The London sky was pale and wide when the private aircraft touched
down.
Aarya watched the runway through the window, her reflection faint
against the glass. Her body felt lighter here, as if distance itself had
loosened something tight around her heart.
Riya stood beside her as they disembarked, wrapped in a coat, eyes
scanning the unfamiliar place with curiosity.
The cold hit Aarya the moment her feet touched the ground. She inhaled
deeply, steadying herself.
Then she saw him.
Devraj stood a short
distance away, hands in his coat pockets, posture relaxed but alert. He hadn't
changed much—still tall, still calm, still carrying the same quiet gravity that
had once held her together when she was falling apart.
For a second, Aarya stopped walking.
Then she ran.
Her heels struck the ground unevenly as she crossed
the distance between them, her coat flaring behind her. She didn't slow down.
Didn't think.
She collided with him, arms wrapping around his waist
as if she had been holding herself together until this exact moment.
Devraj caught her
instantly, one arm steady at her back, the other around her shoulders. He
didn't say anything. He didn't need to.
Aarya buried her face against his chest, breath
shaking.
"You came," she whispered.
"I said I would," he replied quietly.
Riya froze several steps behind them, eyes wide.
She had never seen Aarya run toward anyone.
Never seen her hold someone like that.
"Uh… should I be concerned?" Riya muttered under her
breath.
Devraj felt Aarya's
grip tighten for just a moment before she pulled back, embarrassed, wiping at
her eyes. Her expression shifted quickly—composed again, guarded.
Riya stepped forward cautiously. "And you are…?"
"Devraj," he said politely, offering a brief nod. "A
friend."
Aarya glanced at him, something unreadable passing through her eyes.
"An old one," she added.
Riya raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
As they walked toward the car waiting for them, Devraj
matched Aarya's pace effortlessly. No awkwardness. No explanations demanded.
"You look better," he said quietly.
"I breathe better here," she replied.
Riya watched the exchange, confusion deepening.
Whoever this man was, he wasn't new to Aarya's life—not really.
The car doors closed behind them, the city stretching out ahead.
London welcomed them with cold air and
open roads.
And for the first time since everything had begun
again, Aarya felt like she had reached someone who already knew her scars.
As the car pulled away from the runway, silence settled between them.
"There's something I need to say," Aarya spoke quietly, her gaze fixed
on the window. "And once I say it, there's no turning back."
Riya turned toward her at once. Devraj did not move.
"I'm pregnant," Aarya said.
The words were simple. Unadorned.
Riya's breath caught. "What…? Aarya, how—"
"No one knows," Aarya interrupted calmly. "Not Rudra. Not my father. No
one back home."
Devraj finally spoke, his voice low. "Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Aarya looked down, one hand resting briefly over her stomach before she
pulled it back. "Last time, I trusted people. I trusted explanations. I lost my
child because of it."
The car moved smoothly through the gates.
"I won't let that happen again."
She turned to Devraj then, her eyes steady. "I need
you to stand with me. Publicly. I need people to believe you're the father."
Riya stared at her. "You're asking him to—"
"I know exactly what I'm asking," Aarya said softly.
"Even my father must believe it.
That's the only way
this child stays safe."
Devraj didn't hesitate.
"I will," he said simply.
No promises. No questions.
Riya exhaled slowly,
shaken. "You trust him that much?"
Aarya nodded once.
"He's the only one I trust with this."
Outside, London
unfolded quietly.
Inside the car, a decision had already changed the course of everything.