You and Arnav met during your undergraduate years. Usually reserved and guarded, he surprised everyone by how boldly he pursued you. He initiated conversations with that quiet confidence, complimented you when you least expected it, and always found a way to be there, whether it was helping with assignments or simply showing up when you needed support. Slowly, effortlessly, he became a part of your life, a beautiful, irreplaceable part.

What began as teasing banter turned into something deeper. The moment you said yes, it was like a switch flipped in him. He was everywhere, hovering protectively, touching you at every chance as if to reassure himself you were real, his. But he remained intensely private too, keeping your relationship out of the public eye, guarding it like a secret treasure.

Then came the shock. He had been selected for the Indian Army. You hadn’t even known he’d applied. He was ecstatic, full of pride. But you? Your heart sank like a stone. You begged him not to go, not because you didn’t believe in his dreams, but because the thought of losing him terrified you. You couldn't imagine living with the constant dread, the sleepless nights, the news alerts. You told him you weren’t built to love a man who might not return.

The arguments were brutal. Days of crying, shouting, silence. He pleaded with you to understand, to support him. You refused. He made his choice, and so did you. You didn’t even show up when he left for his first posting. The goodbye never came.

TWO YEARS LATER

Life had moved on, at least on the surface. You had a job now, a routine. But Arnav never left your mind. No matter how many months passed, how many messages you typed and never sent, how many photos you stared at on his Instagram, he was still the ache beneath your skin.

Then one day, everything came crashing back. Your aunt had suffered a heart attack, and you rushed to the hospital. As you stepped out of the ward, you spotted a familiar figure. Arnav’s sister, Disha. She looked pale, shaken. “Disha?” you said, walking over quickly.

She looked up, her eyes flooding with tears the second she saw you. She pulled you into a hug, sobbing into your shoulder. “What happened?” you whispered, your voice trembling. “We got word. Some soldiers from Arnav’s regiment were injured in an ambush. They're being brought here.” Her voice cracked. “I’m scared he’s one of them.”

Your heart stopped. This. This was the fear that had haunted you for years, the very reason you hadn’t wanted to be part of this life. You sat down beside her, hands cold and trembling, staring at the ER doors. Every time they swung open, your chest tightened. Then, finally, he appeared. Unharmed. Whole. Standing tall in uniform, eyes sharp and posture commanding. You exhaled sharply, tears stinging your eyes. But as his gaze landed on you, something inside you shattered.

His eyes, once so soft for you, were cold. Distant. He hugged Disha, murmured something to her. But then his gaze returned to you, burning. Before you could react, he was striding toward you.

You turned, ready to flee, but he caught your arm. “Arnav, let go!” you gasped, trying to pull back. He didn’t. He signaled a man, his driver perhaps, who immediately unlocked a nearby SUV. And before you could escape, he opened the door, shoved you inside with force that shocked you, and climbed in after.

You barely had a moment to speak before he pinned your wrists, pulling you onto his lap with military precision. His grip was unyielding, his face mere inches from yours. His voice was low. Controlled. Dangerous. “Not this time,” he said. “You don’t get to walk away from me again, Mrs. Oberoi.”