Aditi messes with her hair and then does some last-minute touches to her makeup, adding lipstick, highlighter to the tops of her cheekbones, and a spritz of SKAI UNISEX Eau De Cologne. When she finishes, she looks in the mirror and notices the prisms created by her diamond flash around the room where the sun reflects off the stone. Sighing, she stares at her hand, the marquise-shaped diamond is very pretty, and yet it feels like a lead weight.

"Hey Aditi," comes from the other side of the door.

Smiling, she pulls it open and kisses her fiancé' Chirag Joshi.

"Don't you look beautiful," he drops his lips to her neck, nuzzling the soft skin there.

"Chirag, don't mess up my makeup, Aishwarya will be here any minute," she scolds and steps back.

"What's so great about a magic show? I can entertain you too...and better," he rakes his eyes over her.

"Shubham Jain is the most famous magician in the world. Of course, I'm going," Aditi rolls her eyes and darts around him to leave the bathroom.

"I thought the two of us could go canoeing. We can find a private place and get naked...I've already got it strapped to the car."

"Chirag, no. I promised Aishwarya and besides, he's a great magician. Take Mohit or Vivek," Aditi sticks her diamond studs in her earlobes.

"I can't exactly get naked with them, Aditi. You on the other hand...," he licks his lips salaciously.

"I don't think so...," her voice trails off when a car horn sounds. "That's Aishwarya, bye," she waves with her fingers, grabs her purse, and leaves with a slam of the door and Chirag's mouth hanging open.

"I'm so excited," Aditi squeezes Aishwarya's arm as they wait in line to enter the Castro Theatre in San Francisco.

"Me too but Abhishek owed me big. Can you believe he forgot the date we met?" Aishwarya looks scandalized.

"Oh stop! He adores you."

"I know but hey, when he insisted on making it up to me, how could I say no?" the corners of her mouth lift into a big grin.

"He's so whipped," appears, hugging her best friend.

"Where's Garima?" Aditi looks around.

"Seems Tanishq's bellyache was his appendix. He's in the hospital having it removed as we speak."

"That's too bad. She was looking forward to today."

"We'll get her a shirt or something," Agrita points at the souvenir store that's located just outside the theatre's entrance.

"That's so like you, just throw money at it," Aditi furrows her brows.

Agrita's about to retort when the velvet rope is unhooked, allowing the crowd to enter the theatre. When they reach the door, they hand their tickets to the clerk and go inside, finding their spot close to the stage.

"Abhi got us great seats," Aditi takes her seat.

"Only the best," Aishwarya winks and sits beside Aditi. Once the crowd is mostly seated, waiters come around to take drink orders. The girls make small talk, enjoying themselves.

Suddenly the seating lights dim while the one over the stage lights. A girl in a glittery gown appears and walks to the microphone.

"I'd like to welcome you to our show tonight," she greets the audience with a gleaming smile, followed by a round of applause. Suddenly a beam of light appears close to the girls. Aditi's mouth drops to see Shubham Jain in the flesh and her eyes widen when he comes to stand in front of her.

"I'd like you to cut this deck and mark it," Shubham shuffles the cards and then sets them on their table.

His heart ticks when he sees her smile. It's one of happiness growing, much as a spring flower opens. He can see how it comes from deep inside to light her eyes and spreads into every part of her.

"Okay," Aditi does as he asks.

With a wave of his hands, he picks a card. "Is this one?" he holds up the ten of hearts.

"How did you...?"

"Magician secrets," he dazzles her with a playful waggle of his brows then moves onto the stage.

Aditi claps excitedly and watches in awe as he continues to work his magic.

Shubham wakes up from the feeling of someone's mouth on his. The kiss is soft, a mere brush of lips, a hand Aishssing his hair. He hums in contentment and inhales deeply, loving these quiet mornings when everything is slow and peaceful and when he can lay in bed til he feels like getting up. Days when he doesn't need to brace himself for what the new day will inevitably throw at him.

He can just relax and enjoy it - the sense of calm, the softness of the sheets, and her touch. He pulls back slightly to look at her, meeting her piercing brown gaze.

Shubham's eyes fly open as he wakes up for real. He blinks a few times, realizing that he's in his bed alone.

He has never woken up next to her, he's never kissed her, hell he doesn't even know her, and yet, he can still feel the sensation of her lips on his.

"Good morning," comes from the doorway, his eyes snap to Nikita's.

"What time is it?" he says with a yawn.

"Time for this," she drops her robe, revealing her naked body, and jumps on the bed, her intention obvious.

"Good morning to me," Shubham growls huskily then covers her body with his.

Six months later: San Diego.

"Can you believe it?" Aishwarya looks out over Tuna Harbor from the seating platform set in the Harbor Park. Then she turns to her best friend. "You okay?"

Aditi runs her palm over her now bare left ring finger. "I'm good, really good. It was the right thing to do. We both had different interests and honestly, Aish, there was no passion left."

"I could've told you that but you needed to figure it out for yourself," Aishwarya looks at Aditi knowingly.

"I just didn't want to face the fact that the romance simply ran out plus I didn't want to hurt Chirag."

"Aditi Dwivedi, savior of the cursed and the damned," she winks at her.

She's about to reply when there's a loud drum roll, silencing the crowd when Shubham Jain appears.

He has the kind of presence that stops a person in their tracks. He's handsome alright and his eyes are similar to the cool blue of a shark. Her thoughts are interrupted by the sound of his voice...

"And now ladies and gentlemen, observe the Kissing Statue..." Shubham spreads his arms for his audience both live and on TV can view it. As he looks over the crowd, his eyes lock with a girl. She's stunning, her brown eyes like those of a doe and her shimmering black hair in a braid draped over her shoulder. A vague sense of familiarity washes over him as he stares at her. Her eyes are as polished amber in the first rays of dawn. And when she smiles at him, his heartbeat ratchets up as if he'd just finished the last leg in a triathlon competition.

And when she smiles at him, his heartbeat ratchets up as if he'd just finished competing in a triathlon.

"Shubham," comes over his earpiece, snapping him out of his momentary reverie.

"As you see, Kissing Statue is cloaked right in front of you," he presses his hands together in silent thanks.

The seating platform begins to move, so subtly that the audience doesn't pick up on it. In this direction, there are lights set too, but without the statue in the middle. Shubham utters an incantation; the curtain drops and the statue appear to be gone.

The audience erupts in applause, the girl's smile is simply luminous when he meets her gaze again, snapping himself out of it before he succumbs to her charms once more.

As he chants again, the process is repeated and the platform is turned back so the Kissing Statue is visible once again.

"Thank you all for joining me here tonight," Shubham bows, and with one last look at the woman, he leaves the stage to another round of thunderous applause.