Prologue
I never thought life would bring me back to him.
Years ago, hidden behind a screen, I was just a girl with a fake name and a borrowed identity. He was the only real thing in those late-night conversations-the boy who made my heart race with just his words. We crossed lines we shouldn't have, yet I never showed him my face. He, however, trusted me enough to reveal his.
And then, guilt crept in. The weight of my lies became unbearable. So, I disappeared. I cut off all ties, giving him a random excuse, leaving him behind in a past I thought would never resurface.
But fate had other plans.
Years later, when the time came for marriage proposals, I never expected his name to appear on the list. I rejected it immediately, knowing exactly who he was. But Amma wouldn't let it go, insisting I meet him at least once.
And so, I did.
The boy from my past was now a man-a man who carried himself with dignity, his presence commanding respect. In a world where men often let their egos define them, he was different. Kind. Gentle. And with every meeting, I felt my walls crumbling, the guilt resurfacing stronger than ever.
I wanted to tell him. I had to tell him.
But I never did. Something always stopped me-fear, timing, or maybe my own cowardice.
Now, sitting in our decorated bridal chamber, draped in my crimson pelli cherra, adorned in gold, and smelling of fresh jasmine, I know there's no escaping the truth anymore.
Because when he learns who I really am... everything will change.