✿ F I V E    Y E A R S    A G O ✿

Six months had flown by since Raina had joined the office, and in that time, her presence had become an integral part of Angad's daily life. They shared laughter, lunch breaks, and the occasional work-related stress. Inevitably, Angad's fondness for Raina had deepened into something more profound, a love that he could no longer keep hidden.

One evening, after the office had emptied out, and the two of them were the only ones left, Angad mustered up the courage to approach Raina. They stood in their familiar spot near the window, looking out at the city lights.

"Raina," Angad began, his voice gentle yet filled with sincerity, "there's something I need to tell you."

Raina turned toward him, her eyes curious but warm. "What is it, Angad?"

He took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest. "I love you, Raina. I've loved you since the moment I saw you and I can't imagine my life without you."

Raina's eyes widened, surprise and something else flickering in their depths. She opened her mouth to speak but hesitated for a moment, as if choosing her words carefully.

"Angad, I…" Raina began, her voice soft and filled with emotion. "I love you too, more than you know. But I can't accept your proposal."

Angad's heart sank at her words. He had expected anything but this. "Why, Raina? Is there something holding you back?"

Raina looked down, her fingers nervously playing with the edge of her dupatta, "It's complicated, Angad. There are things you don't know. I want to protect you and myself from all that."

Angad reached out and gently lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Raina, we can face anything together. I don't care about your past; I only care about our future."

Tears welled up in Raina's eyes as she looked at him. "Angad, you're an amazing person, and you deserve someone who can give you their whole heart. I don't think I can do that right now."

Angad felt a lump in his throat, but he couldn't bear to see Raina in pain. "Raina, if you need time, I'll wait. I'll wait for as long as it takes."

Raina smiled through her tears, her love for him shining through. "You're incredible, Angad. I hope you always remember that. But please, don't wait for me."

That night, Angad couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned, his thoughts consumed by Raina's words. He loved her with all his heart, and he was willing to wait for her, no matter how long it took.

The next day, as Angad entered the office, he noticed an envelope on Rudraksh's desk with Raina's name on it. His curiosity grew and he approached his boss.

"What's this?"

Rudraksh sighed and handed the envelope to Angad, "Raina's resignation letter. She submitted it this morning, and she has already left."

Angad's heart sank, and he hastily tore open the envelope to read the letter. In it, Raina had explained that she needed to leave for personal reasons, that she couldn't give her best to the job right now, and that she hoped they would understand.

But Angad couldn't understand. His mind was a whirlwind of confusion and sadness. Raina had just confessed her love for him the night before, and now she had left without a word.

Days turned into weeks, and Angad couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness that Raina's departure had left behind. He couldn't find any clues as to why she had left so abruptly, and it tormented him.

Months passed, and Angad continued to work at the office, but his heart was no longer in it. He couldn't forget Raina or the short period of time they had spent together. He missed her every day, and the mystery of her departure haunted him.

One day, as Angad was going through some old files, he stumbled upon a note that Raina had left on his desk. It simply said, "Angad, I hope you find happiness in your life. I will always cherish the time we spent together. Remember, sometimes, letting go is the bravest thing of all. - Raina."

Tears welled up in Angad's eyes as he read her words. The pain of losing her was still there, but he knew that Raina had left for a reason, a reason she couldn't share with him at the time. He hoped that wherever Raina was, she had found the happiness and peace she deserved. And he couldn't help but hold on to a glimmer of hope that someday, their paths would cross again, and the mystery of her departure would finally be unraveled.

✿ ✿ ✿

✿ P R E S E N T    T I M E ✿

✿ ✿ ✿

She entered a well-decorated room, the soft, sensuous rustle of her silver saree creating a music. Raina, dressed in an attire that concealed yet revealed, moved with a grace that had been polished through years of delicate dance.

Inside the room, a man stood by the balcony, the moonlight casting a silvery glow on his form. He wore a dress shirt and pants, a stark contrast to the usual patrons she encountered in this place. Raina had grown accustomed to the men who frequented the Kotha, men who sought solace in the darkness of the night and spewed judgment in the daylight.

But this man was different. He looked younger and carried an air of sincerity that set him apart. Yet, Raina remained guarded, for she had learned that appearances could deceive.

As he turned around, his brown eyes met hers, and a gasp of disbelief escaped her lips. "Angad!"

The room seemed to shrink around them as she faced the one person she had never expected to encounter in this world.

Angad's expression was calm. "Raina," his voice held a blend of emotions - surprise, longing, and an undercurrent of anger.

Raina took a hesitant step forward, her heart pounding in her chest. "Angad, I never thought... I mean, I didn't expect to see you here."

He ran a hand through his hair, his features contorted with a mix of frustration and hurt. "I could say the same, Raina. What are you doing here?"

The question hung in the air, heavy with unspoken truths. Raina knew she couldn't hide anymore, couldn't evade the painful reality of her life. She had left her job five years ago, partly to protect herself from falling deeper in love with Angad, a man from a world so different from her own.

In a voice laced with resignation, Raina began to unveil the layers of her past. "I grew up here, Angad. Umraao, the owner of this place, she's like a mother to me. She allowed me to study and then work in a corporate company. But I left my job because..." She trailed off, unable to express the emotions that had driven her away.

Angad's eyes bore into her, a storm of emotions raging within them,"Because of me?"

Raina nodded, her gaze fixed on the floor. "Because I was falling in love with you, Angad. And I knew we could never be together, not with the worlds we come from."

Angad's anger flared, his frustration boiling over. "So you just left without a word, without an explanation? Do you have any idea how much you hurt me?"

Tears welled up in Raina's eyes as she struggled to convey the pain she had endured. "I had to protect myself, Angad. I had to let you go because I knew we could never bridge the gap between our lives."

Angad turned away, his emotions in turmoil. "I can't believe you did this, Raina. I can't believe you left without a word, without giving us a chance."

Raina watched him, her heart breaking as she realized the depth of his pain, "I'm sorry, Angad. I didn't know how to face you, how to tell you the truth."

In a moment of raw vulnerability, Angad looked back at her, his anger mingling with heartache. "I loved you, Raina. I still do. And you just walked away."

Raina's voice quivered with emotion as she admitted her own feelings. "I loved you too, Angad. But sometimes, love isn't enough. Sometimes, reality forces us to make choices we never wanted to make."

As the weight of their shared emotions hung heavily in the room, Angad turned and walked toward the door, his steps heavy with the burden of their unfinished story. Raina watched him go, tears streaming down her cheeks, knowing that their worlds had pulled them apart, and perhaps, fate had never intended for them to be together.

The door closed behind him, leaving Raina alone in the room, haunted by the love she had lost and the choices she had made to protect her fragile heart.

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Thoughts 💭