Love Rivals: The Day I Saw Your Tears

98. Words Cut Deep Enough to Take One's Breath

It took us a full half-hour just to agree on a movie. I playfully warned, "Just don't fall asleep on my shoulder like you did last time."

Ryan got up and rummaged through his drawer, pulling out the neck pillow I had gifted him. He wrapped it around his neck.

I raised an eyebrow. "You still have it? I thought you would have tossed it by now..."

He cut me off with a smirk. "I only keep gifts that are useful. I don't care about the owner or the brand." As he settled onto my bed, he added, "That's why I still have the keychain too."

I glanced at the drawer and smiled, spotting the keychain hanging there, a small token of our shared memories.

We finally started the movie, but just as I expected, Ryan dozed off in the middle of it. I shut down my laptop and gently made him lie down on my bed, tucking a blanket around him. After switching off the bedside lamp, I curled up on the edge of his bed, the quietness wrapping around us like a comforting embrace.

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Two more months passed, and one evening, Ryan's dad informed me that his colleagues were coming over for dinner. Determined to make a good impression, I meticulously planned the meal, researching recipes and spending hours in the kitchen preparing every dish with care.

When I finally opened the door to welcome them, my heart lifted, thinking they would appreciate the effort. But before I could say anything, Ryan's dad rushed in ahead of them, holding a package.

"Here," he said, shoving it into my hands.

I blinked, confused. "But uncle, I spent hours cooking... the dishes I made-"

He cut me off with a dismissive wave. "I know their preferences. They won't like what you've cooked. Just serve these. Hurry up and get them on the table."

I stood there, the weight of his words sinking in. All the effort I'd put in, the hours spent planning and cooking, felt like it had been for nothing. My eyes stung with unshed tears as I forced myself to comply, serving the catered food instead of the dishes I had poured my heart into.

As I stood there, gripping the bowl of desserts tightly, one of Ryan's dad's colleagues looked around and asked, "Where's Mrs. Gujral? I thought she'd be here."

Ryan's dad replied with a smile, "Oh, she's still at the hospital. Something urgent came up. Work always comes first, you know."

Another colleague's gaze settled on me. "So you must be Ryan's wife then? He made quite a fine choice."

I forced a smile, pushing down the knot forming in my stomach.

Ryan and Nitya entered the room just then, and Dr. Singhania turned towards Ryan with a smile. "Your wife is really lovely. You two were school friends, weren't you?"

Before Ryan could speak, Nitya stepped in, her voice dripping with amusement. "Oh no, Dr. Singhania, you've got it all wrong! They weren't friends at all. They were academic rivals, always at each other's throats. But," she leaned closer, as if revealing a secret, "Sarah had the biggest crush on him. Her obsession with Ryan was so intense, he had no choice but to marry her. She left him with no other option."

I stood there, feeling as if a sharp knife had been twisted in my chest. The forced smile stayed on my face, but inside, I was crumbling.

Ryan's dad laughed, albeit uncomfortably, and added, "Nitya's absolutely right. I was too embarrassed to mention it before, but there's no denying it now. Honestly, she doesn't exactly fit in with our family. She's... well, you can see it yourself."

My fingers gripped the bowl so tightly I could feel my nails digging into my palm.

One of the other guests, trying to shift the conversation, took a bite of food and said, "Well, at least the dinner is delicious. You've outdone yourself with the food!"

Uncle waved him off dismissively. "Oh, these aren't Sarah's dishes. I had to order in. Sarah's still a novice in the kitchen. I couldn't possibly serve her food to you all -- no offense, but I would've been mortified."

Nitya jumped in, her smile never faltering. "Yes, Uncle is right. Her cooking skills are still... developing, to put it kindly. But Auntie, bless her heart, never criticizes Sarah for it, even though we all know the truth."

Ryan's dad turned to Nitya, a warm smile on his face. "But Nitya, she's the real deal. She's perfect in every way -- smart, talented, an incredible cook. Whoever marries her will be one lucky man. Unfortunately, that won't be me."

The group chuckled lightly at his comment, but one of the older men sighed and shook his head, casting a judgmental look at me. "It's a shame, really. Where do kids these days pick up such behavior? Honestly, I blame the parents for raising them like this."

I stood there, balancing the bowl in my shaking hands, feeling the weight of their words crush me from the inside. Uncle gestured for me to start serving the desserts, and I forced myself to move, even though every part of me wanted to scream. Inside, I was breaking, but I kept that smile on my face, determined not to show it.