Aaaaaaa.........

No.....

Pain.That was all Renuka could feel. Searing, unbearable pain.

Her trembling hands were bound, her voice hoarse from screaming. Tears blurred her vision as she begged, her words tumbling out in desperation.

Renuka: "Why... why are you doing this...? Please... I... I beg you, let me go... I’ll give you the money you want... please… let me live..."

Laughter filled the dark, empty room—a cruel, mocking sound that sent chills down her spine. The men surrounding her sneered, their eyes devoid of mercy.

"We’re just being honest with our work," one of them said, his voice dripping with amusement.

Then, she saw the glint of a knife.

Before she could plead again, the cold blade touched her skin. A piercing scream tore through the air as he began cutting—one by one, her fingers fell, her agony met with nothing but laughter.

Renuka: "Aaaaaah! No… please…!"

Her vision blurred with pain and tears, but then—there was a sound. A familiar voice. A presence.

Hope flickered inside her broken body.

She turned her head, barely able to focus, and saw her fiancé’s secretary—Keerthi. Relief flooded her as she gasped out her name.

Renuka: "Help me, Keerthi… please…!"

But the moment she met Keerthi’s gaze, her heart stopped.

Keerthi wasn’t afraid. She wasn’t shocked.

She was laughing.

A slow, satisfied, merciless laugh.

Renuka’s breath hitched. Her pain momentarily forgotten as her mind tried to understand the horror before her.

Keerthi: "I was the one who told them to kill you. And you’re asking me for help?"

Renuka felt the world tilt.

Renuka: "W-Why…?"

Keerthi’s eyes darkened, her lips curling into a sneer.

Keerthi: "You dare to ask why? Vihaan is mine. But he was going to marry you, not me!"

Renuka’s lips trembled. Vihaan…?

Renuka: "W-what...? H-he..."

Before she could even complete her sentence, a sharp slap echoed through the air, snapping her head to the side.

Keerthi: "Don’t you dare say his name! He belongs to me!"

The men stepped forward. The knife gleamed again.

Keerthi: "What are you waiting for? Finish her."

And then—darkness.

A cold emptiness swallowed her whole.

Her last thoughts weren’t of hatred or revenge. They were of pain, betrayal, and the question that would never leave her soul—why?

Then suddenly—

Light.

A sharp gasp tore through her lips as she bolted upright in bed. Her hands clutched at the sheets, her body drenched in sweat.

Renuka shot up from her bed, gasping for air. Her heart pounded as she stared at the ring on her finger—once white, now pitch black.

"Oh my God… I DIED! And now I'm BACK?!"

She scrambled to check the date on her phone. The screen lit up, and her eyes widened.

"Wait a minute… this is the few days before my engagement?!"

Her brain went into overdrive. She had a second chance! And she was NOT about to waste it.

Without a second thought, she jumped out of bed, threw on some clothes (mismatched but who cares?), and dashed out the door like a madwoman. Destination? Malar’s house.

Malar—her best friend. The one who warned her about Vihaan. The one she had ignored. The one she needed to see right now.

Within minutes, she was banging on Malar’s door like a debt collector.

"MALAR! OPEN UP! IT'S ME!"

After a long pause, the door creaked open slightly, and a very confused Malar peeked out.

Malar: "Uh… who are you?"

Renuka didn’t think. She didn’t hesitate.

She just lunged forward and HUGGED her.

Renuka: "I WAS WRONG! YOU WERE RIGHT! I’M SO SORRY, PLEASE DON’T HATE ME!"

Malar froze. Hands awkwardly raised. Eyes wide. Processing.

Malar (internally): "Who is this lunatic and why is she squeezing the life out of me at 7 AM?"

Finally, Malar awkwardly patted her on the back.

Malar: "Umm… okay?? Who exactly are you again?"

Renuka pulled back dramatically, gripping Malar’s shoulders.

Renuka: "It’s me, Renuka! Your long-lost best friend! The one who stupidly got mad at you for warning me about Vihaan!"

Malar squinted.

Malar: "Renuka? The same Renuka who told me I was jealous? The same one who stormed off and blocked me everywhere?"

Renuka grinned sheepishly.

Renuka: "Uhh… yes?"

Malar crossed her arms.

Malar: "And why exactly are you here now?"

Renuka took a deep breath.

Renuka: "Because I need you. Because you were right. Because I—"*

Her voice cracked. She looked at Malar with tears brimming in her eyes.

Renuka: "Because I died, Malar."

Malar blinked.

Malar: "…Come again?"

Renuka: "It’s a long story. But trust me, you’re going to want to hear this."

Malar sighed, rubbing her temples.

Malar: "Fine. But if this is some weird prank, I swear I’ll slap you."

Renuka grinned.

Renuka: "Fair enough. But first, do you have any snacks? Dying makes you really hungry."

Malar stared.

Malar: "Oh Lord. What did I just sign up for?"