A Loveless Arranged Marriage

Chapter 12. The Birthday gift

 Previously, we saw that Rishi was angry at Deepa for hiding the truth. He couldn't forgive her at the time. After they arrived in Mumbai, Rishi fell seriously ill with a high fever. Deepa tried to help him, but Rishi didn't want her assistance. In frustration, Deepa finally revealed what had happened that day. After hearing her explanation, Rishi realized that Deepa hadn't intentionally kept the truth from him. He forgave her, and that same day, Deepa prepared a meal by herself without any help.

Then came March 21st, Deepa's birthday. She received many wishes from her friends and family and even celebrated at her office. When Rishi came home, he handed her a rolled-up piece of paper as a gift. Curious, Deepa asked, "What is this, divorce papers?" Rishi replied, "It's more than that." Deepa untied the ribbon and unrolled the paper. To her surprise, it was an admission form for UPSC coaching at Srikanth Academy. Tears filled her eyes as Rishi explained, "Deepa, I wanted to give you a birthday gift that would truly benefit your life. So I chose this for you." Deepa suddenly hugged him, leaving Rishi shocked. She said, "Thank you for this thoughtful gift, but... but I can't accept it."

Rishi pulled her away gently and asked, "Why can't you accept it?" Deepa replied, "Rishi, I love the gift, but I don't want to burden you. We're only living together for a year, and after that, we'll go our separate ways. I don't want to create any added pressure for you. Besides, this academy charges ₹60,000 for the coaching. I'm so sorry, but I can't accept it."

Rishi responded, "Deepa, it's your dream. Remember, this is your birthday gift—don't reject it. Also, you were the one who told me we're friends. As a friend, I'm happy to help you. It's up to you now to choose which academy you'd like to pursue your dream." Deepa hesitated, still uncertain about accepting the gift. Sensing her reluctance, Rishi added, "Deepa, don't overthink this. By helping you, I'm also fulfilling my mother's wish." Surprised, Deepa asked, "Your mother's wish?"

Rishi nodded, "Yes. Both my mom and your dad asked me to support you in pursuing your dream. Plus, when we eventually separate, you'll need something solid to stand on. So, please accept the gift. I've already done my research—this academy is one of the best in Mumbai. But if you don't like it, we can find another one that suits you."

Deepa then asked, "But what about the time we agreed to stay married?" Rishi shrugged, "We'll just extend it. Do we have any written contract or what? We can stay married until you pass the UPSC exam, and then we'll get divorced." Deepa then asked, "But how can I repay you for this?" Rishi smiled, "By passing the UPSC exam. That's all I ask." After thinking for a moment, Deepa finally accepted the gift.

After that, they both started cooking. While cooking, Rishi asked, "Hey, Deepa, can I ask you something?" Deepa replied, "What is it?" Rishi then asked, "Did your ex-boyfriend support you in becoming an IAS aspirant?" Deepa's temper flared as she responded, "Why are you bringing him up right now?" Rishi replied, "Hey, chill, I'm just asking, nothing more."

Deepa responded, "Actually, the answer is both yes and no. Sometimes he motivated me, and other times he told me to give it up. I could never really understand him on this." Rishi replied, "Hmm. Can I ask you another question?" Deepa agreed, "Okay, but it shouldn't be about him." Rishi hesitated, "Actually, it's still about him." Deepa, now irritated, asked, "Rishi, what's wrong with you? Why are you asking me so many questions about him?"

Rishi explained, "While thinking about what gift to give you today, I remembered our train journey, when you told me how much you truly loved that guy. So, I had some doubts."

Deepa sighed, "Fine, what's your question?" Rishi asked, "In the future, if your ex-boyfriend finds out about our marriage and wants to accept you as his life partner, would you say yes?" Deepa, furious, replied, "Absolutely not! Why would I say yes to him? He left me because he was scared of his father—why should I care about him now? I still get angry thinking about how he broke up with me!" Rishi responded, "Okay, calm down. It was wrong of me to ask." Deepa softened, "Alright, but from now on, don't bring him up. I'm slowly moving past those painful memories." After that, they finished cooking and had dinner together.