The air in Mishti's apartment was filled with the hum of her coffee maker, the faint aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafting through the small space. She stood by the counter, staring at the swirling liquid in her cup, trying to silence the thoughts swirling in her mind. Since her encounter with Kavya and Aditya at the restaurant and her tense conversations with Raghav, she had been on edge. Every moment felt like an internal battle between moving forward and being dragged back by her past.

She had spent the week focused on work, drowning herself in tasks and deadlines, but the quiet moments were the hardest. Her evenings alone in the apartment stretched endlessly, with only her thoughts to keep her company. Mishti had been trying to rediscover herself, to find strength in solitude, but it wasn't as easy as she had hoped.

The phone buzzed on the counter, pulling her out of her reverie. She glanced at the screen. It was Raghav.

For a moment, she debated whether to answer. A part of her wanted to ignore it, to protect herself from another frustrating interaction. But another part of her—a stubborn, hopeful part—wanted to hear him out. She picked up the phone with a resigned sigh.

"Hello?"

"Hey," Raghav's voice was hesitant, like he wasn't sure how to start. "I... I wanted to check in on you. I know things have been weird between us."

Mishti leaned against the counter, her grip tightening on the phone. "Weird doesn't even begin to cover it, Raghav."

There was a long pause on the other end. "I know I've messed up. And I hate that I've hurt you. I've been thinking a lot about us, about everything, and I want to fix things."

Mishti closed her eyes, willing herself to stay calm. "Raghav, I don't know if things can be fixed. You're still caught up in your past, and I can't keep putting myself in a position where I'm constantly waiting for you to figure things out. It's not fair to either of us."

"I know," he said softly. "But I want to try. Can we at least meet and talk about this? Face to face?"

Mishti hesitated. Her instinct was to say no, to protect herself from more heartache. But a part of her, the part that still clung to the idea of what they could have been, couldn't completely shut him out.

"Fine," she said finally. "One conversation. That's it."

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Across town, Aryan was in the middle of a sparring session at the gym. His fists pounded against the punching bag with a steady rhythm, each strike releasing the frustration that had been building up inside him. His trainer called for a break, and Aryan stepped back, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Going hard today," the trainer commented, handing him a bottle of water.

Aryan took a swig, nodding. "Just needed to clear my head."

"Something on your mind?" the trainer asked.

Aryan shook his head. "It's nothing. Just life."

But it wasn't nothing. Mishti's face kept flashing in his mind—her hurt, her vulnerability, and the way she had walked away from that restaurant with her head held high, even though he could tell she was breaking inside. He had been trying to push the thoughts away, to focus on himself, but she had taken up residence in his mind, and no amount of sparring could shake her loose.

Aryan knew it wasn't his place to interfere. Mishti had her own life, her own struggles, and he wasn't a part of them. But something about her had struck a chord in him, and he couldn't ignore it. She deserved better than the hand she'd been dealt, and he couldn't help but feel like he was supposed to be there for her, even if she didn't know it yet.

"Alright, back to it," the trainer said, clapping him on the shoulder.

Aryan nodded, his resolve strengthening. He couldn't control how he felt, but he could control how he acted. And for now, he would focus on what he could do, not on what he wanted.

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Mishti arrived at the café early, choosing a small table by the window where she could watch the bustling street outside. She clutched her coffee cup tightly, her nerves on edge. She didn't know what to expect from this conversation, but she knew she had to stay strong.

Raghav arrived a few minutes later, his expression guarded. He sat across from her, his hands resting on the table as he looked at her with an almost pleading expression.

"Thank you for meeting me," he said.

Mishti nodded, her gaze steady. "You wanted to talk. So, talk."

Raghav took a deep breath. "I've been doing a lot of thinking, and I know I've been unfair to you. I've been holding onto my past, and it's been affecting us. But I want to let go of that. I want to start fresh—with you."

Mishti's chest tightened. She wanted to believe him, to believe that he could truly move on, but his words felt hollow. "Raghav, I need to know that you're serious about this. Because I can't keep doing this. I can't keep being the person who waits for you to decide what you want."

"I am serious," he insisted. "I know I've been a mess, but I want to fix this. I want to be with you."

Mishti looked at him, searching his face for any sign of doubt. "Then prove it, Raghav. Show me that you mean it. Because words aren't enough anymore."

Raghav nodded, his expression resolute. "I will. I promise."

But as he spoke, Mishti couldn't shake the feeling that his promises were as fragile as glass, ready to shatter at the slightest touch.

Back at his apartment, Aryan sat on his balcony, staring out at the city lights. He had spent the evening trying to focus on his work, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Mishti. He didn't know why he cared so much, why her struggles felt so personal to him, but he couldn't deny the pull he felt toward her.

He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. Maybe Sameer was right. Maybe he was overthinking this. But even if he wanted to, Aryan knew he couldn't just ignore what he was feeling.

For now, though, he would let Mishti figure things out on her own. She deserved the space to make her own choices, and he wouldn't take that away from her. But if he time ever came when she needed someone to lean on, Aryan knew he would be there, no questions asked.

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Well don't you feel why Aryan has soft spot for mishti from the moment they met there is a secret.. will reveal it in upcoming chapter.