Anya walked into her room and stepped under the shower. As the cold water cascaded down, it washed away the vermillion from her forehead, along with the last remnants of her shattered dreams. She slowly sank to the floor, letting her tears mix with the flowing water, and before she knew it, she was lost in the pages of her past.
A Few Pages from the Past...
Anya had just finished teaching and was about to leave the classroom when a little boy approached her, holding out a card.
"Teacher, this is for you!" he said excitedly.
She took the card from his hands and opened it. Inside, there was a single red rose, and on the card, written in bold letters, was just one word—"Sorry."
Anya looked at the boy curiously. "Who gave this to you?" she asked.
The child pointed ahead, and as she walked forward, she saw more children standing in the corridor, holding balloons, cards, and flowers. The entire hallway was filled with "Sorry" messages.
Just as she took another step forward, a young girl came and handed her a massive bouquet.
Anya frowned. "Who gave you this?"
The girl, like the others, pointed forward.
And there he was.
Leaning casually against his car, wearing sunglasses—Arnav.
The moment he saw Anya approaching, he removed his glasses and looked away, acting as if he wasn't aware of her presence.
Anya crossed her arms. "What is all this? Have you come here to disturb me even at work? As far as I remember, I already gave you my answer that night at the party!"
Arnav folded his hands in front of her. "I am officially here to apologize for my mistake that night. I'm truly sorry, Anya."
She scoffed. "Is this how you say sorry? With all these theatrics?"
Realizing that everyone in the orphanage—the children, the teachers, and even the staff—were watching them, she lowered her voice.
"Please, just leave. I don't want to talk about that night, and I certainly don't need your apology!"
Arnav shook his head. "But I need your forgiveness."
He took a deep breath and continued. "I should have apologized that night itself, but honestly, I didn't have the courage to face you again. But the more I got to know you, the more I…" he hesitated for a second before saying, "I fell in love with you, Anya."
Anya looked at him, her eyes filled with disbelief. "Stay within your limits and leave. Stop making a scene."
But instead of leaving, Arnav suddenly dropped to his knees.
"Please, forgive me. If you don't, I swear I will stay right here, day and night, without food or water. I will only leave this place if I die or if you accept my apology!"
Anya panicked. "Fine! Fine! I forgive you! Now just leave!"
Arnav smirked. "I won't follow you anymore, but I will always stand beside you." He took her hands in his. "Anya, I want to spend my life with you. I know I might be a stranger to you, but every relationship starts somewhere, right? Give me a chance."
He looked into her eyes and said, "I was always afraid of relationships. Maybe I never trusted myself to handle one. But then I met you. And for the first time, I realized what it meant to truly care for someone. Anya, I want to be with you."
She shook her head. "How can you be so sure?"
Arnav chuckled. "You don't know me, Anya. But I know you. I followed you—college, school, the orphanage, social media, your friend circle—I learned everything about you. I'm sorry, but that's the truth."
Anya's eyes widened. "That sounds more like an obsession."
Arnav sighed. "No, it's not. I was simply impressed by you, and the more I learned about you, the stronger my feelings became. If I wanted, I could have met you anywhere, but that would have been wrong. I know how much this orphanage means to you, so I came here to speak with you in front of the people you consider family."
The orphanage priest, who had been silently watching, finally spoke. "We'll discuss Anya's decision later. But today, I must say, I admire your courage. It's rare to see someone as wealthy as you, yet without arrogance."
Arnav smiled. "My courage comes from my honesty. But in the end, the real question is—will Anya give me a chance?"
Back to the Present...
Anya shivered as the cold water made her skin numb. Coming back to her senses, she quickly wiped her tears, changed her clothes, and picked up a large box from her room.
She walked out into the terrace, placed the box down, and opened it. Inside were all the gifts Arnav had given her over time.
Without hesitation, she set them on fire.
As the flames rose, she picked up a clay pot filled with water and began circling the fire seven times. With each round, her determination grew stronger.
When she completed the seventh round, she smashed the pot on the ground, watching the water mix with the ashes of her past.
She whispered, "Today, I have burned every feeling I had for you, Arnav. Every emotion, every memory, every bond—we're left with only one connection now—hatred. And I will show you how deep hatred can go. From this moment on, I only wish for one thing—that you fall in love with someone, and she never loves you back. Only then will you understand what true suffering feels like."
Meanwhile, on the Other Side...
Arnav couldn't sleep that night. Restless, he walked to the balcony and lit a cigarette.
As he exhaled the smoke into the night air, a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around him from behind.
"You love me, don't you?" Vedika whispered. "That's why you married me, right?"
Hearing her words, Arnav stiffened. Within seconds, he turned around and grabbed her by the throat, pinning her against the wall.
Bringing his face dangerously close to hers, he smirked. "You already know, Vedika, that Arnav Trivedi can never love anyone."
Vedika's eyes widened in fear.
"So tell me," he continued in a dangerously low voice, "what made you think I would love you?"
He loosened his grip and laughed coldly. "I married you because I had already announced to the world that I would. And when I say something, I make sure to fulfill it. That's who I am."
Stepping away, he shot her a mocking glance. "You're my best friend, aren't you? Then you should know me better than anyone else. Just stay in this house, be my perfect little wife. You'll have money, status, and respect. But love? Never."
With that, he turned around and walked away, leaving Vedika standing there, trembling in silence.