The letter was longer than I expected.

It was not just a small note… it was a two-page letter.

Even from the beginning, I never had the courage to read it completely.

My hands trembled as I slowly unfolded the paper. The familiar handwriting itself was enough to make my chest tighten. It felt like a part of him was still there… still speaking to me.

I took a deep breath before starting.

To my Kavya,

If you are reading this, then something in life has not gone the way we thought it would.

And before you overthink this like you always do, let me tell you one thing first , I am not writing this because I want to leave you. I am writing this because life does not always ask before changing everything.

You know me. I joke too much, I act like everything is under control, and I always tell you that nothing bad will ever happen to us.

But there is one thing I have never been careless about.

You.

Not because you are weak. Never that.

But because you have spent so much of your life learning how to stay strong in places where you should have been loved instead. You learned how to stay quiet when you were hurt. You learned how to adjust when you should have been protected.

And I hate that.

I hate that the people who were supposed to be your home made you feel like you never belonged there.

And that is the only reason I am writing this.

If life ever puts you in a situation where I am not able to stand beside you the way I promised, I need you to promise me something.

Do not go back to a place where your silence is expected more than your happiness.

Do not go back to people who only remember you when they need someone to blame.

You deserve better than that. You always did.

And if you ever feel alone, or lost, or unsure about where to go…

trust Krishav.

I know you will frown while reading this line.

I can already imagine your expression.

But listen to me carefully.

I trust very few people in this world when it comes to you.

And he is one of them.

He may not say much. He may not understand emotions the way we do. But he will never stand and watch you break while pretending it is none of his concern.

And that matters more than anything else.

You don’t have to understand this today.

Just remember it.

Just after the words “trust Krishav”, my mind stopped working.

My head started spinning, and tears blurred my vision so much that I could no longer read properly. The letters in front of me became unclear. My hands started shaking.

I couldn’t continue.

I quickly folded the letter as if reading further would break me completely.

All the courage I had gathered a few minutes ago suddenly disappeared.

I fell back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to process everything.

Should I even trust him?

Krishav?

But Siddharth would never write something like that without a reason.

After all… he was my only protector.

He always thought about my well-being, even before his own happiness.

I closed my eyes tightly.

“Okay Siddharth… if this is what you wanted… I will do it,” I whispered to myself.

“But there will be no relation between us… I will go to his house even if it is the last thing I want in this world… If that’s what you want… I will go.”

My voice sounded firm, but inside I felt completely empty.

I slowly got up from the bed and started packing my belongings in a small bag.

Akriti was in the bathroom, unaware of what decision I had just made.

As she came out, wiping her hands with a towel, I spoke before I could change my mind.

“Akriti… I am going to Krishav’s house.”

Her eyes widened in disbelief, as if she could not believe what she had just heard.

“What are you saying… Kavya, are you sure?”

“Yes. I know what I am saying. The letter you gave me… Siddharth clearly wrote that I should not go back to my grandmother… and if I ever need to trust someone, it should be Krishav.”

“To be honest, I don’t know where I should go right now… and I will follow Siddharth’s advice. I am going to Krishav’s house. I don’t have any other option. You are leaving today anyway… it is better if I figure everything out on my own.”

My voice sounded firm, even though I was not fully confident in my own decision.

“But… as you said… he is a stranger. Should we trust him?” Akriti asked, concern clearly visible on her face.

“I know… I thought about it too,” I replied slowly.

“But why would Siddharth write someone’s name if he didn’t trust him?”

“And… I want to know why Siddharth trusted him so much.”

“So… I think I should go.”

I tried to convince her… but somewhere I was also trying to convince myself.

“Still… you should think about it once more,” Akriti said, still unsure.

“I am not completely sure about my decision either,” I admitted honestly.

“But I think I should at least try.”

“And there will be nothing between us. If I feel uncomfortable… I will leave his house that very second.”

“Okay…” Akriti said softly, though she still didn’t look fully convinced.

“If anything happens, you are going to call me. That’s it,” she said seriously.

“You won’t even be here…” I said, reminding her that she was leaving today.

“I know… so…” she said while checking something on her phone.

“So?” I asked, confused.

My phone suddenly pinged with a notification.

She had sent me a contact number along with an address.

“Who is she?” I asked, confused.

“She is a friend of mine,” Akriti replied.

“Friend?” I repeated, raising an eyebrow instinctively.

Jealousy was also a thing in friendship… especially between best friends.

“Just. A. Friend.” Akriti said, emphasizing each word.

“You are my only best friend.”

“Okay,” I said, and a small smile appeared on my face.

“Listen… you can call her whenever you want. I will tell her a little about your situation. I will also ask her to meet us today, so you both can know each other,” Akriti said.

“Okay… then let’s meet at our regular café…” I paused.

“No… let’s meet somewhere else.”

I didn’t have the courage to go to that café.

That place was ours.

Mine and Siddharth’s.

We had spent so much time there… laughing… talking… planning our future.

Going there now would only break me again.

“I will message you the location,” Akriti said, bringing me out of my thoughts.

“Okay… I should leave now,” I said, picking up my bag.

I hugged Akriti tightly before leaving.

That hug felt heavier than usual… as if everything was changing too quickly.

“Call me when you reach Delhi… and have a safe journey,” I said to her before locking the door behind me.

I booked a cab and gave the driver the address Krishav had written on that piece of paper.

The entire journey felt strange.

My life had changed completely in just one day.

Everything felt unreal.

When the cab finally stopped, I stepped outside and looked up.

My eyes widened in disbelief.

In front of me stood a huge mansion.

The entire structure had a dark black exterior, giving it a bold and powerful appearance.

It looked less like a house and more like something out of a movie.

“I have never seen something this huge…” I whispered to myself.

Taking a deep breath, I walked towards the entrance and pressed the doorbell.

No one came.

I pressed it again.

After a few seconds, the door finally opened.

My eyes widened at the sight in front of me.

And suddenly, a wave of embarrassment rushed through me, forcing me to turn around immediately.

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