Page 200 of Since You Stole My Heart

Then she kissed me once,

And I finally understood,

To be loved by her is to be eternal.

— Akshar

A tear slipped free as Kashvi slowly turned to Swayam. ‘You wrote that?’

His own eyes were misty too. ‘And I meant every word.’

‘So you’re Akshar?’ she whispered.

Swayam nodded with a sheepish smile.

A restless burst of excitement rushed through her, making it impossible to stay still. ‘How is that even possible?’

Siya twisted around in her chair. ‘Hey. Some of us are trying to listen.’

Meera added with a pointed glare, ‘Take it outside, lovebirds.’

Swayam chuckled. ‘Come on, Kash.’

Kashvi hesitated, torn between staying for the reading and chasing the answers burning inside her.

‘I have the chapters, baby. You won’t miss anything. Let’s go.’

That settled it.

Kashvi slipped out of the row and hurried towards the exit, practically bouncing on her feet as her excitement and confusion bubbled over.

The moment Swayam stepped out, the questions exploded out of her in a rush. ‘Okay, start talking now. How, when, and what the hell is going on?’

Swayam laughed and pulled her into a quiet corner beside the bookstore, safely out of sight. When he wrapped his arms around her, the frantic rhythm of her heart began to match his. ‘What do you want to know?’

‘You’re the editor of my favourite author?’

Swayam grinned with boyish charm. ‘Guilty.’

‘You are unbelievable. You knew how much I loved her books, and you still kept this a secret from me. What else are you hiding? Did you know about Luv being married too?’

He sobered at that. ‘I swear I didn’t know. Ira never mentioned she was married either. I’m just as shocked as you are.’

Kashvi narrowed her eyes. ‘Good. Now you know what it feels like.’

Swayam sighed. ‘I’m sorry, baby. Every time you talked about her, I wanted to tell you so bad, but I just couldn’t because I signed an NDA. I edit under a pseudonym of my choice, and I’m not allowed to tell anyone I’m her editor.’

Her eyebrows crunched together. ‘But why?’

Swayam shrugged. ‘She never really explained it, but she’s my friend. She said she doesn’t want anything traced back to her real identity, and I trust that she has her reasons.’

‘Is that why this event is so private?’

‘She only agreed to do this because I insisted. Or else, she wouldn’t have.’

Kashvi cupped his jaw with both her hands. ‘Why did you do all of this?’

Swayam gently brushed her cheek with the backs of his fingers. ‘Because I wanted to propose to you, and I wanted to do it in a special way. And I also didn’t want to risk you saying no.’