Chapter 01
Standing at the very edge of the rooftop , Tania cast a terrified glance over her shoulder.Right below her lay the swimming pool filled to the brim with water.
Even if she fell, it shouldn’t be fatal. If she could somehow keep herself afloat, she might survive.
But the problem was, she suffered from aquaphobia.
And she knew all too well that the water inside that small pool was more than enough to end her life.
She turned her trembling gaze toward the man standing in front of her.
He wore a pale blue kurta, his right hand brushing the stubble on his jaw, eyes blazing with anger fixed upon her.
When he took a single step forward, Tania flinched and held out a shaking hand. Her voice quivered as she stammered,
“Please... don’t come any closer. J-just let me go, please. I promise... not even a fly will find out.”
It was uncertain if the man even heard her plea. Those furious eyes seemed capable of burning her to ashes.
Without a word, he stepped forward again.
Tania’s heart pounded so violently that she felt it might explode any second. Inch by inch, she retreated and turned back once more.
“You shouldn’t have cheated on me on the night of our engagement, Tania,”
he said in a voice laced with venom. “You know I could forgive even murders. But not cheating.”
“I’m sorry, baby. Please, forgive me just this once.”
He laughed a sharp, mocking sound and in a blink, stood right before her.
Leaning slightly forward, his face level with her, he whispered in a sinful, heavy voice,
“Baby? You still have the guts to call me that? You’re braver than I thought, Tania. Impressive.”
Tania’s tear-soaked eyes met his. She shook her head weakly, opening her mouth to speak, but he pressed a finger to his lips and hissed in a deep, harsh tone,
“Quiet. Not another word. What defense could possibly come from a cheater’s mouth, huh?”
Tania said nothing. She turned again, desperate to move back. But there was nowhere left to go.
“Adhaar… if I fall into the water, my baby—”
Before she could finish, Adhaar cut in sharply,
“Oh yes! The baby! The unborn child you tried so cleverly to pin on me, right? This,” He pointed a trembling finger toward her stomach without touching it.
“This isn’t my child, is it, Tania? Tell me the truth. Because I never took you to bed, did I? It was all just an act, wasn’t it?”
When Adhaar grabbed her face between his palms, Tania gasped.
His touch no longer held the tenderness it once did. Only fury, hardness…perhaps even cruelty.
His voice dropped lower, darker.
“Didn’t it bother you at all? Playing such a filthy game with me? Huh? I told you, no matter what happens, I’d never see you as someone to hate. So why did you do it? You’ve made sure I’ll never love anyone again. But I can’t even destroy you either.”
“Adhaar, I’m sorry. Please... let me go,” Tania pleaded weakly.
Adhaar closed his eyes. He pressed his forehead against hers and drew a long, deep breath.
Then, with a calm nod and a voice thick with irony, he said, “I will. I’ll let you go, baby. Take care of yourself, hmm?”
Relief flickered in Tania’s eyes. For a fleeting moment, she thought she might live.
Adhaar stepped back two paces. She exhaled shakily. But before she could even process it, he gave her a gentle push.
She had been standing at the very edge and that slight shove was all it took.
Tania plunged into the pool below.
From above, Adhaar watched as she struggled—gasping, flailing, desperate for help.
But the engagement party was in full swing, music blasting loud enough to drown every cry.
No one heard her. No one except Adhaar.
Gradually, her movements slowed until her body went still. Her dress spread across the water’s surface, keeping her afloat like a sleeping beauty.
But lifeless.
Adhaar let out a long sigh. Lighting a cigarette, he turned and started walking down from the rooftop, humming softly under his breath:
“When darkness touches the fading light,
The lamps of memor y turn to night.
Slowly the shadow’s wings descend,
And silence devours the day’s end.”
To be continue……
{📌: Let me know if you want next part and if you are enjoying this.}
{📌: If any Bengali/Bangali is out there, reading this writing and wishing if it was in Bangla, well, I got you. Go to appstore, search 'Papri' (another platform for bengali stories and it's free), install it, create an account and search 'প্রণয়াভিসার' and you'll get the novel. Or you can follow my FB page 'Mahmuda Maya - এম. এম. মুক্তি'. You can find full details there.}
