Hey lovely readers!🎀♥️✨🫴🏻
Before you dive into this chapter, I just want to take a moment to thank you all for the overwhelming love and support you've shown for Rudra and Anaya's journey so far. It's been such a ride exploring their complex emotions and the walls they've built around themselves. In this chapter, we'll finally start to see some cracks in those walls as Rudra begins to open up—just a little—but enough to give us a glimpse of the man he's been hiding from Anaya and from himself.
I know many of you have been waiting for a moment like this between them, and trust me, this is just the beginning of something much deeper. There's a lot more to come, and I can't wait to share the next twists and turns in their story with you. Your feedback and comments mean the world to me, so please don't hesitate to share your thoughts!
Grab some tea, settle in, and enjoy this chapter full of tension, vulnerability, and just the tiniest step toward trust.
Much love,
~Penola.S.
——————AUTHOR'S POV :~~~
Rudra stood with his back to Anaya, his body tense, as if holding back a wave of emotions he was unwilling to show. The silence between them felt heavy, almost suffocating, but Anaya knew she couldn't turn away now. Ever since the first day she met him, she had felt the strange, magnetic pull between them—one minute he was cold and distant, the next, she could sense the heat of something deeper simmering beneath the surface.
Finally, Rudra turned to face her, his dark eyes filled with a fire that she had never seen before. His gaze bore into hers with such intensity that Anaya felt her heart skip a beat.
"You think you know me, Anaya?" His voice was low, almost a growl, filled with restrained emotion. "You have no idea what's going on inside me."
Anaya's breath caught in her throat. She had always known there was something more to Rudra, something he kept hidden. But now, standing this close to him, the truth felt closer than ever. Her words faltered as she tried to speak, but all she managed was a quiet, stammering, "R-Rudra, I..."
He stepped closer, closing the distance between them. His fingers reached up, lightly brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. His touch sent a jolt through her, but she was too afraid to move, too stunned to pull away.
"I push you away," he whispered, his breath warm against her skin, "because if I don't, I'll lose control."
Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, and she stood frozen, barely able to breathe. "What… what do you mean?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Rudra's gaze never wavered as he leaned in slightly closer, his presence overwhelming. "You don't understand, Anaya," he said softly, almost painfully. "I can't stop thinking about you. Since the day I met you, I've tried to ignore it. Tried to push it down. But I can't anymore."
Anaya's breath hitched, her pulse racing as his words sank in. "Rudra, I... I don't know what to say."
Before she could gather her thoughts, Rudra turned abruptly, walking over to the desk in the corner of the room. Anaya stood there, her heart in her throat, watching as he opened a drawer and pulled out a small, intricately carved wooden box—the same one they had found after solving his late grandfather's riddle.
Her eyes widened with recognition. She had almost forgotten about the box. "Is that…?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Rudra didn't answer at first. Instead, he carefully opened the box, revealing two delicate bracelets, handcrafted with intricate detail—couple bracelets. Anaya's heart skipped a beat. She knew how much they meant to him. His grandfather had made them for Rudra's parents, passing down not just the bracelets, but the love and legacy they represented.
Without a word, Rudra picked up the bracelets, his fingers running lightly over the smooth surface. He took a deep breath before turning to face her again, his eyes soft but filled with something intense.
"These…" he began, his voice steady but thick with emotion, "are more than just bracelets. My grandfather made them. He said they were meant to be worn by two people who are meant to be together."
Anaya's breath caught in her throat as he took a step closer to her, holding one of the bracelets out in front of her. "Anaya," he whispered, his voice raw, "I don't know how to say this. I don't know if I'm doing this right. But I need you to understand how much you mean to me."
She stared at the bracelet, her heart racing, her hands trembling. She wanted to speak, to say something, but the words just wouldn't come. All she could do was watch as Rudra gently took her hand in his.
"I can't stop thinking about you," he admitted, sliding the bracelet onto her wrist. "I can't stop feeling this pull toward you, no matter how much I try. And I'm done fighting it."
Anaya's breath hitched again, her chest tightening as his fingers lingered on her wrist. "Rudra, I… I didn't know."
He let out a soft, almost bitter laugh. "How could you? I've done everything to push you away. But not anymore."
He looked into her eyes, his expression softening. "I'm not asking you to love me, not yet," he said, his voice a little quieter. "But I'm asking you to stop running from this… from us."
Anaya felt her throat tighten, her heart pounding so loudly she could barely hear anything else. She wasn't sure what to say. The weight of his words, the intensity of his gaze—it was too much to process all at once.
