"What's the reason for that? I would love to have you by my side forever," said Adhrit, mustering every bit of strength in himself and he prepared himself for the consequent conversation. He was far from a fool to expect the ship to sail without hitting the rough waters.
His words made her heart race and caused butterflies in her stomach that made it impossible to keep calm. "Perhaps if we had met under different circumstances as different individuals, things could have been different. We could have worked, but now..."
Mitali wore a disturbing smile and didn't finish her sentence.
His mind was consumed with the memory of their initial banters. He couldn't help but feel admiration, even if it was hidden, when she stood her ground during their first encounter. The first rush of adrenaline overwhelmed him when he held her close to avoid raising Purvi's suspicion. Her admirable deeds never failed to match her words of conviction, etching herself into his heart and imprinting herself on his thoughts.
"We cannot change the past, can we?" he asked, looking into her stormy eyes. "Of all the things I'd change, meeting you isn't one of them, Mitali. While the circumstances of our meeting and role assignments were less than ideal, I believe true love stories are never perfect, and I am committed to making our relationship work. I really do."
He suspected he was about to fall for her, but when he confessed his feelings, they found themselves in an impossible situation. His heart's unpredictable rhythm, the comfort he found in her company, the joy he felt when he saw her, the desperate desire to wipe away her tears, and the overwhelming happiness when she smiled - all proved his passionate love for her.
"You do?" She asked him with a rueful smile while observing him. She had grown fond of the honest and sympathetic man before the miscarriage and the resulting turmoil. By respecting her desires, embracing her hobbies, defending her against his family, and even challenging her for her betterment, he concocted a potent enchantment in her heart. Her world fell apart when the life in her womb faded away.
He wrapped his fingers around hers and gently stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "I do. Mitali, you filled my heart with love. I wanted to tell you for a while, but I didn't know how to approach it, and the doctor advised me not to stress you out. The one who holds my heart deserves to know its deepest secret."
"What an irony," she remarked, shaking her head and tilting it to the right. "I spent my whole life waiting for Prince Charming, but now that I have his heart, I'm at a loss for what to do."
"Mitali..."
"Adhrit, have you ever thought about why I suggest we should have met in another world? Love is something I no longer believe in, and you have no faith in marriage. A relationship that lacked definition from both of them. Do you think we can sustain it?" she asked, hints of brine appearing in her eyes as she eyed the disappointment swirling in his eyes.
She didn't intend to cause him pain, but nor was she willing to risk another ambiguous relationship and suffer heartbreak.
"It's emotions, not tags that define relationships, Mitali. Our emotions are powerful enough to sustain any relationship. Our belief in each other is unwavering, regardless of our lack of belief in love or marriage, isn't it? Why can't that be enough?" He asked, his heart in agony with every reply she gave.
He was aware it was more difficult than he could imagine believing in that one emotion that ravaged her life, but he regretted he condemned the one thing he could offer as an assurance to her.
"Adhrit, the thought of believing again terrifies me. Terrified to believe, terrified to love, terrified to fight, maybe even terrified to live. I'm at a loss as to what to do with my life after this pregnancy."
In an effort to stop tears from falling down her face, she bit her lower lip and rolled her eyes. "I am sorry, Adhrit." She embraced him warmly and said, "Believe me when I say this, if things were different and we weren't caught in this maze of insecurities, I would have loved to be yours."
The moment of proximity caused them to lose every inhibition. Their heart bled tears of blood as tears streamed down their face. They both felt remorse as their insecurities prevented them from calming the other, their souls ravaged by past demons that had robbed them of trust.
"I wish I could offer marriage as an assurance to you, Mitali." He held her against his chest as he could hear their hearts racing together in synchronization. "I had lost faith in that institution after witnessing my mother's suffering and institutionalization. Di's ex-husband left her after she suffered a miscarriage. I just knew I could not trust something which destroyed everyone in my family. I am so sorry, Mitali. I wish to alleviate your distress and figure out a way to be together."
"Me, too. I'm sorry about what you experienced before." She sobbed and confessed that she had no right to ask someone to confront their insecurities when she could not do it herself. His embrace provided her with the comfort she had been lacking for years. The warmth, the concern, the protectiveness, and the affection.
So reminiscent of home. How representative of heaven. Radiant with love. "But how I wish we had nothing to bind us, nothing to haunt us, and nothing to torment us!" she said.
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Adhrit confessed. What do you think of their situation? Seven more chapters to go! Please VOTE and COMMENT!
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River & Desert
Romance"There's no need to go searching for a bride, Dadi. We don't need a bride. It's a surrogate that we need. In order to fulfill my obligation, I need a surrogate to bear the heir." **** "We have less than two days left to repay the money," said Mitali...
