Chapter 23

The sunlight streamed through the half-open blinds, and Mayank slowly stirred, blinking against the brightness. The room felt too quiet—still—and for a moment, it almost felt as though the past few days had been a dream. He stretched, his body aching from the long flight back to Dubai, but something deeper inside him was gnawing at him. He could feel the distance in the air, the change, the shift.

He could see her sitting on the couch through the gap in the door, engrossed in something on the screen. The sight of her, calm and composed, reminded him of how different everything felt now.

With a quiet sigh, he pushed the blankets off his legs and got out of bed. The familiar, well-worn motions of his routine gave him a small sense of stability as he made his way to the bathroom. The warm water from the shower relaxed his tense muscles, but as his mind drifted back to India, to the wedding, to Niharika, a wave of unease washed over him. It wasn't that he didn't care about her. He did—more than he cared to admit—but the reality of being married to someone he hadn't truly gotten to know was sinking in. How was he supposed to do this?

He dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans, the casual attire feeling natural but a little too laid-back for the gravity of his situation. After running a hand through his hair, he walked out into the living room, his eyes landing on Niharika. She was sitting on the couch, her legs tucked under her, eyes glued to the TV.

Niharika turned her head as she heard him approach, offering a small smile. "Good morning," she said, her voice warm.

"Morning," Mayank replied, trying to mask his thoughts behind a neutral expression. "I'm meeting Arjun and Imran today."

She nodded, her gaze flickering back to the TV. "Okay. Have fun."

Mayank found himself walking out the door with a heavy heart—guilty of his double mind for her. His mind was clouded, but he needed a break, some space to breathe.

When Mayank met Arjun and Imran, they were already sitting in a café, waiting for him. The moment he arrived, they immediately started teasing him, their usual banter filling the air. But today, there was something more serious in their voices, something underlying their jokes.

"You look like you just saw a ghost, bro," Arjun said, raising an eyebrow. "What's going on?"

Mayank dropped into the chair across from them, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know, man. It's just... weird. I never thought this would be how it went. One minute, I'm at a Ganesh Pooja, the next, I'm married. Everything's changed."

Imran leaned forward, his expression serious. "You know what I think? I think you're lucky. Niharika, man... She's someone you should be holding on to."

Mayank let out a small laugh, though it was more of a sigh than anything else. "I don't know about that. I mean, Zaina was—well, you know. She was my type, the kind of girl I thought I could be with."

Arjun gave him a pointed look. "Man, you've got to stop comparing Niharika to Zaina. You've already seen the difference. Zaina was pretty, sure, but she was never really the kind of girl you could take home to your family. You saw how Niharika handled everything in Indore. She was calm, composed, handling the aunties, the questions, the pressure. You think Zaina could have done that?"

Mayank frowned, his fingers absently tapping on his coffee cup. He hadn't really thought about it like that. Zaina was fun, confident, easy to talk to. But Niharika had a presence. She had that way about her that made everything seem easier, more approachable. She'd handled everything with such grace, from the endless rounds of introductions to the well-meaning but intrusive questions from the relatives.

"You saw how she was in Indore, right?" Imran continued. "She wasn't just sitting there, acting shy. She was talking to everyone, joking with the aunties, making everyone feel comfortable. Zaina would have been... I don't know, lost in all that. She wouldn't have been able to handle it."

Mayank's thoughts drifted back to the wedding in Indore. He remembered the way Niharika had lit up the room, how she had smiled at the aunties, answered their questions with such ease, and even cracked jokes with his uncles. She was effortlessly engaging, something Zaina had never quite managed, despite how much he liked her.

Arjun gave him a pointed look. "Man, you have to stop thinking that Zaina was your answer. She was good for a good time, sure. But when it comes to building a life, handling a family, you need someone like Niharika. Yeah, she's not the typical 'model' type, but she's a wife in the truest sense."

Imran nodded. "Look, you don't marry a 'model face,' Mayank. You marry someone who will support you, who will be there for you when times get tough. Niharika's the one. She's calm, she's confident, she knows who she is. That's what you need in a wife, man."

Mayank's mind started to process what they were saying. He'd been so caught up in his own confusion and his own thoughts that he hadn't seen it before. Niharika wasn't just a stranger he had to get used to. She was someone who could actually help him navigate everything. She was someone who had already shown him so much about what it meant to be strong, kind, and dependable.

Arjun and Imran's words echoed in his mind, and for the first time, Mayank started to see it. Niharika wasn't just someone who was married to him out of obligation—she was someone who could actually fit into his life. She was the one who would handle the chaos, who would hold his hand through the tough times, and who would make everything work.

"Alright, alright," Mayank said finally, rubbing his eyes. "I get it. Maybe I've been overthinking it."

Imran grinned. "You're lucky, man. You've got a good one."

Arjun leaned back in his chair, looking satisfied. "I don't know if you've realized it yet, but she's a keeper. Niharika may not be whatever you were expecting, but she's got something way more important—she's got the kind of heart you need in a wife. The kind of heart that lasts."

