Chapter 19
1612 Words
Avoiding Each other
Alex’s POV:
I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, Nick’s words replaying in my mind again and again. No matter how much I tried to distract myself, that conversation during the drive refused to leave me.
“I think you’re missing your girl,” I said casually, keeping my eyes on the road.
Nick sighed. “Yeah, buddy. Her family business needs her help, so she has to stay there for a while.”
I scoffed. “Why do all of you behave like fools?” I said bluntly.
“When people fall in love, they start acting like idiots. She’s just a person who might be with you in the future. Why behave as if you’ve lost your entire world?”
Nick smiled slightly, as if he had expected that reaction from me.
“You don’t understand this now, Alex,” he said calmly. “When you truly love someone, you stop caring about yourself, about money, about logic. You just want that girl beside you. You want to protect her, cherish her, spoil her… every single day.”
I shook my head. “I don’t believe in all this nonsense. Girls are only a part of life, not life itself. A relationship between a man and a woman is built on desire and money—nothing more than that.”
“No, Alex,” Nick said firmly. “One day, you will understand. Every person has a heart, even you. You never know when you’ll fall in love, but when you do, your heart will tell you that you can’t live without her. If she’s in trouble, you won’t think about your own life—you’ll only want to protect her. You’ll stand for her, no matter what. She’ll become your entire world.”
I laughed coldly. “For your kind information, I don’t have a heart,” I said with confidence. “And I will never fall in love. I care about no woman except my family. I’m not a fool who sacrifices his life for someone else.”
Nick looked at me quietly for a moment. “I don’t know everything, Alex,” he said slowly, “but I can say one thing—you’re close to that situation. I can see it in you. You’re changing.”
I frowned. “What changes do you see in me?” I asked.
He smiled but didn’t answer. “We’ve reached your place. I’m tired. I’ll tell you next time.” He stepped out of the car, waved, and said, “Good night, Alex.”
And just like that, he was gone—leaving his words behind like a ticking clock in my head.
---
Present
'Is what Nick said true?'
No. Impossible.
'You are Alex,' my mind argued. 'You never cared about what people said about your dates.'
“No,” I muttered to myself.
'You never felt uncomfortable when others looked at your date. You never took any girl to meet your parents. You never brought anyone to a family dinner.'
“No,” I insisted again.
'Then what happened today?' my mind pressed.
'You did all of that today. Your behavior wasn’t normal. You lost control. You reacted when others spoke about her. You danced with her.'
I closed my eyes, images from the evening flashing before me.
“She’s just a friend,” I reasoned. “She’s part of our group. What’s wrong with that?”
'Would you do the same for others?' my mind questioned.
'If Jenny were in that position, would you take the lead? Or David?'
“David,” I answered instinctively.
'If Sanjana were there, who would protect her?'
“Nick.”
'Why?'
“Because Nick loves her,” I replied.
The realization hit me harder than expected.
'Then why did you step forward today?'
"Others were there. Jenny or Fin could have helped her. Why did it have to be you?"
I fell silent.
Yes… why 'did' I react so strongly?
Why did I care about her feelings so deeply?
Why did the thought of her being uncomfortable make something twist inside my chest?
'You’re attracted to her,' my mind concluded coldly.
'You’ve always gotten any girl you wanted, but not her. This is infatuation. Nothing more.'
'So avoid her. Keep your distance. Once you do that, these feelings will fade. Find other women. That’s what you’ve always done.'
That logic felt familiar. Safe. Controlled.
With that forced clarity, I turned to my side and closed my eyes.
I don’t even remember when sleep finally claimed me.
But even in my dreams, those thoughts refused to leave.
---
For the next few days, Alex and Ananya had not seen each other at all.
It wasn’t planned at first—just something that quietly happened.
Alex deliberately kept himself occupied, moving from one city to another under the excuse of work. Meetings, site visits, overseas calls—anything that could keep his mind busy and his distance safe. Avoiding Ana felt easier than facing the unfamiliar storm she stirred inside him.
