chapter 3 love beyonds time
[Scene: Present Day – Ishita’s Studio]
Aarav sits on the floor, still catching his breath. His mind is spinning—one moment, he was running through a palace, holding Devyani’s hand, and now he’s back, staring at Ishita. The scent of oil paints and old books replaces the lingering sandalwood from the past.
Ishita drops her paintbrush, eyes wide.
Ishita(FL)
Barely whispering Aarav… what just happened?
Aarav looks at the diary beside him, its pages completely blank now. The ancient ink—the words of Devyani’s love story—are gone. As if they had never existed.
Aaraav (ML)
Shaken I was there, Ishita. In the past. With her.
Ishita(FL)
Kneeling beside him Devyani?
Aarav nods, his chest heavy. His fingers brush over the diary’s worn pages, but it no longer glows. It’s just an old book now. A relic of a love long lost.
Aaraav (ML)
Softly She let me go.
Ishita(FL)
Confused What do you mean?
Aarav swallows hard, emotions crashing into him. He remembers Devyani’s eyes, the pain in them when she realized he belonged elsewhere. The way the golden light had pulled him away. And most of all, the way she had whispered her final words to him:
"Find the love that was meant to be yours."
He looks at Ishita then—really looks at her. The concern in her hazel eyes, the way her hands tremble slightly, how she’s always been there. Always waiting. And suddenly, it’s so clear.
Aaraav (ML)
Voice rough I think… I was meant to find you.
[Scene: One Week Later – Old Fort Ruins
The sun sets behind the ancient ruins where Aarav first found the diary. He stands at the edge of a crumbling balcony, staring out at the horizon. Ishita stands beside him, the breeze playing with her hair.
Ishita(FL)
Teasing You’re thinking about her, aren’t you?
Aaraav (ML)
Smiling softly A part of me will always wonder. But… she gave me a gift. A second chance.
Ishita turns to him, searching his face.
Ishita(FL)
And what will you do with it?
Aarav takes her hand in his, fingers lacing together like they were always meant to fit. He sees the way her breath hitches, the way her lips part slightly in surprise. And he knows—he’s finally home.
Aaraav (ML)
Gently This time… I won’t let love slip away.
Ishita’s smile is radiant as she leans into him, her forehead resting against his. The past may have been lost, but love… love always finds a way.
As they walk away from the ruins, a soft gust of wind lifts the final page of the forgotten diary, revealing one last message—faint, but written in golden ink:
"Some souls are bound across lifetimes. But the greatest love… is the one that chooses to stay."
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