Obsessed Hearts : The Kalank Of Loyalty (ON HOLD)

|| Chapter 5: Meera's Family Troubles ||

The sun was setting over the village of Jhansi, casting long shadows on the dusty streets. The orange glow of the twilight bathed the small houses in warmth, but for Meera, there was no comfort to be found. She sat by the window of her modest room, her eyes tracing the horizon where the fading sunlight seemed to disappear into the vast stretches of the desert. She could hear her parents' voices drifting from the other room, arguing about the same thing they always did—her marriage.

Her fingers gripped the edge of the windowsill as the weight of her reality pressed down on her. Every day was a battle between her own desires and the unrelenting expectations of her family. Meera had always dreamed of a life beyond the confines of her small village, a life where she could breathe freely, unburdened by the chains of tradition and duty. But those dreams seemed further away than ever now.

Her father, Rajesh Sharma, had been growing increasingly insistent about her marrying a wealthy businessman from a nearby town, a man old enough to be her father. The idea of marrying someone she didn't love—or even like—filled her with dread. But her father's stern voice and her mother's bitter remarks reminded her that she had no choice in the matter.

It's your duty, Meera, her mother would say. You should be grateful that a man of such stature wants to marry you. Do you think you're too good for this?

Meera wanted to scream. She wanted to tell them that her worth wasn't tied to the man she married, that she had dreams and aspirations beyond being someone's wife. But she knew her words would fall on deaf ears. In her family, her voice had never mattered.

In the other room, the argument had reached a fever pitch. Her mother, Sarita Sharma, stood with her arms crossed, her lips drawn into a thin line of disapproval as she glared at her husband.

"She needs to understand that this is for her own good," Rajesh said, pacing back and forth across the room. His voice was deep and authoritative, the kind of voice that commanded obedience.

Sarita scoffed. "She's always been a difficult one. Too much like her brother. Raghav filled her head with foolish ideas before he left."

Meera winced at the mention of her brother. Raghav had always been her protector, her only ally in a house that seemed determined to break her spirit. But he had left the village years ago, driven away by the same oppressive environment that now threatened to suffocate her. Meera missed him more than words could express, but he had his own life to lead, and she couldn't blame him for seeking freedom.

"She'll marry this man, and that will be the end of it," Rajesh said with finality in his voice. "I've already made the arrangements."

Sarita nodded in agreement. "We need the money, Rajesh. If she marries him, our debts will be cleared, and we'll be able to hold our heads high in the village again. She has no choice."

Meera felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Crying wouldn't solve anything. She had been through this so many times before—her parents' oppressive control, their constant demands, their refusal to see her as anything more than a means to an end.

She had always known her life would be difficult, but she hadn't expected it to be this unbearable. Every day felt like a struggle for survival, and now, with the looming threat of an arranged marriage hanging over her head, the walls of her small world seemed to be closing in.

As she sat there, staring out at the vast expanse of the desert, a thought crossed her mind that she had tried to suppress for days.

Reyaansh Singh Rajvansh.