"Beyond The Boundary "

Aankhon Dekha Jhooth (The Lie we saw)

---

It had been sixteen days.

Sixteen days since their double date.
Thirteen since he left.
Ten since their last “real” conversation.

And three hours since she saw the photo.

---

It was blurry. Flash-heavy. Midnight frame.

But it was everywhere.
“Shubman Gill spotted leaving a Bandra club with ex Sara Tendulkar.”
“Old flames or new beginning?”
Paparazzi pages, gossip handles, Twitter threads.

In one frame, she was adjusting her hair, his hand near her waist.
In another — too close. Too familiar.

And suddenly, her stomach felt cold.
Like someone had opened a window inside her and let all the warmth fly out.

She hadn’t cried. Yet.
But she’d stopped blinking.

---

“Didi... ye dekhna bhi mat,” her sister said, grabbing the phone.

But it was too late. The image was burned in.

That party. That night.
And he hadn't even mentioned it.

Not a word.

She had watched his match on mute during dinner.
Smiled quietly when he hit a four.
Saved his picture in a blue jersey.

While he was out… with her.

---

Her sister tried, again, to soften it.

“Maybe it’s nothing.”
“Maybe just friends.”
“Public figures get linked all the time…”

But the ache was already there.

Because it wasn’t just about the photo.

It was about not knowing.
Not being told. Not being reassured.
Not being anything at all.

---

That night, her diary page stayed blank.

She couldn’t write. Couldn’t scroll.
Just stared at the ceiling, trying to remember his voice, his laugh, the way he once held a sunflower she gave him like it was more than a flower.

But memories aren’t enough when someone else is living in your present.

---

Mumbai – 2:10 AM

Abhishek was pacing in their hotel suite.

“Tu pagal hai kya?”
His voice low, urgent.

Shubman rubbed his face, exhausted.

“Woh party... it was for the sponsor brand. Sara was invited too. I didn’t call her. She came with a group. We left at the same time.”

Abhishek gave him a look.
“And the photo?”

“I didn’t even touch her,” he muttered. “Flash made it look worse.”

Abhishek sighed. “You think she knows that? Did you tell her?”

Shubman stayed silent.

“No,” Abhishek said. “You didn’t. You let her see it on Insta reels. Great job.”

---

Back in Kolkata, she lay under her blanket, shivering — not from fever this time, but a quiet, bitter grief.

She didn’t block him.

She didn’t unfollow him.

But she didn’t open his chats either.

Because what would she even say?

> “Hi, saw you with your ex. Hope it was fun.”
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Here is the 6th chapter too
Early updates very early updates ...
It hurts ??
Very much..

Until then take care 💙