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F O R E W O R D

A B O U T

This story is set in the South India, to be more precise, Chennai where the official language spoken is Tamil. Though there has been more western impact to the society in the many recent years, the traditions like arranged marriages, astrology, cosmic science, traditional formalities, procedures, rules and conditions still live on and are very well practiced duly and sincerely in most of the families for generations and generations. This story will be focusing on a couple who are brought together by fate and will touch on many of the customs and traditions that they will have to face before they can live happily forever after. It will also be enlightening the problems and toils the modern women face in a society of mostly male dominance.

D I S C L A I M E R

This story isn't based on any true stories and every character included in the plot is just a figment of imagination. If there is any flaw regarding the culture oriented aspects, I apologize in advance because this is solely from what I've seen and learnt.

P R O L O G U E

Anusha Narasimhan is a jolly good girl in her twenties, whose all joy is being sucked out by her day-to-day robotic routinous life. There's only so much an IT company could offer. Her plans of world exploration and pulling off an 'Eat-pray-love' was long gone. She had two choices now. Look for a guy or let her mom look for one. Dumping her hopes on a way home crowded 7:30 subway on a daily-basis has given her a lesson for life. 'Never trust a happy-ending movie.' Time has come where she has to make the hard choice of getting married or which spelled 'giving up' in her dictionary.

What does life has to offer her?

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P R E L U D E

"....."

"What?" His voice quivered as his full lower lips started trembling. He tried to hold on to something strong inside. But there was nothing to hold on to. Everything was tumbling down. Every strong fort he had built out of faith, hope, love was now colliding.

"You heard me." Even though she was speaking, Anu wondered if it was coming from a different person rather than her. She sounded so different. So strange. She no longer knew who she was anymore. She felt possessed.

"...." Silence again.

This silence wasn't the silence that used to be anymore. The silence of hopes, expectations, awkwardness, shyness, the silence that conveyed a great deal than a conversation did, it wasn't that. This silence was more like the nothingness of an abyss. The one that prevailed in the grave yard. Like the silence after a fatal storm. Grave. Terrifying.

The hair of Anusha's neck stood up. Sweat trickled from her brows to her neck and left a trail of chillingness on its wake. She looked at that eyes. Those chocolate brown eyes that reminded her everytime of the Cadbury Silk he used to give her. Now they were empty. Lifeless. It was like looking inside an endless hollow. They regarded her with contempt. Horror.

Her worst fears came true. So did the tears.

There was a thud.