Chapter 23: chapter 23

The night air was still, carrying a faint chill as Aarohi walked toward the café where she was supposed to meet Vihaan. Her palms were clammy, her mind running wild with possibilities. She couldn’t shake the dread pooling in her stomach.

What could he want to talk about now? Was this it? Would he call everything off?

The café was nearly empty, dim lights casting a warm glow over the space. Vihaan was sitting at the same corner booth as earlier, but this time, his posture wasn’t as composed. His elbows rested on the table, his fingers interlocked, his jaw clenched.

Aarohi approached hesitantly, each step feeling heavier than the last. As she slid into the seat across from him, Vihaan’s dark gaze lifted to meet hers.

“Thanks for coming,” he said, his voice unusually calm, almost distant.

“I didn’t have much of a choice, did I?” Aarohi replied, her attempt at humor falling flat.

Vihaan didn’t smile. Instead, he leaned back, his arms crossing over his chest. “I thought about what you said earlier,” he began, his tone measured. “And I realized something.”

“What?” Aarohi asked, her heart pounding.

“That you’re not the only one pretending here,” he said, his voice soft but cutting.

Aarohi frowned, confused. “What do you mean?”

Vihaan let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “You think I want this marriage any more than you do? I don’t. But unlike you, I’m not here because I’m trying to fix something or make someone happy. I’m here because I don’t have a choice.”

Aarohi stared at him, stunned. This wasn’t what she had expected.

“My father,” Vihaan continued, his tone heavy with resentment. “He’s the reason I’m sitting here, playing this charade. He thinks marrying you will somehow... complete some promise he made years ago. And I thought, fine. If this is what he wants, I’ll go along with it. But now?” He leaned forward, his eyes boring into hers. “Now I’m not so sure.”

Aarohi’s breath hitched. “So... you’re saying you don’t want this either?”

Vihaan’s lips pressed into a thin line. “No, Aarohi. I don’t want this. But the difference is, I was willing to try. I wanted to give this a chance, to see if there was something worth fighting for. But you?” He shook his head, a cold smile tugging at his lips. “You’re too busy running away from your own fears to even meet me halfway.”

The words hit her like a slap, and for a moment, all she could do was stare at him, stunned.

“I-I’m not running away,” Aarohi stammered, though even to her own ears, it sounded like a lie.

“Aren’t you?” Vihaan challenged, his voice rising slightly. “You’ve been so caught up in your guilt and your need to please everyone else that you haven’t stopped to think about what you want. And now we’re both stuck in this mess, pretending like this can work when we both know it can’t.”

Tears stung Aarohi’s eyes, but she blinked them back, refusing to break in front of him. “So what are you saying?” she asked, her voice trembling. “That we should call it off?”

Vihaan exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. For a moment, he didn’t say anything, and the silence stretched between them, heavy and suffocating.

“I’m saying,” he began finally, his voice low, “that if you’re not willing to be honest with yourself—and with me—then yes. We should call it off.”

Aarohi’s heart sank, her chest tightening painfully. She wanted to argue, to tell him he was wrong, but deep down, she knew he wasn’t.

“I don’t know what to say,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Vihaan leaned back, his expression unreadable. “Then don’t say anything,” he said quietly. “But think about it. Because if we go through with this, it won’t just be your life that’s affected. It’ll be mine too.”

With that, he stood up, tossing a few bills onto the table to cover the coffee he hadn’t touched. “I’ll give you some time,” he said, his tone softer now. “But not much. Figure out what you want, Aarohi. And when you do, let me know.”

He walked away without another word, leaving Aarohi sitting alone in the café, her mind racing and her heart aching.

---

The next day, Aarohi was still reeling from her conversation with Vihaan when her mother walked into her room, a wide smile on her face.

“Aarohi,” she said, her tone cheerful. “We’ve finalized the engagement date! It’s happening next month!”

Aarohi froze, her blood running cold. “Next month?” she echoed, her voice barely audible.

Her mother nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! Everything’s coming together so perfectly. I just know you and Vihaan are going to be so happy together.”

Aarohi forced a smile, but inside, she felt like she was suffocating. Her mother’s excitement only added to the weight of the decision she had to make.

As the day went on, Aarohi couldn’t shake the feeling that time was running out. And when her phone buzzed with a message from Vihaan, her heart sank even further.

“Have you made your decision yet? I’m waiting. – Vihaan”

Aarohi stared at the message, her hands trembling. She had no idea how to respond.

But one thing was clear: whatever decision she made, it was going to change everything.

---

Later that evening, Aarohi found herself standing in the middle of the garden, her mind racing as she tried to sort through her emotions.

That’s when she saw him. Vihaan, standing at the far end of the garden, talking to her father. Their conversation was quiet, but the tension in their body language was unmistakable.

As Aarohi watched, her father suddenly turned and walked away, leaving Vihaan standing alone. Aarohi hesitated, debating whether to approach him, but before she could make a decision, Vihaan turned and walked toward her.

His expression was unreadable, but there was something in his eyes—something intense and unyielding—that sent a shiver down her spine.

“We need to talk,” he said, his voice low. “Now.”

Aarohi nodded, her heart pounding as she followed him toward the gazebo. Little did she know, the conversation that awaited her would unravel secrets she never saw coming.