Sona continuously shuffled in her bed. It was past one a.m. and yet, she couldn't find her sleep. Usually she would go to bed at ten no matter how what. But today, something stirred deeply inside her. Probably her conscience.

Her mind flickered to the conversations she had with Dev two days ago. Tomorrow was her flight and her mind was constantly reminding her of the moments they spent together in Delhi. The amount of love Dev had showered her over the past few days, severely wounded her heart. No matter how strong she appeared to be outside, she couldn't deny her own heart from the love that was blooming inside.

Yes, she was ashamed to say it. But she unknowingly fell in love with Dev.

No one had showered her with so much of love in her life. Damn, she never knew such love even existed. A love which was so pure, so adorable, so innocent and so selfless.... Despite getting hurt, pained and tortured, Dev's love was so pure that it shredded Sona's heart mercilessly.

She fell in love with that one person whom she dreaded to meet for the past two years. Her heart sunk and she felt tears dripping down her sides, drenching the pillow beneath her. She felt miserable. Her heart felt like it would explode from her chest.

How could she fall in love with him? He did not deserve this pain.... If only he knew the truth, he would never accept her back again. She knew it and hence, she did not want to hurt him. She had already caused too much agony for him.

Now that she was devastated, she decided to stop this entire drama. Her mind constantly reminded her of the promise she made.

When she reached Delhi a month ago, she was hellbent on proving that true love did not exist. She wanted to prove everyone around her that love was meant for people without brains. But she was wrong.

She expected Dev to have moved on... She thought that he would have forgotten her over the time and gotten hitched with someone else. But he didn't... He still waited for her and his eyes still looked up at her with adoration. As much as she tried pushing him away, he still did not give up on her. His love was selfless. He tried and tried till his heart had no more energy... His face grew sadder and he looked sick as days passed.

Sona's miseries increased as she saw him still keeping his hopes high. As days passed, Sona could not bear to see him getting hurt and living a life full of pain. He did not deserve that the least. She felt that it was unfair to let him suffer for a mistake that he was not even accountable for.

So, she decided to leave.

She knew that leaving this place forever was the only option left! She had no choice now. She wanted him to be happy and her absence was the only way for it.

She wiped her tears and closed her eyes, trying to erase Dev completely from her heart and mind. From now on, there was only Paris and her business she had to focus on. Nothing else!

She didn't know that the mind only displays what the heart doesn't let go

-----------------------

Dev walked to and fro and lobby, nervously waiting for Sonakshi. His palms were sweaty and his eyes constantly blinked in dismay. His throat went dry and he looked around to see everything blurred by his teary eyes.

He lost his sleep, happiness, appetite, health and every other reason to stay alive. The sparkle he had in his eyes, extinguished the minute Sona claimed that she never loved him. She refused to even acknowledge his love in the past one month.

However, what affected him the most was the difference in her behaviour. He was not hurt when she didn't recall him, but he was hurt when she spoke about their status difference. His heart dwelled in pain every time an insult came from her mouth. Her speech, her lack of compassion, her walk and even behaviours changed. Her eyes did not hold any sympathy or love.

They only displayed pure hatred and emptiness. The Sona he loved was someone who was passionate and beautiful. When he said beautiful, he meant her heart. Her beautiful heart was something anyone could fall head in heels over and over again. She was so empathetic, honest, strong and lovable.

But the Sona who came to meet him after her accident was a stranger. He didn't recognise her any longer. She was someone who caused him constant hurt and agony. She stabbed his heart at every opportunity she got. Even if her memory was lost, a person's natural character will never diminish from them. But Sona was completely different.

If all these weren't enough, now she also took the decision of leaving Delhi too.

This was it..... He was done being patient.

He closed his eyes and saw Sonakshi's image smiling at him with love. She was wearing a simple Punjabi suit, with no make-up and loose hair. His heart blossomed and his lips automatically curved into a smile.

"Sona..." he whispered, not caring if it was just an illusion or not. He really wanted to talk to her. He wanted her decision. Although she wasn't there, he felt her presence strongly around him.

