Chapter 12: chapter 12

SRUTHII take a deep breath and count ten in my head. Praveen’s mother looks terrified.  The reason for the stark fear on her face is my brother. She knows that my brother is part of the government and would bring her family to destruction with a snap of his fingers.“Mrs. Shyamala explain clearly,” my brother says putting a hand on my shoulder. I lean into him for support. “He left a letter,” she answers taking out something from her sparkly purse that she is still clutching in her hands. Before my brother could get the letter, I grab it from her hand and open it hurriedly. It is dated today and the timing is five. Sruthi,  I am sorry. I didn’t mean for us to come this far but we did and I regret not gathering the courage to call off this wedding sooner. I am not in love with you. You are a wonderful woman but, I don’t love you like I love my Akshi. The only reason, I went through all this with you was because I am very scared of your brother. I was afraid that he would harm me and my family if I didn’t marry you after taking you on a couple of dates. But recently, I realized that love is greater than fear. I'm done being afraid of your brother. I want to live with the woman I love. I am sorry. That is all I can say to you. Hate me all you want. Send the whole army after me but I am not going to change my mind. I don’t love you. I don’t want to live with you faking the smiles, laughs, flirts, and kisses. Yes, everything we had between us was fake. I only approached you the first time to make Akshi jealous. Then, I had no idea that you were the sister of the defense country. You looked like a harmless prey for my plan. But, I was already too deep in the lie when I realized who you were really. Sorry again. I am done pretending. I had a nice time with you. My best wishes for your life. I hope you can find a man who can put up with your scary brother.I can’t lift my eyes from the letter. I have read about heartbreaks. I always thought that it was something fictional and couldn’t happen in real life. How can your organ break? But, now, I realize that heartbreaks are not fictional. It can happen in real life. I can feel my heart breaking. Into freaking pieces. Why? Why should this happen to me? What did I do to deserve this kind of fate in my life?“You had no idea about your son’s plan?” my brother asks Praveen’s mother. Despite the mask on my face, a stray tear slips down my face and I hurriedly wipe it.“No,” she replies taking my hands in hers. Her eyes are filled with pity.I hate it when people look at me with pity. That is an emotion I have received many times in my life and I am fed up with it. People pitied me when I was a twelve-year-old girl because of my parents’ murder and the arrest of my brother. Pity makes me feel like I am useless and I cannot do anything about the problems in my life. I don’t want to be that helpless twelve-year-old again. Anger courses through me and I hate this woman. I hate her for giving birth to a man who can’t keep his promises. I hate her for giving me hope only to crush it again. You know what is the biggest pain in the world? To have your hopes crushed. Her son has no idea of the consequences I am going to face now. “Get out,” I say calmly. “I am sorry,” she says again sqeeuzing my hands. But, I am done hearing her apologies.  I pull my hand from hers. This woman has no idea of the backslash my brother has to face. She only knows to be a good arm candy to her husband and a doting mother to her son. She knows nothing about the politics of our country. That is why she thinks her apologies are going to save the day. “Just get out,” I yell not bothering to hide my hate for her. She hurries for the door and Nisha opens it. Instead of going out, she looks at my brother with a pleading look. “I am sorry for what my son has done, sir,” she begs. “But, please don’t harm him. I will make him apologize properly. I will make him understand what he is missing out.”I give her a humorless laugh, “Miss. Shyamala, what am I going to do with your son’s apologies? Will it solve anything? Just get the hell out of here before I could call the guards.”Surprise flashes in her face at my bitter words. If her son is done pretending to be my lover then I am done being an obedient and docile daughter-in-law. She is still looking at me like she is seeing someone else. She too thought I was a harmless woman who would tuck her tail between her legs when I heard the news. Just because, I am not interested in politics and hate violence doesn’t mean I am a sweet, soft, and fragile woman. People keep forgetting my family—Aryian’s blood runs in my veins. I am not Sruthi Ariyan only in namesake.I grit my teeth in anger, “Mrs. Shyamala, I think you heard me the first time. If you don’t get out of my sight in five seconds, then, I can’t guarantee that your son will be fine.”It is is an empty threat but she doesn't need to know that. With a last pleading look at my brother, she leaves the room. The room is silent and I can hear the pounding of my heart. “Sruthi, I am sorry--” Gabe starts but I am not in the mindset to hear anyone’s comforting words. A political scandal is about to break out and I need to stop it before it can threaten my brother’s position as the defense minister.  “Everyone except Vikram, kindly get out,” I say still maintaining the calm in my voice. It is no use to cry now. I have to avert a scandal from happening. This marriage is an important event in the country because the prime minister is attending it. There is also some old archaic law of the country that states that no marriage should be left unfinished in the minister’s family. If it happens, then the minister is considered contemptible.  We can’t simply announce to the whole world that the wedding is not happening because of a selfish man. My brother would be scorned for wasting the prime minister’s time and he would become the butt of all jokes in the media. Everything he has worked for the past years would be in vain. Though he may not show it to me, I know the burden he carries. I don’t want to add to it. ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