Beautiful Infatuation

Chapter 64

Sneha tried to breathe calmly.

"We can't marry..." She trailed but he immediately interrupted her.

"Why?" He asked straight-forward.

"Because we don't love each other."

"I love you."

Sneha remained quiet for a while before continuing.

"No, Viraj." Her voice lowered. "You don't love me. It is just your zidd (stubbornness) that you think of as love. You are just infatuated with a person who is not truly me!" She clarified.

"Zidd? You think what I feel for you is plain infatuation?" He asked...every word hitting him like arrows. But, this was just the beginning.

"Yes. Because the person you love is not me."

"What are you even saying, Sneha?" He asked strictly...unable to understand a word.

Sneha took a deep breath...mostly to calm herself. She didn't know how to explain it to him. A part of her mind was genuinely scared of how he would respond.

"Viraj...I...I have been faking everything since I accepted your marriage proposal."

"Faking what?"

"I was faking my love for you. I was accepting your affection even though I hated it. I...smiled for you but internally I was crying. I accepted the gifts you gave me even when I didn't want to. I spent time with you even though I didn't want to..."

"But why? Why did you do it?" He asked in a straight voice. Her words pierced through his heart but he didn't show it...just like he had been suppressing his emotions since childhood.

Sneha sighed.

"Because...I thought it would make you hate me. I thought my clinginess would irritate you and ultimately you will get over this infatuation. I expected you to break this engagement yourself when you'd see how readily I was accepting your advances." She said while looking at the road.

"Are you stupid, Sneha? Why did you think that your affection would irritate me?" He raised his voice, scaring her further.

"B.because you hated this in Nupur."

Viraj's brows furrowed deeply.

"I thought, if you disliked Nupur's way of showing affection, you'd hate me too if I would imitate her." She explained.

Viraj grabbed his forehead as her logic processed in his mind. The deception hurt his heart deeply. It was difficult to even believe that this was happening. Is this a dream, he wondered.

But, he didn't understand one thing.

"Why didn't you tell me directly? Why did you use your brain to come up with this idiotic idea?" He asked in frustration.

Sneha's heartbeat picked up speed again. She didn't want to answer this question...Nor was she ready to hear it.

"I asked you something." He raised his voice again.

"I..." She trailed again.

Viraj took a step forward and grabbed her arm again as she tried to step back. Pulling her close to him, he asked again.

"Why did you lie to me, Sneha? And, don't make me repeat myself again." His voice turned deeper than ever.

Tears raced from her eyes again as she felt captured.

"You...your f.f.father told me...threatened me...to accept your marriage proposal...and to accept your affection. He said he'd kill me and my family if I won't...make you happy or... satisfy you." She unwillingly revealed the truth.