Ananya, on the other hand, tried to convince herself that distance was a blessing. Every morning, she found herself praying silently—not for success, not for peace—but for one simple thing.
'Please don’t let me see him today.'
Whenever work required communication, Ana sent her designs through email. Alex replied formally, sometimes through short emails, sometimes through his personal assistant, Mrs. Charles. Their messages were professional, precise, and painfully cold.
No calls.
No casual texts.
No accidental meetings.
And yet, neither of them liked the emptiness that followed.
To overcome the strange ache of missing each other, both of them drowned themselves in work.
---
After collaborating with Alex, Ana’s career unexpectedly took a leap forward. New clients approached her, impressed by her creativity and professionalism. Projects poured in—from boutique restaurants to luxury homes.
The Maldives project alone demanded constant attention. Ana stationed two of her employees there and visited the site once every week to review progress. Her schedule was tight, her days exhausting—but she welcomed the tiredness. It gave her less time to think.
Alex visited the Maldives site too, whenever his schedule allowed, but never at the same time as Ana.
Almost as if fate itself was holding its breath.
Their friends, however, noticed everything.
One afternoon, the group gathered at Zack’s house for lunch. Laughter filled the dining room, but something—or someone—was clearly missing.
“What happened to Alex?” David asked suddenly, placing his fork down. “He hasn’t been free since the party.”
Jen nodded. “Same with Ana. She barely rests these days.” She sighed before adding, “She’s also visiting the Maldives every week to check the project.”
“I think something’s wrong between them,” Fin said thoughtfully.
“No,” Zack replied. “They haven’t even met after the celebration. Alex has been traveling constantly.”
Nick, who had been quiet until then, leaned back in his chair. “I know what happened to Alex.”
Everyone turned toward him.
“What happened?” Jen asked quickly. “Did we miss something?”
“On the night of the party,” Nick began, “Alex and I talked while driving. About love.”
The room fell silent.
Nick explained their conversation—the disbelief, the denial, the sharp confidence with which Alex dismissed love as weakness.
“I think he realized his feelings that night,” Nick concluded calmly. “And instead of accepting them, he decided to run from them.”
“So that’s why he’s avoiding everyone?” David asked.
“What about Ana then?” Jen asked softly. “She’s not herself either. She’s working nonstop, not taking care of herself.”
“She’s not coming to any parties anymore,” Fiona added.
“I think both of them are avoiding their feelings,” Nick said.
Jen frowned. “How can you be sure Ana has feelings for Alex? We know Alex is acting strange—but what about her?”
Fin nodded. “Exactly. What proof do we have?”
Nick smiled faintly and reached for his iPad.
A video began to play—the dance performance from the party.
Ana and Alex moved together effortlessly, their steps synchronized, their expressions soft and unaware of the world around them.
“When I recorded this,” Nick said quietly, “I wanted it as a memory. But watch closely.”
He paused the video at a moment where Alex’s eyes never left Ana. Then another—Ana smiling without realizing it, completely immersed in him.
“If they were just friends,” Nick continued, “we would see it. But this—this is different.”
He looked around the table. “Alex never cared about anyone outside this group. Yet he stood up for Ana. He challenged Kate for her. Protected her. That’s not a coincidence.”
“They both have feelings,” Nick said firmly. “They just don’t want to accept them.”
Jen swallowed. “You might be right. Ana has changed too. When she’s free, she gets lost in her thoughts. She talks to herself. I’ve known her for years—no man ever affected her like this.”
Silence filled the room again.
“So… what do we do now?” Zack asked.
Nick smiled slightly. “Nothing.”
Everyone stared at him.
“If they’re meant to be,” he said, “they’ll find their way back—without our interference.”
Sometimes, destiny doesn’t need a push.
It just needs patience.
- Writer
