Page 138 of Since You Stole My Heart

‘You’re punishing yourself by thinking that way. Cutting yourself off from people who love you is not the price you have to pay. You deserve all the good things that come your way, especially Swayam,’ Dhruv said softly.

Doubt coiled stubbornly in her chest as she whispered, ‘What if it’s too late? What if I’ve already ruined it beyond repair and pushed him into getting engaged to that girl?’

Dhruv shook his head firmly. ‘If I’m right about Swayam, he wouldn’t do that. But you won’t get your answers until you talk to him.’

That was all she wanted to do, but the dead phone in her hand made it impossible. ‘I’ll call him too.’

Dhruv relaxed, patting her on the back, and she gave him a faint smile in return. Together, they made their way through the empty pub, and she waved goodbye to Vihaan with promises to come back soon.

Outside, the afternoon sun pierced through her head like needles, and Kashvi quickly slid on her sunglasses. She raised a hand to hail an auto as she asked, ‘How come none of us knew you owned a pub in the city?’

Dhruv shoved his hands into his pockets. ‘Because it happened recently. My new apartment is in the next building. I got it thinking that if I lived nearby, maybe I’d run into you all more often.’

‘I’m glad you did. It’s good to have you close,’ Kashvi said, pulling him into a quick hug.

The auto stopped in front of them, and she climbed in, adjusting the bag on her lap before looking back at him. ‘I’ll see you soon, yeah?’

Dhruv nodded, then leaned slightly towards the young man in the driver’s seat. ‘Get my sister home safely, okay?’

The driver smiled, but Kashvi narrowed her eyes. ‘Oh, so this is how it’s going to be? You becoming overbearing already?’

‘You should expect it a lot more often,’ Dhruv said, flashing her a smug grin.

‘God help me,’ she muttered, though there was no real complaint in it.

‘You’ll be okay?’ he asked, straightening up.

‘Yes,’ Kashvi said.

Because she would be fine the moment she heard Swayam’s voice. As long as she had that, she could face whatever came next without hiding behind lies, even if it terrified her.

Chapter 26

Kashvi tapped impatiently at the dark screen of her phone as she climbed the narrow stairwell to their apartment. No matter how many times she held down the power button, the phone refused to come alive.

As she slipped off her shoes, her heart sank at the empty spot beside her rack.

Swayam wasn’t home.

She sighed and dug through her purse for the key. A faint scent of roasted chicken drifted from the apartment next door, and for a brief second, she wondered if she could lure Swayam back home with the promise of cooking for him.

The need to talk to him, to hear his voice and know he was okay, eclipsed everything else. With the sole mission of finding her charger, she unlocked the front door.

The moment Kashvi stepped inside, shards of glass crunched beneath her heels.

A startled gasp broke from her lips as she took in the destruction around her.

The curtains were torn into jagged strips, exposing the harsh afternoon light spilling over broken planters and the wreckage scattered around the room. The sofa stuffing lay strewn in uneven clumps around the room, and her favourite mermaid lamps had been smashed into colourful, glittering shards across the floor.

Her heartbeat grew louder as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing, but she couldn’t. It looked as though a violent tornado had ripped through the apartment.

What the hell happened to my home?

In the scrambled haze of her mind, she picked her way through the living room, searching for her charger. But when she reached her bedroom door, the sight inside hit even harder.

Her clothes were strewn everywhere, yanked from drawers and tossed across the floor, some of them torn apart completely. The mirror on her vanity stood shattered, leaving only sharp edges clinging to the ornate copper frame. Photographs of her family and friends had been ripped to pieces.

‘Oh God,’ she whispered as her gaze swept over the ruined remains of what had once been her room, her sanctuary.