Page 132 of One Hellish Wedlock
Whatever I feel for you now has nothing to do with Noor Mahal. I don’t care about that property anymore.
The deal we had between us for Di’s sake is void.
You’ve changed, Aanya. And I want to see you get every bit of happiness you deserve… even if that doesn’t include me. That’s how much I care for you.
As for this marriage, we might not have taken vows, followed rituals, or had the perfect beginning. But it still means something to me. A lot, in fact. Don’t end it in anger. Take your time. When you truly know what you want, I’ll be here, no matter what that decision is.
And if, by some miracle, you choose to give us another shot… I’ll consider myself the luckiest man alive. I don’t want to lose you, Aanya. And I’ll say it again and again, countless times, if it helps you believe it.
I know it’s not easy for you to take that leap of faith again on me, or on this marriage. But if you do, I swear I won’t let you down. I’ll earn back your trust, your respect… everything I failed to hold onto the first time. That’s my promise to you. Just keep an open heart when you rethink what this marriage still means to us, because I haven’t given up on it… or on you.
Tomorrow when you leave, I won’t come to see you off. I don’t have the strength for that, and I doubt you’d want to see me either.
So here’s my goodbye… and my blessing.
Be happy. Be fierce. Be free.
Always yours,
Reyansh.
Tears spilled freely as she finished reading. Her hands trembled, and her heart felt like it had been cracked wide open. What had he done to her? With just a few words, Reyansh had managed to unearth all the emotions she had buried beneath denial and pride.
He wasn’t stopping her. And she… she wasn’t running either.
For now, they were walking separate paths. But perhaps they were still destined to meet at the same end. And when that moment would come in future, they’d both know exactly what they wanted.
Chopra Mansion
Aanya returned home from work and completed her packing. She knew Reyansh wasn’t home, and from his letter, she already understood that he wouldn’t be facing her again before her departure. Yet, the thought gnawed at her. Was he repeating history by ignoring her the same way he had after their marriage? No. This time it felt different. He wasn’t ignoring her to hurt her… he was keeping his distance to avoid causing her any more pain. For once, he was giving her the freedom to choose. And even if she didn’t like the way it felt, she knew in her heart, he was trying to support her.
As she folded clothes and zipped her luggage, her thoughts stayed tangled in that truth. She had an early morning flight, but there was one last task left to complete before she could leave this house behind. She opened her purse and pulled out the keys to Chopra Mansion, the very keys Radhika had once handed her with so much hope. It was time to return them to Nani. Shedidn’t want another confrontation, especially not now. But this had to be done.
Knocking softly on the door to Nani’s room, she entered to find the elderly woman reading a holy book. Nani looked up, unsurprised. She clearly knew about Aanya’s departure the next day. The older woman’s expression turned bitter the moment their eyes met.
Aanya stepped forward and placed the keys on the table.
“These keys,” she said.
Nani’s smile curved, more of a smirk than anything else.
“I knew they’d return to me soon.” Nani sneered. “Didn’t think it would be this soon. Honestly, I still can’t figure out what Radhika ever saw in you.”
Aanya clenched her jaw but didn’t lose her composure.
“Di is too kind,” she replied. “But you… you’ve lived longer, met more people, seen more of the world. And yet, you failed to see what she did.”
Nani rose from her seat, eyes narrowing. “What are you trying to say?”
“Thatismy point,” Aanya replied, her voice ice-cool. “It doesn’t matter what I do, how I speak, or how hard I try. Your mind is made up. And frankly, I’m done trying to win approval I never asked for.”
