Arranged Love

36. Complicated Relationships

Disclaimer: All the characters written below are imaginary and a work of pure fiction. There is no resemblance to any incident or situation and is written as a work of fiction.

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Smriti's POV -

"Mumma," I start, unable to keep my nervousness away from my voice, "what's so urgent that you had to come here unannounced? We have guests downstairs!"

She doesn't sit down immediately; instead, she stands by the window, her back turned to me. "Smriti," she says after a long pause, her voice low and measured, "why have you been avoiding me? You haven't been answering my calls or texts. I'm your mother. Don't you think I deserve to know how you're doing?"

"Deserve?" I chuckle bitterly. "After all that has happened, let's not talk about who deserves what, because I clearly didn't deserve the abuse I endured in my own home for years." I say this in a moment of overwhelming emotion, without even thinking twice about my words. I don't know whether I wish to use the word "abuse" because whether I show it or not, I'm still processing everything that has happened in my life, especially in this past year.

"Abuse?" she repeats, her face reflecting an emotion that is a mixture of shock and denial. "Smriti, I don't know where you're getting these ideas. Abuse? From your own mother? The woman who raised you, who sacrificed everything to give you a good life? Is that what you think of me now?"

She sighs deeply, placing a hand on her chest as if she's the one who's been wronged always. "I know things were tough, but every family has its struggles. Every parent has to be strict sometimes, especially when they're trying to protect their child from making mistakes. You think I enjoyed being hard on you? It broke my heart every time. But I did it out of love, Smriti. To make sure you grew up strong, capable... to make sure you didn't end up lost, like so many others."

I swallow hard, feeling the familiar pull of guilt she always manages to evoke. "But, Mumma, it wasn't just strictness. It was—"

"Necessary," she interrupts, her tone sharpening. "It was necessary, Smriti. You were always so naive, always making wrong choices and such a sensitive child, so easily hurt. You needed someone to toughen you up, to prepare you for the real world. And look at you now—married to a successful man, living in a big house, respected by everyone. Do you really think you would have made it this far without my guidance? Without my love?"

I want to argue, to tell her she's wrong, but her words start to seep into my thoughts, making me doubt myself. Was I too sensitive? Did I make things seem worse than they really were? The questions swirl in my mind, leaving me more confused than ever. I try to remind myself of the years of fear, the constant walking on eggshells, but she doesn't give me time to gather my thoughts.

She steps closer, placing a hand on my arm, her touch light but with an undertone of control. "And what about Vivek? Have you told him about all these so-called 'abuses' you've suffered? What do you think he would say? Would he believe you? Or would he start to question you, to wonder if maybe you're just being overly dramatic, ungrateful even?"

The insinuation hits me like a slap, and I feel tears prick at the corners of my eyes. She's always known how to push my buttons, to make me doubt myself, and she's doing it again now, twisting the narrative until I don't know what to believe.

"And now," she continues, her tone softening into something almost gentle, "you're in a new family, a family that might seem perfect right now. But Smriti, don't be naïve. Families like theirs have their own way of handling things, their own expectations. They'll love you as long as you fit into their world, but the moment you step out of line... well, let's just say, I've seen it happen before. They'll protect their own, and you'll be left on the outside."