"Dev.... Remember what I told you?" she walked near and smiled at him.

"Always take a decision that brings you happiness. Do not compromise your happiness for anything else.....not even me!" she whispered and a lone tear left his eyes.

"But I love you..."

"Love doesn't fade away, Dev.... It always lives. Our love is special and it will always live in our hearts. But that doesn't mean we destroy our present, right? Take the decision which you feel is genuinely right from the bottom of your heart...."

"But my heart resides in you..." he said in a strangled tone.

"Then let me be your voice. Don't worry, whatever decision you take, I will always be there with you." Her voice whispered and her image just disappeared. Her image faded in the air, leaving him devastated.

Dev's eyes jolted open and everything was exactly like how it was. The crowded airport lobby, screeching sound of cars from outside, sound of people bargaining, trollies being pulled in..... everything was just like how it was when he closed his eyes.

He could still hear his hammering heartbeat. Her image still displayed fresh in his memory.

"Dev?" he felt someone's touch behind him. Instantly flinching away, he moved back and looked at the person in fear.

Sona was taken aback. He looked like he was frightened by her sudden entry. When she walked inside the airport lobby, her legs halted in their place. Her eyes fell on the guy whose eyes were closed and lips were quirked in a pleasant smile.

Her heart dropped as she saw the pain in that beautiful smile. He must be having another painful memory, she thought. Composing herself strongly, she checked herself with her pocket mirror, making sure there was no trace of tears in her eyes before meeting Dev.

"Did I scare you?" she asked in a firm voice. Dev looked at her and sighed.

"No... I was just startled. I mean-"

"It's okay. You want to have a seat?" she offered and Dev looked behind at the row of chairs. The strings in his heart pulled painfully when saw the where they were and what they have come to talk about. He just didn't feel like sitting down.

"No... I prefer standing." He said and looked at the luggages in her hand. "So..... are you really leaving?" he asked, with his eyes filled with sorrow.

Sona heaved a heavy sigh and looked at him with sympathy. "Yes Dev, I am leaving. I am sorry."

Dev chuckled and looked away. He felt like the tears were threatening to leave his eyes again.

"Sorry for what?" he asked.

"Sorry for everything.... Dev." She expressed and her eyes automatically looked down in shame. She could not stare at him any longer without breaking down. This was not part of her plan. She wanted to stay strong, but she could not act anymore.

His looks killed her like a slow poison.

Dev looked at her with curiosity. "What's wrong now?" Dev asked and Sona lifted up her face.

When Dev saw her teary eyes, he was sincerely taken aback. His heart jolted uneasily and he blinked at her with confusion.

"Dev.... I love you." She suddenly blabbered, making his pupils dilate in uncomfortableness.

"What? Come again..." he asked. This time his eyes really didn't believe the reality. He preferred living in his dream world than to believe this reality.

The Sona he saw was a heartless person. The image infront of him wasn't what he saw in his dreams. The lips which confessed the love for him did not hold any emotion. They did not care about his feelings. The eyes that looked at him only showed pity, not love. The face which had tears rolling down only showed guilt, not affection.

"No Sonakshi....please stop." He looked up at her and showed his palms on her face.

"Dev?" Sona's eyes enlarged. "Please believe me Dev, I am really sorry for what I have done." She cried and Dev looked at her with sadness.

"Did you recall our past?" he asked anxiously.

Sona shook her head in denial, her tears drenching her face more. "No Dev... I don't recall anything. I don't even know a single incident that happened while I was here. But..... now that I have lived with you, seen your love, felt your care, experienced your friendship.... I can't help but fall in love back with you." She held her chest and cried.

"No Sonakshi...." Dev's lips smiled faintly and he walked closer to her. Taking his fingers, he slowly wiped her tears from her cheeks. Sona froze and looked at him with wide eyes.

"Dev?" she spoke to him through pleading eyes.

