As Vanitha Anni lay on the wooden cot, the moonlight filtered through the window, tracing silver lines across her radiant skin. Kathir sat beside her, gently brushing away a stray lock of damp hair from her forehead. Vanitha’s eyes were heavy, half-closed in a trance-like state, her lips parted as if whispering a long-kept secret.

"Kathir... I feel like I’m drifting in a dream. Are you truly here with me?" she breathed, her voice laced with an intoxicating vulnerability. In response, Kathir tightened his grip on her hands, interlacing his fingers with hers. "Anni, this isn't a dream... this is the beautiful reality we’ve both been searching for," he whispered before pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead. The touch sent a visible shiver through her entire frame.