Episode 4: Of Old Friends and New Flames

“Double-shot espresso. One sugar, no milk,” Naina said at the coffee shop counter.

“Still the same after all these years,” came a familiar voice behind her.

She turned — and blinked.

There he was. Rohan Mehta. Charming, confident, and completely unaware of the whirlwind he was walking into.

Tall, with a boyish grin and stubble just enough to look like a rom-com lead, Rohan had been her law school rival and not-so-secret admirer. The kind who annoyed her by always topping mock trials and stealing her fries in the cafeteria.

“Rohan?” she gasped, laughing.

He grinned. “The one and only. God, it’s really you. You look... softer. Happier. Beautiful.”

Her heart fluttered. But not in the way it used to.

They sat at a table by the glass window, catching up between sips and shared nostalgia. He’d recently joined a rival law firm — one known for taking on big corporate battles.

“So, how’s life with Aarav Rathore, the courtroom lion?” he teased, eyes gleaming.

Naina rolled her eyes. “It’s not like that. He’s... my boss.”

“Rumors say otherwise,” Rohan said, smirking. “Engaged? And here I was thinking I still had a shot.”

She choked on her coffee. “Rohan!”

He grinned. “I mean it. You always drove me crazy. Still do.”

Before she could respond, a familiar low voice sliced through the air like a whip.

“Rohan.”

They both looked up.

Aarav stood at the entrance, sharp in a navy suit, gaze locked on Naina — then flicking to Rohan with undisguised steel in his eyes.

“Wow,” Rohan said, standing. “Speak of the devil. Rathore.”

“Didn’t know this place served stray dogs,” Aarav said coolly, sliding into the seat beside Naina without invitation.

She blinked. “Aarav…”

“What brings you here?” Aarav asked, voice polite, smile fake.

“Coffee,” Rohan said. “And catching up with your fiancée. You do let her talk to old friends, right?”

Aarav's jaw ticked. “Depends on the friend.”

Naina stood abruptly. “Okay! Time for us to go. Come on, Aarav.”

Rohan stood too. “Nice seeing you, Naina. I meant what I said — you look happy. But if ever you want a real conversation without a shadow looming behind... you know where to find me.”

She smiled, tight-lipped. Aarav didn’t even blink.

As they stepped out, Aarav didn’t say a word. Not until they were back in the car.

The silence was suffocating.

“You didn’t need to do that,” Naina said quietly.

“Do what?”

“Come in like that. Be rude. He’s just an old friend.”

He looked straight ahead. “He’s not just anything. The way he looked at you—”

She cut him off. “Oh? And what way was that?”

“Like you belonged to him.”

Her heart skipped.

“And what if I don’t belong to anyone, Aarav?” she whispered.

That hit him harder than he expected.

She turned to the window, silent. He kept driving.

📍Scene: Aarav’s Apartment – Evening

Later that evening, Naina tried to focus on a case file while Mishti sat beside her, drawing.

“Mummy?” she said suddenly.

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Why was Daddy angry today?”

Naina paused. “What makes you think he was?”

“He was all quiet and squinty like when someone takes my cupcake.”

Naina chuckled, her heart melting. “He wasn’t angry at you, baby. Just... grown-up stuff.”

Mishti tilted her head. “Like when you like someone but don’t tell them?”

Naina stared. “Where did you hear that?”

“You and Daddy do it all the time.”

Naina’s heart thudded. Mishti went back to coloring innocently, completely unaware she had just exposed a truth neither adult was ready to face.

📍Scene: Balcony – Night

The city lights shimmered in the distance. Naina stood on the balcony, arms folded, lost in thought.

Aarav joined her quietly, two mugs of cocoa in hand.

She took hers silently.

“I overreacted,” he said. “I don’t like people from your past thinking they still have a place in your future.”

She stared into her mug. “And what place do you think you have, Aarav?”

He hesitated. “I don’t know. But when I walked into that café and saw you smiling at him… I hated it.”

She looked up.

“I hated that it wasn’t me making you laugh like that.”

The night air stilled.

“You told me not to fall for you,” he said softly. “But I think we crossed that line a long time ago.”

Her breath caught. “Aarav…”

He stepped closer. “Let me make this real.”

The mug slipped from her hand — forgotten.

Because in the next second, he cupped her face gently and kissed her.

Soft. Warm. Certain.

Not pretend. Not for custody. Not to impress anyone.

Just them. Finally.

End of Episode 4

💌 Emotional Note:

Sometimes, jealousy isn’t about control. It’s about fear — fear of losing something that never even felt yours… until now. 🌧️❤️

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