Arranged marriage was an age-old story that Khushi, the youngest of the infamous Gupta family, who revolutionized and dominated the trading market for generations, knew well.
For it was the only thing she heard growing up.
But that neither prepared...
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Khushi readjusted the pallu of her bottle green chiffon saree, for some reason nervous about her impending departure from Gupta Manor.
She had returned from Agra only two days ago, promising a very reluctant Arnav that she would move back to the penthouse after discussing it with her father first. He was not happy to say the very least, but thankfully had understood enough about the fragile relationship she had built with Alok over the last three weeks to let it slide. Arnav –in between longing goodbye kisses– told her he would pick her up from Gupta Manor in exactly two days whether she was ready or not.
Khushi agreed knowing better than to push him. After hearing his outburst in the hotel room that night, she highly doubted whether he would be able to survive another week apart. He had been so livid and so broken at the same time... as though burning in a thousand hells.
She shivered, unable to forget the dejection in his eyes.
For the better part of her life, Khushi had always prided herself on being a practical person. It was perhaps the biggest thing that had fueled her anger and resentment for the past three weeks, reasoning that Arnav possibly could not love her like he had once loved Myra. But all that rationale flew out the window the minute she saw him, and saw the bags under his eyes, the droop to his shoulders and when he spoke, the ache...
God, it would probably take her years to forget that ache.
And how could she forget his words?
I have always felt guilty for meeting Myra before you... As if I have somehow betrayed your trust... but not anymore. I'm human. When Myra was in my life, I genuinely thought she was the love of my life, so I did everything in my power to keep her... If someone would have told me to wait, told me that my soulmate was not her, but someone else, then I would have waited without blinking an eye. But no one did. So, I did what I thought was right... how can you punish me for not knowing better?
That had been her breaking point. In all these days that she had forced herself to stay away, she only thought about Myra's haunting words or what her own position was in Arnav's life. Never did she pause to think what he was going through.
She had always heard love was insane and impossible. But never, in all her life, had she imagined love would be this impossible. All the logic in the world didn't stand a chance against Arnav's pain. And to know that she was the reason behind it... it was much, much worse.
It was exactly as her father had said. Arnav was an honest man, so why would he not be honest about his feelings? His undeniable loyalty to Myra, more than anything, was proof of his character. He was a man who gave his everything to the people he loved, the one who was always willing to give a second, third and even tenth chance... in fact, wasn't that one of the very reasons she had fallen for him to begin with?
