"I want to meet him," I insisted.
"Are you out of your mind? You can't meet him!" he yelled again.
"And why is that?"
"What's going on here?" Rishi barged into his study room.
"Hey Ri," I said hugging him.
"What's up, Lee!" Rishi replied enthusiastically, hugging me back.
We broke the hug.
"Nothing, just your dear father here wants to exchange me to some mafia boss in return for the money he can't pay," I said, as if it were the most common thing in the world to get sold.
"He did what now?!" Rishi shouted unbelievably.
"Yeah, he can't pay 10 million so he decided to exchange me, so he won't have to pay that money," I explained.
"It was him who offered this deal," Uncle said, justifying himself.
"And can I ask, what did you do with that money? Because as far as I know, you don't have any expenses for the house as well as Tanisha's study. So, what did you do with that money?" Rishi asked calmly, although he looked like he was about to burst from anger.
"That's not the way you talk to your father, Rishi!" Uncle Hardik yelled.
The audacity of this man!
"That's exactly the way to talk to the man who is selling his niece for money!" Rishi retorted.
"I am not selling her!" Uncle defended.
"That's exactly what you are doing, Dad," Rishi argued.
"Ri, please calm down. I want to meet him, and I will do what I have to do," I tried to calm him.
"You can't meet him, Lee. It is dangerous," Ri said worriedly.
"Dad, I'm asking you the last time. Where did you use that much money?" Rishi asked again.
"I used it in games and drinks," he shamelessly admitted.
I can't believe him! He wasted 10 freaking million in gambling and drinking!
"Are you for real, Dad?"
Suddenly, my phone rang, grabbing our attention. I looked at the caller ID and smiled, answering the call.
"Hey Ry, just give me a minute," I said as soon as I answered the call and muted it. Turning towards my Uncle, I said,
"Do whatever you want, but I want to meet him by tomorrow itself, or else I'm running from here, and you can go to hell for all I care!"
"Excuse me, Ri. I'll be back soon," I said, showing him my phone that I have a call to attend. He nodded in understanding.
I went to Tanisha's room where I stay whenever I come over. As I entered inside, the first thing I did was lock the door, but unfortunately, Tanisha was there, studying. She gave me a confused look. I ignored her and went towards the balcony in her room, showing her the phone in my hand. She gave me a knowing look and a teasing smile. I smiled back and closed the door of the balcony, as I didn't want to disturb her.
As soon as I unmuted the call, I heard his soft and loving voice.
"Hey, love."
Ryan said from the other side, hearing him, my eyes welled up.
"Hi Ry." My voice came out weak and broken.
"Lee, are you alright? What happened? Are you crying?" He asked, his voice filled with concern.
"No. I am not okay."
"What happened..."
"Ry, please listen to me very carefully..."
"I am listening, love."
"Ryan."
"Yes?"
"We need to end this."
He immediately started panicking. "What!? Why? Did I do something? Is this because I went on a trip without informing you, or you don't feel anything for me or...."
I cut him off. "Ry, please calm down."
"How can I calm down? I love you, why would you end things with me? That too, on a phone!"
His voice came desperate from the other end.
"It's just because we can't continue this. I got a situation, and now we can never be together."
"Is this because you don't love me? But you told me you will give this relationship a chance, and you told me that you like me. Please don't do this with me. I love you so much, Lee. It's okay if you don't love me back, but please don't break up with me. I will..."
I again cut him off, saying,
"I love you too, Ry." My voice came out low. The silence was all I could hear from the other side.
"Why?" He whispered.
"My Uncle had debt which he can't pay, and now he wants me to marry that person. So, now I have to pay off his debt by marrying him."
"Then we will pay his debt off. You don't have to marry him."
"We can't! I can't let your hard-earned money go like this. Just because my Uncle wasted them on gambling, I can't let your hard work go! It's for me to fight."
"Sweetheart, I'll earn that money back. But I can't lose you, love."
"You have to, Ry. He is very dangerous, and he has threatened that if I don't marry him, he'll kill everyone in this family."
"Then let him!"
As soon as those words left his mouth, I lost it!
"Are you out of your mind? I love you, that doesn't mean I love them any less! And you want them dead for what? So we can be together?! Sorry, but I'm not as selfish as you are! Or I can say I'm very selfish to leave you for them. So please forgive me if we can't be together because I love them more, and they are the only family I have!"
I yelled at him! Tears were continuously flowing from my eyes.
"Lee, I didn't mean it like that! I am so sorry, please don't go."
"You made your intention very clear, Ryan. Maybe this is the last time we are talking..."
"Shivaleeka, I dare you to do that!"
"Goodbye, Ryan."
"Shivaleeka, don't..."
I hung up the call before I couldn't control myself. I and Ryan were together for almost a year now. We were best friends, but then things changed; he confessed that he loves me. We started dating. I didn't love him at first, but then he was so sweet that I couldn't help myself.
I placed my palms on my face and cried; this is not how we thought we would be. We had planned our future together! I was going to confess that I love him. We were going to get engaged. Now everything is ruined because of my Uncle!
I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see who it was. Tanisha was standing behind me with teary eyes, which means she heard everything. Now I curse myself for putting my phone on speaker. She hugged me, and I hugged her back, pressing my face against her stomach.
"Di, you don't have to do this. I am his daughter, I will marry that person. You don't have to be in this mess!"
I stood up and cupped her face.
"No Isha, you are still young and studying, you have a bright future ahead, and now this is my mess to handle. Everything will be alright, trust me."
I said, but I myself don't know how everything is going to be alright.
"But di..."
"No argument on this, Tanisha. Go to sleep, I'll join you soon."
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