At the lekhhouse
861 Words
The night air wrapped around Aanshi like a whisper, cool and heavy with secrets. The path to the lake house was dimly lit by silver moonlight filtering through the canopy of trees. Each step she took felt like walking deeper into a trap she had willingly set for herself. The tranquil surface of the lake mirrored the sky above still, silent, deceptive.
She paused just outside the small wooden cabin, her heart hammering beneath her ribs. Through the narrow window, she could see Harry pacing like a caged animal. His movements were restless, his shoulders tense. She knew what he expected tonight—hope. A rekindled bond. Maybe even love.
But Aanshi had long buried whatever love once existed.
She inhaled deeply, smoothed the tension off her face, and pushed open the door.
Harry stopped mid-step. His eyes locked onto hers instantly—wild, desperate, brimming with something that looked too much like obsession.
“Aanshi… you came,” he said, voice trembling with relief.
“I did,” she replied softly, closing the door behind her with a quiet click.
The warmth of the room did nothing to thaw the chill inside her. Her eyes wandered over the small space—familiar from their past, yet foreign now. Everything had changed.
Harry stepped toward her slowly, his eyes scanning every inch of her face like he was trying to read the truth beneath her calm exterior. “I missed you. Every second. I can’t sleep… I can’t think without seeing you. Why are you still with Tristan? Tell me he forced you. Tell me you still love me.”
She kept her expression just conflicted enough to sell the illusion. Her voice was low, uncertain on purpose. “It’s… not what it looks like, Harry.”
“Then what is it?” he asked, a pleading edge creeping into his tone.
“I’m doing all of this for you,” she said, stepping a little closer.
He blinked. “For me?”
She nodded slowly, her voice a calculated murmur. “You know how Tristan is. Stubborn. Paranoid. He doesn’t trust easily. But if I make him believe I’ve chosen him… if he thinks I’ve accepted my fate as his mate… then maybe I can convince him to trust again.”
Harry’s eyes widened with dawning hope. “You’re pretending?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “I know how much you wanted to be beta, Harry. And I’m going to make it happen. I just need time.”
He stared at her, stunned, his lips parting in disbelief. “I knew it… I knew you hadn’t changed. I knew you still—”
SLAM!
The door flew open, banging against the wall with a violent crack.
Aanshi’s heart leapt into her throat.
Tristan stood in the doorway, chest heaving, eyes molten with betrayal. His expression was unreadable at first—shock, anger, hurt all crashing over him in waves.
“Aanshi?” he growled, voice sharp with pain. “This is what you’ve been doing behind my back?”
Her breath caught. “Tristan—wait—”
But he took a step forward, glaring past her at Harry, who looked far too smug for Aanshi’s comfort.
“So everything you said to me…” Tristan’s voice cracked. “All those moments. The way you looked at me. The way you touched me. Was it all a lie?”
“No!” she stepped forward, eyes pleading. “It’s not what it looks like—”
But Harry interrupted, a cruel smirk tugging at his lips. “Well, now you know. She was never yours to begin with.”
A snarl erupted from Tristan’s throat as he grabbed Harry by the collar and slammed him against the wall.
“She’s not yours either,” he hissed. “You don’t get to speak for her.”
“Then let her speak,” Harry shot back. “Tell him the truth, Aanshi. Tell him it’s all just a game. Tell him you still love me.”
Aanshi opened her mouth—but the words wouldn’t come. Not yet. Not like this.
Tristan slowly turned back to her, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. His face looked carved in anguish.
“You were the only person I ever let in,” he whispered, like every word cost him a piece of his soul. “And this is how you repay me?”
Her lips parted, eyes wide, heart cracking open—but before she could say anything, he turned and stormed out, the door slamming behind him with finality.
Silence engulfed the cabin.
Aanshi stood frozen for a moment, the ache in her chest spreading like wildfire. Her throat burned with unshed tears. Slowly, she sank to the floor, her arms wrapping around her knees.
“It’s not what you think,” she whispered into the emptiness.
Behind her, Harry chuckled bitterly. “You played too well, Aanshi. He’ll never trust you again.”
But Aanshi wasn’t listening to him anymore.
She was listening to the echo of a door closing, the sound of someone she loved walking away… again.
- Writer
