The recovery of Atharv's business was slow but steady. Every day brought new victories, small as they were, and with each one, Jiya felt the tightrope she walked become more fragile. The calls from her brother had grown more frequent and more demanding, and her heart was being torn in two.
Atharv came home late one evening, his tie undone, exhaustion visible in the lines on his face. Jiya was in the kitchen, stirring a pot absentmindedly when she heard the sound of the door closing. She turned, watching him from the corner of her eye, feeling her stomach churn with guilt and fear.
"Hey," he greeted, his voice softer than usual as he stepped into the kitchen.
"Long day?" she asked her voice tight with the tension she'd been holding onto.
"Yeah," he sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "But it’s getting better. I had some good meetings today. Things are starting to look up."
Jiya smiled faintly, though it didn’t reach her eyes. He’s coming back to life, she thought. And I’m still lying to him.
Atharv crossed the kitchen, stopping just in front of her. He lifted a hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his touch so tender it made her heartache. "How was your day?" he asked, his eyes searching hers.
"Fine," she replied quickly, averting her gaze. She couldn’t stand the kindness in his eyes right now, not when she was being crushed under the weight of her secret.
He frowned, sensing the distance between them. "Jiya, what’s going on?" His voice was gentle but insistent. "You’ve been… distracted lately. Distant. Talk to me."
Her heart pounded in her chest, the words fighting to spill out. She opened her mouth, but the sound of her phone vibrating on the counter made her freeze. The screen lit up with her brother’s name.
Atharv followed her gaze, his brow furrowing. “Is everything okay?”
She hesitated, then shook her head. “I… I need to take this.” She picked up the phone and walked into the other room, her pulse racing.
The second she answered, her brother’s voice came through, cold and sharp. “You’re dragging this out too long, Jiya. What the hell are you doing?”
“I—I just need more time,” she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Time for what?” he snapped. “You’re getting soft. I warned you, didn’t I? You can’t afford to fall for him.”
Her throat tightened. “It’s not like that.”
“Then what is it like?” he shot back. “Do you remember what he did to us? To our family? He took everything from us. Or have you forgotten?”
“I haven’t forgotten,” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. “But he’s not—”
“Not what? The monster we told you he was?” her brother interrupted, his voice dripping with contempt. “He’s just as ruthless as his father, Jiya. Don’t let his charm fool you.”
Her hands trembled as she clutched the phone. “He’s not like that.”
There was a long pause on the other end of the line, then her brother’s voice dropped, cold and threatening. “You have one last chance to do what you were sent there to do. If you don’t, I’ll handle it myself. And trust me, you won’t like the consequences.”
The line went dead, leaving Jiya standing in the darkened hallway, her heart pounding in her ears. The walls felt like they were closing in on her. She pressed a hand to her chest, struggling to breathe.
She had to tell someone. She couldn’t keep carrying this weight alone.
The next day, Jiya sat across from her closest friend, Priya, in a quiet café. She had barely touched her tea, her fingers playing nervously with the edge of her cup. Priya watched her carefully, her eyes filled with concern.
“Jiya, what’s going on?” Priya asked gently. “You’ve been acting strange for weeks.”
Jiya swallowed hard, her hands shaking as she set the cup down. “I don’t know what to do, Priya,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “I’m… I’m trapped.”
Priya reached across the table, squeezing her hand. “Talk to me. Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out.”
Tears welled up in Jiya’s eyes, and before she could stop herself, the words spilt out. “My family—they want me to destroy Atharv’s business. They blame his father for everything that happened to us years ago. They sent me into this marriage with a plan, and I was supposed to help them. But now… I don’t know if I can.”
Priya’s eyes widened in shock. “Jiya, this is serious. Does Atharv know?”
Jiya shook her head, wiping away a stray tear. “No. And I don’t know how to tell him. He’s been nothing but kind to me. I didn’t expect to feel this way… but I think I love him.”
Priya leaned back, her expression softening. “Then you already know what you have to do.”
Jiya looked up, her heart heavy with indecision. “What if I choose him? What if I betray my family?”
Priya squeezed her hand again, her voice gentle but firm. “Family is important, Jiya. But so is love. You have to follow your heart. If you love him, you need to be honest with him. Otherwise, this will destroy both of you.”
That evening, Jiya returned home, her mind still spinning from her conversation with Priya. As she stepped inside, she found Atharv sitting on the couch, his laptop open in front of him. He glanced up at her, his eyes filled with concern.
“Jiya,” he said softly, closing the laptop and setting it aside. “We need to talk.”
Her heart skipped a beat. Had he sensed it? Did he know? She walked toward him, sitting down beside him on the couch, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.
Atharv reached out, taking her hands in his. “You’ve been distant lately,” he said, his voice filled with emotion. “I know something’s wrong, but you’re not telling me. Please, Jiya, talk to me. Whatever it is, we can work through it together.”
Tears filled her eyes as she looked into his, seeing the genuine concern and love that radiated from him. How could she lie to him any longer?
“Atharv,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “There’s something you need to know…”
But before she could continue, Atharv pulled her into his arms, holding her close. His hand gently stroked her hair as he whispered, “Whatever it is, we’ll face it together.”
His warmth, his comfort, made her heart ache even more. She clung to him, tears streaming down her face, knowing that the time had come to make the hardest choice of her life.
But which path would she choose—family or love?
