Anaya-His heartbeat

CHAPTER -9 mothers embrace

ANAYA'S POV

I woke up with swollen eyes and a heaviness in my chest, the dull ache of yesterday's conversation lingering like a bruise I couldn't shake. The coldness of the room stung my skin, but it didn't compare to the chill I felt inside. I had cried so much last night that I didn't think I had any tears left. My pillow was still damp, a reminder of how much my world had shifted in a single evening.

It felt like everything was slipping through my fingers-my dreams, my choices, my sense of self. All of it buried under the weight of one conversation with my father. The man I had once adored, who had always encouraged me to think for myself, now wanted to bind my future to a deal I never agreed to. Marry someone. For the family. For the business. For him.

I couldn't bear to think about it.

The soft click of the door opening pulled me out of my thoughts. I blinked at the sunlight streaming through the curtains, feeling disoriented, before I saw her. My mother, her soft steps coming toward me as if she knew I wasn't ready to face the day yet. She didn't say anything at first, just walked to my bed, and sat down beside me. The mattress dipped under her weight, and she ran a gentle hand over my hair.

"Anaya..." Her voice was soft, as it always was, but today there was something else-something heavy, like she was carrying her own burden with her words. I turned my head to face her, meeting her tired, worried eyes.

I wanted to speak, but nothing came out. I was too raw. Too broken.

Before I could react, she opened her arms, and I found myself leaning into her embrace like I did when I was a child. Her arms wrapped around me, warm and familiar, but it felt different now. There was no comfort, no reassurance that everything would be okay. It was the hug of someone who couldn't promise me anything.

For a long moment, we sat there, the silence thick between us, my head resting against her shoulder. Then she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I know how much this hurts, Anaya. I know this isn't what you wanted."

I stiffened, biting back the sharp words I wanted to scream. But she just held me tighter, as if she knew I needed to hear more, even if I didn't want to.

"Your father..." She sighed, her voice cracking slightly. "He wouldn't ask this of you if he didn't think it was necessary. We've lost so much, Anaya. We're holding on by a thread, and... this is the only way to keep our family afloat."

The words hung in the air, sinking into me slowly. I knew the business was struggling, had been for a while, but this? Selling my future, my happiness, for a financial gain?

"You're asking me to sacrifice my life," I whispered, my voice hoarse from last night's crying. I pulled back to look at her, my throat tightening. "How can you be okay with this, Ma? How can you just accept it?"

Her eyes filled with tears, and for the first time, I saw her pain too. It wasn't just my father who was hurting; she was caught in the middle of it all. "I'm not okay with it," she admitted, her voice trembling. "But what choice do we have? This is bigger than all of us. It's not just about you or me. It's about survival."

The word stung. Survival. As if I was nothing more than a pawn in some twisted game of survival.

"Anaya, sometimes... we don't get to choose the path we walk. I wish it wasn't like this. I wish there were another way. But your father-he's not wrong. If we don't do this, we'll lose everything. And then what? What will be left for you? For your brothers?"

Her words sliced through the fog of my anger and hurt. I thought of Sam and Rohan, my brothers who had always been my safe place. They would never let me go through with this if they knew the full story, but could I put them at risk too? Could I live with myself if my refusal cost them everything?

Tears welled up in my eyes again, but this time they weren't just for me. They were for all of us. For the weight we all carried.

"I don't know how to do this," I whispered. "How can I marry someone I don't know? Someone I don't love?"

My mother's hand cupped my cheek, her touch tender. "You'll find a way. You're stronger than you think, Anaya. You've always been. I'll be with you every step of the way."

I closed my eyes, leaning into her hand, but the truth was, I didn't feel strong. I felt trapped. Cornered. Like I had no choice but to walk down this path they had laid out for me, even if every step felt like it was breaking me a little more.

When I finally opened my eyes, I saw the tears in her eyes too, but she blinked them away. "There's no other option, Anaya. We have to do this."

I nodded, even though every part of me wanted to scream in defiance. Because in the end, what choice did I really have?

I was no longer living for myself. This marriage wasn't just a union-it was a sacrifice. A deal to save my family, even if it meant losing a piece of myself in the process.

And that was the hardest part.

My mother hesitated for a moment, her hand still resting on my cheek. I could feel the weight of something unsaid, something she was bracing herself to tell me. Her eyes darted away briefly before she spoke again, her voice softer but tinged with urgency.

"Anaya, there's something else. The groom's family... they're coming this afternoon. Your father has arranged for them to meet you."

My heart sank.

"They'll be here in a few hours," she continued, her voice steadying as if trying to sound reassuring. "You'll need to get ready. Dress appropriately, make a good impression."

I stared at her, unable to process it fully. This was happening. Today. I had barely come to terms with the decision, and now I had to present myself to strangers-people who would judge me, decide if I was worthy of becoming part of their family.

"You don't have to rush," she added, seeing the panic rise in my eyes. "But just... be prepared. It's important."

Important. That word again. Everything seemed so important now-except for what I wanted.

I nodded slowly, even though I could feel the lump in my throat growing. The hours I had left felt like they were slipping away too quickly, and soon, I would be standing in front of the very people who would determine my future.

"I'll help you, Anaya," my mother said softly. "We'll get through this together."

But as she left the room, I couldn't help but feel like I was walking into something I would never escape from. And I wasn't sure if anyone could help me through that.

I sat down and thought for a while ... I am hurt I am very hurt and there is no other option left i need to get married but i will make sure i end up getting good pictures 🤭 why are you all surprised bhai see I am delusional i am hurt after what my father did but thats gonna heppen i cant deny that but what if i end up falling in love with my husband afterward and when we will look back ...the only memory we will have is wedding pictures i dont want them to get ruined