Aarya's mind went blank.
Her heart pounding louder than ever.
Kabir's grip tightened around her wrist.
Cold.
Unforgiving.
"You don't have much time…" he said.
Aarya looked at him.
Really looked.
Trying to find Kabir.
Somewhere.
Anywhere.
But all she saw…
Was darkness.
Tears filled her eyes.
"This… isn't you…"
Kabir leaned closer.
"Then bring him back."
Her breath trembled.
"How…?"
Kabir smiled faintly.
"Feel."
Silence.
The world around them felt distant.
Like nothing else existed.
Just them.
And that choice.
Aarya closed her eyes.
Her mind filled with memories.
Every rejection.
Every insult.
Every time she pushed someone away.
Every time she pretended to be strong.
And then—
Kabir.
His awkward smile.
His quiet care.
His stubbornness.
The way he stayed…
Even when she pushed him away.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I didn't want this…"
Her voice broke.
"I didn't want anyone to get hurt…"
Kabir's grip loosened slightly.
Just a little.
"Then stop pretending…" he whispered.
Aarya's chest tightened.
Her heart aching.
For the first time—
She didn't hide it.
She didn't push it away.
She let it out.
"I was scared…" she whispered.
Her voice trembling.
"So I hurt everyone first…"
Kabir's eyes flickered for a second.
Just a second.
Aarya noticed.
And stepped closer.
Even though she was afraid.
Even though it was dangerous.
"I didn't want to lose anyone again…"
Her voice softened.
Almost breaking.
"But now…"
She looked straight into his eyes.
Filled with tears.
"I don't want to lose you."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Kabir's expression froze.
Something inside him… reacted.
The darkness flickered.
The mark on his wrist glowed violently.
He stepped back suddenly.
Holding his head.
"Aah—!"
Aarya's eyes widened.
"Kabir!"
He dropped to his knees.
His body shaking.
Two voices overlapping now—
One dark.
One familiar.
"Stop…!"
"Don't… listen…!"
Aarya rushed toward him.
This time—
She didn't stop.
She didn't think.
She just acted.
She held him tightly.
Her arms around him.
Her heart racing.
"Come back…" she whispered.
"Please… come back…"
Kabir's body froze.
The darkness inside him clashing violently.
The mark pulsing uncontrollably.
And then—
He screamed.
Loud.
Painful.
"Aaaaaahhh—!"
Chapter 18 Suspense:
Suddenly—
Everything went still.
Too still.
Kabir stopped moving.
Stopped breathing for a second.
Aarya's heart dropped.
"Kabir…?"
Slowly—
His hand lifted.
Holding hers.
Tight.
And then—
He whispered.
"Run…"
Aarya's eyes widened.
Because she knew—
That voice…
Was Kabir.
But before she could react—
His grip tightened violently.
And his other hand—
Slowly rose toward her neck.
The darkness wasn't gone.
It was fighting back.
And this time—
It was ready to kill.