"No Sona.... The days you were here, made me realise one thing. This.." he pointed at her, "This is your true character..... this is the real you." His lips left a humourless chuckle.

"What are you saying?" Sona asked in confusion.

"The love in my heart died Sona..... It died the minute you showed me the real you. Now whatever love you have developed, is out of sympathy. It's not the selfless love that you used to give me. You have changed a lot Sonakshi." he said sadly, giving her a painful expression.

"No Dev, I can try to change myself..." a low sob left her lips.

"No Sonakshi. I don't want you to go through a change just because of me. Moreover, I loved you only because of your selfless nature. Now it's gone and I can't forcibly instil something which is completely different from you." He said with sad tears.

"Dev...... I am sorry." She clenched her eyes shut and sobbed.

"No Sona, don't be sorry..... In fact, I should be thanking you for opening my eyes." He said, swallowing his saliva painfully. "I should thank you for coming back Delhi, because seeing you like this helped me to move on easily." He expressed.

Sona was totally baffled. Her eyes were bloodshot as she heard Dev's words piercing through her skin like arrows.

"If you hadn't come back, I would have died thinking about you.... I would have lived a life full of guilt and pain. But thanks for coming back and making me realise that I can unlove the same person whom I used to love madly!" he choked on his own tears.

"Dev...."

"I am sorry Sona. I can't accept your love... if I had fallen for your beauty, maybe I could have stayed. But I fell in love with your heart and soul. But that same heart....doesn't recognise me now. Your brain has forgotten me and I no longer live in your soul like I once did." He wiped his own tears.

"But.... We can try, can't we?" she asked sadly. Part of her understood that his decision was the best, but another part of her refused to let him go. She was really dejected.

"We can try Sonakshi.... But we definitely can't bring the same spark. Whatever we do now will look forced. Everything you do now will constantly remind me of your compromises. When the guilt leaves your heart, you will no longer feel this love. I can see it in your eyes..... You aren't mine. You are doing this to make me feel better. But what you don't realise is, this is all temporary. You don't belong here....." he said with a heavy heart.

Sona's eyes changed and cried in agony. She understood his point of view. After all, this was what she was trying to do. She hurt him and in response, he drifted away from her.

But now that he was moving away, she felt like dying.

"Dev..... I am so...sorry." Her eyes pleaded in desperation. But Dev looked at her with sympathy.

"You don't have to be sorry Sona... I am sorry. I am sorry for constantly bothering you these days. I thought that maybe we could rekindle our love back. But I was wrong." He wiped his tears and abruptly turned away from her.

He could no longer see her face without feeling pain. The same eyes, nose, features and tears would forever haunt him. But finally, his heart was clear.

He knew that he took the right decision. He smiled painfully and inhaled a deep breath.

"The Sonakshi I knew, was stolen by fate.... You are not my Sonakshi. You can never become her..... Whatever I see in you, is different. I just see a normal girl who is obsessed with her job and money; Another girl who failed to see my true girl...... To me, you're just a girl who have resided in my Sona's body."

He spoke his last words and left the place, leaving Sona speechless.

Sona's knees gave up and her tears burst out from her eyes. Her lips wobbled and she could feel her heart clenching painfully in her chest. Now she understood how love felt like. Everytime she hurt Dev, he would have experienced the exact pain too. Now that she knew it, she regretted her behaviour from the bottom of her heart.

But it was too late.

To me, you're just a girl who have resided in my Sona's body.

You aren't mine

Your heart doesn't recognise me any longer

His words still rung in her ears. Love was truly a fucked-up feeling and she wished no one to get this pain.

"Sorry Dev..... I had no choice." She screamed, sitting alone in the middle of the waiting lounge.

Her tears dried, Dev had gone and everything was over. But Sonakshi's job was still not done. She wiped her tears and carried herself up with a heavy heart.

She still had an unfinished business in Delhi.... She needed to finish her responsibility. After all, she had a promise to fulfil.

Her last job before she took her flight back to Paris.

************

Any guesses? One last chapter left!