My heart was no longer just beating; it was thundering, a wild, trapped animal inside my chest. I held Little Pie—Aarav—so tightly against me that he let out a small grunt, but I couldn't let go. My mind was a chaotic blur of those black, piercing eyes and that twisted, beautiful smirk. His deep, husky voice wasn't just a memory; it was a physical sensation, still humming in my ears, vibrating through my very bones.

My face felt cold despite the sweat trickling down my temples. I stumbled back into the living room, looking like I had seen a ghost.

"What happened, little one?" Reha Masi asked, her voice sharp with sudden concern as she looked at me and the child in my arms. "Did something bad happen?"

She looked over my pale, sweating face and then narrowed her eyes at her son. "Aarav... what happened? Why does Ishani look like this? Were you bothering her, Aarav? Tell me, did you bother your Di?"

Aarav looked up at his mother, his innocent face confused. "No, Mama," he started to say.

"Don't lie, Aarav!" Masi scolded, her protective instincts flaring. "Look at your best Di. She is covered in sweat and shaking!"

Aarav looked at me, then back at his mother. "No... Mamma... Di is sweating because of—"

Before he could finish the sentence—before he could mention the man at the wall—I lunged forward and covered his small mouth with my hand. I couldn't tell them. I didn't know why, but the fear was so deep that I felt if I spoke his name, he would appear right there in the room.

"It’s just the heat, Masi," I gasped out, my voice sounding foreign to my own ears.

I looked at my mother, who was studying me with an intense, questioning gaze. She knew me too well. "Are you sure, Ishi?" she asked, her voice low.

I nodded frantically, my braids swaying. "Yes, Maa. It’s just... it’s very hot in the garden today. The sun is too strong."

I sank onto the sofa, my legs feeling like water. I grabbed a glass of water from the table and drank it in huge, desperate gulps, trying to wash away the dryness in my throat. Aarav, sensing the tension, quietly slipped away to play with his toys, but Masi was still hovering.

"Are you really okay, little one?" she asked one more time.

I gave a stiff, mechanical nod. She finally sighed and turned back to my mother, resuming their conversation.

They were talking about old friends and household things—normal, everyday topics that felt like they belonged to a different universe.

I sat there, staring at the floor, but I wasn't in the room anymore. I was back at that garden wall.

My mind was trapped on that stranger. I could see every detail of his handsome, terrifying face. Those black eyes that didn't just look at me, but seemed to see my soul. His soft pink lips that curved into that mocking smirk. The way his broad chest and strong arms filled out that black hoodie... even the memory of his presence felt heavy, like a shadow sitting on my chest.

And the way he said it. Butterfly.

"Oh God," I whispered to myself, burying my face in my hands.

I wanted to erase him. I wanted to scrub the memory of his voice out of my brain. But the more I tried to forget, the more clearly I felt him. My body began to tremble all over again—my hands, my legs, even my heart. I could almost hear him calling me again, his voice echoing in the quiet of the living room.

“Butterfly.”

I took another deep breath and reached for more water, but my hand was shaking so much the glass rattled against my teeth. I knew then, with a chilling certainty, that I would never be able to erase this. His handsome, cruel face was burned into my mind, and the safety I once felt in the world was gone forever.

Hours had passed at Reha Masi’s house, and though the laughter of my mother and Masi filled the rooms, the cold dread in my heart hadn't melted.

When it was finally time to leave, I gave Little Pie a tight, lingering hug. He waved at me with his tiny hand, his innocent smile almost making me forget the monster at the garden wall. Almost.

We walked into the nearby market, my hand clenched tightly in my mother’s. The market was beautiful, decorated with vibrant colors, and while it wasn't overly crowded, it hummed with the steady energy of Sunday shoppers.

"Ishi," my mother said, stopping in front of a store selling household items. "You asked me to buy you something, didn't you?"

I nodded, a small spark of genuine excitement lighting up my face. She smiled and handed me some money.

"I’ll be in this shop. Take this and buy whatever you want. After you’re done, come find me here, and then we’ll head home together, okay?" She ruffled my hair affectionately.

"Okay, Maa..." I said, smiling back.

As she walked into the store, I felt a temporary sense of freedom. I wandered through the stalls, my eyes catching on a toy shop. A beautiful, fluffy white teddy bear was sitting on the top shelf, looking so soft and comforting.

"Uncle, what is the price of that teddy bear?" I asked the shopkeeper.

"500 Rupees," he replied.

My heart sank. I looked down at the 300 Rupees in my hand. "Sorry, I don't have enough," I whispered, feeling a wave of sadness. I loved toys; they were soft and safe, just like my mother’s embrace. I cast one last look at the white bear and walked away.

