming.
Just enough.
His forehead resting lightly against hers.
A quiet promise.
"…I won't."
A whisper.
"…not this time."
Outside—
Voices called again.
The ceremony waiting.
But inside that room—
Something far more important—
Had already happened.
They didn't just find the truth.
They found each other again.