The atmosphere was thick with tension as Reyansh accelerated the car, rushing to reach Advika. His mind raced with questions, wondering what had happened to her when she had asked for his help. Upon arriving at the mansion, he dashed to her room, only to find her sitting on the bed, her head resting on her knees in complete despair.
Reyansh approached her slowly, unsure of what was going on, but instinctively began to caress her hair, trying to offer comfort.
"Sweetheart," he called softly.
Advika lifted her head, her face crumpling with emotion before she threw herself into his arms, crying uncontrollably. The sight of her in such pain tore at Reyansh’s heart.
"Sweetheart, why are you crying? Please tell me, I’ll help you," he asked gently, his voice filled with concern as he wiped away her tears.
Her tears didn’t stop.
"Darling, please don’t cry," Reyansh said, his voice filled with pain. "It hurts me to see your tears. What happened?"
Advika pulled away from the hug, pointing toward the wall, her voice shaky as she said,
"Chhipakalee" (house lizard).
Reyansh was utterly confused. How could she be crying so much over a lizard? He struggled to comprehend what was happening.
"Did you really cry this much because of that?" he asked, his face showing disbelief, to which she nodded.
Instead of questioning her further or judging her for being upset over something so seemingly small, Reyansh immediately sprang into action. He rushed to the spot where the lizard was, caught it, and quickly released it outside the house. Then, without a second thought, he ordered his men to search the entire mansion and remove any other lizards, ensuring that his sweetheart would never have to cry over one again.
Watching Reyansh's actions without judgment, Advika felt a sense of peace in her heart. After giving his orders, Reyansh walked over to her, sat beside her, and gently caressed her cheek.
"Are you okay, sweetheart?" he asked softly.
She nodded like a child, feeling comforted, and then spoke hesitantly, "S-sorry, Reyansh. I disturbed you over something so small," she apologized, her voice tinged with guilt.
But Reyansh didn’t see it as her fault. "First, tell me why are you so scared of lizards?" he asked, his tone gentle yet curious.
Advika hesitated, stammering at first, but when she saw the care and concern in his eyes, she decided to open up.
"My uncle and aunt used to threaten me by showing or even throwing lizards at me when I was a child," she said, a sad smile touching her lips. "It became one of my phobias."
This was new information for Reyansh, and it made him realize that he would need to handle her uncle's family differently. However, for now, his focus was on helping Advika return to her normal self. So, he decided to change the subject.
"So, what about tomorrow, sweetheart?" he asked, a light tone in his voice.
Advika looked at him, completely confused. What was so special about tomorrow?
Seeing her lost in thought, Reyansh chuckled. "Tomorrow is your first day at college, right?"
Advika's eyes widened as the realization hit her. She quickly slapped her forehead in frustration she wasn’t mentally prepared to face new people yet.
"I completely forgot about it! I'm so nervous," Advika admitted.
"The college will be full of rich kids, and I'm scared they'll look down on me."
Reyansh, concerned about her inferiority complex, reassured her,
"Talent is far more important than money, sweetheart. Nothing will happen to you. And if anyone tries to mess with you, just let me know, and I'll take care of them."
His words made Advika feel that Reyansh was her rock, and she started to trust him completely, blindly. But then, what he said next hurt her deeply.
"But don't ever tell anyone you're living with me, and don't say that you know me," he advised gently.
At first, Advika was taken aback, feeling hurt. But after a moment of thought, she asked, "Why? How would everyone even know you? And if they don't, what's wrong with telling them?"
Reyansh was silent, unable to answer. Despite owning the college, he had never allowed his photos to be displayed anywhere on the campus. But, everyone knows, who is he.
Reyansh was afraid that if Advika found out he was wealthy, she might realize that he had been hiding the truth from her.
"Sweetheart, don't line up so many questions. Go get some rest; you have to wake up early tomorrow," he said, successfully dodging her inquiries.
Advika turned on her heels, her heart heavy with hurt, and made her way to her bed, while Reyansh left the room. It was going to be a long night for her, as she couldn't sleep well, consumed by thoughts of whether she'd managed to make at least one friend in the vastness of the college. Eventually, exhaustion took over, and she drifted off to sleep.
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