One day, One love

Where Love Conquers Fear

Abhishek's mom asked him to take Manisha's wedding shopping, and he happily agreed. They both went to the mall, enjoying the day as they picked out clothes for the upcoming ceremonies. Abhishek found a few shirts he liked and headed to the changing room to try them on. While he was inside, Manisha continued browsing, searching for more options for him.

As she walked through the men's section, her heart sank when she unexpectedly bumped into Neha.

"Oh, what a small world! We seem to keep running into each other," Neha remarked with a smirk.

Manisha forced a smile, trying to keep her composure. "Yeah," she replied, ready to move past her when Neha stopped her.

"And what brings you to the men's section, Manisha?" Neha asked, her tone dripping with condescension.

Manisha's patience was wearing thin. "I don't think that's any of your concern," she replied curtly and turned to leave.

Just then, Abhishek emerged from the changing room, glancing around for Manisha. He hadn't noticed Neha yet.

Neha's eyes lit up with mischief. "Oh, so you're with him? And here I thought you were different," she sneered.

Manisha turned back to her, her temper flaring. "Please, just shut up," she snapped, her voice shaking with barely contained anger.

But Neha wasn't done. "You can shut me up, but you can't stop people from talking. Everyone's gossiping about you, Manisha. And for what? I'm not your enemy—I just want the best for you. I spent three years with him. He's not the man he's pretending to be. He's just playing the sympathy card with you. Think about it—how can someone fall in love in just a few days? If you don't see it, maybe it's because you're too blinded by his money. Because no sensible woman would believe a man who claims to love her so quickly," she said, her words laced with manipulation.

Manisha felt a lump forming in her throat as tears welled up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall in front of Neha. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. Without responding to Neha's poisonous words, she pulled out her phone and called her driver, asking him to come to the mall.

When she returned to Abhishek, she forced a smile despite the turmoil inside. "Where were you? I've been looking for you for the past 15 minutes," she said, her voice shaky. As she looked into his eyes, doubt crept into her mind. Was all his care and affection just an act? A lie?

Abhishek noticed the tears glistening in her eyes and frowned, concern etched on his face. Before he could say anything, Manisha spoke up.

"I'm not feeling well. I think I should go home," she said quickly, her voice breaking as she turned and walked away, leaving Abhishek standing there, confused and worried.
Abhishek watched as Manisha got into the car and left, her expression distant and pained. His heart sank. Without a second thought, he rushed to his car and followed her, desperate to understand what had gone wrong.

Manisha arrived home and stormed into her room, her emotions spiraling out of control. She threw her bag onto the bed and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. The reflection staring back at her was one of confusion, anger, and hurt. Overwhelmed, she grabbed a decorative vase from her dresser and hurled it at the mirror. The glass shattered into pieces, just like the turmoil inside her.

Moments later, Abhishek burst into her room, breathless. He froze at the sight of the broken glass and the tears streaming down her face. "Manisha, what are you doing?" he asked, rushing to her.

She pushed him away, her voice trembling with rage and sorrow. "Don't you dare show me your fake sympathy!" she shouted, her words cutting deep. Abhishek staggered back, shocked by the intensity of her emotions.

"Manisha, what are you talking about?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

"You're just pretending to care! You're only marrying me because Arjun asked you to before his surgery," Manisha accused, her voice rising as she let out all the doubts that Neha and her words had planted in her mind.

"No, Manisha, that's not true," Abhishek tried to explain, his voice gentle yet firm.

"You're lying!" she cried, her hands trembling as she wiped away her tears. "If it's not true, then tell me—why are you marrying me? Why?"

Abhishek stared at her, his heart pounding. He had never been good with words, especially when it came to his feelings. But he couldn't let her believe these lies. Gathering all his courage, he raised his voice, not in anger, but in desperation. "Because I love you, Manisha! I love you!"

Manisha froze, her eyes wide with shock as his words hung in the air.

"Can't you see it?" Abhishek continued, his voice softer now, filled with emotion. "I genuinely care for you. I can't stand to see you in pain. It breaks my heart when you cry because I love you. That's why I'm marrying you, not out of sympathy, but because I can't imagine my life without you."

He stepped closer to her, his eyes pleading for her to understand. "This is the first time I've ever felt like this, Manisha. Please believe me. I never knew how to say it before, but I can't see you hurting yourself like this. Please, don't push me away."

Tears welled up in Abhishek's eyes as he looked up, trying to keep them from falling. He was on the verge of breaking down when suddenly, Manisha closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him. Abhishek looked down at her, stunned.

"I'm so sorry for behaving like this," Manisha whispered, her voice trembling with emotion, her words punctuated by soft hiccups. She clung to Abhishek, burying her face in his chest as she tried to suppress her sobs.

Abhishek's heart ached at the sound of her apology, but it was the vulnerability in her voice that broke him. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, holding her as if afraid she might slip away. The flood of emotions he'd been holding back finally overwhelmed him, and he let his tears flow freely, his chest heaving with quiet sobs.

"It's okay," he whispered into her hair, his voice cracking as he struggled to find the right words. "You don't have to apologize. I understand... I know how hard this is for you."

Manisha felt the warmth of his tears against her skin, and it only made her cry harder. "I was so scared... I didn't know what to believe. I thought—" Her words trailed off into another sob as she tried to articulate the whirlwind of fear and doubt that had consumed her, she told him what happened in the mall and what happened that day.

Abhishek pulled back just enough to look into her eyes, his hands gently cupping her face. His thumbs brushed away her tears, but his own continued to fall. "Manisha, listen to me," he said softly, his voice steady despite the emotions coursing through him. "I love you. Nothing—no one—can change that. Whatever fears you have, we'll face them together. You're not alone in this. I'm right here with you."

Manisha searched his eyes, her breath hitching as she saw the raw honesty in his gaze. There was no pretense, no hidden agenda—only pure, unwavering love. It was enough to shatter the last remnants of doubt in her heart.

She nodded, her body trembling as she let herself fully lean into his embrace, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against her cheek. "I trust you," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I'm just... so tired of being scared."

Abhishek kissed the top of her head, his grip on her tightening as if to shield her from all the hurt in the world. "You don't have to be scared anymore," he murmured. "I'm not going anywhere. We'll get through this—together."

For a long moment, they simply held each other, their tears mingling, their breaths synchronizing as the storm within them gradually began to calm. The world outside faded away, leaving only the warmth of their embrace and the quiet promise of healing.

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