SHATTERED ROSES

Chapter 19

I sat in front of the mirror, my heart heavy with emotion as Tanu dressed me in my wedding finery. The intricately embroidered lehenga and sparkling jewelry seemed to mock me, a cruel reminder of the lie I was about to perpetuate.

Just as Tanu was about to place the veil over my head, my phone buzzed. I hesitated for a moment before answering, my voice trembling as I spoke.

"Hello?"

"Siya, my love!" Rachit's voice boomed through the speaker, his excitement palpable. "I just wanted to tell you how happy I am. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. Thank you for accepting me, Siya. I promise to always love and cherish you."

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I listened to his words, my conscience eating away at me. I felt like I was betraying him, like I was perpetuating a lie.

"Rachit, I..." I began, but he cut me off.

"I know, my love. I know. I just can't wait to see you walk down that aisle towards me. You're going to look stunning, I just know it."

I bit back a sob as Tanu looked at me curiously. "Siya, what's wrong?" she mouthed.

I shook my head, unable to speak. Rachit continued to talk, his words of love and devotion piercing my heart like a dagger.

Finally, I managed to compose myself enough to reply. "Rachit, I...I love you too."

As soon as I hung up the phone, I burst into tears. Tanu looked at me in shock, her hands flying to her mouth.

"Siya, what's wrong?!" she exclaimed.

I shook my head, unable to speak. Tanu rushed over to me, embracing me tightly.

"Oh, Siya. You can never find a man who loves you more than Rachit does. He's the perfect husband for you. What's going on? Why are you crying?"

I sobbed uncontrollably, unable to reveal the truth. Tanu held me close, her words of comfort a stark contrast to the turmoil raging inside me.

I asked Tanu to leave me alone for a while, unable to bear the weight of my emotions anymore. As soon as she closed the door behind her, I picked up a pen and paper and began to write.

"Dear Rachit," I wrote, my tears staining the page. "I am so grateful for you. You are an amazing person, and I am so lucky to have you in my life. But as I sit here, about to marry you, I realize that I have been lying to myself. I love you, Rachit, but I am not in love with you."

I paused, my hand trembling as I wrote the next words.

"I love Vishal. I know it's wrong, I know it's betrayal, but I can't help the way I feel. I am so sorry, Rachit. I am sorry for eloping, for leaving you at the altar. I know this will hurt you, and for that, I am truly sorry."

"I know this is a shock, Rachit, and I don't expect you to forgive me easily. But please, please try to understand. I was trapped in this love and marriage, and I didn't know how to escape. Vishal and I, we found each other, and we fell in love. It wasn't planned, it wasn't intentional, but it happened. And I know it's wrong, but I can't help the way I feel.

"I want to explain everything to you, Rachit. I want to tell you the whole story, from the beginning. I want you to know that I never meant to hurt you, that I never wanted to betray you. I was just following my heart, and I got lost.

"Please, Rachit, try to forgive me. Try to understand. I know this is hard, but I promise to make it up to you. I'll do anything, just please don't hate me. Don't hate Vishal either, he's a good person, and he loves me truly.

"I know I'm asking for a lot, but please, Rachit, have mercy on me. Forgive me, and let's move on. Let's start fresh, and let's be happy. Please."

I dropped the pen, my body wracked with sobs. I felt like I was torn in two, my heart heavy with grief and guilt.

As I sat there, I knew that I had made up my mind. I would not marry Rachit. I would follow my heart, no matter the cost. I would elope with Vishal, and we would start a new life together.

Sunny and Tanu walked in, and I handed Sunny the paper. "Please give this to Rachit," I asked, my voice trembling.

Sunny nodded and took the paper from me. "I'll make sure he gets it," he said.

Tanu looked at me with concern. "Siya, everyone is waiting downstairs for you. It's time to start the ceremony."

I took a deep breath and stood up, smoothing out my wedding dress. "I'll come down alone," I said, my voice firm.

Tanu looked at me in surprise. "Are you sure?"

I nodded. "Yes, I need to do this alone."

Tanu nodded understandingly. "Okay, I'll go down and stall them. Take your time."

I watched as Tanu and Sunny left the room, and then I took a deep breath and dialed Vishal's number.

As soon as I dialed Vishal's number, he appeared at my doorstep. We embraced each other tightly, our hearts racing with excitement and nervousness.

"I can't believe we're finally together," Vishal whispered, his lips inches from mine.

"I love you, Vishal," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. It was the first time I had ever said those words to him, and it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

Vishal's eyes sparkled with joy, and he leaned in to kiss me. Our lips met in a soft, gentle caress, and I felt like I was melting into his arms.

But our moment of bliss was short-lived. Just as we were savoring our kiss, I heard the door opened wide behind us.

We turned to see Rachit standing in the doorway, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. He had heard everything. He had seen everything.

"W....what?" he stammered, his voice trembling with hurt and disbelief.

I felt like I had been punched in the gut. I knew this moment would come eventually, but I had hoped to avoid it. Now, I had to face the consequences of my actions.