Tejasswi sat by the window of her apartment, staring at the city lights blinking against the darkness. The evening carried an unsettling stillness, a mirror to the turmoil that had been building between her and Karan. His abrupt departure earlier had left her with an ache she couldn’t name—a hollow feeling, as if he had taken a piece of her with him when he left.

She thought about the vulnerability in his voice, the cracks he had unknowingly revealed in his armor. There was pain there, buried deep, but it wasn’t the kind of pain that could be soothed with words. Karan was a storm, fierce and relentless, and she wasn’t sure if she was strong enough to weather it.

Her phone buzzed on the table, pulling her out of her thoughts. She reached for it, hoping it was Karan, but the name on the screen made her heart sink. Aryan.

Aryan: “You okay? You seemed a bit off earlier.”

She hesitated before typing a response.

Tejasswi: “I’m fine. Just tired.”

She set the phone down, her gaze drifting back to the window. She wasn’t in the mood for explanations, not to Aryan or anyone else. Her thoughts were consumed by Karan—the weight of his presence, the intensity of his gaze, the way his walls felt impenetrable, yet fragile all at once.

Karan, on the other hand, was far from calm. He sat in his car, parked on an empty street, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. The memory of Tejasswi’s concerned eyes, her gentle words, played in his mind on repeat.

He hated himself for walking away, for leaving her standing there, reaching out for something he wasn’t sure he could give. But the fear of losing her, of letting her in only to fail her like he had failed everyone else, was paralyzing.

A sharp knock on the car window startled him. He turned to see a street vendor offering cigarettes. Karan rolled the window down slightly, shaking his head. The vendor muttered something under his breath and moved on.

Karan leaned back, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He felt like he was unraveling, his emotions spiraling out of control. The anger, the jealousy, the yearning—it was too much.

His phone buzzed on the passenger seat. Picking it up, he saw a text from Tejasswi.

Tejasswi: “Are you okay? You seemed… off when you left.”

Karan stared at the message, his fingers hovering over the screen. He wanted to reply, to tell her everything, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, he locked the phone and tossed it onto the seat.

The next morning, Tejasswi arrived at her office early, hoping to bury herself in work to avoid the gnawing emptiness that Karan’s absence had left. She had barely settled in when her phone buzzed again.

This time, it was Karan.

Karan: “Can we meet? Your office.”

Her heart raced as she typed a quick response.

Tejasswi: “Come by whenever you’re ready.”

She spent the next hour trying to focus on her work, but her mind kept drifting back to him. When he finally walked into her office, she felt a strange mix of relief and apprehension.

Karan looked like he hadn’t slept. His hair was disheveled, his shirt wrinkled, but it was his eyes that caught her attention—dark and stormy, filled with emotions he was trying to suppress.

“Hi,” she said softly, gesturing for him to sit.

He didn’t. Instead, he paced the room, his hands shoved into his pockets, his jaw clenched.

“Karan,” she began, but he cut her off.

“Why do you care so much?” he asked, his voice sharp but not unkind.

The question caught her off guard. “What do you mean?”

He stopped pacing and turned to face her, his eyes locking onto hers. “Why do you keep trying to… to fix me? To understand me? I’m not someone you can save, Tejasswi.”

Her heart ached at his words, at the pain that laced them. She stood, crossing the room to stand in front of him. “I’m not trying to fix you, Karan. I just want to be there for you.”

“Why?” he demanded, his voice rising. “Why do you care?”

“Because I see you,” she said, her voice steady despite the tears threatening to spill. “I see the pain you try so hard to hide, the way you push people away because you’re afraid they’ll hurt you. But you’re not as broken as you think you are, Karan.”

His expression softened, the anger fading into something she couldn’t quite place. Vulnerability. Fear. Longing.

“I don’t know how to let you in,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

“You don’t have to know,” she replied, taking his hand in hers. “You just have to try.”

The room fell silent, the air heavy with unspoken words. Slowly, almost hesitantly, Karan squeezed her hand. It was a small gesture, but it spoke volumes.

Later that evening, as Tejasswi sat alone in her apartment, she couldn’t stop thinking about Karan. She could feel the shift in their relationship, the walls between them beginning to crumble. But she also knew that the road ahead wouldn’t be easy.

Karan was a man haunted by his past, a man who carried his pain like a shield. Breaking through that shield would take time, patience, and a strength she wasn’t sure she had.

But as she stared out at the city lights, she realized something. For Karan, she was willing to try.

Because some people were worth fighting for.

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Author's Note :

In this chapter, we delve deeper into Karan’s emotional turbulence—a raw and vulnerable moment where his jealousy and insecurities take center stage. Writing his inner turmoil and the growing tension with Tejasswi was a journey into the complexities of human connection. Tejasswi’s calm strength offers a stark contrast to Karan’s guarded demeanor, showing how two opposites are slowly navigating toward understanding.

This chapter sets the stage for even more intense, heartfelt moments as we continue. Karan’s struggle to let his walls down is relatable and deeply emotional, and it brings us closer to unraveling the layers of his character.

Did Karan’s turmoil resonate with you? What do you think of their evolving dynamic?

I’d love to hear your thoughts and theories! If you enjoyed this chapter, please vote and leave a comment to let me know what stood out to you. Your feedback inspires me to keep pushing the boundaries of this story! Don’t forget to follow me here for updates, sneak peeks, and exclusive insights into Shadows Between Us. Your support truly means the world to me. ❤️