Could This Be Love

Chapter 1 ❤

Hey everyone, I am Hritika and this is my story. A journey, I want to pen into the walls of romances. But I beg you do not only make love out of it, this is a story of love, marriage, broken promises, building strength, distress. A rollercoaster ride.

I was a happy, happy child. My father's properties and enterprises extended around the world. By the age of 10 I had everything one could imagine in their whole lives. Luxury was all I knew of. But maybe that was my biggest enemy.

It was a bright day, I was as young as of 11, and we were returning from a weekend trip. I remember that to be one of the loveliest memories of my parents until tragedy struck. I still can feel the cries, the helplessness in my heart— a scar I can not erase no matter how hard I've tried to.

A truck hit our car from nowhere it was my father who threw me out of the car before I fainted, before the car blasted as I heard later. A happy family of three to nothing, everything I could have to just dust and bad memories. I remember being in hospital with no one to supervise for months, then I was shifted to mental care unit, then to therapy for years until it was all stopped and I was taken in by my uncle.
It was my father's house that they moved in with the promise they would look after me. Most of my father's properties as I got to know later in life were taken up by my uncle.

I remember them moving every furniture which held so many memories to my heart. I remember them erasing the last traces of my parents' livelihood from the house. The fiesty Hritika became someone who could not talk. The bubbly little child became a mum kid roaming like shadows– unknown of her own being.

Grateful I am, for they took me up, gave me the presence of people whom I shared bloodlines with but it pained me much to lose myself to everything life had to present. It pained me to feel like a burden within the premises of my own father's empire.

My education was switched to public schools, but I knew better than to let my destiny control my future. I worked hard through school to collect enough for an ivy league college in America but it wasn't enough. I had to work two jobs besides college to have something to eat when I come back home.

With pennies, I started my own businesses and my medical practice in cardiology.

It was the day of my parents' death anniversary and I was called to India for the puja, when I reached there was nothing but a family leaving with smiling faces congratulating my uncle and aunt. The day went quite astonishing with my aunt being too nice to me until the malice was unleashed and I was told "My marriage has been 'fixed' "

I was shocked to the core, how can someone tell me whom to marry? How can someone make such an announcement without my approval?

"Child, your father would have wanted the same. For you to get married now. They are rich and they are willing to marry you!" The aunty said.

"Don't bring my father into this. This is my birth right to choose whoever I want to marry"

"Honey, please do not make a scene. I spent all my life trying to look for you and it's enough. We have been doing this for years, selflessly, trying to be there for you."

"And yet leaving me on the days I needed you the most, leaving me with pennies in my own property!"

"Oh hush, if it hadn't been us you'd be crying in an orphanage without knowing where even your properties are! Bhaisa'ab was blessed to have us that it is only us who are safeguarding his properties. You would have lost everything anyway!"

"For God's sake, stop this. I did not work my way out of here only to be dancing on your words. I won't marry anyone."

"You ungrateful brat! We ask for a pay back and this is your way!"

"Why...? Why would you do this to me? What is there for you in this?"

"We need the money. We need this money."

"Stop lying. You've taken up my father's earnings of his whole life! What more you want?"

The aunt was sweating a bit with everything going on "Your uncle needed them."

"All those hundred millions for what??"

"He lost it in a gamble"

"All my father's hard earned money....to gambling...?" I felt heartbroken, as if I had lost a part of my father from myself.

"Yes, he's sorry but he needs the money you know it. He's severely ill."

"What? This is ridiculous! I can help you with money. I won't get married"

Something spiked aunt's anger "I didn't want to say it, but you have left me with no option!! We just want to wed you to another family and just- just live in peace!!! It's been exhausting having you and providing for you and your being in some other country and people questioning us all the time. We don't want that anymore. I have a daughter myself and I understand what you feel without a mother-"

I silently protested "No..you don't.."

"No I do! I do! I have done whatever I could. It's just us as a family are going through a lot..and you are- you are- you're being a-"

"Burden."

"We just don't want to keep answering questions of your absence on behalf of your parents. It's not our responsibility!"

I pulled up my hair in a tight bun, this was too much for me "Leave"

"What!?"

"Leave, please."

"Not until I have your consent"

"As if it matters now that you have already consented"

"We're not that evil to marry you off without your consent but I want you to know it would cause us much shame- to our and your parents' name to call off something we have gave our word for."

"Then that is it. You have already decided for me. Please leave now."

"So you'll marry??? Please meet the guy once! When shall I ask them to meet you!?"

"I think the fact that you're kicking me out of my own bloodline and calling me a burden and consenting a marriage without asking me, and whatever all you did, is enough of drama. I don't wanna meet the guy. I don't wanna meet any of them."

"Ah, so backdated. Now people date and now arranged marr-"

"I SAID LEAVE!!"