"I'm not running," she whispered finally, her voice barely audible. "I never wanted to run."
Rudra's grip on her hand tightened slightly, his eyes locked on hers. "Then stay," he said softly. "Stay, and give us a chance."
Anaya's eyes filled with unshed tears. She had never seen him like this—so vulnerable, so real. For the first time, she felt like she was seeing the true Rudra, the man he had been hiding all along.
"I'm here, Rudra," she whispered, her voice shaky but sure. "I'm not going anywhere."
Rudra exhaled, a hint of relief crossing his features. He gently placed the second bracelet on his own wrist, a small but powerful symbol of the connection between them. He took her hand again, their matching bracelets glinting in the dim light of the room.
But then, just as quickly as the moment had begun, Rudra's expression hardened. He stepped back, pulling away slightly, as if trying to regain control of himself. "I need time," he said quietly, his voice distant once more. "I can't rush this."
Anaya nodded, her heart aching but understanding. She knew how difficult this was for him, how much he was struggling with his feelings.
"I'll give you time," she whispered. "As much as you need."
Rudra gave her one last look, his eyes filled with a mixture of longing and restraint, before he turned and walked away, leaving Anaya standing there, her wrist still tingling from where he had touched her, the weight of their unspoken connection settling over her like a heavy blanket.
—————
Anaya stood in the middle of the room, her heart pounding, her fingers brushing the bracelet on her wrist. The feel of the cold metal against her skin sent a shiver down her spine, not because it was uncomfortable but because of the meaning behind it. She had never imagined that Rudra, the man who had kept his distance for so long, would open up like this, even if it was just a little. It was a crack in the wall he had built around himself—a crack she hadn't expected to see tonight.
For a moment, she felt frozen in place, unsure of what to do. She could still feel the heat from where Rudra had touched her hand, his words lingering in the air between them. She couldn't shake the intensity of the moment, the raw emotion that had flickered behind his carefully constructed mask.
Gathering her thoughts, Anaya glanced toward Rudra. He was now standing by his desk, his back turned to her once again, but this time, the tension in his shoulders was different. He wasn't as distant, as cold. His hands rested on the edge of the desk, gripping it as if he were trying to ground himself, to keep from falling apart.
The silence between them stretched on, thick and heavy. Anaya wanted to say something, to break through the tension, but her words seemed stuck in her throat. She wasn't used to seeing Rudra like this—vulnerable, uncertain. He had always been so composed, so in control, and now, for the first time, he seemed to be struggling with his own emotions.
"Rudra..." she began softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Are you okay?"
He didn't answer right away. Instead, he took a deep breath, his fingers tightening on the desk. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, almost strained. "I don't know how to do this, Anaya. I've never... I've never felt like this before."
Anaya's heart ached at his words. She took a step closer, her eyes fixed on his back, wanting to reach out to him but unsure if she should. "You don't have to figure it all out right now," she said gently. "We'll figure it out together."
Rudra let out a soft, bitter laugh. "Together." He shook his head slightly, as if the idea was foreign to him. "I don't even know if I can handle this. I've always been alone in everything, Anaya. I've never let anyone in."
Anaya felt a pang of sympathy. She knew his history, knew how much responsibility and pressure he had carried on his shoulders for years. His cold exterior, the walls he had built, were all coping mechanisms. But tonight, she had seen glimpses of the man underneath—someone who longed for connection, even if he didn't know how to express it.
"You don't have to be alone anymore, Rudra," she said softly, taking another step closer. "I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. You don't have to do this by yourself."
Rudra turned his head slightly, just enough for her to see the profile of his face. His jaw was clenched, his eyes staring at something far away, as if he was still wrestling with his emotions. After a long pause, he finally turned fully to face her.
"Anaya, I..." He hesitated, his gaze flickering to the bracelet on her wrist, and then back to her eyes. "I don't want to hurt you."
Anaya took a deep breath, stepping even closer to him. "You're not going to hurt me, Rudra. I'm not afraid."
For a moment, they stood there, facing each other in the dimly lit room, the air between them heavy with unspoken words. Anaya's heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing with everything she wanted to say. She could see the battle in Rudra's eyes—the conflict between wanting to let her in and the fear of what that might mean.
And then, without warning, Rudra reached out and took her hand again, his grip firm but gentle. He pulled her closer, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her breath catch in her throat.
