Ria could feel the weight of the unspoken tension between her and Arun growing heavier with every passing day. She had tried to brush off the incident with Kiran, but it was impossible. Her mind was plagued with questions. What did Arun mean by "old friend"? Why hadn't he mentioned her before? What was their history, really?
Unable to stop herself, Ria confronted Arun the next day. They were in a café, sitting across from one another, and the conversation quickly turned serious.
"Who is Kiran?" Ria demanded, her voice shaking. "Why didn't you tell me about her before?"
Arun's face paled, and he seemed caught off guard by the intensity of her question. "Ria, I swear, there's nothing between us. Kiran is just a friend. We've known each other for a long time, but that's all."
Ria wasn't convinced. "Why didn't you ever mention her before? Why does it feel like there's something more between you two?"
Arun hesitated for a moment, but then he spoke, his voice calm but firm. "It's complicated, Ria. I didn't think you needed to know about my past with her. But I'm telling you now—there's nothing there. I promise."
Ria felt a knot tighten in her chest. She wanted to believe him, but there was a part of her that couldn't shake the feeling that she was being lied to. The doubt that had been planted in her mind by Priya and her own suspicions had taken root, and now she couldn't let it go.
That night, Ria found herself unable to sleep. She replayed the conversation over and over in her mind, wondering if Arun was truly telling the truth, or if something darker was hidden beneath the surface. She loved him, but her trust was shattered, and she wasn't sure if she could ever rebuild it.