Page 77 of Shattered

“Shhh, please don’t cry, sweetheart,” I whisper, holding her tighter, but she sobs harder.

I slowly guide her to the bed and sit on the edge, pulling her onto my lap. Cupping her face in my hands, I lift her gaze to meet mine. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I never wanted Aunty to find out like this.”

She closes her eyes and rests her forehead on my chest. “I’ve never seen Aunty so mad at me. I’ve really let her down.”

“No, you haven’t.She’s just upset right now, but she loves you. She’ll come around, I promise.” My voice is soft and low, trying to soothe her.

“I hope you’re right. It just feels like I’ve disappointed her so much.”

“Trust me, sweetheart, you haven’t upset her beyond repair,” I whisper, but this time, she doesn’t reply, her crying making it impossible for her to speak.

“Please don’t cry, sweetheart,” I say softly, my hand gently gliding up and down her back. “I’ll speak to Aunty and tell her that I want to marry you. Once she knows my intentions, she’ll accept our relationship wholeheartedly.” I hold her close, feeling her body relax against mine, silently hoping she doesn’t fight me anymore and understands that we are inseparable.

A few minutes pass in silence, and then she lifts her head to meet my eyes, fear evident in hers. “Reyansh, marriage isn’t a good idea. I’m scared. I can’t bear to lose you.”

I gently place my hands at the back of her neck, brushing my thumb against her soft skin. “You won’t lose me. We’re getting married. And we’re going to do it not only for our happiness but also because it’s what’s best for our little one. He will not come into this world without bearing his father’s name.”

Kavya eyes search mine before nodding slowly. “We’re getting married,” she whispers, tears spilling over.

I exhale deeply, feeling relieved. I gently wipe the tears from her cheek. “That’s right, sweetheart. We’re getting married. I love you, Kavya. More than anything.”

“I love you too, Reyansh,” she murmurs, burying her face in my neck and wrapping her arms around my neck.

“We can go and talk to Aunty together now,” I whisper softly.

She shakes her head slightly, her face still buried in my neck. “No, I want to do this on my own.”

“Kavya...” I begin, but she puts her finger on my lips and gently cradles my face in her hands.

“Reyansh, I really need to do this alone. It’s important to me.But tomorrow, you can come and talk to Aunty.”

I sigh, not entirely happy with the idea.“I don’t like it, but if that’s what you want. Let me warn you though, tomorrow I won’t be coming alone. It will be me and my parents fixing our wedding dates. I’m done waiting,” I state, make no room for debate.

Her face turns beet red, a smile spreading across her lips. “Okay.”

“That’s my girl,” I say, leaning in for a kiss, but she again places her fingers on my lips to stop me, causing me to groan.

She giggles and says, “This can wait until tomorrow. Right now, you need to leave so I can talk to Aunty.”

“I’ll leave now, but remember this; I’m never letting you go, Kavya,” I say, pulling her into my arms.

I close my eyes and press a kiss to her forehead, breathing in her scent. I should be happy and relaxed now that she has said yes to marry me. I’ve desperately longed to hear that from her. Yet, for some unknown reason,there’s this odd tightness in my chest, this feeling of unease that refuses to subside. It’s like something dark and heavy is looming over us, threatening to take her away from me. I shake off the ominous thoughts and hold Kavya tighter, reassuring myself that she’s right here, and that she’ll never leave me.

Chapter 37

Kavya

“Aunty,” I whisper nervously as I sit beside her on the couch in the living room.She doesn’t look at me or even acknowledge my presence. Her face remains turned away, and I can feel her anxiety more acutely than my own. I knew this confrontation was inevitable; I couldn’t keep my pregnancy hidden, especially from her. Even so, I attempted to delay sharing the news with her, prioritizing my fear of her reaction and completely ignoring the fact that it would ultimately hurt her.

“Aunty, please...” I plead once more, but she stays silent and still.

After Reyansh left, I stayed in my room for a few minutes, desperately trying to come up with something to justify my actions. However, no excuse seemed adequate to repair the trust and faith I had broken.I knew I couldn’t hide in here forever, though.I had to talk to Aunty and ask for her forgiveness. I also knew that I wouldn’t give up until she found it in her heart to forgive me.

“Aunty, please, I am sorry,” I say,gently holding her hands that rest in her lap. She doesn’t answer, but she doesn’t pull away either, and that gives me a little courage to continue. “I was scared to tell you.”

“Scared?” she repeats,finally turning to look at me.I swallow hard and fall silent, seeing the hurt in her eyes. I can see that she’s not angry, just deeply disappointed. The hurt on her face cuts me to the core. Knowing that I am the cause of her pain feels like a heavy weight on my heart. Aunty takes a deep breath before continuing. “Why would you be scared to tell me, Kavya? Why? I’ve always loved you like my own and been here for you through everything, ever since... ever since your parents passed away. Don’t I deserve a little credit here?”

“You do, Aunty. I just didn’t want to burden you with my problems,” I say quietly, lowering my head and nibbling on my bottom lip.

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