Bound by Protection

Phone talk

A month had passed since Ayushmaan had walked away from Shraddha, and the ache of their separation weighed heavily on his heart. During this time, he focused on rebuilding himself, channeling his energy into something productive. With all his savings, he took a bold step and opened his own security agency, determined to create a fresh start for himself.

Days turned into weeks as he poured himself into his work, managing contracts and recruiting new staff. Yet, despite the flurry of activity around him, a sense of emptiness lingered, a constant reminder of what he had lost. Late nights often found him staring at old photos of Shraddha, reminiscing about their time together—the laughter, the stolen glances, the moments that had made his heart race.

One evening, while going through emails, his phone rang, jolting him from his thoughts. The caller ID displayed an unknown number, but something compelled him to answer.

"Hello?" he said cautiously.

"Ayushmaan?" came a soft, familiar voice that sent a rush of warmth through him.

"Shraddha?" he replied, his heart racing.

"I've missed you so much," she admitted, her voice thick with emotion. "It's been unbearable without you. I can't stop thinking about... you."

He felt a pang of longing, wishing he could reach through the phone and pull her close. "I've missed you too. How have you been?"

"Busy, but that's not what I want to talk about," she said, her tone shifting, taking on a more intimate quality. "I need to hear your voice, Ayushmaan. I miss everything—your touch, your presence. It's like there's this... emptiness inside me that I can't fill."

His breath caught in his throat. "Shraddha, we shouldn't..."

"Please," she interrupted, desperation creeping into her voice. "Just talk to me. I need something—anything—that can quench my thirst for your presence."

The urgency in her words ignited a fire within him, the kind of hunger he had been trying to suppress since their separation. "What do you want to talk about?" he asked, his heart pounding.

"Tell me about your day. About the things you've done. But please, Ayushmaan, don't hold back. I want to feel connected to you again, even if it's just through words."

Ayushmaan could hear the yearning in her voice, and it was intoxicating. "Alright," he said, leaning back in his chair, his mind racing with memories of their time together. "Today, I started working on a new security detail for a high-profile client. It's been challenging, but it keeps my mind busy. Still... I can't help but wish you were here to share it with me."

"Tell me more," she urged, her voice softening. "I want to feel every detail as if I were there with you."

As he spoke about his day, sharing the mundane details and his ambitions for the agency, he felt a palpable tension in the air—a bridge forming between them despite the distance. They reminisced about their shared laughter, the times they'd held each other close, and the dreams they once spoke of. The conversation flowed easily, like a river carving its way through a canyon, but each word felt laden with unspoken feelings.

"I still remember that night under the stars," Shraddha said, her voice almost a whisper. "You held me so tightly, and it felt like we were the only two people in the world."

"Yeah, I can't forget that either," Ayushmaan replied, his heart racing. "Every moment with you felt like magic."

A pause hung in the air, both of them lost in the memories, the air thick with longing. "I wish we could just forget everything and be together again," Shraddha said finally, her voice heavy with desire.