LOVE OR ARRANGED - 2

CHAPTER - 5

Dearest gentle readers,

Hope you take some of your precious time to pen down your views on how the story is going.

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One evening, after months of silence had stretched painfully between them, Viraj came home late, as usual. Ananya was sitting on the couch, waiting. But tonight, instead of retreating to bed in tears, she decided to speak up.

"Viraj," she began softly, her voice filled with both pain and love, "we need to talk."

Viraj, exhausted from another grueling day, could see the sadness in her eyes. He sat down beside her, guilt washing over him. He had noticed the growing tension, the tears she tried to hide, but he had convinced himself that this was temporary—that they would be fine once the chaos settled.

"I know," he whispered, his voice heavy with regret. "I've been neglecting you... us. I'm sorry, Ananya. I thought I could manage it all, but I was wrong."

Ananya felt her heart tighten at his words, but she wasn't angry. She had seen the weight of the responsibilities placed on him, but she also knew that love wasn't something that could survive in neglect.

"I miss you, Viraj. I don't care about the luxury or the success. I just want us back. I know how much making your dad proud means to you, but we can't keep living like this, pretending everything's fine while we're falling apart."

Her words pierced through the haze of Viraj's professional ambitions. For the first time in months, he truly saw the impact his absence had on the woman he loved. The success, the titles, and the constant chase for more—it had come at a price he hadn't fully realized until now.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he reached for her hand. "I don't want to lose you, Ananya. I love you, and I've been a fool to think I could do this alone, without you by my side."

Ananya squeezed his hand, her heart softening. "We can find a way, Viraj. But we need balance. You don't have to carry everything on your own. You've always been there for your family and their business in the last few months, but you can't forget the life we're building together."

Her words resonated deeply. Viraj knew she was right. The burden of being the family's CEO had overwhelmed him, but he had forgotten that he wasn't alone in this journey. He had pushed Ananya away in his pursuit of success, but it was her love that grounded him, the one constant in his chaotic world.

In that moment, Viraj decided that he would find balance. He would set boundaries at work, delegate more, and make time for the things that truly mattered. Success meant nothing if it came at the cost of losing the love of his life.

The road ahead wouldn't be easy, and both of them knew that. But as they sat together, hands intertwined, they realized that love wasn't something that crumbled under pressure—it was something that could be rebuilt, piece by piece, if both were willing to fight for it.

Over the next few weeks, Viraj began to make changes. He delegated more tasks at work, trusting his dad's most loyal employees to handle responsibilities that had once consumed him. He started taking breaks, coming home earlier, and carving out time for Ananya. They went on walks, talked about their dreams, and slowly, the love that had felt distant began to feel lively.

There were still moments of tension, days when work pulled Viraj back into its grip. But now, instead of drifting apart in silence, they communicated. They fought for their marriage with the same determination that Viraj once reserved for his business.

Little by little, their love started to heal. Ananya no longer cried alone at night, and Viraj, though still driven, found joy in the moments they shared. Their nights were filled with giggles, endless talks and making love. The glittering facade of their life had cracked, but what emerged was something far more real—a love that had been tested but had survived.

And as they lay side by side one night, Ananya resting her head on Viraj's chest, they knew that their love, though imperfect, had endured. In the end, it wasn't the success or the luxury that mattered. It was the bond they had rebuilt, stronger than before.

Months after their relationship had started to mend, a new storm was brewing. Viraj, now more balanced between work and his marriage, had found a rhythm that seemed to work for both him and Ananya. They had learned to communicate, to share their worries, and for the first time in a long while, life felt right. But life, as it often does, had a way of testing their resolve.

One day, at the height of a crucial project at the family company, disaster struck. A deal Viraj had been working on for months, a multi-million-dollar contract that would cement the company's place in the international market, fell apart due to a glaring oversight. A key element of the contract had been mismanaged, and the investors were pulling out. It wasn't just a blow to the company; it was a personal failure for Viraj, who had been entrusted by his father to lead the deal.

When he got the call that afternoon, his world came crashing down. All the efforts, the late nights, the trust his father had placed in him—suddenly it all felt meaningless. His mind raced, trying to figure out how he could salvage what seemed unsalvageable.

By the time he came home, he was a different person. The calm, loving Viraj who had begun to find balance was replaced by a man consumed with frustration and guilt. Ananya, who had been waiting for him, saw the tension in his shoulders, the anger etched on his face.

"Viraj, what's wrong?" she asked gently, sensing his distress.

"I don't want to talk about it," he snapped, walking past her toward the kitchen. His voice was cold, harsher than he intended, but the pressure inside him was boiling over.

Ananya, taken aback by his tone, followed him. "Viraj, please—"

"I said, I don't want to talk about it!" he shouted, slamming his fist on the counter. The sudden burst of anger stunned her, and for a moment, silence filled the room. She had seen him frustrated before, but never like this.

Ananya's eyes filled with tears, but she held them back. She understood that he was stressed, but she couldn't help but feel the sting of his words. "I know work is hard, but I'm here for you. You don't have to push me away."

But Viraj, lost in the whirlwind of his emotions, couldn't hear her. The weight of his professional failure had consumed him, and in that moment, everything felt like too much. "You don't get it, Ananya. This isn't some small problem I can just talk away. I've failed! I've let my father down, the company down... everyone. And right now, I need to fix it. I can't deal with you or... this."

His words felt like daggers. Ananya recoiled, her heart aching from the harshness of his tone. For the first time in months, she felt the familiar sting of being sidelined by his work. She wanted to fight for him, to help him through this, but it was clear that right now, Viraj was too far gone to let her in.

Without another word, Viraj stormed out of the house, back to the office, determined to fix the mess he had caused. The familiar pattern was back—Viraj prioritizing work over their relationship, but this time, it felt more final, more dangerous. Ananya stood in the empty house, her heart breaking all over again.