The One I Denied, The One I Can't Lose

The walls of the castle felt suffocating. Shayari sat on the edge of her bed, her  saree pooling around her like liquid emeralds. The candlelight flickered across the stone walls, casting long shadows as she pressed the heels of her palms against her eyes, willing the tears to stop.

She had spent years waiting—loving him in silence, hoping for anything. And now, now that she was promised to another man, Ranveer had finally found his voice.

A sharp knock at the door shattered her spiraling thoughts. She stiffened.

Another knock. More insistent this time.

Her heart raced as she wiped her face hastily, then walked to the door. She pressed her trembling fingers to the handle before pulling it open.

Ranveer stood there.

Tall, imposing, and utterly relentless. But there was something in his eyes—something raw, regretful, and painfully aware of the weight of his actions.

Shayari's breath hitched. "What are you doing here?" Her voice wavered, betraying her.

His gaze softened. "I couldn't just let you leave... not without saying this."

Shayari swallowed hard, stepping back. "I don't owe you anything."

Ranveer looked down at the floor for a moment, the words caught in his throat. He wasn't sure where to begin. "You're right," he said quietly, taking a step forward but not pushing further. "I've done things... things I can never take back. I—" He faltered, his eyes meeting hers, vulnerable. "But I need you to hear me out. Please."

Her breath caught, but his gaze remained steady, remorseful. She stood still, her fingers trembling at her sides.

"You—You can't just—"

He took another step forward, not aggressively, but with an almost pleading energy. "I can't undo what I did," he whispered. "I can't pretend I didn't hurt you. But I can't let you walk away without telling you the truth."

Shayari's chest rose and fell unevenly, her voice faltering. "You were blind to me for so long. And now, now that I've finally moved on, you show up and expect me to—what? To believe in you?"

Ranveer's jaw clenched as he took another step forward, but his posture was not one of ownership or entitlement—it was one of raw, aching regret. "No, Shayari," he said, his voice breaking. "I never deserved you. I know that. But please... don't walk away thinking that all I want is control over you." He closed his eyes briefly, a shudder passing through him. "I'm not asking for forgiveness. I'm asking for a chance to make it right."

Shayari's heart ached, but she held her ground, her voice trembling.
"You don't get to just waltz back into my life and act like—"

"Like I cared?" Ranveer's voice broke, raw and filled with something far darker than shame. "I didn't. Not the way you deserved. And that... that is the mistake I'll never forgive myself for."

His eyes met hers, hollowed by remorse. "I was blind, Shayari. Blind to you, to what we had—what we could've had. And now that I see it, now that I feel the emptiness I created with my own hands... it's killing me."

He stepped back, his voice barely above a whisper. "You were always there. And I never looked. I never let myself feel it. Until now. And now it's too late, isn't it?"

His hand reached out, almost hesitating, but then he touched her arm gently. "Please, don't say that," he whispered. "I'm not asking for you to forgive me right away. I'm asking for a chance to show you that I can be the man you needed me to be."