Born to Love You

32- Too late!

Aru's Pov:

I stood at the edge of the grand ballroom, my heart pounding as I spotted my family across the room. The bright chandeliers overhead cast a soft glow, but my anxiety felt overwhelming. Dressed in a stunning gown that hugged my curves, I felt like an imposter in a world of luxury. My parents, however, were there, mingling with the elite and sharing polite smiles, completely unaware of my presence.

Taking a deep breath, I walked towards them, each step heavier than the last. My grandmother was the first to notice me, her warm smile fading as her eyes flickered with disappointment. Aditi was looking sadly at me, and my father's expression hardened.

"Mom, Dad, can we talk?" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the chatter.

My mother turned to me, her eyes cold. "What do you want, Aradhya? We're here to represent the Adanis, not to entertain you."

"Please, I just want to explain—"

"Explain what?" my father interjected sharply. "How could you do this to us? To your family?"

His words stung like a slap, a bitter reminder of the past I had tried so hard to forget. "I didn't do anything wrong! You don't understand!" My voice trembled, frustration bubbling over.

My mother scoffed. "Is that what you tell yourself? We're not interested in your excuses. Is this really how we raised you Aru? You've embarrassed us enough. You're not our daughter anymore. Please let us live now Aru & I hope you're not troubling Aryan. He married you despite knowing everything, you better be grateful to god that you got married to such respectful family"

Those words crushed me but I could understand the pain behind it. I felt like I was being torn apart, and I glanced back at Aryan, who was talking with some guests.

"Please, just listen to me—" I pleaded, but they turned away, dismissing me as if I were a stranger. Tears welled in my eyes, and I blinked rapidly, willing them to stay away.

In that moment of vulnerability, Aryan approached out of nowhere his hands placed on my waist and pulled me closer to him, his presence a steady force amidst my turmoil. "Hello Aunty & Uncle! What's going on?" he asked, concern etching his feature

As I fought back tears, Aryan stepped closer, his eyes narrowing as he faced my parents. I squeezed his arm to sign to back off from here and not make things worst but offcourse he was ARYAN ADANI CHAUHAN.

"Son, we request you to stay out of this," her father shot back, clearly irritated.

"No, I won't. She's my wife." The words echoed in Aru's mind, the weight of them both comforting and terrifying. "No one can disrespect the daughter-in-law of the Adani's, I repeat not even her own parents. She is mine to take care of now" he added, his voice rising slightly.

My heart fluttered at the declaration, but it was quickly overshadowed by the tension in the air. My parents looked stunned, momentarily speechless. Aryan was defending me, but did he truly understand?

"I think it's important for you to forgive her," Aryan continued, his voice steady. "Everyone makes mistakes in their lives, as a parent it's your responsibility to forgive her"

When Aryan stood up for me, my heart raced in a way I never expected. There was something about his unwavering stance that struck a chord deep within me. Maybe this was where I truly began to fall for him—at least a part of my heart opened up as I watched him defend me.

"Mom, Dad, please just forgive her. She's our Aru! Our Aru!" Aditi's voice broke through the tension, her plea laced with desperation. I could see our grandmother nodding in agreement, her gentle smile a beacon of hope amidst the chaos.