Author's POV :
Her first instinct was to pull away, to reject his touch. But she knew she couldn't ignore the situation forever. With a nod, she allowed him to lead her to a quiet corner of the grand hall, the echoes of the applause slowly fading into the background. His eyes searched hers, and she saw the pain of his apology reflected in the depths of his gaze. "I'm sorry," he began, his voice raw with emotion. "I never wanted to deceive you."
Praneeksha's heart was a tumult of anger and hurt. "Why did you do it, Aatish?" she demanded, her voice tight with emotion. "Why pretend to be someone else?"
He took a step closer, his eyes pleading. "Because I wanted to know if you'd like me for me, not because of who my family is," he said, his voice earnest. "But I see now how much I hurt you. I never meant to deceive you, Praneeksha. I just wanted to know if what we had was real."
Praneeksha felt the weight of his words, the sincerity of his apology. But she couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal. "You could have told me," she said, her voice a mix of anger and sadness. "I thought we had something special, something real."
Aatish's grip on her elbow tightened, his eyes searching hers for a hint of understanding. "I did, I do," he said, his voice filled with a desperation she hadn't heard before. "But I've never been allowed to be just Aatish. I've always been the crown prince, the heir to a legacy that I never asked for. I wanted to know if you'd see beyond that."
Praneeksha felt the sting of his words, recognizing the echo of her own fears in his voice. Despite the anger, she couldn't deny the connection they had shared, the way he had made her feel seen and heard. But the deceit was like a thick fog that clouded her judgment. "You should have trusted me," she said, her voice filled with the weight of her hurt.
Aatish nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "I know, and I regret it every second. But can you understand why I was afraid?"
Praneeksha took a deep breath, her eyes searching his. "Yes," she said finally, "I understand. But that doesn't make it okay."
Aatish's shoulders slumped in defeat, his hand falling away from her elbow. "I know," he whispered. "But I'm asking you to forgive me. I want to make it up to you."Praneeksha felt the weight of his words, the sincerity of his plea. She knew she had to make a decision, to either hold onto her anger or to take a chance on the possibility of something genuine. With a heavy heart, she looked into his eyes and said, "I need time, Aatish. I can't just forget what happened."
He nodded, his own heart sinking. "I understand," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I promise you, I'll do anything to make this right. Just don't write me off yet."
The tension between them was palpable, a silent battle of wills. Praneeksha knew she had to be firm, but she couldn't help the way her heart ached at the thought of losing him. She took a step back, creating a physical barrier between them. "I need to be alone right now," she said, her voice shaky. "Please, just give me some space."
Aatish nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. He knew he had to give her the time she needed, to let her process everything. With a heavy heart, he watched as she walked away, disappearing into the throng of well-wishers. His mind raced with thoughts of how he could have handled things differently, how he could have been honest with her from the start. The realization that he had been stalking her for over two years hit him like a ton of bricks, and he felt a deep sense of guilt wash over him. He had always admired her from afar, captivated by her spirit and beauty. He had studied her every move, her every expression, hoping to find a way to make her his.
But now, standing in the shadow of the grand hall, he realized that his actions had not only hurt her but also compromised the very essence of their relationship. He had been a coward, hiding behind a facade of friendship and shared experiences. The fear of losing her gnawed at him, but he knew he had to give her space. He could only hope that she would come to understand the depth of his feelings, that his love was not born out of obsession but a genuine connection that had grown stronger with each passing day.
