The night was silent, with only the sound of Jayesh's expensive shoes clicking against the empty street. He walked with the confidence of someone who owned the world—rich, arrogant, and untouchable. Nothing could touch him.

But suddenly, a cold feeling crawled up his spine. He stopped, eyes scanning the dark. There was no sound, no movement—but he could feel it. Who’s watching me?

"Jayesh."

The voice was quiet, almost like a whisper, but it cut through the silence like a knife.

Jayesh’s heart skipped, but his face stayed calm. Who’s messing with me now?

"Who’s there?" he demanded, trying to sound confident, the rich man he was supposed to be, but his voice shook slightly.

From the shadows, a figure stepped forward. Their face was hidden, but their presence was undeniable. The figure’s every step was deliberate, as if they knew exactly how to unsettle Jayesh.

"Mai tumhari maut hun."

The voice—the words—struck a chord. Jayesh's eyes narrowed in confusion. That voice... But he couldn’t place it. What is this?

The figure stepped closer, the air around them seeming to grow colder. The space between them felt charged, dangerous. Jayesh’s confidence began to falter, his grip on the situation slipping. This isn't normal. Whoever this is...

Then, the figure stepped into the light, and everything stopped. Jayesh’s breath caught in his throat. His pulse raced. He froze as if time itself had slowed. The face that emerged was one he had hoped never to see again—Krishna. The man he had framed and killed in his past life.

Jayesh’s world turned upside down. The smirk that had always been on his face vanished, replaced with a look of disbelief and growing fear. His knees felt weak, his legs almost giving way under him.

Veer stood there, his sharp gray eyes locking onto Jayesh, his gaze intense, unyielding. The confidence and pride that Jayesh had carried with him evaporated in that instant. There was no arrogance left in him,  just fear.

Veer took another step forward, his presence overwhelming. Jayesh tried to speak, but his throat went dry. The words wouldn’t come. Is this real? This can’t be real.

"You think you can forget the past, Jayesh?" Veer’s voice was steady, cold, but with an undercurrent of something darker. It was as if every word carried the weight of centuries. "But some faces... some people... never forget."

Jayesh’s voice trembled when he finally spoke, a whisper of panic in his words. "Krishna? Is it really you?"

Veer didn’t answer immediately. Instead, a slow, knowing smile spread across his face, a smile that sent chills down Jayesh’s spine. It wasn’t a friendly smile. It was a smile full of darkness, full of ancient rage.

"Oh, it’s me alright," Veer said, his voice dripping with bitter amusement. "And I remember everything."

Jayesh’s legs shook, his body frozen in place, unable to move or react. His breath quickened, but his body refused to cooperate. This wasn’t just Krishna. This was someone more. This was the past coming back to claim him.

The realization hit him like a freight train: Radhika,—she was back too. They’re both back. From the past... and they’ve come for me.

Suddenly, Jayesh felt smaller. The life he had built, the power he held, the money he flaunted—none of it mattered anymore. His past had returned with a vengeance, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Veer stepped closer, his eyes hard, his expression unwavering. "You thought you could run from the truth? You thought you could escape your past?" His voice dropped, now filled with the weight of centuries. "But you can’t, Jayesh. You will pay for everything."

Jayesh swallowed hard, his throat tight. He tried to take a step back, but his legs felt weak, his body betraying him. His face had lost all its color, his arrogance replaced with the cold grip of fear. He could hardly breathe.

"You're... you're really back?" His voice was hoarse, trembling. "Krishna? Both of you... Radhika... Kuttimani... You... you're both back?"

Veer’s gaze softened for a brief moment, but it wasn’t out of compassion—it was out of understanding. The understanding that Jayesh was finally realizing the gravity of his sins.

"I’m back, Jayesh," Veer said, his voice calm yet chilling. "And I’m not the only one."

Jayesh’s world was crumbling. He could feel the past closing in on him, suffocating him. He had thought he could escape it. But now, with Krishna and Radhika’s return, he realized there was nowhere left to run.

The past was here. And it was going to destroy him.

