(Flashback)
When I reach the front gates of my house, my hand is as heavy as my heart when I press the bell.
The gate opens automatically. Of course, no one is here to greet me.
I shiver as I take off my shoes and step into the house.
As I enter the living room,I spot my mother & father.
She is sitting in her usual armchair, drinking a cup of tea and my father scrolling through him laptop. She does not even glance at me as I walk up to her.
"Maa," I greet.
She responds by sipping her tea, my father eyes still on his computer screen. After a minute of silence, I start to speak again, but my father clicks his tongue in disapproval, cutting me off.
I purse my lips. I have no choice but to wait an additional humiliating minute for his to finish whatever he is doing on his laptop.
Finally, he nods towards the couch behind me. "Sit down."
He smooths his dark pantsuit before crossing his legs. "We'll chat during dinner. We need to talk as a family."
"About what?" (Shanaya)
"Your future." ( Mr. Singha roy)
My eyebrows twitch. That is vague as hell, but I know my father is not going to elaborate further until dinner.
**********
(At Dinner)
"ENGAGED?! YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY BE SERIOUS RIGHT NOW DAD?!"
"Shanaya I am not explaining it to you again. You will marry the son of Gupta family and I don't want to hear another peep about it. Mr. Gupta and I have already discussed all of the options and this is the one we see as the most solid."
"So you're really ok with marrying off your own daughter for the company's benefit, even if it costs me my happiness?"
"Oh don't be so dramatic, Shanaya. You don't have to worry your dad has already choosed a perfect partner for you, also you might've have know him he in the same school as you, the eldest son of Gupta family Adrit".
While Dad goes on and on about the greatness of the Gupta family for the next ten minutes or so, I shut my brain off and fix my stare on plate.
After that he said, "let's not talk about this, first eat, the food are getting cold"
While they were all eating, the atmosphere seemed strangely frigid, like if someone had died.
"Mom, I am done eating, i am going."
"Where?"
"My room."
I silently went upstairs and into my personal room on the left side.
I took a bath in the room and was presently sleeping on the bed, staring at the ceiling. I wondered how cruel my parents was, to force me into marriage for business.
I hate this.