The air in the living room felt suffocating as Aarohi stood frozen, staring at Vihaan. His sudden appearance caught her completely off guard. His expression was unreadable, but his sharp tone left no room for argument.
"Let's talk outside," Vihaan said, his voice calm but firm.
Aarohi hesitated, glancing nervously at her parents and Dev Malhotra, who were watching the two of them closely. Her mother gave her a small nod, signaling her to go. With her heart pounding, she followed Vihaan to the garden.
The evening breeze did little to soothe the storm raging inside her. Aarohi folded her arms across her chest, bracing herself for whatever he had to say.
Vihaan turned to face her, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. His face was calm, but there was a tension in his posture that told her he wasn't here to back down.
"Do you know why I'm here?" he began, his voice steady.
Aarohi shook her head, her throat dry.
"I've had enough," Vihaan said bluntly. "Enough of this back-and-forth, enough of the doubts, enough of the running away."
"I'm not running-" Aarohi started, but Vihaan cut her off.
"Yes, you are," he said sharply. "You've been running from this engagement, from your family's expectations, and from me. And I've let it slide because I thought you just needed time. But last night made me realize something."
"What?" Aarohi asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Vihaan took a step closer, his gaze piercing. "This is never going to work unless we're both willing to fight for it. And right now, Aarohi, it feels like I'm the only one trying."
His words stung, but Aarohi refused to back down. "That's not fair," she said. "You don't understand how much pressure I'm under. My family, college, this engagement-it's all too much."
"And you think I'm not under pressure?" Vihaan countered. "Do you know how many decisions I've had to make in the past few weeks? How many sacrifices I've made to make this work?"
Aarohi stared at him, stunned by the frustration in his voice.
"You think I don't care about what you're going through," Vihaan continued. "But I do. More than you realize. That's why I'm here-because I care. But caring isn't enough, Aarohi. We both have to want this."
Aarohi felt a lump rise in her throat. "I never asked for this engagement, Vihaan. None of this was my choice."
Vihaan's jaw tightened. "And do you think it was mine? Do you think I wanted my life mapped out for me without my input? But here's the difference-I've accepted it. Because whether I like it or not, this is my reality. And it's yours too."
The silence between them was deafening. Aarohi looked away, tears stinging her eyes.
Vihaan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, Aarohi, I'm not here to force you into anything. If you truly don't want this, tell me now. But if you do-if there's even a small part of you that thinks we can make this work-then I need you to meet me halfway."
Aarohi blinked back her tears, his words echoing in her mind. Meet me halfway.
"What if I can't?" she whispered.
Vihaan's eyes softened, and for the first time, she saw a flicker of vulnerability in his gaze. "Then we're wasting our time," he said quietly.
The weight of his words settled over her, and for a moment, neither of them spoke.
Finally, Vihaan straightened, his expression hardening once again. "You have two days to figure out what you want, Aarohi. But after that, I'm done waiting."
Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving Aarohi standing alone in the garden, her mind a whirlwind of emotions.
---
That night, Aarohi lay awake, staring at the ceiling. Vihaan's words replayed in her mind over and over again.
Meet me halfway.
She thought about the way he had looked at her, the frustration in his voice, and the vulnerability in his eyes. For the first time, she realized that Vihaan wasn't as unaffected by this arrangement as she had assumed. He was struggling too, but unlike her, he was trying to make the best of it.
The thought filled her with guilt. Had she been so consumed by her own fears that she hadn't considered his perspective?
But even as the guilt settled in, so did her doubts. Could she really do this? Could she marry a man she barely knew and build a life with him?
Her phone buzzed with a message from Tanya: How did it go with Vihaan?
Aarohi stared at the screen, unsure of how to respond. Finally, she typed back: I don't know. He wants me to make a decision.
Tanya's reply was immediate: And what do you want, Aarohi?
Aarohi closed her eyes, tears slipping down her cheeks. She didn't know. She didn't know what she wanted.
---
At his home, Vihaan sat in his study, staring out the window. He had done everything he could to make Aarohi understand, but now it was up to her.
His father's words echoed in his mind: "Marriage isn't easy, but it's worth it-if you believe it is."
Vihaan wanted to believe it was worth it. He wanted to believe that Aarohi would come around. But a part of him couldn't shake the fear that she wouldn't.
And if that happened, he wasn't sure what he would do next.