HIS PERFECT STRANGER Subtitle: Our Slow Blooms The scent of marigolds was suffocating. The sacred fire was a witness to a union born of a dying man's wish and a living man's despair. Arth looked at his husband-the man he had loved from the shadows for years-and saw only a stranger. A man whose soul was buried in a grave three years ago. "Humne phere le liye hain, Zamindar Ji..." Arth's voice was a fragile whisper, his eyes searching for a single spark of warmth in the cold marble of Vikram's face. Vikram didn't look back. His gaze was fixed on the portrait of the woman whose place Arth could never take. "Shaadi hui hai, Arth. Rishta nahi." Vikram's voice was like a frost that killed the first bloom of spring. "Is ghar ki dehleez ke andar tum sirf ek zimmedari ho. Meri patni ki jagah lene ki koshish bhi mat karna... kyunki vo jagah aaj bhi bhari hui hai." Arth stood in the silence of a room that still smelled like another woman's perfume, holding a glass of water from a man who gave him everything except a reason to breathe. He had married his dream, only to realize he was living in someone else's nightmare. What happens when the heart you want to heal is the one that refuses to beat for anyone living? Can a shadow ever compete with a ghost? Dive into a tale of 19th-century angst, silent tears, and a love so patient it might just break before it blooms.

Eighteen-year-old Aarna carries the weight of unspoken words and unseen scars. Battling depression and anxiety, she finds herself increasingly isolated, even amidst the love of her family. The unexpected return of her older cousin, with whom she shares a complicated history, reignites old wounds and forces her to confront the past she has tried so hard to bury. As Aarna struggles to find her place in the world, she must learn to silence the whispers within and embrace the possibility of healing, even as the shadows of her past continue to linger.

This coming-of-age story follows Aanya, an eighteen-year-old grappling with body image, anxiety, and the complexities of family. When a past hurt resurfaces, Aanya must confront her deepest fears and find the courage to embrace her true self. A story about self-love, acceptance, and the power of friendship. Exploring themes of body image, mental health, and the journey to self-discovery.

* a compilation of depressed and heartbroken poems by me * "I have learned now that while those who speak about one's miseries usually hurt, those who keep silence hurt more." -C.S. Lewis.