The Unwanted Royal Marriage

33. Tonight's the night.

~FLASHBACK~

#Meera's Breakup#

Meera (22) had always been different from the other girls her age. Ambitious, driven, and determined, she was focused on building her future from a young age. Kartik (23), on the other hand, was carefree, often distracted by his own charm and the attention he received from those around him. He was a trainee doctor, passionate about his career but still learning the ropes of life.

Their relationship had started when they were still in school. It began innocently enough. Meera, with her quiet intelligence and composed demeanour, and Kartik, with his easygoing charm and a smile that seemed to win over everyone, were an unlikely pair—but somehow, they made it work.

In the beginning, Kartik had been the attentive boyfriend, making Meera laugh with his jokes, holding her hand through the crowded hallways, and giving her sweet forehead kisses when things got too overwhelming for her. It was simple, innocent, and gentle. But as time passed, Kartik started changing.

Their relationship had always been low-key. They weren't overly physical—just hand-holding, a kiss on the forehead now and then, a brief peck on the cheek—but it was enough for Meera. She valued the small moments with Kartik, the time spent talking about everything and nothing, and the comfort of knowing she had someone by her side.

But things started to shift as Kartik began his medical internship. His busy schedule and the long shifts at the hospital gave him a sense of importance, a sense of growing pride. And with that pride came a change in how he viewed his relationship with Meera. The subtle attention he had once given her started to fade, replaced by his increasing attention toward other girls—other women at the hospital, who seemed to gravitate toward him effortlessly.

Meera noticed the change. At first, she thought it was just his workload getting to him, that he was too busy to balance everything. But then, she started hearing things—whispers from mutual friends, comments about Kartik's "friends" at the hospital.

It hurt, but she pushed it aside. She trusted him. Or so she thought.

It was a rainy afternoon when she walked into the hospital to surprise him, to bring him lunch and take a little break together. As she walked down the hallway, she overheard a conversation. Kartik was laughing, his arm casually draped over the shoulders of one of the nurses, a woman who was much more than just a "friend," as he had often claimed. The way he was smiling at her, the way he leaned in closer than he ever did with Meera, it hit her like a slap to the face.

She paused, her heart sinking.

"Nothing, babe. She's just a colleague. You know how it is. We're all busy, right? Just friends, nothing more." Kartik's voice floated through the air, oblivious to the fact that Meera was standing right there, her stomach turning.

Meera didn't wait to hear more. She turned around and left the hospital, her mind racing. She hadn't been angry at first—just confused, hurt, and uncertain.

That night, she tried to confront Kartik, but he brushed it off, telling her that she was overthinking things, that she was imagining it. But Meera knew. She wasn't blind. She wasn't foolish. Kartik had changed, and not in a way that made her feel loved. She felt as though she was just another person in his life, someone to be kept around when it was convenient.

After weeks of growing distance, the inevitable happened. They met at a small café to talk, and Kartik finally said the words that Meera had feared.

"I think we should break up," he said, looking at her with an air of indifference. "It's not that I don't care about you, Meera, but I've changed. I'm not the same person you fell for."