A Promised Marriage

Chapter twenty two: It's time.

A/n: EDITED

Third person Pov.

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"Shaadi?" Anuradha's voice was laced with disbelief, her eyes wide with concern. "Aaru, what nonsense are you talking about? "Kya bakwas kar rahi hain tu Aaru. Maine teri baat man li, iska matlab yeah nehi ki tu ushe sidha shadi hih kar le!"

Aradhya's determined gaze never wavered. "You promised me to Rehan when I was 18, Mom. What's changed now?"

Anuradha's expression softened, her eyes filled with a mix of worry and nostalgia. "Aradhya, you're not thinking straight. Marriage is a huge commitment, a lifelong bond. It's not a solution to Rehan's problems or a way to fulfill some promise. And what about you? What about your life, your dreams, your career?"

Aradhya's voice was firm, her words laced with conviction. "My career, my life, my dreams - everything is incomplete without Rehan, Mom. He needs me, and I need to be there for him."

"But Rehan is not your responsibility, Aradhya!" Anuradha exclaimed, her voice laced with worry. "You're still young, with your whole life ahead of you. Don't tie yourself down to someone with a violent past."

Aradhya's eyes flashed with determination. "He may not be my responsibility, Mom, but he's my priority. And I won't let anyone or anything come between us."

Anuradha's frustration mounted. "Are you even listening to yourself? You're talking about marrying a man with a history of violence!"

Aradhya's voice remained steady. "You made a promise to Rehan's mother, Mom. You promised us to each other. And now it's time to fulfill that promise."

Anuradha's expression softened, her eyes pleading with her daughter to understand. "Aradhya, I made that promise in a different time, when Rehan was a different person. He's changed, beta. He's not the same man I once knew."

Aradhya's eyes blazed with conviction. "He's still the same, Mom. He's still the man I fell in love with. And I won't let anyone destroy him, not even you. Maa, aap ek bar meri jagah toh hokar dekhiya. Aap yeah kese keh sakte hain ki Rehan aab badal geya hain? He is still the same. Mom just because he has a disorder doesn't mean he had change! Just because some person is trying to frame Rehan doesn't mean he is bad! You know it already that Rehan doesnt kill anyone. Someone was planning to destroy him and I will not allow anyone to destroy my Rehan."

Anuradha's heart ached at her daughter's words, but she knew that Aradhya's mind was made up. She saw the love and determination in her eyes and knew that she couldn't change her daughter's resolve.

"I know, beta. I know you're right," Anuradha said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I'm scared for you. I don't want you to get hurt."

Aradhya's face softened, her eyes filling with tears. "I know, Mom. But I can't turn my back on him now. He needs me, and I need to be there for him. Our love is stronger than any obstacle, any challenge. And I won't let anything come between us."

☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾. ๋࣭ ⭑⚝.

"Rehan someone is here to meet you."

Rehan's heart skipped a beat as he heard the words. Could it be? Was it possible that Aradhya was here to meet him? He quickly composed himself, trying to hide the wave of emotions that washed over him.

The door to Rehan's cell creaked open and a guard stepped in, a neutral expression on his face. Behind him stood a figure, the shadows of the prison cell hiding their identity.

Rehan's eyes widened as the figure approached him, his heart racing. He had a feeling he knew who it was but he couldn't be sure. The figure stepped into the sliver of light filtering through the bars, and Rehan's breath hitched in his throat.