fire

The grand mansion was burning. Red flames licked the night sky.

Noor was trapped on the balcony. Below her, her husband, Dev, shouted her name, his eyes frantic. But next to him stood Veer, the man Noor truly loved, holding her elder sister, Priya.

Veer looked up at Noor. His face was covered in soot, but his voice was calm.

“Noor, listen to me. Priya is unconscious. I have to take her to safety right now. She is badly hurt. You are stronger; you wait here,” Veer pleaded, his voice sounding like a hero's.

Noor believed him. “Go, Veer! Save my sister!”

Veer took Priya and ran away from the fire.

Noor watched them go. The heat became unbearable. She screamed for help.

Veer and Priya stopped a little distance away. They were both watching the balcony, but no one was rushing to help Noor.

Noor saw Priya stir in Veer’s arms. Priya was awake. She was not hurt.

Priya looked up at the desperate Noor and smiled—a cold, cruel smile.

“Look, Veer,” Priya whispered, her voice clear. “She is begging. I always wanted to see her beg.”

Veer gently stroked Priya’s hair. “She always made my life difficult, Priya. Now we get everything. Dev’s money, and my freedom from this unwanted wife.”

Noor's heart shattered, not by the fire, but by their words. Veer? Priya?

Suddenly, a massive man ran past them. It was Dev.

Ignoring the shouts of the guards, Dev ran towards the burning mansion. He didn’t wait. He didn't think. He broke through the main door and disappeared into the smoke.

A minute later, Dev came back out. He was coughing and badly burned. He held Noor tight in his arms. He reached the garden and put her down safely.

Veer and Priya came closer.

Dev looked at Veer, his eyes full of pain and fire. “You waited for her to burn. I knew you were poison.”

Veer laughed. He took a knife from his pocket. “You saved the girl, but you can’t save yourself, Dev.”

Veer stabbed Dev quickly. Dev fell next to Noor. He looked at her one last time, a tear rolling down his burned cheek.

“Noor… now… you… are safe,” he whispered, and his eyes closed forever.

Priya quickly took the knife from Veer’s hand. She stood over Noor, who was crying and shaking.

“Don’t cry, little sister,” Priya said, her voice sweet and evil. “We can’t let you tell the police. Say goodbye.”

Priya stabbed Noor. The pain was sharp, quick.

Then, everything went black.

Noor gasped, sitting up fast. She was not in the smoky garden. She was in a quiet, cool bedroom. The large, heavy mirror showed her own shocked face.

On her finger, a big diamond ring sparkled—the ring Dev gave her. The wedding was in three days.

Noor stared at the diamond ring sparkling on her finger. Three days. In three days, she would marry Dev. The very Dev who had died, sacrificing his life just hours ago—hours ago in the other life.

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