Unforgettable Destiny

Mehndi

Isha pov ~

I sat alone in my room, the silence pressing against my chest as my thoughts swirled in chaos. Anirudha's sudden appearance at my engagement replayed in my mind like a broken record. His tears, his pain it all seemed so real, so raw. But how could it be? How could someone who played with my emotions now act like they cared?

My heart ached, and tears welled up in my eyes. I whispered to myself, barely able to hear my own voice, "Why me? What did I ever do to deserve this?" The tears spilled over, streaming down my face, carrying the weight of my confusion and heartbreak.

Suddenly, Luna padded into the room, his soft bark pulling me out of my spiraling thoughts. He looked up at me with his big, understanding eyes, and I couldn't help but scoop him into my arms. As I held him close, my tears fell onto his soft fur. "You know, Luna," I murmured, "he never loved me. It was all a lie, just a game to him. He played with my feelings like I meant nothing."

Luna tilted his head slightly, as if he understood my pain. His warm, strong presence was comforting, a reminder that some bonds were real and unconditional. I kissed him gently, letting his steady breathing soothe me. He wriggled out of my arms and began pacing around me in a circle, protective in his own way.

My thoughts shifted briefly to what Papa had told me earlier-how Samarth was afraid of Luna. Apparently, the first time Samarth came to our house to talk about the marriage, Luna had growled at him, even tried to attack him. Papa had sent Luna to the neighbor's house for the engagement, knowing how uneasy Samarth was around him. It made me smile faintly, though my heart still felt heavy.

As I reflected on this, Maa walked into the room. "Isha beta," she said gently, "go to sleep now. Your wedding functions start tomorrow, and you'll need to be well-rested. Otherwise, you'll have dark circles."

I nodded weakly. "Yes, Maa, I'm going to sleep," I replied, trying to mask the turmoil inside me.

She came closer and kissed my forehead, her touch so tender it made my heart ache. "My little girl has grown up so quickly," she whispered, her voice trembling. "In a few days, you'll leave for your new home. I can't believe it." Tears filled her eyes as she smoothed my hair lovingly.

"Maa, don't worry," I said, wrapping my arms around her. "I'll keep coming back to visit. I'm not going anywhere forever."

She broke the hug, smiled softly, and wiped her tears. "Okay, my dear. But now, you must sleep. Goodnight." She left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts again.

I lay down, but my mind was far from calm. His face haunted me-those tears, that pain in his eyes. Was it all just another lie? Another trick, like his so-called love? My heart clenched as I shut my eyes tightly, trying to block out the memories, but they refused to leave.

Luna sat at the foot of my bed, his watchful gaze keeping me company. I reached out and stroked his head. "At least you're here for me," I whispered.

The love I once believed in, the love that felt so pure, now seemed like a cruel illusion. "It's all a lie," I whispered, my voice breaking. "Just like him."

Anirudha pov ~

We were all in the car Anahita, Arnav, Anuj, and me. Arnav was driving, while the rest of us sat in tense silence, except for Anahita, who couldn't stop talking.

"Bhai, you know, I tried so hard to stop the engagement," she started, her voice filled with guilt. "I even stole the ring and kept it in my mouth! But then Anuj Bhaiya said diamonds have poison in them, so I spit it out. And guess what? That ring ended up with Bhabhi's mom. I'm so sorry, Bhai, I really tried."