TejRan - Arranged Love

🔅CHAPTER 20🔅

Happy reading!

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The morning after the wedding felt surreal. The grandeur of the night before had faded, leaving behind an eerie silence in the mansion. The fragrance of fresh flowers still lingered in the air, but for Tejasswi, everything felt hollow.

She opened her eyes slowly, staring at the intricately designed ceiling of her room. A heavy weight pressed against her chest-reality. She was married. But to her, this marriage was nothing more than a ticking time bomb.

Her gaze shifted to the other side of the bed. Karan was there, awake, leaning against the headboard, staring at the ceiling as well. His shirt was slightly unbuttoned, his sleeves rolled up. He looked tired. Defeated.

Karan turned his head slightly, meeting her eyes. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Their silence was loud enough. Tejasswi sat up, adjusting her dress, remembering that soon, she would have to go outside and play the role of the newlywed bride. A cruel irony.

Karan's voice was hoarse when he finally spoke. "Are you really going to do this?" His tone was a mix of exhaustion and desperation. Tejasswi didn't flinch. She tightened her fists over the soft fabric of her bridal lehenga.

"Yes." Her voice was steady, betraying none of the turmoil inside her. Karan scoffed, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "You think sacrificing our marriage is the right way to fix everything?" Tejasswi turned to him, her eyes sharp.

"What do you expect me to do, Karan? Ignore the fact that you have a daughter? Ignore the fact that I have been kept in the dark all this while? Pretend that nothing happened and live happily ever after with you?"

Karan inhaled sharply. "I never asked you to ignore anything, Teja. But this-this decision to divorce me the very next day-it's not fair. Not to you, not to me, and not even to Riya." Tejasswi let out a bitter laugh.

"Fair? Oh, now you care about what's fair? Was it fair that I had to find out about your daughter on the eve of our wedding? Was it fair that I had to watch my dreams shatter in front of me while standing under the same sky where I once imagined my future with you?"

Karan clenched his jaw. "I was robbed of the chance to be a father, Tejasswi. Do you think I would've ignored my own daughter if I had known about her? I even doubt she is really my daughter."

Tejasswi closed her eyes for a brief second. A part of her knew he was right, what if it's not his daughter. But the pain was too raw to let go. She stood up, straightening her dupatta. "Whatever you say, Karan, my decision is final. After today, I'll tell the family the truth. I wanted to tell yesterday itself but both our families were very happy with our wedding. I just couldn't spoil it. But today I'll tell them and I will leave."

Karan watched her, his face a mixture of helplessness and frustration. "And what about me?" he whispered. Tejasswi stilled for a second before answering. "You will finally get the family you deserve. Riya needs her father, Karan. And you need to accept your responsibilities."

Without waiting for his reply, she turned and walked toward the bathroom. Karan closed his eyes, exhaling heavily. "What if the family doesn't let you go?" he murmured to himself. Because deep inside, he knew that no matter how much Tejasswi tried to run, the bond between them was too strong to break so easily.

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The dining area was bustling with energy as the newlyweds were expected to make their first appearance. Family members laughed, chatted, and discussed last night's ceremonies.