Page 77 of Obsession

He was in love with Ananya Mehra. She’d stolen his heart a long time ago, and had never returned it to him. He looked at his father’s grave, feeling more shaken and conflicted than ever.

What am I going to do, Papa? I love her. But I don’t want to get hurt again.

Anna stood and turned. Like a sign from the heavens, the clouds parted to reveal the golden sun. She lifted her face to the sky as a ray of sunlight washed over her. His heart rumbled louder. She was so beautiful. Reaching her, he planted his mouth on hers in a soft kiss.

“What was that for?” she asked, when he lifted his face from hers.

“Just…” he said.

Her face brightened. She looked to the side. “Whose graves are those?”

“They’re Alexander’s wife and son’s graves. He wanted to be near them after he died.”

“That’s so sweet,” she said.

Leaving him, she went to Alexander’s headstone and plucked two more lilies from the bouquet. An ache blossomed in his heart as he watched her place one flower each on the other two graves.

There she was, the girl he’d fallen for seven years ago. She’d been so sweet, just like this. It was at times like these that his mind struggled to reconcile with the knowledge that this lovely woman was the same person who had caused him immeasurable pain.

Anna returned to him, her eyes sparkling and her nose red from the cold.

“Let’s go,” he told her.

The car took off the second they were seated.

“This is your first time in Moscow, right?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Then it would be wrong of me not to show you around.”

“Really?” She beamed.

“I mean, it would be nice if you could add Moscow to Noir’s ‘Places to visit once in a lifetime’ section.”

Her lips tipped up, and then she squinted at him. “You read Noir?!”

“Sometimes.”

Untrue. He’d read every single issue ever since she’d started the magazine. He’d tracked her career for years. He knew how successful she was.

Not only was Noir popular as a magazine, but Noir’s Fashion Week in Mumbai had become an unmissable event in the recent years. Designers crammed to be selected to showcase their designs.

In the blink of an eye, his entire obsession with her made sense.Yes, obsession.

He could finally admit to himself how obsessed he was with her. That’s why he’d always kept an eye on her from afar. The truth was that he’d never gotten over her. Even staying away from her and forcing himself to hate her hadn’t worked, because the fact was that he’d never stopped loving her. Not even for a second.

Finding her watching him, he said, “So, do you think you’d like to see Moscow through the eyes of a local?”

She grinned. “Oh yes, I’d love that.”

He instructed his driver where to take them. She chatted with him nonstop after that, asking dozens of questions about the people, the city, the culture, and the customs. He answered her as best as he could.

Her eyes sparkled with joy as he took her to the various tourist spots, the Red Square, the Kremlin, the Bolshoi Theatre, which was empty at this time of the afternoon. She squealed in delight when she saw the beautiful St. Basil’s Cathedral.

“Look at those colors!” she whispered in awe. “This cathedral has been on my list for years. So beautiful. I love it.”

Taking his phone out, he snapped a picture of her. Perfect. She looked perfect with the sun shining on her, the clear blue sky, and the stunning colors of the cathedral in the background.

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