Arjun was drained. He stood at his kitchen stove watching the tea boil and looked at his watch. Rani had asked to come over and he was looking forward to holding her in his arms.
His parents had just left after a volatile two days. Hema had found the courage to tell her parents she didn’t want to marry him but her parents had reacted the same way as his. They felt that Hema didn’t know what was best for her and was making a rash decision. They’d called Jhanvi and Dharampal to reiterate that they’d given their daughter an ultimatum: to marry Arjun or be disowned. They had also expressed anger at Arjun for his indiscretions with Rani. Meanwhile, the media storm hadn’t let up.
The only win for Arjun was that he’d prevented his parents from making an announcement about him and Hema. He’d told them in no uncertain terms that he would only marry Rani. Their response was that he wasn’t welcome back into the family home if he didn’t marry Hema. After her conversation with Rani, his mother was convinced that Rani would add fuel to the discord that already existed with his sisters, especially Divya.
As soon as the security guard downstairs alerted him that Rani had arrived, he took the tea off the stove and went to wait by the elevators. When the doors opened, his breath caught. Rani was wearing jeans and a V-neck shirt that showed off her curves beautifully. She smiled at him and he pulled her into his arms, savoring the feel of her against his body. He let her warm vanilla smell soothe the storm raging inside him.
She’s the woman I love. How can I spend my life with someone else, knowing she exists?
He led her to the kitchen. “I didn’t have time to make a full meal, but I made you some masala chai.” She smiled and perched on the island stool while he poured the tea into two cups.
“It was rough with your parents.”
He nodded. “They need some time.” He tried—and failed—to sound convincing for her. “It’ll be better once the media coverage dies down.”
She shook her head. “You and I both know it’s about more than bad publicity. I’m all wrong for your family.”
His stomach clenched. He wanted to reassure her but his words would just sound hollow.
She reached out and grabbed his hands and he wove his fingers through hers.
“Arjun, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. I’ve never loved anyone like I love you. And that’s why I’m going to let you go.” Her voice cracked.
His heart squeezed painfully in his chest. “You’re going to have to explain that one to me.”
She smiled sadly at him. “Have you looked at yourself in the mirror? You look horrible.”
“Thanks so much. I haven’t had time to get a facial,” he joked.
“The stress is killing you and it’s only been a few days.” She looked down. “Think about how you’re feeling right now. Can you imagine life like this every day? Constantly having to choose between me and your parents? This kind of burden will kill you, and I love you too much to do that to you. It was foolish for us to think that there was a magical way we could make it all work.”
“So you want to give up? Throw it all away? Do you know how special it is to have what we have? To feel the way we do about each other?”
“Yes I do! But I also know what it’s like to be trapped and feel like there’s no escape. That’s how it would be in your house. All my life, I’ve had no control over my own destiny. I did what my parents asked, and then I lived the way that my ex in-laws wanted. I can’t do it anymore. I won’t be the obedient bahu your mother is looking for, and it’s going to create strife in your family. I’ll be yet another burden on you and I don’t want to become yet another person you have to manage in your life like you do with your sisters and brother.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks. She is unyielding, his mother had said. He wanted to pull Rani close but she pulled her hands away from him and he let her. For the first time in his life, he felt beaten. He didn’t want Rani to feel like a life with him would be the kind of prison she’d endured with her ex, yet he didn’t have anything different to offer her. He’d been hoping that together they could come up with a middle ground where both their needs could be met.
“I wish more than anything that I’d never married Navin. That I didn’t have the scars that are stopping me from believing that we can somehow make this work.”
He wanted to beg her, plead with her to rethink what she was saying. Convince her that things would be different. But the words stuck in his mouth. She needed him to give up everything for her. His family, his business, his life.
When she kissed him on the cheek and left, he didn’t stop her.