A Stranger Named Zara

A Ride with a Stranger

The air around them hung thick, the scent of damp earth mixing with the faint aroma of the girl's seductive perfume. The Vast Forest stood ominous behind them, its tall trees whispering in the cold wind as if warning Veer about something unseen.

But he pushed the feeling aside.

"You can sit inside," Veer said, unlocking his car.

The girl—Zara—smiled, her lips curling in a way that made Veer's stomach twist, but he quickly dismissed the thought. She walked toward the passenger seat with graceful steps, her movements almost… too perfect.

As she settled in, the fragrance of her perfume enveloped the car, blending with the slight chill in the air.

Veer started the engine, its deep rumble breaking the silence of the eerie surroundings.

"Where exactly is your car?" he asked, his voice even, though his mind was filled with cautious curiosity.

Zara lifted a delicate hand and pointed toward a road leading further into the darkness.

"Just a little ahead, near the bend of the road."

Veer's eyes followed her direction.

The road stretched forward, its path barely visible under the dim glow of the flickering streetlight at the turn. The shadows danced on the pavement, creating illusions of figures shifting in the darkness.

A strange unease settled in his gut, but he nodded and pressed on the accelerator.

A Name That Lingers

As they drove, Veer stole a glance at her.

"What's your name?" he asked, keeping his tone casual.

Zara turned to him, a slow smile creeping onto her face.

"Zara," she said smoothly, her voice like velvet.

Veer nodded but remained silent, the name lingering in his mind.

It suited her.

Mysterious. Enigmatic.

Yet, something about the way she said it made him feel like there was more to her than she was letting on.

The Stopped Car

As they neared the bend, Veer spotted a black sedan parked at the side of the road, its headlights dim and its body covered in dust.

The place where her car had stopped was unsettling.

The trees on either side of the road stood tall and suffocatingly close, their branches stretching out like clawed fingers. The air felt thicker, the temperature strangely colder than it had been just moments ago.

Something about this place felt wrong.

Veer stopped the car and stepped out, his boots crunching against the dry leaves scattered on the road.

The silence was unnatural.

Even the crickets had stopped chirping.

It was as if this part of the road had been abandoned by life itself.

Zara walked ahead of him, standing by the hood of her car.

Veer inhaled deeply, shaking off the unsettling feeling.

"Let me check the issue," he said.

Zara handed him the keys, her fingers brushing against his in the briefest of touches.

Warm.

Too warm for someone who had been standing outside in the cold.

But Veer didn't dwell on it.

He popped open the hood and leaned in.

The Problem in the Machine

As Veer examined the engine, he immediately saw the issue.

The car had overheated.

The radiator was burning hot, and steam had dried up around the edges.

"You've been driving for too long without stopping," Veer muttered.

Zara tilted her head, watching him with an unreadable expression.

"Yes," she admitted.

Veer glanced at her.

"Where were you coming from?"

There was a brief hesitation before she answered.

"Far away," she said, a small smirk playing on her lips.

Veer narrowed his eyes but didn't push further.

Something told him she wasn't going to answer properly.

A Temporary Solution

He sighed and pulled back from the engine.

"Your car needs a service center."

Zara leaned against the car, crossing her arms.

"And where would I find one this late?" she asked, her tone teasing.

Veer ran a hand through his hair.

She was right. There were no service centers nearby.

"You can come with me," he said finally.

Zara raised an eyebrow.

"To your place?"

Veer nodded.

"I'll tow your car with mine, and you can stay the night. Tomorrow, we'll get it to a mechanic."

Zara smiled.

It wasn't just a normal smile.

It was slow.

Deliberate.

As if she had been waiting for this exact moment.

She took a step closer, her perfume filling the air again.

"That's very kind of you, Veer."

The way she said his name sent an odd chill down his spine.

He hadn't told her his name.

But she already knew it.

Just like Seraphina.

A Decision Made

Veer decided not to dwell on it.

At least not now.

The situation was already too strange, and his gut told him that this girl—Zara—was not normal.

But right now, all he wanted was to go home.

And so, he hooked up the tow cable, ensuring Zara's car was secure.

As he worked, he could feel her gaze on him.

Watching.

Waiting.

For what…?

He didn't know.

Once everything was set, Veer climbed back into his car, Zara settling beside him.

The moment he started the engine, he felt it again—

That sense of something unseen lurking in the shadows.

But he ignored it.

The Road Home

As they drove back toward the Khanna Mansion, Veer couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.

Seraphina.

Now Zara.

Both appearing out of nowhere.

Both knowing things they shouldn't.

And both—far too beautiful, far too perfect—to be just ordinary humans.

His grip on the steering wheel tightened.

He had let another mystery into his life.

And he had a feeling—

That soon, he would regret it.