The garden was bathed in moonlight, a serene contrast to the storm brewing inside Asha's heart. The evening's formalities had finally concluded, leaving the estate quiet. Asha stood beneath an ancient banyan tree, her fingers trailing over the edges of her saree as she wrestled with her thoughts. She hadn't planned on confronting Rohan tonight, but the weight of unanswered questions was too much to bear.
She heard the crunch of footsteps on the gravel behind her and turned to see Rohan approaching. His posture was hesitant, his hands shoved into his pockets. For a fleeting moment, she saw a shadow of unease cross his face before it was replaced with his usual composed expression.
"I thought I might find you here," he said, his voice low. "It's been a long night."
Asha crossed her arms. "It has. And yet, here we are."
---
A Moment of Honesty
Rohan hesitated, sensing the tension in her tone. "Is everything all right?"
Asha let out a bitter laugh. "Do you think everything is all right? Because it doesn't feel that way to me. You've been distant, polite but detached, as if this engagement is just another business deal. And maybe it is, to you."
Her words hung in the air like a challenge. Rohan sighed and took a step closer, his shoulders slumping slightly.
"You're right," he said. "I've been distant. And it's not fair to you."
Asha raised an eyebrow, her voice softening but still sharp. "Then why? If we're supposed to start a life together, don't I deserve to know what's going on in your mind?"
Rohan looked away, his jaw tightening. For a long moment, he said nothing, as though weighing the cost of honesty.
"I didn't want this," he admitted finally. "Not the engagement, not the expectations. None of it."
Asha's breath caught. While she had suspected as much, hearing it aloud was like a jolt to her system. "Then why agree to it?"
"My family," he said simply. "You've seen what they're like. My father…he's not someone you say no to. And my mother…she means well, but she's always supported his decisions. I didn't have a choice."
---
Shared Vulnerability
Asha took in his words, feeling a pang of recognition. "So, you're trapped too," she said softly.
Rohan's eyes met hers, and for the first time, she saw a flicker of vulnerability. "Yes," he said. "I suppose I am."
There was a silence between them, but it was no longer heavy with tension. Instead, it felt like a fragile thread of understanding, one neither of them had expected.
"I've been struggling with this," Asha confessed. "I don't want to disappoint my parents, but I also can't ignore the voice inside me that says this isn't right. Not like this."
Rohan nodded. "I know the feeling. It's like walking a tightrope, trying to balance everyone's expectations while losing sight of your own."
Asha studied him, her initial anger giving way to curiosity. "Do you think it's possible to find a way forward? One where neither of us has to sacrifice everything?"
"I don't know," Rohan admitted. "But I'd like to try. For both our sakes."
---
A Shocking Revelation
Asha opened her mouth to respond, but Rohan's next words stopped her cold. "You should know something," he said, his voice hesitant. "There's…a part of my life I haven't been completely open about. Something that could change how you see me."
Her stomach tightened. "What do you mean?"
Rohan ran a hand through his hair, clearly struggling to find the right words. "Before all of this—before the engagement—I was in a relationship. Her name was Anjali."
Asha's heart sank. "And?"
"It ended years ago," he continued. "My family found out, and they didn't approve. She wasn't from the 'right' background, and they made it clear that I couldn't be with her if I wanted to remain a part of the family. So…I ended it."
The raw emotion in his voice surprised Asha, but it also stirred a deep unease within her. "Why are you telling me this now?"
"Because you deserve to know," Rohan said. "I don't want there to be any illusions between us. Anjali is in the past, but the choices I made—what I gave up—they still haunt me. And I don't want to make the same mistake again."
Asha took a step back, the weight of his words pressing down on her. "So, what does that mean for us? Am I just another compromise you're making to keep your family happy?"
"No," Rohan said quickly, his voice firm. "I don't see you that way. I don't want this to feel like a compromise for either of us. That's why I'm telling you all of this—because I want us to have a chance, a real chance, even if it's not perfect."
---
A Promise
Asha crossed her arms, her emotions warring within her. Part of her wanted to trust his sincerity, to believe that they could find common ground despite the circumstances. But another part of her couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal, the sense that she was stepping into a life filled with shadows she couldn't fully see.
"I don't know if I can do this," she said finally, her voice trembling. "I don't know if I can trust you."
Rohan's expression softened. "I don't blame you. But I want to earn your trust, Asha. I know this isn't what either of us wanted, but maybe it doesn't have to be as bad as we fear. If you're willing to give me a chance, I'll do everything I can to make this work."
There was a quiet intensity in his words that took Asha by surprise. For the first time, she saw a glimmer of hope—not for a perfect union, but for something genuine, something they could build together if they both tried.
"I can't make any promises," she said after a long pause. "But…I'll think about it."
Rohan nodded. "That's all I can ask."
As he turned to leave, Asha felt a flicker of something she couldn't quite name—an inkling that beneath the weight of their shared burdens, there might be a spark worth nurturing.
---
The Seed of Doubt
That night, as Asha lay in bed, her thoughts were a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Rohan's honesty had shaken her, leaving her questioning not only his intentions but also her own.
Could she trust him? Could she trust herself to make the right decision?
And yet, amidst her doubts, there was a small voice inside her that whispered of possibility—a chance to rewrite the narrative they had both been handed.
For the first time since the engagement had been announced, Asha allowed herself to consider the idea that perhaps, just perhaps, she and Rohan could find a way forward together.
But the road ahead would not be easy, and as she drifted off to sleep, she knew that the choices they made in the days to come would shape not only their futures but also the fragile bond that was beginning to form between them.