When Love Lasts✔️

Chapter 23

Mankirat Singh

The drive to Sukhi's family home felt like an eternity, each passing mile weighed down by a heavy sense of apprehension and uncertainty. As I pulled up to the familiar house, its imposing facade looming before me, I couldn't help but feel a knot of dread form in the pit of my stomach.

Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I climbed out of the car and made my way up the front steps, my heart pounding in my chest with each echoing footstep. The sound of my knuckles rapping against the door reverberated through the silent evening air, a stark contrast to the turmoil raging within me.

When the door swung open, revealing Sukhi's father standing before me with a look of undisguised hostility, I felt a surge of apprehension wash over me. "Mankirat," he said, his voice cold and clipped. "What are you doing here?"

Summoning all the courage within me, I met his gaze head-on, determined to stand my ground in the face of his anger. "I'm here to talk to you and your wife," I replied, my voice steady despite the trembling of my hands.

Before I could say another word, Sukhi's father's expression hardened even further, his eyes flashing with barely contained fury. "We have nothing to say to you," he spat, his tone dripping with contempt. "Leave now before I call the police."

I felt a surge of frustration and disbelief rise within me as I struggled to comprehend the depth of his animosity. "Mr. Singh, please," I pleaded, my voice tinged with desperation. "I love Sukhi, and I want to make things right."

But my words fell on deaf ears as Sukhi's father moved to close the door in my face, his actions a clear dismissal of my presence. "There is nothing to make right," he said, his voice icy with disdain. "You are not welcome here. Leave, or I will make you leave."

Feeling a sense of defeat wash over me, I took a step back, knowing that further confrontation would only exacerbate the situation. "Fine," I said, my voice heavy with resignation. "But know this—I will never give up on Sukhi. No matter what you say or do, our love will endure."

With those final words hanging in the air, I turned and made my way back to my car, the weight of Sukhi's family's rejection heavy on my heart. As I drove away from the house, a sense of emptiness settled over me, knowing that despite my best efforts, I had failed to bridge the chasm that separated Sukhi from her family.

But even in the face of such overwhelming adversity, I refused to give up hope. For as long as there was breath in my body, I would continue to fight for Sukhi, to stand by her side no matter what obstacles stood in our way. And as I drove into the night, the flames of determination burning bright within me, I knew that our love would never be extinguished, no matter the odds stacked against us.