RISING FROM THE ASHES.

Growing Doubts and Unsettling Choices.

The next morning, Riya woke up feeling emotionally drained from the conversation with Aryan the night before. His confession had only left her with more questions than answers. While he admitted his fears about fatherhood, something still didn’t sit right with her. His distant behavior, the coldness in his voice—there was more going on, and Riya couldn’t shake the feeling that he was hiding something deeper.

She sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her phone, debating whether to call him again. But just as she reached for it, a message popped up from Neha.

"Hey, can we meet for coffee? We need to talk."

Riya knew what Neha wanted to discuss. She had dropped subtle hints during their last conversation, but Riya had brushed them off. Still, she needed someone to talk to, and Neha was the only one who had been by her side through all of this. Reluctantly, she agreed to meet.

An hour later, they were sitting across from each other at the same café, but the atmosphere was far more tense than it had been the day before. Neha could tell that Riya was on edge, and after exchanging a few pleasantries, she got straight to the point.

"Riya, I’ve been thinking about everything you told me yesterday, about Aryan, the baby, all of it," Neha said, leaning forward. "I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but... have you considered not going through with the pregnancy?"

Riya's heart sank, and she felt a wave of defensiveness rise up. "Neha, how can you say that? This is Aryan’s child—our child. I can’t just... drop it like it’s nothing."

"I’m not saying it’s nothing," Neha replied gently, "but I’m worried about you. You’ve been telling me how Aryan’s been acting—distant, secretive, and you’re still not sure where he stands. What if he never comes around? Do you really want to raise a child with someone who isn’t fully committed to you? What if he walks away when things get tough?"

Riya’s hands trembled as she gripped the edge of the table. "I don’t know, Neha. I want to believe that Aryan will be there for me, that he’s just scared and confused like I am. But... you’re right. Something feels off."

Neha gave her a sympathetic look. "That’s exactly why I’m bringing this up. You deserve someone who’s fully in this with you, Riya. I’m not telling you what to do, but I think you need to really think about your future—and the baby’s future. What if Aryan’s not the guy you thought he was?"

Riya felt the weight of Neha’s words pressing down on her. It wasn’t that she hadn’t considered the possibility, but hearing it out loud made the situation feel all the more real. Aryan had been pulling away, and as much as she tried to ignore the signs, she knew in her heart that something wasn’t right. But could she really let go of the one thing that still connected them?

"Neha, I can’t just give up on this baby," Riya whispered, her voice cracking. "I love Aryan, and I want to believe that we can figure this out. Maybe I just need to talk to him again, ask him to speak to his family about the marriage. They have to know I’m pregnant eventually, right?"

Neha sighed, reaching for Riya’s hand. "I get it. I really do. But you can’t pin all your hopes on him, Riya. If he’s not stepping up now, do you really think that’ll change when his family gets involved? You’ve seen how complicated families can be. You need to think about what’s best for you."

Riya nodded, but her mind was spinning. She wanted to believe in Aryan, in the life they had planned together. But with each passing day, her faith in him was slipping away.

Later that afternoon, Riya decided to confront Aryan once again. She needed to know where he stood—for her sake, and for the baby’s. As she dialed his number, her heart raced. The phone rang several times before he finally picked up.

"Riya," Aryan’s voice came through, sounding tired. "What’s going on?"

"Aryan, we need to talk. This isn’t working—I need to know where we stand. I’m pregnant, and I can’t keep living in this uncertainty. You need to talk to your family. We need to figure this out together."

There was a long pause on the other end, and Riya could hear Aryan exhale deeply. "Riya... it’s not that simple."

"What do you mean it’s not that simple?" Riya’s voice rose with frustration. "I’m carrying your child. We’ve talked about spending our lives together, and now you’re pulling away when I need you the most. What are you afraid of? What are you hiding?"

"I’m not hiding anything," Aryan said, but his voice lacked conviction. "I just... I don’t know if I’m ready for all of this, Riya. My family, they’re not going to accept this. They’ve already been pressuring me about my career, about settling down with someone they approve of."

Riya’s heart sank. "So what? You’re just going to leave me and your baby because of your family?"

"No, that’s not what I’m saying," Aryan replied quickly. "I just need more time to figure things out. I promise, I’m not going anywhere."

But Riya wasn’t convinced. His words felt empty, like a temporary bandage over a much deeper wound. "Time? Aryan, I don’t have time. I’m pregnant, and I need to know if you’re in this with me or not. If you can’t be honest with me now, how can I trust you?"

Aryan was silent again, and Riya’s frustration boiled over. "You need to talk to your family. They need to know about the baby. And if you can’t do that... then maybe Neha’s right."

"Neha?" Aryan asked, his tone suddenly defensive. "What does Neha have to do with this?"

"She thinks I should reconsider the pregnancy," Riya said quietly. "She’s worried about me, about us. And honestly, after the way you’ve been acting, I don’t know what to think anymore."

There was a tense silence on the other end, and for a moment, Riya wondered if Aryan would hang up. But then he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "I’ll talk to them. Just... give me some time."

Riya exhaled, feeling a mixture of relief and unease. "Okay. But Aryan, this can’t wait forever."

After the call ended, Riya sat in silence, staring at the phone in her hand. She had gotten the answer she had been seeking, but it didn’t feel like the relief she had hoped for. Instead, she felt a growing sense of doubt creeping into her mind. Was Aryan really going to step up, or was he just buying himself more time to figure out how to walk away?

As the day wore on, Riya couldn’t shake the feeling that something bigger was coming, something she wasn’t prepared for. And no matter how much she wanted to believe in Aryan, a small voice in the back of her mind kept whispering that Neha might be right.