Chapter 19 – The Storm Between Us

Zayan Khan woke up on the cold floor of his offic

Zayan Khan woke up on the cold floor of his office.

The polished tiles were smooth beneath his fingertips, and the overhead lights flickered softly, casting trembling shadows along the room. Outside, the storm had passed, but something fiercer still raged within him.

His breathing was controlled. Calculated. But his mind was chaos.

She had been here.

She had glowed.

And now… she was gone.

He sat up slowly, fingers digging into the edge of his desk for balance. His head ached, but the memory was sharp.

No blackout this time.

No gaps.

He remembered her hands. Soft, trembling… and glowing.

He remembered the way she hugged him—no, held him—like she didn't want him to break.

And he remembered something in her eyes… fear, sadness, and something almost too painful to name.

"I'm not going crazy," he whispered to himself. "She's not normal. And I still… want her."

---

At the Café – Breakdown

Andaleeb slammed open the upstairs door of Zareen's Café, her eyes red, her breath ragged.

Eman leapt to her feet. "What happened?"

"I didn't erase anything," Andaleeb said, voice shaking. "He saw me. He saw everything. My powers. The glow. He fainted again."

Her fingers trembled as she raked them through her hair. "I ran. I just… I ran."

Eman stared, stunned. "You what?!"

"I panicked!" Andaleeb shouted. "It's like every time I let myself feel something, I mess it up!"

She paced the room, arms flailing. "He hugged me like… like I was the only one who could make it stop hurting. And I just left."

Tears poured down her cheeks now, no longer held back. She stopped pacing, hugging herself tightly.

Eman wrapped her arms around her. "Hey. No, don't do this. We'll figure it out."

Behind Andaleeb's back, Eman quickly typed on her phone:

Text to Haroon: It's time.

---

Zayan & Aryan – Suspicions Rise

Back at Khan Global, Aryan leaned against the office door, sipping lukewarm coffee.

"You look like death, boss."

"I feel worse," Zayan muttered.

He hadn't changed clothes. Hadn't slept properly. His eyes were rimmed red.

"Aryan," he said quietly, "if someone you trusted was hiding something impossible… what would you do?"

Aryan frowned. "Define 'impossible.'"

"She glowed."

Aryan froze.

"I saw it this time," Zayan continued. "No hallucination. No tricks. Her hands were glowing. And not some reflection or illusion. Real."

He pressed his palm against his chest. "But it didn't scare me. It made me want to protect her."

Aryan looked at him carefully. "That's not normal, man. None of this is."

"I don't care," Zayan whispered. "I just… I care about her."

Aryan sighed. "Then be careful. Because love that's built on secrets? It breaks differently."

---

Haroon & Eman – Collision Course

In the narrow alley behind the café, Haroon stood waiting.

Eman joined him, arms folded, gaze sharp.

"She's unraveling," Haroon said before she could speak. "Her powers are surging. She can't suppress it anymore."

Eman's eyes narrowed. "She's overwhelmed. Emotional. In love. You think we should drop her into a confession trap now?"

"He deserves the truth," Haroon argued. "You saw his face. He's not a stranger anymore. He's in this."

"And what if he freaks out? What if it breaks her completely?"

"Keeping secrets will break them faster."

"You think I don't know that?" Eman snapped. "But this is her heart. Her choice."

Haroon stepped back, his frustration rising. "And if she chooses silence forever? We risk exposure, surveillance, worse. Everyone loses."

"She's not a threat," Eman said quietly. "She's just… scared."

---

Andaleeb's Confession to No One

Later, Andaleeb sat curled up in her bed, blanket over her knees, her phone in her hands.

She opened the voice recorder.

"Zayan," she began. Her voice cracked. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for what you saw. I never meant to lie. I just… wanted to protect you. From the truth. From me."

She sniffled. "I'm not like you. I never was. I'm not even from your world."

She closed her eyes. "But every time you smile, I forget where I came from. Every time you look at me… I want to stay."

She hovered over the send button.

Then deleted it.

---

The Warning Returns

That night, Zayan stayed late at the office. Everyone else had gone home.

His laptop pinged.

One new email.

No sender. No subject.

He clicked.

Inside: a still image of his office—Andaleeb mid-hug, her hands glowing faintly.

Beneath the image: "You were warned. She's not one of us."

Zayan's jaw tightened.

He stared at the screen for a long time.

Then slammed the laptop shut.

His voice was steady.

"I don't care what she is."

He stood up.

"She's mine."

---

Final Scene – The Café Door Opens

It was late.

The café was nearly empty, soft music playing in the background.

Andaleeb wiped the counter with slow, tired movements.

The bell above the door jingled.

She looked up—her heart stopped.

Zayan.

He walked in slowly, not taking his eyes off her.

Every step was deliberate. Controlled. But his gaze was intense.

He stopped right in front of her.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then softly, like a vow:

"You and I—we're not done."

Her hands trembled.

But she didn't step back.