𝘽𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙙𝙖𝙮

A heavy silence filled the car, stretching between us. I stole a glance at him but quickly turned my eyes back to the road.

Rocky broke the silence. "Reyna, right?"I nodded in a yes form .

He smirked as he concentrated on his driving "Your name was made for me. Just listen to how beautiful it sounds when I say it." I shot him a weird look. "Are you always this full of yourself?"

He ignored my remark and continued, catching me off guard. "Happy birthday, Shona. And I promise, from next year, I’ll come to you with lots of presents."

My eyes widened. "How do you even know that? And what makes you think you’ll ever see me again?"

His smirk deepened. "You’re the princess of the Desai family. How could I not know? Besides, I crashed your birthday party yesterday. So, of course I would know it!"

I blinked in surprise as he leaned in slightly. "And I never said forever, did I?"

He chuckled, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Didn’t say that either. But it’s cute how you assumed."

My mouth fell open. "Excuse me, you narcissist!"

He laughed. "Well excused."

I rolled my eyes, but before I could say anything else, the ca stopped I looked at the road ,police officers were stopping vehicles, to let some tucks go. A small traffic jam had formed as vehicals from different routes got stuck making a little traffic situation

I noticed the tension in the air, how the officers looked on edge. Something wasn’t right.

And then—before I even realized it—the bonnet of the car popped open.

Wait… what?

How did Rocky—?

My heart skipped a beat. I hadn’t even noticed him move.

I hesitated for a second before opening my door cautiously, stepping out into the chaotic road. Trucks had stopped, honking impatiently. The police were distracted no they were more panicked .

I turned toward the bonnet— But he was gone I saw the trucks moving as the police made sure the little traffic was clear in time

A black bmw screeched to a stop nearby and there were some cars behind yoo. The door swung open, and Reena rushed toward me, her face pale with worry.

"Oh my God, Rey! I thought you were kidnapped!" She pulled me into a tight hug.

I barely heard her. My eyes kept scanning the area.

Where did he go?

Kamal stormed toward us, his expression dark. "Where is that bastard? Did he escape again?"

I nodded, still feeling disoriented.

But deep inside, something felt… off.

Not sadness.

Not relief.

Something emptier. Something unfamiliar.

Loneliness.

I shook off the feeling as another driver came over and shut the bonnet.

"Let’s go home. We’ll find him later. For now, we need to prepare for the rituals," Reena reminded me.

I nodded silently and slipped back into the car.

This time, Reena sat beside me in the back seat, while Kamal took the front.

As the car moved forward, I stared out the window

I stepped into my room as soon as I reached our home, shutting the door behind me. Letting out a deep breath, I walked straight to the bathroom, peeling off my outfit as I turned on the shower. The warm water cascaded down my body, washing away the exhaustion of the day. By the time I stepped out, it was already past 1 PM.

Wrapping myself in a robe, I walked back into my room—only to be greeted by a sea of presents. My eyes landed on an off-white lehenga, delicately embroidered with gold thread, paired with matching jewelry and a pair of golden heels.

Smiling, I dried my hair, carefully styling it before applying my makeup. Once I was satisfied, I made sure my door was locked before slipping into the lehenga, fastening the intricate jewelry around my neck and ears, and stepping into the heels.



( the outfit and heels and make up look with jewelry)

As I opened my door and walked towards the staircase, I spotted my father and Reena waiting for me.

Papa’s face lit up as I approached. "Happy birthday, princess," he said, pulling me into a warm hug.

"Thank you, Papa," I murmured, holding onto the embrace for a moment before stepping back.

Reena grinned. "Happy birthday, Rey baby!" she said, linking her arm with mine.

"Come on, let’s go to the pooja hall. We’ve already arranged donations for the orphanage and free food for the homeless."

A warm feeling filled my chest. "Thank you, Ree."

With our hands wrapped around Papa’s arms, we made our way to the pooja hall. The pandit guided me to sit before the holy fire as he and the other priests began chanting mantras. Closing my eyes, I prayed—for my family, for our well-wishers, and for those who needed blessings the most.

The pooja stretched for hours, and by the time it ended, it was already 7 PM. Without wasting time, Reena and I personally distributed food, clothes, and blankets to those in need. Seeing their grateful smiles made my heart swell.

By the time we returned home, it was nearly 9 PM. As I stepped out of the car, Reena suddenly stopped me.

"Wait."

I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

She smirked before pulling out a blindfold.

I chuckled. "Oh, so there’s a surprise?"

She tied the blindfold around my eyes. "Come on, trust me."

Holding her hand, I let her guide me through the house. Judging by the scent of fresh flowers and the soft rustling of leaves, I guessed we were heading toward the garden—the one I could see from my room balcony.

Then, suddenly—

The blindfold was removed.

Bright fairy lights twinkled around me as my eyes adjusted to the glow.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, REYNAAAAA!"

A chorus of voices erupted, making my heart skip a beat.

Reena, my cousins, my two best friends—even my aunt, my mom’s sister—were all there, smiling at me.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I nodded, my voice soft. "Thank you, all of you."

I cut the cake, laughter and cheers filling the air as we popped open champagne bottles, toasting under the night sky.

Amidst the celebrations, my favorite cousin came toward me, grinning.

"Adhi!" I squealed, pulling him into a hug. "When did you come back?"

He chuckled. "It’s your birthday. I took leave and came back from Dubai yesterday."

I grinned. "I’m so happy to see you! And enjoy while you can since your Mom’s not here to stop you from drinking." I winked.

He laughed. "True, but our aunt is here."

I smirked. "Eh, she’s the cool one."

The night went on with chatter, music, and laughter. I spoke to everyone, including my aunt, who—despite being older—was always in sync with our generation’s vibe.

But soon, exhaustion crept in.I excused myself, feeling drained.

Slipping away, I entered my room, removing my jewelry piece by piece—though  jhumka still dangled from my ear.

I grabbed a book and stepped out onto my balcony, settling onto the bed-sized swing. The night air was cool, the wind teasing my hair.

I exhaled deeply, murmuring to myself, "Finally, I can recover my social energy."

From downstairs, I could hear the last few guests leaving, some deciding tos stay I was tired to look into it as I just clenched my book in my hand as I closed my eyes as I comfortably laid in the swing bed

Until I heard it.

Footsteps

"Your security sucks, for real, Shona."

My eyes snapped open. I stood up straight

Before I could scream, a strong hand covered my mouth.

I was pulled close, our breaths mingling in the cold night air.

My heart pounded.

Rocky.

I bit down on his hand.

He hissed, withdrawing with a smirk.

"How? And where did you come from, Rocky?"