Meesha felt a sting of hurt and a surge of pain at his words. Yet, she summoned a gentle smile, expertly concealing the ache within. "I know you didn't ask," she said, "… but I just wanted you to know."

"How touching," Xanqer said, his voice laced with sarcasm. He turned his back on Meesha and walked away, his broad shoulders disappearing into the distance.

Meesha's eyes welled up with tears as she gazed at Xanqer's retreating figure. But she swiftly regained her composure, a bright, artificial smile spreading across her lips. She sprinted after Xanqer, her footsteps light.

"Wait!" she called out, her voice breathless. "Why did you go? Where did you go? Did you go back to your world? What did you do there? How did you even come in? Did you use your magic? Why did you come back? Is it because you missed me?" The questions tumbled out in rapid succession, Meesha's eyes sparkling with a mix of curiosity and desperation.

Xanqer stopped in his tracks, his back still turned to Meesha. He let out a low, annoyed sigh, then in a fluid motion, he turned to face her. His eyes narrowed, his gaze intense and unnerving. "I came back for one reason," he said, his eyes glinting with a cold, calculated light.

Then, he raised an eyebrow, his tone dismissive. "And what's with the assumption that I missed you?"

With that, he turned and walked up the stairs, leaving Meesha feeling shattered. She knew he had always been like this – stoic, menacing, and unyielding.

A sad pout appeared on her face, her eyes, once shining with excitement, now dimmed with disappointment. She had been waiting for so long for him to return, but now that he did, he wasn't paying any attention to her, just like he had always been.

Meesha felt her eyes blurring, and she staggered, her legs wobbly beneath her. She sat down on the stairs, looking up at the path he had just passed. The liquor was taking its toll, and her thoughts grew fuzzy. She heaved a sigh, feeling a wave of sadness wash over her.

As the alcohol consumed her, Meesha's eyelids grew heavy, and she fell asleep, slumped against the wall.

*********

[THE NEXT MORNING]

Meesha woke up to the warm sunlight shining on her face from the large window. She yawned and stretched, her muscles aching from the awkward position she'd slept in. As she reached up to rub her eyes, her hand instinctively went to her head instead, where a sharp headache was throbbing. "Oow!" She winced.

She remembered the events of the previous night, and how she'd had too much to drink. The hangover was now making its presence known. Meesha lay down sideways on the stairs, looking up at the white ceiling with her palm on her throbbing head.

Had she really seen Xanqer last night, or was it just her imagination playing tricks on her? She wished he were really here, even though he was as cold as ice. She heaved a sigh and sat up, massaging the sides of her head with her fingers.

As she stood up, she felt something digging into her back - her bra hook. She hated wearing bras overnight, and now it was uncomfortable. Reaching behind her, she unclasped the bra and slid the straps off her arms. As she pulled the bra out from under her clothes, she looked up to see Xanqer standing at the bottom of the stairs.

Her eyes widened in shock, and she froze, the bra still clutched in her hand. Xanqer's gaze locked onto hers, his expression unreadable. Meesha's heart skipped a beat as she realized that she hadn't imagined him after all. He was really here.

Xanqer's gaze dropped to the bra clutched in Meesha's hand, and he raised an eyebrow. Meesha's face flushed with embarrassment as she quickly hid the bra behind her back.

Xanqer turned back and walked away, leaving Meesha feeling mortified. But beneath her embarrassment, she was also shocked and thrilled. So Xanqer had really come back?

Meesha's happiness got the better of her, and she snuck down the stairs, careful not to make a sound. She peeked around the corner and saw Xanqer in the dining room, his eyes fixed on his laptop screen.

Meesha quickly put her bra back on, clasping it securely and adjusting the straps. With her clothing back in order, she ran down the stairs, excitement radiating from her very being. 

Meesha's shyness about the earlier bra incident threatened to hold her back, but her excitement propelled her towards Xanqer. She approached him, her voice delightful. "So, you really came back yesterday? I thought I had hallucinated."

Xanqer didn't respond, his gaze fixed on his laptop screen. Meesha felt a pang of sadness, but she quickly recovered. She sat down in front of him at the dining table, her eyes locked on his profile. "I've really missed you," she said, her voice filled with emotion.

Xanqer remained silent, his indifferent gaze still on his laptop. Meesha tried again. "I'm glad you're back." 

Still, there was no response. 

Undeterred, Meesha asked, "If you don't want to talk to me, can you at least tell me why you left without telling me? I was depressed and cried every day."

Xanqer finally looked up at her, his expression unreadable. Meesha's heart skipped a beat as their eyes met.

Just then, Meesha's phone rang, breaking the tense moment. She glanced at it and saw Kira's name flashing at the screen. She got up and walked out of the dining room to answer the call.

Kira's voice was elated on the other end. "Meesha, come to the industry quickly. I have a way to fix everything. I've sent your driver and bodyguards over. Get dressed and come quickly!" The call disconnected abruptly.

Meesha wondered what Kira had discovered. She hoped it was something positive. Reluctantly, she tore her gaze away from Xanqer and marched up the stairs to get dressed.