Village meets city love

Chapter 21: The Shattered Bond

Once they reached home, the atmosphere was tense. Aarti, who had been anxiously waiting for their return, felt a deep sense of dread. She could tell from the expressions on their faces that the meeting with her parents had not gone well. Arun had left earlier to visit a friend to relax, leaving here Aarti alone with her thoughts.

"How did it go?" she asked, her voice trembling with hope and fear.

Meena, her face lined with sorrow and frustration, took a deep breath before speaking.

"Aarti," Meena began, her voice tight with emotion, "your parents have severed ties with you. They feel betrayed and humiliated."

Aarti's heart sank. She had hoped, despite everything, that her parents might understand and eventually forgive her. Aarti knew that even though Arun was here, it was because of the baby, not because of love. He couldn't let the child grow up without a father in this cruel society. Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought about her baby. She hugged her stomach protectively, feeling utterly alone. A silent cry escaped her lips.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I didn't want this to happen."

Varun, who had been trying to stay calm, spoke softly, "Aarti, we know you didn't want this. But we have to face the reality now."

Meena, who had initially felt pity for Aarti, now let her anger take over. The truth was, Meena had harbored feelings of resentment towards Aarti ever since Arun had chosen to marry her. Meena had always envisioned a different future for her son, one where he would marry into a wealthier family and secure a better future. Aarti's presence in their lives shattered those dreams, leaving Meena feeling bitter and frustrated.

"You know, Aarti," Meena's voice rose, filled with bitterness, "because of you, our family is facing the harsh judgment of society. Our son's life is spoiled. Do you have any idea how he's going to study now, or do you want him to drop out and take care of you?"

Aarti looked up, her eyes filled with tears and pain. "It's not just my fault. I'm a victim too as Arun was involved. I never planned any of this to happen. Being a mother at 18 years, and now my parents have severed ties with me. My life is spoiled too. Then How can I spoil your son's life? Even when he offered to marry me, I refused him, but for our child's well-being, we accepted reality."

Meena's anger flared. "Your parents humiliated us in front of everyone today, Aarti. Do you even realize that? They treated us like we were nothing. And now, because of you, our entire family is being judged by society."

Aarti, feeling a mix of guilt and anger, tried to defend her parents. "They are hurt too, Meena Aunty. They are just reacting out of pain."

Meena's face twisted with rage. "Pain? What about our pain? What about our son's future? You and your family have ruined everything for us."

The argument escalated quickly. Meena's voice rose, filled with venom. "Who asked you to spread your legs like a whore? Maybe my son isn't the first one. Is this your family's plan to trap us? Tell me the truth. Is this what your mother taught you? What a bitch she is! Is the baby really my son's or someone else's? Tell us! Your family and you are planning to trap my son to acknowledge your mistakes, right? We never checked if what you said is true. Dirty slut, get out of my son's life!"

The room fell silent. Aarti was too shocked to respond. She had never expected such cruel words from Meena. The others were equally stunned, unable to believe what they had just heard.

Raghavan, who had been silently observing, couldn't hold back any longer. For the first time, he raised his hand against his wife. "Meena, have you lost your senses? How can you say such things? Think about what you're doing."

Meena, realizing the gravity of her words, stood there in shock. Her anger had blinded her to the impact of her words.

Raghavan, trying to calm the situation, turned to Lavanya, Varun's wife. "Lavanya, please take Aarti to her room."

Aarti, trembling with emotion, looked at Raghavan with gratitude. But the damage was done. The words had cut deep, and the wounds would not heal easily.

Lavanya nodded and gently took Aarti by the hand. "Let's go," she said softly.

As they left the room, the weight of their situation pressed down heavily on everyone. Meena sat down, tears streaming down her face, her anger and bitterness consuming her thoughts. She couldn't help but think about how different life could have been if Aarti had never come into their lives.

The family was fractured, and in the quiet moments that followed, the uncertainty lingered. Would they ever be able to heal from this? What would Arun's reaction be when he learned about his mother's harsh words? The path ahead was uncertain, and rebuilding the trust and love that had been shattered seemed like an insurmountable challenge.