Aakrati left for work like any other day—bag slung over her shoulder, mind half on her schedule, half somewhere else she didn't want to name.
She didn't look back.
But she knew he was watching.
Inside the apartment, Arsh stood still for a moment after the door closed.
Then his phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
Unknown number.
He picked it up anyway.
"Hello?"
A pause.
Then—
"Arsh."
His expression didn't change.
But something in his eyes did.
"Sakshi."
Silence stretched for a second.
"I'm in the city," she said, her voice calm but carrying something deeper underneath. "Can we meet?"
Arsh walked toward the window slowly, his grip on the phone tightening just a little.
"Why?"
A soft breath came from the other end.
"Because five years don't end on silence."
He didn't reply.
"I won't take much of your time," she added. "Just… once."
Another pause.
Longer this time.
Then—
"Send me the location."
Call ended.
Across the city, a little later—
Sakshi sat in a restaurant, waiting.
Composed.
Elegant.
But her fingers tapped lightly against the table—restless despite everything.
Her purse slipped suddenly, falling to the floor.
Before she could pick it up—
A hand reached for it.
"Here," Aakrati said, handing it to her with an easy smile.
Sakshi looked up.
And for a moment—
She just stared.
Aakrati tilted her head slightly. "You okay? You look nervous."
Sakshi blinked, quickly recovering, a small smile forming.
"Yeah… I'm fine."
A pause.
"Just… meeting someone after a while."
Aakrati's eyes lit up instantly.
"Ohhh," she said, a teasing tone slipping in naturally. "Important someone?"
Sakshi let out a soft chuckle.
"You could say that."
"Then best of luck," Aakrati said brightly. "Hope it goes well."
Sakshi looked at her for a second longer than necessary.
Then nodded.
"Thank you."
Aakrati smiled once more and walked away, completely unaware.
She reached her table on the other side, separated only by a small showcase partition.
Krish was already there, waiting.
"You're late," he said casually.
"Excuse me," she replied, sitting down. "I was being a good citizen."
He raised an eyebrow. "Should I be worried?"
She grinned slightly. "Always."
They ordered.
Started eating.
Talking in between, but nothing too serious.
Just… normal.
And then—
The door opened.
Arsh stopped at the table.
For a second, neither of them spoke.
Five years of history sat quietly between them.
"You came," Sakshi said softly, a faint smile on her lips.
"You said it was important," Arsh replied, pulling the chair back and sitting down, his tone calm… distant.
Sakshi studied him.
"You still don't waste words."
"And you still don't answer questions," he said, looking straight at her. "Why am I here?"
A small pause.
Then she exhaled.
"I wanted to see you."
"That's not a reason."
"It is for me."
Silence.
Sakshi leaned back slightly, her fingers tracing the edge of the glass.
"My relationship didn't work out," she said finally.
Arsh didn't react.
Didn't ask.
"I thought I made the right choice," she continued, her voice steady but softer now. "I thought I was choosing something better… something stable."
A bitter smile crossed her face.
"I was wrong."
Arsh's jaw tightened slightly.
"That's not my problem anymore."
"I know," she said quickly. "I'm not saying it is."
Another pause.
"I just…" she hesitated for the first time. "I thought maybe… we could talk. Like we used to."
"We don't have anything to talk about."
Sakshi looked at him properly now.
"Five years, Arsh."
He met her gaze.
"And you left."
The words were simple.
But they landed hard.
"I didn't just leave," she said, a flicker of emotion finally breaking through. "I thought I was doing what was right."
"For you," he corrected.
She didn't deny it.
"I didn't think you'd…" she paused, searching for the right words. "Move on like this."
That made him scoff softly.
"Like what?"
Sakshi's eyes held his.
"Like replacing me."
Something in his expression shifted.
Slightly.
"I didn't replace you."
"Really?" she leaned forward a little. "Because from what I've seen…"
A small, knowing smile appeared.
"She's exactly like me."
Silence.
Arsh didn't respond.
"The way she talks. The way she reacts. Even the way she looks at you…" Sakshi's voice softened. "It's like looking at a younger version of myself."
His gaze hardened.
"Careful."
"I'm not wrong," she said calmly. "Even Siddharth noticed it, didn't he?"
That hit.
A brief flicker in Arsh's eyes.
"I asked him," she continued quietly, "if you're with her because she feels familiar."
Arsh leaned back, his expression unreadable now.
"You're done?"
Sakshi didn't move.
"No."
A pause.
Then, softer—
"I came back because I realized something."
He didn't ask what.
"I never stopped loving you."
Silence fell heavily between them.
"And I know you," she added, her voice almost a whisper now. "You don't let people in easily."
Her gaze searched his.
"So if she's there…"
A small pause.
"Then it's not nothing."
Arsh's fingers tapped once against the table.
Controlled.
Measured.
"But don't lie to yourself," Sakshi said gently. "You didn't choose her randomly."
His eyes met hers again.
Cold.
Steady.
"I chose her," he said quietly.
Sakshi held his gaze.
"Or you chose what she reminds you of?"
That—
Stayed unanswered.
From the other side of the partition, Aakrati couldn't see them clearly—
But she could hear.
Every word.
Every pause.
Every silence.
Sakshi leaned back slightly, her gaze fixed on Arsh, studying him like she already knew all his answers.
"You haven't changed," she said softly.
Arsh didn't respond.
A faint smile touched her lips.
"I heard about you," she continued. "After me."
A pause.
"Different girls. Different faces."
Aakrati's fingers slowly tightened around her fork.
Sakshi tilted her head slightly, her voice calm—but sharp.
"But none of them stayed."
Silence.
Arsh's jaw tightened, but he still didn't interrupt.
"Not even a month," Sakshi added, almost thoughtfully. "That's… interesting, don't you think?"
Aakrati's breath slowed.
Her heart didn't.
She didn't want to listen.
But she couldn't stop.
Sakshi leaned forward now, her voice dropping just enough to make it more personal.
"Do you know why?"
Arsh's gaze hardened slightly.
"Say what you came to say, Sakshi."
But she didn't rush.
"I know you," she said quietly.
A pause.
Deep.
Certain.
"You don't move on that easily."
Aakrati felt something twist inside her.
Sakshi's eyes didn't leave Arsh.
"And then I saw her."
A beat.
Aakrati froze.
That sentence landed somewhere it wasn't supposed to.
Sakshi exhaled slowly.
"She's exactly like me, isn't she?"
Silence.
That silence—
Was louder than any answer.
Aakrati's grip tightened further, her knuckles turning pale.
Sakshi smiled faintly, but there was no softness in it now.
"I knew it the moment I saw her."
Another pause.
"That's why you're with her."
Aakrati's heart dropped.
"Because you found me in her."
Her breath hitched.
Sakshi leaned back again, watching him carefully.
"Otherwise…" she continued, her voice almost casual now, "you've been with girls after me."
A slight shrug.
"But you didn't last with any of them."
A pause.
Then—
"Not even for a month."
The words echoed.
Again.
And again.
Aakrati stared at the table in front of her—
But she wasn't seeing it anymore.
Everything suddenly felt… clear.
Too clear.
Krish noticed the shift instantly.
"Aakrati…" he said softly.
But she didn't respond.
Because right now—
Every small moment with Arsh—
Every look.
Every touch.
Every word—
Was rearranging itself in her mind.
And none of it felt the same anymore.