LOVE - Obsessed

18. Anaya's Secret

Anaya's POV

"Why would you do such a thing?" Ajay's words kept echoing in my mind.

For the past one hour I was trying to sleep but the conversation I had with Ajay just kept me away from my sleep.

Why should he even be bothered?? He just can't help me out of this mess. My mind was happy that at least he cared but at the same time it was against the fact that he shouldn't have known.

You wouldn't really know why, you may think I am strong and willful but that's just towards others but in reality I am bound to certain limitations, which I can't escape nor I could help myself.

As I kept wondering my mind travelled to the past, when all this happened.

6 Months Ago...

"I already told you Mumma! No matter how good the proposal may be, my education comes first!" I declared, my voice trembling with defiance as I faced my mother's relentless gaze.

Mumma's expression softened, her eyes clouded with a mixture of frustration and concern. "But Anaya beta, you know how important this is for us. We can't afford to let this opportunity slip away."

I shook my head, my resolve hardening with each passing moment. "I understand, Mumma, but I can't just abandon my dreams for the sake of a marriage. I have worked too hard to get where I am, and I refuse to give it all up now."

Mumma sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "I just want what's best for you, beta. Is that too much to ask?"

But for me, the answer was clear. I couldn't sacrifice my ambitions for the sake of tradition, I can't bow to the pressure of societal expectations. I had to forge my own path, no matter how difficult or uncertain the journey may be.

As the tension hung thick in the air, my father's somber voice broke through the silence. "Anaya, beta, can we talk?"

I turned to face him, my heart heavy with anticipation. My father was a pillar of strength in our family, and my strength of support jisne mere sapno ko hamesha pank diya hai (who always gave me the freedom to fly) and stood with me through thick and thin. But something in his eyes told me that this conversation would be different, that it would change everything.

He led me to a quiet corner of our home, away from the prying eyes of my mother and brother. And as we sat down together, he began to speak, his words weighted with a burden I could scarcely comprehend.

"Anaya, beta, I need to tell you something," he began, his voice faltering slightly. "You see, a few days ago, I received a proposal for your marriage."

I felt a knot form in the pit of my stomach, a sense of dread creeping over me like a shadow. Marriage? But I was barely out of college, barely beginning to explore the world beyond the confines of my textbooks.

"And?" I prompted, my voice barely above a whisper.

My father took a deep breath, his gaze never leaving mine. "The man who proposed... he's not like anyone we've ever met before. He's successful and well-respected, and he comes from a good family."

I waited for him to continue, my heart pounding in my chest. But what he said next caught me completely off guard.

"Anaya, beta, the truth is... I'm in a difficult position," my father confessed, his voice heavy with remorse. "You see, a few years ago, I made some bad investments. I lost everything, and now... now we're in debt."

The world seemed to tilt on its axis, the ground shifting beneath my feet as my father's words sank in. Debt? How could this be happening? We were a wealthy family touchwood, living comfortably within our means. How could everything have fallen apart so quickly?