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Voices.

Distant at first.

Then closer.

“…she’ll be fine.”

“…what was in her system?”

A pause.

A long one.

“…small dose, but enough to—”

I forced my eyes open.

White ceiling.

Bright lights.

The faint smell of antiseptic.

Hospital.

My head throbbed as memories came rushing back.

The drink.
Aarav.
The stranger.

My heart started racing.

I tried to sit up—

“Careful.”

That voice.

Low. Calm. Controlled.

I turned my head slightly.

And there he was.

Sitting beside the bed like he had every right to be there.

Dark shirt. Sleeves rolled up. Eyes fixed on me.

Watching.

Relief flickered across his face for a second—

Then it was gone.

“Where… am I?” I whispered.

“Hospital,” he said simply.

“What happened to—”

“Aarav?” he cut in.

The way he said the name made a chill run through me.

“He won’t be a problem tonight.”

Tonight?

Something about that didn’t feel reassuring.

My fingers tightened around the bedsheet.

“Why did you help me?” I asked.

A pause.

For the first time, he looked away.

Like he was choosing his words carefully.

“Wrong place,” he said. “Wrong person.”

That didn’t answer anything.

Before I could push further, a doctor walked in, checking my pulse and asking routine questions.

But I barely heard anything.

Because every time I looked at him—

He was already looking at me.

—

One hour later

“I’m taking her,” the stranger said.

The doctor frowned. “She needs rest—”

“She’ll get it.”

His tone wasn’t loud.

But it wasn’t a request either.

Something in the room shifted.

Even the doctor seemed unsure.

I swallowed.

“Wait… where?” I asked.

His gaze softened slightly when it landed on me.

“Somewhere safe.”

Safe.

I didn’t even know his name.

And yet—

For some reason—

I trusted him more than I trusted anyone else in that moment.

That should have scared me.

But it didn’t.

—

Safe House

The car ride was silent.

City lights blurred past the window as I leaned my head back, still weak.

“Who are you?” I finally asked.

No response.

I turned to look at him.

His jaw was clenched slightly, eyes focused on the road.

“You saved me. I deserve to know your name.”

A pause.

Then—

“Reyansh.”

The name settled somewhere deep.

Dangerous.

Strong.

Unforgettable.

“Why do I feel like this isn’t just a coincidence?” I asked softly.

His grip on the steering wheel tightened.

For a second—

Just a second—

Something unreadable crossed his face.

“You ask too many questions,” he said.

The car stopped.

A large gate opened slowly in front of us.

Not a house.

A fortress.

As we stepped inside, I realized one thing.

I wasn’t just saved.

I was pulled into something much bigger.

Something I didn’t understand yet.

I turned to him, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Reyansh… what did my ex do to me?”

He looked at me.

Really looked this time.

And said something that made my blood run cold—

“Something he’s going to regret.”