"?? ????? ????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ????"
................
"Y-you're married?"
It wasn't a question. It was a statement, spoken like an acknowledgment of something he didn't want to belie...
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Target - 20+ votes and 15+ comments than I will post next chapter tomorrow
They stood there, eyes locked, the rest of the world dissolving into the background. Years had passed, but in that moment, time ceased to exist. Two souls, once bound together, were now face-to-face, and the distance created by years of separation seemed to shrink into nothingness.
Abhiansh felt his breath catch in his throat. The same eyes that had once captivated him, the same lips he had longed to kiss, were right before him. It was surreal. He had dreamt of this moment, had craved it in his loneliest nights, and now, here she was—Sayantika, his sunshine.
She stood still, as if frozen in time, her eyes welling with tears. She had built walls around her heart after he had shattered it, but seeing him now—so close yet so far—stirred something deep inside her. Even after all these years, even after all the pain, her heart still ached for him. How could it not? He had been her world once, the one she thought she could never live without.
And just like that, memories of their first meeting flooded back, unbidden.
---
Flashback
Sayantika, a young college girl, stood near the library window, staring at the stormy sky with a pout. Raindrops beat against the glass, mocking her for once again forgetting her umbrella. It was as if the weather conspired against her whenever she was unprepared. She sighed, dragging her feet back toward the bookshelves, hoping to find a distraction.
Her fingers grazed the spines of old books until one caught her eye. It was on the upper shelf, far out of her reach. Undeterred, she stood on her tiptoes, straining to grab it but failing miserably. Just as she was about to give up, a hand appeared beside her, effortlessly pulling the book down.
She turned to see the owner of the hand—a man several years older, with an undeniable presence. He was handsome, far more than anyone she'd ever seen, with an air of quiet confidence that made her pulse race.
"Here," he said, offering the book with a half-smile.
She hesitated, her mind temporarily blank. Taking the book from his hand, she managed to mumble a soft, "Thank you."
The man chuckled softly and turned back to whatever he had been doing, leaving her rooted to the spot. But something in her surged, and before she knew it, she called after him.
"Suniye!"
He turned back, curiosity in his eyes. "Boliye?"
Her cheeks flushed crimson, and though she wanted to speak, the words stuck in her throat. He took a few steps closer, bending slightly so that they were at eye level. His nearness made her heart race faster.
