The Publisher's Book of Love

Dhanashree quietly listened to the words of her father, knowing that he spoke from his experience, and he indeed thought that this was the best route for her. She didn't want to disappoint her family, and at the same time, the thought of sharing her precious and lazy life with someone made her feel creeped out. She hated sharing.

Finally, she gave a long sigh, "Fine, suppose I agree to your proposal. But I don't want to marry the man you have found for me. I will only marry the one I like, without any pressure on me to like that someone, and so I won't meet any of the suitors you have selected for me".

Her father slowly nodded, a bit confused as he tried to understand her words.

She stared at him for a moment thoughtfully, then confused, and furrowed her eyebrows as she asked slowly, "If I wouldn't meet the men you have selected, how will I find a man for myself? The only men I know are my male friends, who are all married, and the rest are all work-related people, and I don't know any other man in my age group".

Aakash raised his eyebrows resigning, suddenly reminded how work-oriented his daughter is, and that she has never even thought of dating or boys. He gave her a happy smile, "That is for you to think about, my daughter. I give you one year. Find a man for yourself, someone who will formally come and speak to me about his love for you, and ask for your hand in marriage. If your mother likes him, all well and good, otherwise I'll give her the freedom to set you up with the suitors that she has found. I heard that Mr. Roy is a rich man and is running for elections next year. I am sure he'll love to meet you".

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The story of a girl who finds herself trapped in the norms of society, along with the hidden darkness lurking around her, waiting for her to slip and fall. Will she fail? Will she succeed? I don't know myself.
Caution: A slow-paced, but fulfilling story.