His eyes were wet, those unreal eyelashes spiking and clumping with the tears he didn’t struggle to hide. Unlike her. Her eyelids burned, but no tears would come.

“Now that I have ruined it, I’m going to ruin it some more. Because you were right, I need to learn to commit all the way when I take something on.”

Don’t. Please.

He ignored the plea she couldn’t speak. “You pulled Yash into a fake engagement and kept your feelings in a bubble. That’s the relationship you wanted. Clean and dry. I know that’s what you wanted with me too. But for some reason you let your feelings out of the bubble with me. You felt things. I felt things, more things than I’ve ever felt for anyone. You were happy. And it was magnificent, wasn’t it? But there’s no place to hide from the fear.”

“Don’t you see? Happiness is a lie.”

“Don’t you see? Happiness is the only truth there is.” He wiped his sleeve across his eyes, new resolve darkening them. “Well, there is one more truth.”

“Vansh, don’t, please.”

He leaned back into the door, gaze locked into hers. “This is not how I wanted to tell you, but it is the truth, and I don’t want to never get to say it. I love you, Naina. I love everything about you. The way your eyes glow when you’re happy, your body and how it makes mine feel when I touch you. The way you stand up for me and for yourself and for everyone in the world. The way you see me. The way you open up and let me see you. I love how brave you are, how afraid you are. I love how your brain unravels the world without excuses. I love . . .” His voice cracked, but he kept going. “. . . love you. I love myself more when I’m with you. I know it’s a burden you didn’t ask for, a burden you don’t want, a burden I promised to protect you from, but as much as I want to be with you, I can’t lie about why anymore.” He sucked in his lips and took a deep breath. “I love you.”

Then he waited.

Eyes on her, seeking a response.

What did he want from her?

She was wrapped in a column of ice. Frozen in a way that no one could melt. Love was just something she didn’t know how to feel. He knew that.

He knew it.

Silence stretched between them.

Endless.

Unforgiving.

Final.

Without another word, he nodded, his shoulders curving downward, hollowing him out. Then he left.

Chapter Thirty