A Promised Marriage

Chapter Twenty One: Shadi

Aradhya's Pov

"Aap yeah kya keh rahi hain? How can I be the cure for Rehan's illness?" I asked her curiously, not able to understand anything.

"You are Aradhya!, Rehan ki iss bimari ka ilaz sirf tum ho!"

"Tumhe yaad hain wo raat jisdin tumne Rehan ko phone kiya tha and wo bohot ghushe main tha, Wo wahi raat thi Aradhya! Rehan almost uske dost ko mar deta agar tumne ushe phone nehi kiya hota. Mujhe nehi pata kese but wo tumhari awaz sunkar sant ho geya." She explained with a hope in her eyes.

I remember that night clearly, I had a bad day so I decided to call Rehan and when I called him it felt different. He was angry. We didn't talk much but for a minute. That was the last time he ever talked to me because After that he never called me or even texted. It was always me.

"Aradhya, Tumhare jane ke baad Rehan akela par geya, apne aap ko kam main busy rakhne laga. Agar kisine bhi choti si bhi galti uske samne ki toh wo uspar chilla deta tha."

"It was all my fault, I shouldn't have left him alone" I whispered when suddenly Aunty hugged me.

"No beta, it was not your fault. We all know How much you are passionate about art. You can't leave your passion because of Rehan"

"But Aunty I love Rehan. I can't see him like this. Aunty, we have to do something. Otherwise, people will try to take advantage of this situation."

"Yes, beta don't worry. Tum aa geyi ho na sab theek ho jayega"

" Aab hame kya karna hoga?"

"Hame nehi sirf tumhe karna hain," She said with determination in her eyes.

"Kya?"

-~-

"Rukh ja Aradhya!" I jumped back involuntarily; My mother's sudden outburst startled me. I had not heard her coming. I took a moment to calm myself before turning to face Anuradha.

"Ji Mama"

"Kaha geyi thi tu?" She asked, with anger in her eyes. I lowered my head not able to meet her eyes.

She gets more furious by this.
Her face was like a thundercloud, her eyes flashing with anger. "What were you thinking?" she demanded, her voice rising with each word. "You just left the house without telling anyone, just like that, and went to meet Rehan!"

"N-no, Mama I--"

"No?" She scoffed. "Don't give me 'no', Aradhya. You went to see a convicted criminal without even thinking about the consequences. What were you thinking?"

"Maa,  Please he is not a criminal and you know that!"

"It doesn't matter what I know or what you know," she snapped back. "In the eyes of the law, he is a criminal. And here you are, still defending him as if he hasn't committed any crime!"

"He didn't, Someone is plotting against him"

"Don't be naive, Aradhya, I know you care for him but you need to understand that he is not the same person he used to be. The Rehan you once knew is gone. He is dangerous..."

" He is still the same Rehan, Mama!" I argued. "I know him better than anyone else. Believe me, he is innocent."

She let out a frustrated sigh, "Do you really think I hadn't thought about the possibility of him being innocent, huh? But the evidence against him is too strong, Aradhya. The police have found enough proof to label him as the criminal."

"I already told you, Mom, he has nothing to do with it. I know he had lost control but he didn't kill!"

"And how can you be so sure?" Mom demanded, her voice rising in disbelief. "You can't just dismiss the facts and evidence because you believe he is innocent. You're being irrational."