Ethereal

Kalon

Kalon
(n.) beauty that is more than skin deep

Kaia sat alone in the waiting room of the restaurant she was supposed to meet Nirvan in , her thoughts drifting back to her tumultuous past. Fate seemed to have a cruel sense of humor, always snatching love away from her just when she thought she had found it.

As memories flooded her mind, one particular image stood out: the face of a boy with piercing deepset eyes and a mischievous smile. She couldn't help but laugh bitterly at the irony of it all.

She remembered the way he had swept into her life like a whirlwind, filling her days with laughter and her heart with hope. But as quickly as he had appeared, he was gone, leaving behind nothing but shattered dreams and a bitter taste of betrayal.

Kaia shook her head, trying to push the memories aside. Love was nothing but a cruel illusion, a fleeting fantasy that only brought pain and disappointment. She had learned that lesson the hard way, and she wasn't about to let herself be fooled again.

"Excuse me Ma'am" Kaia turned to the voice of the receptionist "Your table is ready" the woman guided her through the long hallway to her table.

Kaia sat nervously at her table in the restaurant, her mind consumed with anticipation. She had arrived early, hoping to calm her nerves before 'the perfect groom' arrived.

Suddenly, a strong footstep echoed through the room, drawing everyone's attention. Kaia's heart skipped a beat as she watched the man stride confidently through the door in shock as it was the same man she had met a few days ago.

To her surprise, the entire restaurant erupted into a chorus of greetings and well-wishes before she could process anything.
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Nirvan had always been punctual, but on this particular day, he found himself running late for the first time in his life. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, each one a different outcome of the day ahead. He couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension that had settled over him like a heavy cloak.

As he walked through the fine marble hallways his mother's words echoed in his mind. She had been relentless in her praise of the woman he was about to meet. "She's perfect for you, Nirvan," she had said, her eyes shining with conviction.

'I don't know what Maa meant by perfect but I sure as hell don't have time for love and it's not like you need to have love to keep a marriage going'

Growing up watching his parents Nirvan had a twisted image of a perfect marriage but unfortunately it inadvertently became the marriage he hoped for.

Despite his reservations, Nirvan had agreed to meet the woman his mother had chosen for him. He couldn't ignore the strange sense of curiosity that had taken hold of him, urging him to see what his mother saw in this mysterious woman.

As he arrived at the quaint restaurant which he booked solely for the two of them, Nirvan's heart raced with anticipation. He scanned the room nervously for the face his mother had described in such fancy terms as the staff greeted him.

His eyes finally landed on the woman who sat at the farthest corner of the room. The setting sun bathed her with glory as her eyes glistened.

She turned around to face Nirvan  and his eyes widen in shock; it was the same girl he had left the cab for, it was the same girl for whom he couldn't go to meet Kaia Kapoor, her mother spoke so highly about.

"Kaia Kapoor?"
"Nirvan Malhotra?"
They said in unison in the same manner

'Fate?' The same thought echoed in their head

It would be a lie if Nirvan said he did not think about her in the past three days, she had crossed his mind a number of times. He thought she was undeniably beautiful but now that she was standing in front of him as his potential wife he unconsciously became against her.