Riya stopped reading the book.
She was afraid.
Afraid that every choice she made wasn't truly hers.
Days passed in silence.
Until the message came again.
"The story must continue."
Riya realized something terrifying.
If she followed the book, everything would happen exactly as written.
If she didn't… she didn't know what would happen.
That night, she asked Aarav, "What if I stop?"
He looked at her seriously. "Then you might lose everything."
"And if I continue?"
"You lose yourself."