The last four weeks had passed in a strange, beautiful rhythm, weaving their lives together in ways neither of them had anticipated. Delhi and Manali, once separated by vast geographical distances and completely contrasting worlds, had suddenly become connected by more than just commercial flights and national highways. They were now intimately connected by late-night calls that stretched into the early hours of dawn, teasing conversations that left her breathless, lingering smiles that refused to fade, and unexpected visits that threw her structured life into a whirlwind of emotions.

Vedant had come to Manali four times already over the course of the month. Sometimes, his visits were masked under corporate excuses-for urgent site inspections of the upcoming luxury resort chain, or for high-stakes investor meetings that required his personal oversight. Sometimes-though he never admitted it aloud to her or to anyone else-he came for no logical reason beyond wanting to see her, driven by a restless urge that only settled when she was in his line of sight.