7:30 PM
Saaniya walked into her cabin after finishing an operation. As she opened the door and switched on the light, a cheerful voice rang out, “So, you finally made it!”
Her eyes landed on Aniket, spinning casually in her chair.
Immediately, Saaniya marched over and said, “That’s my chair…! Stand up. Get out of here!”
Aniket twirled around in the chair and said, “No…! This chair is too much fun! Let me sit for a while!”
Annoyed, Saaniya grabbed his hand and pulled him upright.
“This… is my chair. And to sit here, you need some capability!”
Pouting, Aniket said, “Alright, alright! I get it! Now let go of my hand!”
Saaniya released him, returned to her chair, and picked up a book.
Aniket leaned over, trying to read it, but the medical terms were incomprehensible. He let out a sigh of frustration.
Annoyed, Saaniya snapped the book shut and turned toward him. Suddenly, their faces were very close, and Aniket jumped back in surprise.
In her typical stern tone, Saaniya asked, “Why are you here?”
“Uh… well…” Aniket hesitated. He picked up the small bag lying on the chair across from her and pulled out a tiny box. Seeing it, Saaniya squinted.
“Now this…?! You’re going to spoil Anamika by giving gifts all the time!”
In a soft, unusually gentle tone, Aniket said, “Th-this… is for you.”
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Saaniya looked at him suspiciously.
“Why? What’s the occasion?”
“Your mood didn’t seem great this morning…”
Saaniya cut him off sharply: “That’s not your problem, and you shouldn’t pay attention to such things! Now go… take your gift with you!”
Aniket immediately protested, “Hey… you don’t refuse a gift like that!”
“But I just did!” Saaniya said, opening her book again.
Aniket’s frustration grew. He sat on the chair opposite her and said, “What’s your problem?!”
“You’re my problem for now,” Saaniya replied calmly. His frown deepened. He stood and turned her chair toward him, leaning closer: “So… who are you really?!”
“I’m a witch, like you’ve always said!” Saaniya’s eyes were calm, her face expressionless.
After staring into each other’s eyes for a moment, Aniket began to leave, when Saaniya’s voice stopped him: “Why do you want to know about me?”
“I…” His voice faltered, barely audible. A small, sarcastic smile tugged at Saaniya’s lips.
“You’re a good actor, Aniket. You tried to be friends with me… but you failed. And I regret saying this — no matter how hard you try to get to know my past, you’ll never understand. My past… is as dark and dangerous as I am. So... Stay away; it’s for your own good.”
Silence lingered in Aniket’s eyes. With a serious expression, he said, “Maybe staying away is good for me… but I won’t! Not while you’re close to your past!”
With that, he left with his bag.
Saaniya stood there, confused, asking herself, “Doesn’t he just care so much about my past because he thinks I might hurt Aditya and Anamika? Then why does he behave like this??!”
Shaking her head, she muttered, “Strange boy, really!”
Her eyes fell on the small box he had brought. Opening it, she gasped — inside was a beautiful pair of butterfly earrings.
Their wings seemed ready to take flight. They looked delicate enough to break at a touch, yet they were made of platinum — strong and beautiful. Tiny purple diamonds shimmered softly on the wings.
Saaniya took a deep breath, looking at them.
“Such extravagance for a prank! He’s really crazy!”
Clutching the box, she went to find Aniket.
She found him in the parking lot, sitting in his car.
He saw her and averted his gaze, as if hiding something.
With her usual indifferent tone, she handed him the gift: “For showing off love and care, your budget is impressive! You’re really something!”
Hearing this, Aniket couldn’t control himself anymore. He took her by the side and pulled her close to the car. Looking into her eyes, he asked, “Why… why don’t you trust me?”
“Trust only makes you weak, and I am not weak!” Her eyes showed no emotion.
“That’s what I hate… I hate these eyes of yours that never reveal anything! Talking to them feels like talking to a dead person!”
Saaniya laughed softly, as if he were joking.
“You act like you understand me! You really are entertaining… such a good act of helplessness and care!”
Hearing this, Aniket angrily let go of her. His frustration was so high that he smashed the car window with his hand.
Seeing this, Saaniya teased, “I’ll never shed a drop of blood without reason, unlike you!”
“Then never!” Aniket shouted, sitting in his car. Saaniya said, “Take your gift with you!”
Without looking at her, Aniket said, “I brought this for you… now it’s your choice — throw it away or keep it. But before throwing it, ask yourself: do you want to stay in darkness? After all these struggles, do you want to imprison yourself, or spread your wings like a butterfly and fly?”
And after that… He drove off.
Saaniya stood there, watching the car leave. His eyes lingered in her mind, hiding something unsaid.
She looked down at the box in her hands, then slipped it into her pocket and walked away.
