Chapter 18: chapter 18

Aarohi sat quietly in the living room as the light chatter between her parents and Vihaan’s parents filled the air. Her gaze was fixed on the floor, the weight of her earlier actions pressing down on her shoulders. She had apologized, and Vihaan’s parents seemed to have accepted her words graciously. But Vihaan... he was a different story.

He hadn’t said much since he arrived, only nodding occasionally or giving short, clipped responses to questions. His cold demeanor made Aarohi uneasy, and every time she dared to glance at him, she found his sharp gaze lingering on her, as if he was silently assessing her.

“Aarohi,” her mother’s voice broke through her thoughts, jolting her slightly. “Why don’t you take Vihaan to the garden? You two should talk for a bit.”

Aarohi froze, her heart racing. The thought of being alone with Vihaan after everything that had happened was terrifying. She could feel his irritation simmering beneath his polite exterior, and the last thing she wanted was to be on the receiving end of his anger.

But there was no way out. She forced a small nod and stood up, her hands trembling slightly. “Sure,” she mumbled, avoiding his gaze.

Vihaan stood as well, his movements deliberate and controlled. “Lead the way,” he said curtly, his voice cold and devoid of any warmth.

As they stepped outside into the garden, the air between them was thick with tension. Aarohi clasped her hands tightly in front of her, her mind racing as she tried to think of something to say, anything to ease the tension. But before she could speak, Vihaan broke the silence.

“So,” he began, his tone sharp, “do you always run away from situations you can’t handle?”

The words hit her like a slap, and she flinched, her cheeks burning with shame. She turned to look at him, but his expression was unreadable, his piercing gaze fixed on her.

“I... I didn’t mean to—” she stammered, but he cut her off.

“Didn’t mean to what? Embarrass your family? Disrespect mine? Or was it just me you wanted to avoid?” His voice was laced with sarcasm, and the bitterness in his tone made her chest tighten.

“I wasn’t trying to disrespect anyone,” she said quietly, her voice trembling. “I just... I didn’t know how to handle everything.”

Vihaan let out a cold laugh, shaking his head. “That’s your excuse? You didn’t know how to handle it, so you thought running away was the best solution? Do you have any idea how humiliating it was for your parents? For mine?”

Aarohi’s eyes filled with tears, but she blinked them back, refusing to let him see how much his words were affecting her. “I said I’m sorry,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Sorry isn’t enough,” he snapped, taking a step closer to her. “Do you think everything can just go back to normal because you apologized? You’re not a child, Aarohi. If you don’t want this marriage, then say it. Stop playing games.”

His words cut deep, and for a moment, Aarohi couldn’t breathe. She felt like a small child being scolded, and the intensity of his anger made her want to shrink away.

“I’m not playing games,” she said, her voice trembling. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. I’m trying to fix things.”

Vihaan’s gaze softened for a fraction of a second before the coldness returned. He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “Fix things?” he repeated, his tone mocking. “Do you even know what you want, Aarohi? Or are you just going along with whatever your parents decide for you?”

Aarohi bit her lip, unable to answer. She didn’t know what she wanted. All she knew was that she had made a mistake, and now she was stuck in a situation she didn’t know how to navigate.

Vihaan stepped back, his expression unreadable. “Look,” he said, his voice calmer but still distant, “I don’t want to be here either. I’ve made it clear to my parents that I’m not interested in this marriage. But that doesn’t mean I’ll tolerate disrespect. If you’re not ready for this, then tell your parents and end it. But don’t waste my time.”

Aarohi’s heart sank at his words. He didn’t want this marriage either. Somehow, hearing him say it out loud made the situation feel even worse. She felt small, insignificant, and completely out of place.

“I understand,” she said quietly, her voice barely audible. “I’ll do better.”

Vihaan gave her one last look, his expression unreadable, before turning and walking back toward the house. Aarohi stood there, frozen, her mind racing.

She had never felt so out of control, so lost. Vihaan’s words echoed in her mind, and the weight of her actions pressed down on her like a heavy blanket. She had thought apologizing would be enough, but now she realized how much damage she had done—not just to her family’s reputation, but to her own as well.

As she slowly made her way back to the house, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Vihaan’s anger wasn’t just about her behavior. It was something deeper, something she couldn’t quite understand. But one thing was clear: she had a long way to go before she could fix what she had broken.