Veer's heart raced—pounding like a war drum in his chest.
Seraphina had vanished once again, like a specter slipping through the cracks of reality.
But her whispers lingered.
"You are not yet ready…"
The words sent a shiver down his spine, but he forced himself to shake it off.
"No. Not now. Not again."
He had bigger things to worry about.
Mahi was waiting for him at home.
And for now… he needed to forget everything.
With a sharp breath, Veer turned on his heel and walked toward his car.
The border of the Vast Forest loomed behind him, the trees whispering in the cold night air.
The atmosphere was dense, still charged with the lingering presence of Seraphina.
But Veer refused to look back.
His car was parked just at the edge of the forest, standing under the moon's soft glow.
As he moved closer, something caught his eye.
His steps slowed.
His breath hitched.
Someone was standing near his car.
A Mysterious Presence
It was a girl.
She stood under the silver moonlight, her figure almost ethereal against the dark backdrop of the forest.
Her clothes were neat, tidy—a sharp contrast to the wild, untamed surroundings.
Veer's eyes traced her silhouette.
She was… breathtaking.
A vision of otherworldly beauty.
Her hair cascaded in soft waves down her back, catching the moon's light in a way that made it shimmer like liquid silver.
Her lips—full, juicy, inviting.
And her body…
The soft curves of her fuller breasts, the way the fabric clung to her delicate waist, and the smooth outline of her legs beneath her dress—
She was perfection.
A dream painted in moonlight.
A wave of sweet, intoxicating fragrance drifted through the air, surrounding Veer like a spell.
It was soft, seductive, and impossibly alluring.
Veer swallowed, suddenly hyper-aware of the way his heartbeat quickened.
But then—
His instincts flared.
Why was she here?
Right at the border of the Vast Forest?
Veer's gaze sharpened.
His muscles tensed.
Something about this… felt off.
The First Words
As he stepped closer, the girl's lips curled into a smirk—barely visible but unmistakably there.
A dangerous smirk.
A smirk that reminded him of someone.
"Who are you?" Veer's voice came out sharper than he intended.
The girl's gaze flickered, her expression unreadable.
"And what are you doing here, standing at the very border of this… mysterious forest?"
For a moment, she simply watched him.
And then—
She spoke.
Her voice was soft, almost seductive, yet laced with an eerie kind of innocence.
"Sir, actually… my car suddenly stopped a few kilometers from here."
Veer's brows furrowed.
"And there was no network in that area."
Her fingers toyed with the ends of her dress—a movement that felt deliberate.
"So I started looking for someone who could help me."
Her gaze locked onto his.
"And then… I saw your car."
She took a tiny step closer.
"So… can you help me?"
The way she said it—
So smooth. So effortless. So dangerous.
Veer's gut twisted.
Something about her was… off.
Too perfect.
Too timely.
And yet—
His body reacted to her presence before his mind could stop it.
The warmth of her perfume wrapped around him like silken chains.
His throat went dry.
But his instincts screamed.
Something was wrong.
Very, very wrong.
The Dilemma
Veer took a slow breath, trying to steady himself.
His thoughts raced.
Was she really just a stranded traveler?
Or was she… something else?
Something like Seraphina?
His jaw clenched.
No. He wasn't going to fall into another trap.
Not again.
He had two choices.
Help her—but stay on guard, watching for any signs of deception. Refuse her request and leave immediately—his priority was going home, not playing hero to a mysterious stranger.
This night had already been too strange.
And Veer had learned one thing—
Nothing was ever a coincidence.