Before You Forget Me

The Storm Between Them

Jaipur.

Night had fallen.

And with it—

the storm.

Rain poured heavily, hitting the ground like it was trying to wash something away.

Or maybe—

bring something back.

—

A black car slowed down outside the Dsena mansion.

Its headlights cut through the rain.

Then—

stopped.

Inside the car—

Parth sat still.

Silent.

Unmoving.

His eyes fixed on one place.

The balcony.

Her balcony.

The same place where everything once felt right.

And where everything had ended.

A bodyguard stepped out first, scanning the surroundings.

But Parth didn’t care about safety.

He cared about one thing.

Her.

—

Upstairs—

Ivara walked toward the balcony.

The sound of rain pulling her in.

There was something about storms—

they always made her feel something she couldn’t explain.

She stepped out slowly.

Letting the rain touch her hand.

Her face.

Her breath slowed.

And then—

it stopped.

Because something felt—

different.

Her eyes moved down.

And there—

she saw him.

Standing near the car.

Still.

Watching.

Her.

Her heartbeat stopped.

For a second—

everything froze.

Time.

Sound.

Breath.

—

Lightning flashed across the sky.

Bright.

Blinding.

And for that one second—

his face became visible.

Clear.

Sharp.

Unavoidable.

Parth.

—

Her body froze completely.

A sudden flash hit her mind—

Rain.

His voice.

Pain.

“Don’t leave me…”

She gasped.

Her hand instantly moved to her chest.

Her breathing turned uneven.

Fast.

Heavy.

Like her heart was trying to break out.

“No…” she whispered.

Her eyes locked onto his.

And that’s when she saw it.

Not love.

Not warmth.

Something else.

Something darker.

Anger.

Pain.

And a deep…

unspoken hatred.

Her hands started trembling.

“Why… do I know you…” she whispered.

Her voice barely there.

Another flash.

His face closer.

His voice softer—

“Ivara…”

Her knees weakened slightly.

She held onto the railing.

Because something inside her—

was breaking.

And building at the same time.

—

Down there—

Parth didn’t move.

Didn’t blink.

His eyes fixed on her.

And for a second—

something inside him shifted.

She looked the same.

The same girl.

The same eyes.

The same presence.

And yet—

she looked at him like a stranger.

His jaw tightened.

Because that hurt more than anything.

But he didn’t show it.

He couldn’t.

—

Lightning struck again.

And this time—

he stepped back.

Turning away.

Walking toward the car.

Like he was done.

Or maybe—

like he couldn’t stay.

—

“Wait—!”

The word left Ivara’s lips before she could stop it.

But he was already gone.

The car drove away.

And with it—

something inside her.

—

Lightning flashed again.

And the road—

was empty.

Completely empty.

As if no one had ever been there.

—

“No…”

Ivara stepped back.

Her breath shaking.

“He was here…”

Her heart pounded wildly.

“He was right there…”

Without thinking—

she ran.

Down the stairs.

Fast.

Almost stumbling.

Ignoring everything.

Ignoring everyone.

—

“Ivara!” Arohi’s voice echoed behind her.

But she didn’t stop.

She ran outside.

Into the rain.

Soaked instantly.

Her hair, her clothes—

everything wet.

But she didn’t care.

Her eyes scanned the road.

Searching.

Desperately.

“He was here!” she said loudly.

“He was right here!”

Her parents rushed behind her.

“What happened?” her father asked.

“Kaun tha?” her mother’s voice shook.

Ivara turned toward them.

Her face pale.

Her breathing heavy.

“There was someone…”

A pause.

Her voice trembled.

“And his eyes…”

She swallowed hard.

“…they had something for me.”

Silence.

The rain fell harder.

And then—

she whispered—

“…nafrat.”y

The word hung in the air.

Cold.

Sharp.

Unfamiliar.

Yet somehow—

it felt real.

Too real.

—

Arohi stood frozen.

Because she knew.

She knew exactly who that was.

And if he was back—

then everything they tried to hide…

was about to come back too.

—

And this time—

no one would be able to stop it.

Jaipur.

The storm hadn’t stopped.

And neither had the feeling inside her.

—

“Ivara, bas… andar chalo,” Arohi said softly, holding her arm.

But Ivara wasn’t listening.

Her eyes were still fixed on the empty road.

“He was here…” she whispered.

Her voice shaky.

“He was right here…”

Rain kept falling.

But something else had already settled inside her.

Fear.

And something deeper—

recognition.

—

Somehow—

they brought her inside.

Her clothes dripping.

Her hands cold.

But her mind—

burning.

—

“Ivara, you’re overthinking,” her father said, trying to calm her.

“There was no one.”

“There was someone!” she snapped suddenly.

Her voice louder than expected.

Her eyes filled instantly.

“I saw him…”

A pause.

“And he saw me.”

Silence filled the room.

Because the way she said it—

it didn’t sound like confusion.

It sounded like truth.

—

That night—

Ivara lay in her room.

The lights off.

The rain still tapping against the window.

Her eyes open.

Wide.

Restless.

Sleep refused to come.

Because every time she closed her eyes—

she saw him.

Standing there.

In the rain.

Looking at her.

—

And those eyes…

Her breath slowed.

“…those eyes…”

She whispered into the darkness.

Her hand moved to her chest again.

Because the feeling came back.

Strong.

Heavy.

Painful.

“I’ve seen them before…”

Her voice trembled.

“But not like this…”

A tear slipped down.

Because something didn’t match.

Something felt wrong.

“In those eyes…”

She closed her eyes slowly.

Trying to remember.

Trying to feel.

“…I’ve never seen hatred.”

Silence.

Her heart beat faster.

Because what she felt—

was different.

Those eyes—

they weren’t empty.

They weren’t cold.

They weren’t just angry.

They were…

hurt.

Deeply.

Unbearably.

And suddenly—

another thought hit her.

Sharp.

Terrifying.

“What if…”

Her breath caught.

“…he hates me…”

A pause.

“…for something I did?”

The question hung in the air.

Unanswered.

But real.

Too real.

—

A flash.

His voice.

Broken.

“Ivara… don’t do this…”

She gasped, sitting up instantly.

Her heart pounding.

“What did I do…” she whispered.

Her hands trembled.

Because now—

this wasn’t about curiosity.

This was guilt.

A guilt she couldn’t remember.

But could feel.

—

Outside—

the storm calmed slightly.

But inside her—

it had just begun.

Because now—

she wasn’t just trying to remember him.

She was trying to understand—

why someone who once meant something…

could look at her with that much pain.

—

And somewhere in the city—

Parth stood by his window.

The rain reflecting in his eyes.

The same eyes she couldn’t forget.

But unlike her—

he remembered everything.

Every moment.

Every word.

Every choice.

And especially—

the one that broke him.

—

“Ivara…” he whispered.

His voice low.

Cold.

“You wanted to forget…”

A pause.

His grip tightened.

“…but now you’ll remember.”

—

Because this time—

the past wasn’t coming back gently.

It was coming back—

like a storm.