Bound by Vows, Broken by Fate

Bound by Vows, Broken by Fate

Chapter 35: A Heart That Remembers

Meher stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. The woman looking back at her seemed different. Not because of the night she had spent in Rivan’s arms, but because of the storm brewing inside her.

How long could she allow herself to fall for a man who was still learning how to love?

She knew his scars ran deep, that his heart had been buried beneath years of bitterness and betrayal. But how long could she keep waiting for him to thaw completely?

A soft knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts.

“Meher.” His voice was hesitant. Careful.

She turned, finding Rivan leaning against the doorway. His gaze was unreadable, but there was something different about the way he looked at her.

Something softer.

“Breakfast is ready,” he said.

She raised a brow. “You cooked?”

His lips twitched. “I had someone cook.”

A small smile played on her lips, but she didn’t let it stay for long. She wasn’t going to let one good night erase all the pain he had caused.

Still, she followed him downstairs.

---

The tension between them was different now. Not cold, not distant. But uncertain.

They ate in silence, the clinking of cutlery the only sound in the large dining hall.

Rivan cleared his throat. “I have a meeting today. But I’ll be back early.”

Meher nodded, stirring her tea. “Alright.”

He watched her, his fingers tightening around his glass. “Will you be here when I return?”

Her head snapped up. “Where else would I go?”

Rivan hesitated, his jaw ticking. “You left once.”

Meher’s chest ached at the reminder. Yes, she had left. When he had broken her so completely, she had no choice but to walk away. But she had returned.

“Are you afraid I’ll leave again?” she asked softly.

He didn’t answer immediately. But when he did, it was barely a whisper. “Yes.”

Her heart clenched. She wasn’t used to this side of him—the side that admitted fears, the side that didn’t wear his arrogance like armor.

But before she could say anything, his phone buzzed, pulling him away.

Meher exhaled shakily. Maybe she wasn’t the only one fighting a battle within.

---

That evening, as she stood on the balcony, the sky painted in hues of orange and pink, she felt his presence before she heard his voice.

“You’re still here,” Rivan murmured, stepping beside her.

She turned to him, watching the way the sunset reflected in his eyes. “I told you I wasn’t going anywhere.”

His fingers brushed against hers, hesitant yet seeking.

Meher’s breath caught.

She had spent so long chasing his warmth, and now—now, he was offering it willingly.

Slowly, carefully, she intertwined their fingers.

And this time, he didn’t let go.

!