Next, I stopped at a jewelry stall. The glint of silver and gold caught the sunlight. I looked at the rows of necklaces and bangles, but my eyes settled on a pair of white jhumka adorned with small, dark black stones. They were beautiful—a perfect mix of light and shadow. I bought them, feeling a small sense of pride as I tucked the small packet into my bag.

Finally, the sweet scent of a nearby shop pulled me in. My mouth watered as I looked at the trays of traditional sweets. I decided on Rasmalai. I took the first bite, the creamy sweetness making me close my eyes in bliss.

"Uhmmm... it’s so tasty," I murmured to myself.

I finished the sweet, threw the disposal cup in the bin, and turned to head back to my mother. I took exactly one step.

Suddenly, a massive, strong hand clamped over my mouth, stifling my scream before it could even begin. A powerful arm wrapped around my waist, lifting me off my feet and dragging me backward with terrifying strength. I thrashed and kicked, my muffled cries dying against his palm.

He pulled me into a narrow, dark alley tucked away between two buildings, far from the eyes of the shoppers. He slammed my back against the cold brick wall, his heavy, muscular body hovering over me like a mountain, trapping me completely.

My breath was coming in short, panicked gasps. My eyes were wide with terror as I looked at him. His face was covered with a dark mask, but I recognized those piercing black eyes instantly. They burned into mine with a frightening intensity. He leaned in closer, his body heat radiating through my clothes, pinning me in place.

He didn't move his hand from my mouth. Instead, he leaned down to my ear, his deep, husky voice vibrating against my skin.

"I found you."

My breath hitched. My heart felt like it was going to explode.

"Butterfly," he whispered.

Slowly, deliberately, he reached up with his free hand and pulled the mask down from his face. My eyes widened in shock. It was him—the man from the garden. My body began to shiver violently, my knees feeling like they were about to buckle.

He slowly moved his hand away from my lips, but I was too terrified to scream.

"Y...you," I stammered, my voice trembling as much as my lips.

He didn't answer right away. He just stood there, a dark, predatory smirk spreading across his handsome face as he watched my fear. The sunlight was only a few feet away, but in this alley, under his gaze, I was back in the shadows.

I sat in the chilled silence of my car, my eyes never leaving the entrance of Reha’s house. Finally, after hours that felt like an eternity, she emerged. I watched her hug that boy, her smile a cruel reminder of the warmth she gave so freely to everyone but me. As they walked toward the nearby market, I knew it was time.

I reached for my black mask, pulling it over my face. I flipped the hood of my black sweatshirt up, hiding my curls, and slid my phone into my pocket. I stepped out of the Mercedes, a predator blending into the Sunday crowd.

I trailed her at a distance, my eyes pinned to her back. I saw her mother hand her some money and head into a separate shop. Now, my Butterfly was alone in the open.

She stopped at a toy shop first. I watched from the shadows as she admired the shelves. She looked so naive, so beautifully unaware of her own worth. I wanted to catch her right then and there—Ishani Kapoor, my fragile prize.

Her eyes landed on a white teddy bear. It was soft and fluffy, just like her. I saw her speak to the shopkeeper, her face falling as the conversation progressed. Even from this distance, I could read the disappointment in her posture. She sighed, looking at the money in her hand, then walked away. But she looked back. She looked back one last time with such longing that it made my heart grow heavy.

The moment she was clear, I stepped into the shop. I picked up the white bear, my gloved fingers brushing its fur.

"Isn't this what my Butterfly wants?" I whispered to myself.

I looked at the shopkeeper, my deep, husky voice cutting through the noise of the market. "What is the price of this toy?"

"500 Rupees," the man replied.

I didn't blink. I pulled a roll of notes from my pocket, handed him the cash without waiting for change, and walked out with the bear. But I wasn't done.

I followed her to a jewelry stall. I watched her touch the necklaces, her eyes searching. She picked out a pair of white long jhumka with black stones. They were delicate, just like her collarbones. After she paid and left, I stepped up to the counter. The shopkeeper looked at me, confused.

"Pack all of it," I commanded, my eyes fixed on Ishani’s retreating figure. "Every necklace, every earring, every bangle. I’m buying it all."

"Are you serious, Mister?" the man stammered, his eyes widening. "You really want to buy everything?"

I nodded once, dropping a thick bundle of notes onto the glass display. "Pack it all and send it to this address." I slid my penthouse card across the counter. "This is all my Butterfly wants."

I didn't wait to see his reaction. I was already moving toward the sweet shop where she was standing. She was eating Rasmalai, a tiny, blissful smile on her lips.

"A sweet eating another sweet," I smirked, the thought dark and delicious.

