ENIGMA

CHAPTER 21

As the night unfolded, Ruhani lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind racing with thoughts of the day's events. The meeting with Advik, the looming prospect of marriage, and the intensity of his presence weighed heavily on her. She felt trapped in a whirlwind of emotions—fear, uncertainty, and an unsettling attraction to Advik’s commanding aura.

Just as she was about to close her eyes, her phone rang. The sudden sound startled her, and she quickly picked it up, hoping it wasn’t someone from her family checking on her.

“What is my baby doing?” a familiar voice came from the other end.

“Ronit,” Ruhani whispered, her voice trembling.

“Why do you sound like that? What’s wrong?” Ronit asked, his tone immediately shifting from playful to concerned.

“Ronit, my parents... they’ve fixed my marriage,” Ruhani said, her voice breaking as her eyes started to water.

There was a long silence on the other end. Ruhani could almost feel Ronit’s emotions boiling over, even through the phone. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and dangerous. “Fixed your marriage? What the hell, Ruhani? With who? How could they do this without even telling you?”

Ruhani’s heart ached at the anger in his voice. She knew how much he cared for her, but this situation was spiraling out of control. “Ronit, please… you have to understand. They’re my parents. They think they’re doing what’s best for me.”

Ronit’s voice grew louder, more aggressive. “Best for you? By marrying you off to some stranger? Do they even know what you want? What we want? This is insane!”

“Ronit, please calm down,” Ruhani pleaded, her voice soft and fragile. “You know I didn’t want this either, but it’s happening. My family is... they’re traditional. They think this is the right thing.”

“Traditional? This isn’t the Dark Ages, Ruhani! You have a choice. We have a choice. How can they just decide your life for you?” Ronit’s frustration was palpable, and Ruhani could hear him pacing on the other end of the line.

Tears began to spill down Ruhani’s cheeks as she tried to keep her voice steady. “Ronit, I don’t want to fight with you. I need you to understand... I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t just say no. It’s not that simple.”

Ronit’s voice softened slightly, but the anger was still there, simmering beneath the surface. “You should have told me sooner, Ruhani. We could have figured something out. You know I would have done anything to stop this.”

Ruhani sighed, wiping away her tears. “I know, Ronit. I know you would have. But it’s too late now. The engagement is happening, and...”

“And what?” Ronit interrupted, his voice sharp. “You’re just going to go along with it? Marry some guy you barely know because your parents said so?”

Ruhani felt a pang of guilt and confusion. “I don’t know what to do, Ronit. Advik... he’s...”

“What? He’s what?” Ronit demanded, his voice growing cold. “Is he intimidating you? Is he forcing you into this?”

“No,” Ruhani quickly responded, trying to defend Advik despite her own mixed feelings. “He’s not like that. He’s just... he’s different, Ronit. He’s strict, disciplined, but he’s not a bad person. He’s just...”

“Just what?” Ronit cut in, his voice dripping with disdain. “Just the perfect husband your parents want for you? Is that what you’re telling yourself?”

Ruhani felt her heart shatter at Ronit’s words. “No, Ronit. I’m not saying that. I’m just trying to make sense of all this. I’m scared, and I don’t know what’s right anymore.”