The warm aroma of coffee filled the air as Kay walked into the local café, the familiar hum of conversation and the soft clinking of cups almost soothing her nerves. She hadn’t been here in months, not since everything had gone down between her, Ravi, and Zayn. Her relationship with her brother had never fully healed, and Zayn… well, Zayn was a ghost in her past now, a memory she couldn’t erase.

  It had been a year since Ravi had banned her from seeing Zayn. The anger and betrayal had lingered between them, like a thick wall neither could break. Ravi had stopped talking to Zayn completely, cutting ties without hesitation, and for a while, Kay had felt that same distance from him. He couldn’t understand why she’d chosen Zayn over him, and she couldn’t explain why she’d followed her heart, even if it had hurt everyone around her.

  But time had passed, and life had moved on, in a way. Kay had settled into her career as a clerical supervisor and found a new rhythm. It wasn’t easy, especially with the heavy weight of her brother’s disappointment still hanging over her, but she had managed. She’d learned to carry the burden, to live with the consequences of her actions.

  The memories of her time with Zayn,those stolen moments, still burned inside her. But she didn’t let herself dwell on them. It was easier that way.

  Kay ordered her coffee and took a seat by the window, watching as people moved about their business. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the city, and for the first time in a long while, she felt at peace. She sipped her coffee, lost in her thoughts, until she heard a familiar voice.

  "Kay?"

  Her heart skipped a beat. She froze, her eyes darting toward the sound of that voice, the voice that had haunted her dreams for so long. There, standing by the entrance of the café, was Zayn.

  Her breath caught in her throat. He looked the same—tall, handsome, with that same dark intensity in his eyes. But there was something different about him. The man before her now wasn’t the carefree, passionate Zayn . He was hardened, a little more reserved, but there was still that undeniable pull between them, that magnetic energy that made her heart race.

  Zayn’s gaze softened as their eyes met. "Kay… it’s really you."

  She couldn’t find her words. Her body went cold, and her heart pounded in her chest. It had been so long, and yet the emotions came rushing back in a wave, overwhelming her.

  "Hi," she managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn’t expect to see you here."

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  Zayn chuckled softly, his eyes scanning her face. "I didn’t expect to see you either, but here we are." He took a hesitant step toward her, then paused. "Can I join you?"

  Kay nodded slowly, her mind racing. This was the last thing she had expected. After all this time, after everything that had happened between them, she wasn’t sure what to feel anymore. Was it anger? Longing? Regret?

  Zayn sat across from her, the familiar silence falling between them. It was strange, this feeling of being so close yet so far away from him. The man she had once shared everything with now felt like a stranger, but the connection—the tension—was still there, thick and undeniable.

  For a moment, neither of them spoke. Kay’s fingers tightened around her coffee cup, her mind spinning.

  "How have you been?" Zayn finally asked, his voice softer than she remembered.

  Kay looked at him, her gaze lingering on his face. “I’m good. I’ve been... okay. Settling into work. Moving on.”

  Zayn nodded, but she could see the subtle shift in his expression, a flicker of something he wasn’t quite ready to acknowledge. He leaned back in his chair his arms crossed over his chest, and studied her, as if trying to decipher the woman sitting before him.

  “You’ve moved on,” he said, his tone unreadable. “What about you and Ravi?”

  Kay felt her throat tighten at the mention of her brother. It was always a sore spot. "Ravi’s still angry," she said quietly. "He never forgave me for what happened. And... honestly, I don’t blame him. I made my choice, and I think it hurt him too much."

  Zayn's jaw clenched slightly. "You didn’t deserve that," he muttered, more to himself than to her. "I was a fool, too. I shouldn’t have let things go that far. I never should have—"

  "Zayn," Kay interrupted, her voice trembling. "We can’t go back. You know that. I can’t change what happened. You can’t either."He was silent for a moment, and Kay could see the weight of the past three years in his eyes. The same way he had looked at her all those years ago—torn between passion and regret.

  “I’ve never forgotten you, Kay,” he admitted, his voice low. “Not for a single day.”

  The words hit her harder than she expected. A part of her had always wondered if he had truly cared, or if it had all been a fleeting moment for him. But hearing him say this now—after all this time—it made her heart ache in a way she didn’t think was possible.

  Kay lowered her gaze, unsure of what to say next. “Zayn, I…” She trailed off, feeling the familiar pull between them again. It was undeniable, but she wasn’t sure if she could afford to be dragged back into it. Not now. Not after everything.

  Zayn reached across the table, his hand brushingagainst hers. The simple touch sent a wave of heat through her body. "I know," he said softly, his thumb tracing the back of her hand. "I get it. But you should know this, Kay—no matter how far apart we are, I’ll always think about you. I’ll always want you."

  Kay’s breath hitched, her pulse quickening. The memories of their nights together, the way he made her feel—so wanted, so alive—came rushing back. She was fighting it, trying to hold onto the life she had built without him, but the truth was, a part of her still longed for him.

  “I’ve missed you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I never stopped thinking about you, either."

  For a moment, the world around them disappeared. It was just the two of them, caught in the intensity of their emotions, unsure of what the future held but unable to ignore the past that still haunted them.