Marked By Darkness

Chapter 79- The Weight of Decision

Ruhan's POV...

The morning after the nightmare, I felt more uneasy than ever. The weight of everything seemed to be pressing down on me harder with each passing hour. But I couldn't let it show. Ruhi needed me to be strong now more than ever.

I stepped out of my room, feeling the tension in the air. James and Elijah were sitting in the living room, talking quietly. I could see the concern on their faces as I walked in.

"Elijah, James," I said, my voice steady despite the chaos inside me. "I need to tell you something."

They both looked up, sensing the seriousness in my tone.

"I'm getting married to Ruhi in three days," I continued. "I don't have much of a choice in this, but... I have to do this to protect her."

Elijah's eyes narrowed, and he stood up, walking over to me. "Are you sure about this, Ruhan? I know the curse is serious, but this is a huge step. Are you ready?"

I nodded, trying to appear more confident than I felt. "I have to be. For her."

James, who had been silent, finally spoke. "I'll go talk to the priest, see if we can get the arrangements set for the ceremony. If this is going to happen, we need to make sure everything is in place."

I nodded gratefully. "Thank you, James."

Elijah put a hand on my shoulder. "We're here for you, man. We'll figure this out."

---

Anshi's POV...

I was standing in my kitchen, helping my mom with some chores, when my phone buzzed. It was a message from Esha.

"How's Ruhi holding up?" she asked, concern clear in her words.

I sighed, feeling the heaviness of the situation weighing on me again. "She's struggling. But she's determined to go through with the wedding."

Esha's next message was quick. "She must be going through a lot. In three days... it's all happening so fast."

I put down the dish I was holding and typed back, "I know. But she's pushing through. We just need to be there for her."

I paused, staring at the screen for a moment. "I'm going to tell everyone today. They all need to know."

A few hours later, I was with Esha and Neil, explaining the situation to them. Esha, ever the compassionate one, immediately asked, "But what is Ruhi really feeling now? Does she talk to you about it?"

I shook my head. "Not much. She keeps a lot inside. But she's tense, really tense. Every day it feels like the pressure is getting to her more and more."

Esha's face softened. "I just wish we could do something to make this easier for her."

"Me too," I murmured. "But we can't. All we can do is support her. Just like we're doing now."

Later that evening, the three of us gathered to help with the wedding decorations. We worked side by side, the tension between the two of us lifting slightly as we focused on something tangible. Neil, as always, tried his best to lighten the mood. He cracked jokes and made silly faces, doing everything he could to make us laugh. But despite his best efforts, the atmosphere felt heavy, each of us acutely aware of what was coming in just three days.

---

Ruhi's POV...

I sat in my room, staring at my phone once again. My heart raced as I checked for messages from Sounak, but there was nothing. I hadn't heard from him since yesterday, and the uncertainty gnawed at me. I had been holding on to the hope that he would reach out, that he would try to change things, but... nothing.

I kept wondering, What if he doesn't care anymore? What if he's given up? The thought sent a sharp pain through my chest.

Esha noticed my silence and sat beside me, her voice soft but full of concern. "Ruhi, you're doing the right thing. You know that, right? This is happening for a reason. Maybe you can't see it now, but there's a reason everything's falling into place this way."

I nodded slowly but didn't say anything. I wasn't sure if I believed her. I just wanted to get through this. I had to.

---

Ruhan's POV...

Later that day, the shopping trip began. James, Elijah, Esha, Anshika, Neil, Ruhi, and I piled into cars and headed to the mall. The noise of the bustling crowd filled the air, but it did nothing to calm my nerves. As we browsed through dresses and decorations, I kept my focus on Ruhi, watching her every move, her every glance. She seemed quieter than usual, as if her thoughts were far away.

Neil, ever the jester, tried to lighten the mood by making silly comments and pulling faces. "Come on, Ruhi! Smile! You've got the wedding jitters, huh?" he teased.

Ruhi just gave a small, tired smile, her eyes flickering toward me briefly before she looked down again.

"You're doing great," Anshika said, patting her shoulder. "I know this isn't easy, but we're all here for you."

We continued shopping, but I couldn't stop noticing how distant Ruhi seemed, how every step she took was weighed down by invisible burdens. My thoughts constantly drifted back to her-how she was holding up, how much pain she was in, and how this marriage, this curse, was affecting her.

---

That night, after the shopping trip, we all came back to my place. It was late, and the air felt heavy with unspoken words. Ruhi had gone straight to her room without a word, and I found myself staring at the door, wishing I could make everything better for her.

James and Elijah had gone to their rooms, leaving me alone with the others in the living room. I glanced at the clock. It was already well past midnight, and I hadn't even thought about sleep.

Neil leaned back in his chair, cracking open a soda. "Hey, you alright, man?" he asked, noticing my tense expression.

I nodded, though I wasn't sure if I was convincing anyone. "Just... thinking."

Esha sat beside me, her voice quiet but supportive. "You don't have to do this alone, you know."

I glanced at her, trying to read her expression. "I know. I just... I want to make sure she's okay. I don't want to make things worse."

Anshika, who had been standing by the window, turned to look at us. "We're all here for both of you. You're not alone in this."

The silence that followed felt heavy, but it was comforting in its own way. For the first time in days, I felt like maybe, just maybe, we could get through this.

But as I looked toward Ruhi's door again, my heart clenched. I knew the real challenge was just beginning.

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