******
Next morning,

The first light of dawn streamed through the window, casting a warm glow over Bani's face as she stirred in bed. The soft hum of the morning outside only seemed to deepen her thoughts. She sat up, her heart still racing from last night. The events of the evening replayed in her mind—the way Veer had confessed his feelings so suddenly, the weight in his eyes, and the connection that seemed to form between them.

What am I feeling?

Her heart had been guarded for so long, and yet, with Veer, it was different. She felt as though she had known him for much longer than just the few days they’d spent together. He wasn’t like any man she’d met. There was something in the way he looked at her, something in his words, that made her feel... seen. But why now? Why him?

The thought of him sent a flutter through her chest, and she tried to push it away. She couldn’t allow herself to feel this way, especially not with everything that had happened in her life. Yet, she couldn’t deny the warmth in her heart when she thought about him.

Her phone buzzed on the table beside her, and her gaze instinctively moved toward it. It’s him.

Veer. The name on the screen made her pulse quicken.

Before she could open his message, a soft voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Bani, beta," Chachi Ritu’s voice was warm, comforting as always. "You’ve been up early. What’s on your mind?"

Bani turned to find her chachi standing in the doorway, a gentle smile on her face. Ritu had always been her support, always knowing when something was troubling her.

Bani bit her lip, unsure of how to put her feelings into words. "Chachi, I don’t know what to think. I feel like... something’s changing inside me. I don’t even know how to explain it."

Ritu moved closer and sat beside her, giving her undivided attention. "What’s troubling you, beta? You can tell me anything."

Bani hesitated for a moment, but her thoughts tumbled out. "It’s Veer. Last night, when he told me how he felt about me, it felt so real. I’ve only known him for a couple of days, but... there’s something about him. It’s like I’ve known him forever. And I feel... I don’t know, confused. I shouldn’t feel this way, right? He’s a guest, we’re just here on vacation, and I’m not even sure if it’s right for me to be thinking like this."

Ritu listened intently, nodding slowly. "Bani, sometimes, the heart knows things before the mind can understand. You can’t control who your heart chooses. If you feel a connection, maybe you should trust it. Don’t push away what feels right because you’re scared or unsure. Take the time to get to know him better. Let your heart be your guide."

Bani absorbed her chachi’s words, her mind slowly clearing. Let my heart guide me? It was easier said than done, but her chachi was right. She had spent so much time building walls around her heart, afraid to let anyone in. Could it really be as simple as trusting her feelings?

"Chachi, I’m not sure," Bani whispered, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "What if it’s just my mind playing tricks on me? I can’t let myself get hurt again."

Ritu smiled, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Beta, love doesn’t always follow a clear path. Sometimes, it’s messy, uncertain. But you deserve to see where this could go. Don’t shut yourself off from it before you even try. Who knows? Maybe this is the start of something beautiful."

Could it really be?She picked up her phone, her thumb hovering over the screen. She wanted to talk to Veer, to see him, to hear his thoughts. She finally typed out a message, her fingers trembling slightly as she hit send: "Veer, can we meet today? I need to talk."

She exhaled a deep breath, unsure of what would happen next.
******

Veer stood by the window, looking out at the calm morning as he sipped his coffee. His mind wasn’t on the vacation or his friends. It was on Jayesh. He’d already set the plan in motion to expose Jayesh's crimes. His brother, Tapish, had managed to gather all the evidence, and Veer had used his connections to leak the details to the media. Soon, the world would know the truth about Jayesh.

This is just the beginning. Jayesh won’t know what hit him, Veer thought, a sense of satisfaction settling in his chest.

But then his phone buzzed, interrupting his thoughts. He glanced at the screen—Bani. "Veer, can we meet today? I need to talk."

Veer’s heart skipped a beat. She wants to talk. The thought brought a smile to his face. Despite everything else going on, all he could think about now was meeting her.

He quickly typed back: "I’ll be there. Can’t wait to see you."

For a moment, he just stood there, holding the phone in his hand, a rush of excitement filling him.

********

Do comment they encourage me to write and I think next would be the last chapter of this story after which I will start next one if anyone is interested .