Mayank looked at his friends, feeling a shift inside himself. Maybe he had been too focused on the surface of things, too worried about whether he was making the right choice. But as he thought about Niharika, about how she had been there for him without asking for anything in return, how she had handled the madness of the wedding, he realized something. She wasn't just a wife by default—she was the kind of woman he needed, the one who could stand by him, the one who could help him grow.

Mayank leaned back in his chair, letting his friends' words sink in. The bustling café around them faded into the background as his mind swirled with images of Niharika. Her laugh as she had playfully teased her younger cousins in Indore, the way she had sat through endless rounds of introductions with a serene smile, and how effortlessly she had managed to navigate his family's expectations. He'd taken it all for granted in the moment, dismissing it as part of the situation. But now, as he reflected, he realized how much effort she'd put in without making it seem like a chore.

"She was confident in school, too, you know," Arjun said, breaking into his thoughts. "You might've forgotten, but Niharika always had this... thing about her. She didn't need to be loud or flashy to get noticed. She was just... solid. Reliable. And that's rare."

"Exactly," Imran chimed in. "She's not the type to need constant validation. She knows who she is. Zaina was always looking for attention—whether it was from you or someone else. Niharika? She doesn't need that. She gives without expecting much back. That's gold, man."

Mayank frowned, a pang of guilt twisting in his chest. He hadn't meant to compare them so directly, but now that he was being forced to, the differences were glaring. Zaina was glamorous, yes, but she had always been about the moment—living in it, enjoying it, and moving on. Niharika was about permanence, about building something meaningful.

"You saw her in Indore," Arjun pressed. "She wasn't just 'managing' things, Mayank. She was thriving. She was the life of the wedding—talking to people, making them feel included, handling everything with so much grace. Not to mention—she's super fun! That's what your family needs. That's what you need."

Mayank exhaled slowly, running a hand over his face. He thought back to how his mom had mentioned, more than once, how much she appreciated Niharika's demeanor. His dad, too, had been impressed by how well she'd blended into the family dynamic. It wasn't just about being polite—it was about being present, about genuinely caring. And Niharika had done all of that without even seeming like she was trying.

"Yeah, but..." Mayank hesitated, unsure if he should voice his lingering doubts. "She's not exactly... I mean, she doesn't have that... spark, you know?"

Arjun snorted. "Spark? Mayank, let me ask you this—when you think about spending the rest of your life with someone, do you want a 'spark' or do you want stability? Do you want someone who's fun for a few months or someone who's got your back for the long haul?"

Imran nodded. "And don't confuse 'spark' with looks or glamour. Sure, Zaina might've turned heads, but think about it—when you're dealing with real life, with challenges, who do you want beside you? The girl who's more worried about her next Insta post, or the one who knows how to calm a room full of relatives?"

Mayank couldn't argue with that. He'd seen it firsthand—how Niharika had navigated the chaos in Indore, how she'd stepped up without being asked, how she'd brought a sense of calm and order to everything. She wasn't loud or showy, but she didn't need to be. Her presence was enough.

"She's not loud," he murmured, more to himself than to them. "But she's... steady. Consistent."

Arjun smirked. "Exactly. She's not about the drama, and that's what makes her stand out. You don't need someone who's constantly making a scene. You need someone who knows how to handle the real stuff."

Mayank thought back to the little moments—the way Niharika had quietly made sure his mom had eaten during the wedding, the way she'd laughed with his cousins, the way she'd made everyone feel included without drawing attention to herself. He'd been so caught up in his own head that he hadn't really seen her for who she was. But now, he was starting to.

"She's not just wife material," Imran said, leaning forward. "She's the kind of wife you'll thank yourself for choosing. Maybe you didn't see it before, but now's your chance, bro. Don't mess this up."

Mayank's jaw tightened, a wave of conflicting emotions washing over him. He'd been holding onto his doubts, his fears, his reluctance. But now, as he sat there with his friends, he felt those walls beginning to crack. Niharika wasn't perfect—nobody was—but she was exactly what he needed. She was patient, kind, and strong in ways he hadn't appreciated before.

"I don't know if I can just flip a switch," he admitted. "It's not like I can suddenly be this perfect husband or whatever."

"You don't have to be perfect," Arjun said simply. "You just have to try. That's all she probably wants. For you to try."

Mayank nodded slowly, their words sinking in. Maybe he hadn't given this marriage the attention it deserved. Maybe he'd been too focused on what he thought he wanted, instead of appreciating what he had. And maybe—just maybe—this wasn't just an arrangement. Maybe it was an opportunity.

He looked up at his friends, a small, determined smile tugging at his lips. "Alright," he said quietly. "I'll give this a proper try. A real try."

Arjun and Imran grinned, clapping him on the back. "That's more like it," Arjun said. "Trust us, Mayank. You've got something special. Don't let it slip away."

As they continued talking, Mayank felt a sense of clarity he hadn't had in weeks. He wasn't sure where this path would lead, but for the first time, he was willing to walk it—with Niharika. And that, he realized, was the first step toward something real.

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