Kamre mein gulaab ke phoolon ki mehak ghuli hui thi. Bed par laal rang ki chadar bichi thi aur chaaron taraf mombattiyon ki madham roshni naach rahi thi. Preeti bed ke beechon-beech baithi thi, uska bhari laal lehenga uske nanhe se shareer par bojh jaisa lag raha tha. Uske haath tharthara rahe the aur wo apni ungliyon se apni sadi ke pallu ko masal rahi thi. Uska dil itni zor se dhadak raha tha ki use apne kaano mein uski awaaz sunayi de rahi thi.

              Tabhi darwaza khula aur Raghav andar aaya. Usne apni sherwani ke button thode khol liye the, aur uski aankhon mein ek ajeeb si chamak thi—ek aisi chamak jo dominating bhi thi aur gehri mohabbat se bhari hui bhi. Usne darwaza band kiya aur dheere se lock ki awaaz aayi. Preeti ne ek gehri saans li aur apni nazrein neeche kar li.