I watched her finish, watched her toss the cup away and prepare to return to her mother. She took one step. That was her mistake.

In one swift, practiced motion, I was behind her. I slammed my hand over her mouth, stifling her scream. I wrapped my other arm around her waist, lifting her light body off the ground as if she weighed nothing. I hauled her into the shadows of a narrow, secluded alley.

She thrashed against me, her muffled cries vibrating against my palm, but I was a wall of muscle she couldn't move. I pinned her against the cold brick wall, my tall frame hovering over her, trapping her between the stone and my chest.

"I found you," I growled, the vibration of my voice making her entire body tremble under me.

She tried to move, her blue doe eyes wide with a terror that made my blood sing. I reached up and pulled the mask down, exposing my face to her.

Her pupils dilated instantly. Shock washed over her pale features, and she froze, her shivering becoming violent. I slowly, very slowly, removed my hand from her mouth.

"Y...you," she whispered, her voice a broken, trembling mess.

I looked at her, my smirk widening as I drank in her fear. I loved that she was in this condition because of me. I loved that I was the only thing she could see, the only thing she could feel.

"Me," I whispered, leaning in until our noses touched. "Did you really think you could fly away from me, Butterfly?"

The tension in the alleyway was thick enough to choke on. I moved even closer, closing every remaining inch of space between us until there was nowhere for her to go.

I could feel her small, fragile chest heaving, rising and falling frantically against my firm, broad chest. The rhythm of her heart was like a drumbeat of terror, and I savored every pulse. Our breath mingled in the narrow space, thick with the scent of her fear and the sweet lingering aroma of the rasmalai she had just eaten. We were breathing the same air now, bound together in this shadow.

I looked down, feeling the heavy friction of my body against hers. I knew she could feel me—feel the hardness of my desire to press against her, just as I could feel the softness of her center through the thin fabric of our clothes. The proximity was intoxicating, a drug that fueled my madness.

I reached out, my fingers trembling slightly with a hunger I could barely contain, and gently brushed a stray lock of hair away from her eyes. My gaze dropped to her pink, glossy lips. They were perfect, shimmering with a hint of moisture.

"Butterfly..." I whispered, the name vibrating between us.

A ravenous hunger surged in my mind. I wanted to devour her right there, to crush my lips against hers and claim the sweetness, I had been watching from afar. I lowered my hand, tracing the line of her cheek before my thumb found its way to her bottom lip. I rubbed the soft flesh, feeling the slickness of her saliva and the faint stickiness of the dessert. I pulled my thumb away and licked my own lip, tasting her. It was better than any heaven I had ever imagined.

"W..why are you here? And why are you following me?" she stammered, her voice a fragile thread. She tried to squirm, to find an opening to escape, but I slammed both of my hands onto the brick wall on either side of her head, locking her in a cage of muscle and stone.

"Don’t move, Butterfly," I growled, my eyes dark with a warning.

"Why are you following me? Who are you?" she asked again, her blue eyes wide and searching.

I didn't give her the satisfaction of an answer. Instead, I smiled—a slow, dangerous curve of my lips—and pressed a single finger against her mouth to silence her. "I want to give you this," I said, reaching under my hoodie.

I pulled out the white teddy bear—the one she had looked at with such a longing just minutes ago. "This is what you want, isn't it, Butterfly?"

I held it out to her, but she didn't take it. She just stared at the toy and then at me, her shock turning into a deeper realization. "Did you... did you stock for me?"

A dark smirk twisted my features. "What did you think, Butterfly?"

I leaned down, burying my face in the crook of her neck, inhaling the intoxicating scent of her skin and that baby lotion she loved so much. I could feel her shivering beneath me, her pulse jumping like a trapped bird. I looked back at those pink, glossy lips. They were screaming for me to kiss them.

I leaned down, closing the gap, my lips inches from hers, ready to finally take what was mine. But in that split second of anticipation, she found a burst of desperate strength. She shoved my hand away, ducked under my arm, and bolted out of the alleyway, running back toward the light of the market.

I didn't chase her immediately. I stood there in the shadows, a low, dark chuckle vibrating in my chest. I reached up and rubbed my hair, watching her retreating figure.

"She runs again," I said, looking down at the white teddy bear still in my hand. "But I want to see how far you can truly run, Butterfly."

I brought my thumb—the one that had touched her wet, pink lips—to my mouth and sucked on it slowly. "Sweet... my Butterfly is so fucking sweet."

The smile on my face grew, twisting into something demonic, something that would have turned her blood to ice if she had seen it. The obsession was no longer just a game; it was a hunt that would only end one way.

"I am coming, Butterfly,"

I whispered to the wind, stepping out of the shadows to follow the path she had taken.