"You don't understand," he said, his voice rough, almost desperate. "I've never felt this way about anyone. I've spent my whole life trying to keep people at a distance, and now... you're making me feel things I don't know how to deal with."
---------------
As Rudra slid the bracelet around Anaya's wrist, the cold metal fit snugly, almost as if it was custom-made for her. It looked simple enough—like an old-fashioned bracelet passed down through generations, a delicate metal bangle with a heart-shaped diamond embedded at the center. But Anaya had no idea of the high-tech secret it held. As Rudra secured the clasp, the tiny diamond began to glow faintly, pulsing as if it had a life of its own.
Before she could ask what was happening, Rudra took out a second bracelet, identical to hers, and slipped it onto his own wrist. The moment the clasp clicked shut on his wrist, both bracelets began to react. The tiny diamond hearts, nestled in the center of each bracelet, lit up simultaneously, shifting from a dull glow to a soft, warm orange hue.
Anaya's breath caught in her throat as she watched, mesmerized by the sudden change in color. "What... what is this?" she asked softly, her gaze flicking from her bracelet to Rudra's.
Rudra's eyes met hers, his expression calm but with a glint of something deeper in them. "This isn't just any bracelet," he said, his voice low. "It's something my grandfather designed, but with a modern twist. These are tracking bracelets... and more."
Anaya's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but Rudra continued, raising his wrist slightly so she could see the glowing diamond more clearly. "When both people wear them, they sync. They're connected—not just physically, but emotionally. The light you see isn't just for show. It changes with our emotions, with the state of our hearts."
Anaya stared at the bracelet, still processing his words. "You mean... they show how we feel?"
Rudra nodded. "Exactly. Right now, it's orange. That means uncertainty or new beginnings. As our emotions change, the color will too. Pink means trust, red is... love, and blue is when we're at peace. It's an old design, but I had it modified with modern technology. It's not just about tracking—it's about connection."
She lifted her wrist, watching the bracelet glow softly in the dim light of the room. The idea that something so simple could be so intricate, so symbolic, was overwhelming. The technology hidden inside the bracelet was invisible to the eye, making it seem like any other piece of jewelry. Yet it was far from ordinary.
As she watched, the light shifted slightly, turning a shade darker, closer to pink. Rudra must have noticed it too because his grip tightened on his own bracelet. "See?" he murmured. "It's reacting to us. To what we're feeling right now."
Anaya blinked, her heart racing as the meaning of the moment sunk in. "Why would you give this to me?"
Rudra's expression softened, his usually hard eyes now reflecting something more vulnerable. "Because I need you to understand, Anaya. I don't know how to say these things... but maybe this bracelet can help show you. I'm not perfect, and I don't know how to let people in easily. But I want to try—with you."
The air between them felt heavy with the weight of his confession. Anaya could feel the warmth of the bracelet against her skin, the soft glow of the tiny diamond heart now more meaningful than ever.
"I don't know if I deserve this," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.
Rudra stepped closer, his eyes locking onto hers. "You do, Anaya. More than anyone."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The bracelets on their wrists continued to glow, now a soft, steady pink. The light was gentle, comforting, as if it reflected the unspoken trust beginning to form between them.
Anaya bit her lip, trying to hold back the flood of emotions threatening to spill over. She could feel the warmth of Rudra's presence, the unspoken promise that came with the bracelet on her wrist. It wasn't just a piece of jewelry—it was a symbol of their bond, a connection that would only grow stronger with time.
Rudra reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering against her skin. "This isn't just about keeping track of each other. It's about understanding what we feel, even when we can't say it."
Anaya's heart swelled at his words, and she looked down at her bracelet again, watching the light flicker. "And if it turns red?" she asked softly, barely able to meet his gaze.
Rudra's lips curved into a small, almost shy smile, something she wasn't used to seeing on him. "Then... that will mean I've finally told you what I've been too afraid to say."
Anaya's breath hitched, her heart pounding in her chest. She had no words—only the soft glow of the bracelet on her wrist, now a symbol of something deeper than either of them could put into words.
Anaya could feel her pulse quickening, matching the rhythm of the bracelet's soft pink glow. Her mind raced, trying to grasp the weight of what Rudra had said. The thought of their emotions being laid bare in such a visible way made her nervous but also excited.
Rudra took a step back, seemingly aware of how close they'd come to crossing an unspoken line. His expression hardened slightly, a brief flash of uncertainty crossing his face. But he pushed past it, turning toward his desk. Anaya watched him, confused and unsure of what was coming next.
##To be continue...**