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I walked away from the dining table, my feet feeling heavy, as if they were dragging the weight of the world with each step. I could feel my father’s gaze burning into my back, a silent reminder of the storm I had just unleashed. My heart pounded in my chest, the adrenaline from our argument refusing to settle.
I made my way to the courtyard, where the early morning sun was just beginning to filter through the trees. The soft light, which usually brought me a sense of peace, felt distant today, as though it couldn’t reach the turmoil inside me.
Leaning against one of the tall whitestone pillars, I closed my eyes, trying to steady my racing thoughts. My heart still pounded from the argument with my father, and I couldn’t shake the feeling of being trapped. This Haveli, once a symbol of our family’s power and prestige, now felt like a gilded cage.
A cage.
It wasn’t like me to defy my father so openly. I had always been the dutiful daughter, the one who never questioned his decisions. But this time, it was different. This time, it was about my future, my life. And the thought of being trapped in a marriage I didn’t choose was suffocating.
The soft rustling of footsteps on the gravel path brought me back to the present. I opened my eyes to see Raghav, my father’s most trusted aide, approaching with his usual quiet efficiency. His expression was neutral, but I could sense the unease beneath it. His white kurta and dhoti were crisp and spotless, a stark contrast to the maelstrom I felt inside. He stopped a few feet away from me and bowed slightly before speaking, his voice as measured as ever.
“Miss Aaravi,” he began, his tone respectful, “Your father has asked me to remind you that Mr. Rajput will be arriving at the Haveli this evening for dinner.”
“Huh?” The words hung in the air like a death sentence.
Dinner?
With Abhimaan Rajput?
Tonight?
My mind raced, trying to grasp the reality of the situation. How was I supposed to sit across from him, exchange pleasantries, and pretend that my world wasn’t crumbling around me?
I had barely processed the fact that Abhimaan Rajput was now a part of this mess, and now I was expected to sit down and dine with him as if everything was perfectly normal?
“Hmm.” I nodded, my voice colder than I intended.
Raghav nodded, his eyes lingering on me for a moment before he turned to leave. As he walked away, I felt the walls closing in on me again. Dinner with Abhimaan meant facing him, facing my father’s expectations, and pretending that I wasn’t on the brink of breaking under the pressure.
