His Brown Bride

20

Rajiv's POV








"How could you let him leave?" my mother screamed, her voice perforating the air.

Then she clutched her heart, as if struck by a sudden pain, with tears welling up in her eyes.

"How will I face your grandmother, my mother-in-law? What will I tell her?" she added.

"I tried to stop him, but he was determined to leave," I responded.

"And it's time Grandmother learned to respect our boundaries and stopped meddling in our lives. I support his decision to follow his heart. Let him go after the woman he loves."

Her face deformed with shock, her mouth hanging open in disbelief. "Do you have any idea what will happen now?" she asked. "Do you even realise the consequences of his actions?"

"What consequence? What will happen?" I asked.

"She'll marry Rashi off instead. She won't hesitate."

Just then, Rashi walked into the living room, "What's going on?" she enquired.

My gaze shifted to her, my beautiful nineteen-year-old sister, and I shook my head and said, "No way."

My mother countered, "It will happen, though. The girl has an older, unmarried brother, and since Rajesh eloped, she's bound by the promise she made to their family to form an alliance with ours. She will not back out."

Rashi's voice quivered with alarm as she asked, "What are you talking about?"

Mother's expression became grim, as she shared. "Your grandmother has made a promise to their family, a promise that cannot be broken. Your brother's elopement will leave us with no choice. You must be prepared to marry at any moment to form the alliance that was intended to be his."

"What? What about my education? I don't want to get married!" She exclaimed, her voice cracking, and a tear rolled down her cheek.

I clenched my jaw. "I won't let that happen," I said, my eyes looking at my mother's distressed expression.

She, too, looked unhappy.

••••

I rubbed my tired eyes, focusing on the projector screen where the company's stock prices continued falling precipitously. "If this continues, we'll be bankrupt in no time," I said amidst the silence.

The accountant's face was gaunt. "Actually, we're already bankrupt," he said, his voice trembling slightly as he delivered the devastating news.

I closed my eyes, exhaling a deep, exhausted sigh. "What's our next move? Do we have any chances to save the company from shutting down permanently?" I asked with desperation in my tone.

"Investing any more money would be throwing good money after bad. The chances of turning a profit are less than five percent." The accountant replied.

••••

I sat by the window, looking at the tranquilly of the night sky.

The villa's gardens and grounds were scoured in a silvery moonlit glow, as if the stars had descended to earth.

The temperate glare of lanterns and string lights radiated a white light on the lush greenery.

I smiled wistfully, my thoughts spilling out in a whisper. "I wish I had someone to share my thoughts with—someone to rant to."

I sighed, feeling a deep ache of loneliness.

I wish I had companionship—someone outside of my family to confide in—someone who wouldn't judge me or try to offer solutions.

I just needed someone to listen and understand me without judging me.

"Should I also start writing a diary?" The thought crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it, telling myself, "No, never. That's not for me. It's a girl's thing."

I sighed, trying to shake off the thoughts agitating inside my head regarding the business.

My gaze drifted back to her diary, which was already open on the table.

I had already started reading it, and now I saw no harm in finishing it.

I picked it up and returned to the window, settling in to read.

I turned to the third page and began to read. "We sat down together as a family after so long. Father asked everyone what they wanted to be, and all my sisters replied they wanted to be housewives, but when I told him I wanted to make a name for myself and to leave a legacy in the world, he laughed; in fact, all of them laughed except my mother. He told me that with my complexion, I would find it hard to even marry had I not been betrothed before birth, and my sisters also said the same, reminding me that I am dark. But I don't really mind. All I know is that the sky is my limit. I will work hard. It doesn't matter if he removes me from school. One day, I know I will leave home and fly my wings. I will be unstoppable and prove all of them wrong."

My lips curled into a warm smile after I read her words.

"How unfortunate that I don't even know your name. But I hope God will bless you and grant you the success you deserve."

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