Decided by Destiny

CHAPTER 22 *Doubts*

Aastha woke up to the faint sound of voices outside her room. She stretched lazily, rubbing her eyes before stepping out. As she made her way toward the living room, she paused, noticing a new face sitting comfortably on the couch Shikha.

The woman was scrolling through her phone, a mug of coffee in hand, but when she sensed someone approaching, she looked up with a warm smile.

"You must be Aastha," Shikha said, setting her mug down and standing up. "I’m Ishaan’s sister."

Aastha smiled politely. "Oh! Hi… I didn’t know you were visiting."

Shikha chuckled. "Yeah, well, your dear husband never told me about you either. Imagine my surprise."

Aastha’s eyes widened slightly. There was something teasing in Shikha’s tone, but Aastha couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

Shikha gestured toward the couch. "Come, sit. Let’s talk."

Aastha hesitated for a second before nodding and settling on the couch across from her.

Shikha leaned forward, studying her with a curious glint in her eyes. "So… when did you and Ishaan get married?"

Aastha blinked. "Uh… you don’t know?"

Shikha smirked. "Nope. My dear brother forgot to send me an invitation."

Aastha let out an awkward laugh. "Well, um… it was… kind of sudden."

Shikha raised an eyebrow. "A sudden wedding? That doesn’t sound like my brother."

Aastha cleared her throat, trying to think fast. "It was… a small ceremony. Very private. Ishaan doesn’t like big crowds, you know?"

Shikha hummed. "Right. But no wedding pictures? No decorations? Your home doesn’t look like a newlywed couple’s house."

Aastha’s heart pounded. "Uh… yeah, about that… I think…" She hesitated before blurting, "I think it’s a love marriage."

Shikha frowned. "Think? Don’t you know how you got married?"

Aastha winced. "I mean… I think it was a love marriage from my side. But, uh… I’m not sure about him."

Shikha narrowed her eyes, her curiosity deepening. "Why would you say that?"

Aastha bit her lip, then gestured vaguely around the house. "There’s not a single picture of me here."

Shikha followed her gaze, her lips twitching in amusement. "You noticed that too, huh?"

Aastha nodded. "I mean, isn’t it weird? A husband should at least have one picture of his wife somewhere." She leaned in as if she were sharing a secret. "That’s why I sometimes wonder if he was forced into this marriage."

Shikha barely suppressed a laugh. "Forced?"

Aastha sighed dramatically. "Yeah! Maybe my parents pressured him, or maybe he had no choice, and now he’s just… tolerating me."

Shikha shook her head, enjoying the way Aastha’s mind worked. "And what about you? If you’re so unsure, why do you stay?"

Aastha hesitated, twiddling her fingers. "Well… I don’t remember a lot about our wedding. So, I just… trust him, you know?"

Shikha leaned back, watching her carefully. "You trust a man who doesn’t keep your pictures in the house and may or may not have been forced to marry you?"

Aastha nodded earnestly. "Exactly!" Then she gasped. "Wait, do you think there’s someone else? Maybe he likes another girl, and that’s why he never talks about our marriage much!"