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**Chapter 15: Old Shadows**
The Monday after Tanvi's party began with a drizzle and a mild headache. Aanya sat at her desk, her laptop open but untouched, the spreadsheet on her screen blurring into meaninglessness.
The past few days had been… confusing.
Arjun was trying. He gave her space. He spoke more gently. He touched her like he was asking permission—even when his eyes still flickered with fear that she might vanish any second.
And yet, she couldn't shake the tightness in her chest. That feeling of being caged—not by him, but by the expectations that had wrapped around her life like ivy.
Her phone buzzed.
**Unknown number:** *Hi Aanya. It's been a long time. Can we talk? - Raghav*
Her breath hitched.
She stared at the screen, unsure if it was real. But there it was—his name. His message.
The past surged back like a wave. Late-night calls, unspoken promises, and the abrupt silence that followed his wedding to Megha.
She hadn't heard from him in over two years.
Her hands trembled as she typed: *Why now?*
His reply came instantly.
**Raghav:** *Because I saw your name in an article about women CAs leading startups. And it hit me—I've missed too much of your life already.*
Aanya stared at the screen for a full minute before locking it and tossing the phone away.
But the damage was done. Her pulse was racing, and her mind had already cracked open a door she had tried to keep sealed shut.
***
The next day, Aanya was at a café near her old firm, waiting. She hadn't told Arjun. She didn't know why she'd agreed to meet Raghav. Closure? Curiosity? She told herself it didn't matter.
When he walked in, her heart skipped a beat. He hadn't changed much. Same disarming smile, same calm eyes. Except now there was a trace of tiredness around them. Life had left its mark.
He spotted her and walked over.
"Aanya," he said, like the word itself tasted like memory.
"Raghav."
They sat.
There was a moment of silence, thick with years unsaid.
"You look… stronger," he said.
"You look… married," she replied, not unkindly.
He winced. "Touché."
A waitress interrupted them with menus, giving them a moment to breathe.
Once she was gone, Aanya folded her arms. "So, talk."
Raghav leaned forward. "I didn't come here to stir up the past, I promise. I just… I've been thinking about you a lot lately. I've made mistakes."
"Like marrying Megha?"
"Like not fighting for you."
She looked away. "You didn't even *try*, Raghav. You let your parents bully you into a marriage you didn't want. You didn't call. You didn't explain. You just vanished."
"I know. And I regretted it the second the wedding was over."
"That's convenient."
"I thought I was doing the right thing—for everyone. But I didn't realize the cost would be losing you. You were my only real thing."
Aanya's throat tightened.
"I know it's too late," he said softly. "But I wanted to say it. I'm sorry."
She didn't respond right away. Her fingers played with the rim of her coffee cup.
"I'm married now," she said.
"I know."
"And I'm not looking for drama."
"I'm not here to create any. I just… wanted to know if you're happy."
She paused. "I don't know yet."
Raghav nodded. "That's honest."
Their eyes met, and for a moment, something old stirred between them—soft and dangerous.
Then her phone buzzed.
**Arjun:** *Hey. Just checking in. You okay? Want me to pick you up from the co-working space later?*
Guilt hit her chest like a blow.
"I should go," she said, standing up.
Raghav didn't try to stop her. "If you ever want to talk again…"
"I won't," she said. "But thanks for the apology."
And with that, she walked away.
***
That night, Arjun noticed something was off.
"You're quiet," he said as she folded laundry on the bed.
"Just tired," she replied.
He walked over and pulled her into his arms from behind.
She stiffened.
"Still tired?" he murmured against her neck.
His warmth was familiar. His presence calming. But guilt bloomed in her chest like poison.
She turned, gently pulling away. "Not now."
He studied her. "Something happened?"
"No. Just… work."
He didn't press further. But his eyes lingered on her longer than usual, like he was trying to read what her words didn't say.
***
The next day, Arjun had to leave for a short business trip—just two days in Bangalore. It was the first time they'd be apart since the wedding.
"You sure you'll be okay alone?" he asked at the door, suitcase in hand.
She smiled faintly. "You're not going to war, Arjun."
He hesitated. "I just… I don't like being away from you."
"I know."
He leaned in and kissed her forehead—lingering, tender. "I'll call you as soon as I land."
She nodded.
Once he was gone, the silence in the apartment felt both liberating and terrifying.
She sat alone, scrolling through her phone, until a new message lit up her screen.
**Raghav:** *I know I said I wouldn't reach out again. But if you ever just want to walk and talk, I'm around.*
She didn't reply. But her heart, traitorous as it was, skipped anyway.
***
Meanwhile, back in Pune, Arjun's mother was on a call with Shruti.
"He's changed," she hissed. "Your brother doesn't even ask us before making decisions anymore. This girl—Aanya—she's driving a wedge."
Shruti frowned. "Ma, maybe he's just trying to make his marriage work."
"He used to respect me. Now he answers back. She's done something to him."
Shruti sighed. She had seen the change too—but it wasn't all bad. Arjun laughed more now, though guarded. He seemed... human.
"Let him live his life, Ma," Shruti said gently.
"And what if she leaves him?" the older woman snapped. "What if she ruins him before that?"
Shruti was silent.
Because beneath all her modern words, even she wasn't sure what held Arjun and Aanya together—loyalty, fear, or some slow-burning thread that hadn't snapped yet.
***
That night, Aanya stood on the balcony, the wind in her hair, her thoughts messy.
She thought of Arjun—his quiet warmth, his attempts to be better.
She thought of Raghav—his apology, his history, the pull he still had.
But most of all, she thought of herself.
For the first time in a long while, she asked herself not who she belonged to—but who she wanted to become.
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**[End of Chapter 15]**