2. The Meeting

Amari sat there on the table for a few more minutes before finally pulling her self up from the table and moving towards her mother's room

She knew she had to inform her mother about her decision which will be better before someone else does, which will hurt her Maa more.

From childhood she has seen her mother struggling because of her father who never supported her in any way. From taking care of children to doing all house chores her mother used to do everything alone without any help from someone.

Her father's role was limited only till earning just enough to feed all of them because the rest of his money was for his alcohol and gambling.

She has survived everything for her children with hope that one day her children can stand on their feet but today Amari feels like she is going to break that little hope of her by doing something

I didn't know how to say it.

Not because I hadn’t made up my mind, but because some truths are too heavy to carry in words. They sit inside your chest like stones and rattle every time you try to speak.

I found her in the bedroom, sitting near the window, her shawl pulled tight around her frail shoulders. She looked smaller lately. More fragile than I remembered. The medicine bottles on the nightstand glared back at me like reminders of the clock always ticking too loud.

She looked up and smiled when she saw me—tired, but warm. “You’ve been up all night,” she said, concern creasing her forehead. “Did you eat?”

I nodded. Lied.

I sat down beside her, my hands clasped tightly in my lap to keep from shaking. “Ma,” I began, but my voice cracked. I swallowed hard. “I need to tell you something.”

She tilted her head, the way she always did when she sensed I was building up to something I didn’t want to say.

“There’s… a way to take care of everything,” I whispered. “The bills, the rent, Aman’s school. All of it.”

Her brow furrowed, and that faint smile faded. “What do you mean?”

I took a breath that felt like drowning.

" I have said yes to Mr. Mehrotra"

She flinched upon hearing, just a little. Enough that I saw it. Enough that my heart sank further.

Her eyes welled with tears, and it made everything ache. “Amari, no. You can’t—”

“I already said yes.”

There. I’ve done it. The stone in my chest dropped with the weight of finality.

She reached for my hand, her fingers cold and trembling. “You can’t trade your life like this. For us? For survival?”

I blinked hard, trying not to cry again. “It’s not just survival anymore, Ma. It’s drowning. Every day. I can’t keep watching Aman lose his future. I can’t keep watching you suffer through pain because we’re waiting on medicine we can’t afford.”

She shook her head, grief spilling down her cheeks. “But this… this isn’t fair to you.”

I smiled then. Broken, tired. "Zindagi lambe samay se humare sath fair nhi thi. Me bus kam mushkilo vala rasta dhundh rhi hoon. "

("Life hasn’t been fair to any of us for a long time. I’m just trying to find the least cruel path forward.” )

She sat there weeping silently while her hand gripping mine tightly like she wants to pull me back. Back when everything was normal but, was there a part of our lives where it was all normal ?

I leaned in resting my forehead against her.

" Ek akhri baar karne do Maa. Ek baar khudgarz banane do, ab thak chuki hu me bhag bhag kar "

( Let me do this one last time Maa. Let me be selfish, now I'm tired of running )

Neither of us spoke after that. Just the quite sound of tears falling into spaces between mother and daughter.

The evening came by quickly and now we were all sitting in living room munching snacks that I ordered.

Last few days has been too much that we forgot how to be normal. I was in my own thought when i hear Aman's voice

" So Didi now you are going to be wife of business tycoon Laksh Mehrotra?? "

He said so casually making me smile because we have just told him the upper layer, he don't need to know everything that we are facing he is too small for all this.

" Hmm" i said simply trying to brush it

"So can I meet him? I have only seen his picture and read article about his works "

He said with dreamy eyes. I know he is huge fan of all business tycoons and Laksh is no different.

" Pehle teri didi toh mil le unse uske baad tu bhi mil lena "

Maa said interrupting him and smiled at me.

Just then my phone again popped with a message.

" You have a meeting with Laksh tomorrow morning my driver will pick you up at 9. Meet him once so that you know what you are walking into then we can finalize wedding preparations "

It was from Mr. Mehrotra.

Looking at the message I wondered if meeting him will even change anything to me. Perhaps I will get a glimpse of what I'm putting myself in ?

But then I looked at my family and that thought vanished in the air. No matter what it is but if this decision of mine helps me to keep their smile unharmed I'll walk even on burning coal.

And as far as I have learned about Mr. Mehrotra he won't waste any time before trying our knot that's why I have taken leave from work to spend it with my family.

After spending a few more hours together gossiping and chatting we all left to our own room's as we didn't had any appetite for dinner after snacks.

Just as I laid once again looked at the phone screen and remembered the message of Mr. Mehrotra and soon I was engulfed in slumber.

• In the Morning •

I woke up to the sound of my alarm and my hands itself went to shut it down, laying for few more seconds I stood up knowing a long day awaits for me.

I look at the clock hanging in my room which shows 5 am. Its my daily routine now to wake up this early because I have to get ready along with making breakfast and lunch for Aman as well I can't risk letting my Maa do all the work in such condition so this is the least I can do to help her.

Taking a quick shower of 5 minutes I ran to the mandir in our house then kitchen and made poha, aloo paratha, sabji and sheera for bhog.

By 8 I was done with everything and Aman has also left for his school so I thought to get ready and inform Maa that I'm going to meet him.

Now that I remember I have to meet him my heart just won't stop beating i mean it's not like I haven't seen any of his picture but meeting him in real Is different and that too meeting him as is future partner is too different.

I want to know why has he agreed to marry me or like me he is also left with no choice. Looking at their wealth and fame i doubt why they would want a girl like me to marry in their house?? when they can have any rich, powerful and famous girl for him.

Brushing all these thoughts away I took a simple white suit and decided to wear it as this looks simple and decent according to me.

(This is just my reference you can imagine any other dress you want)

With simple makeup I look myself and left to Maa's room and saw her taking her medicine while sitting on the side of bed

" Maa "

She immediately looks at me and smiled

" Vaah tum toh bohot sundar lag rhi ho. Khi jana hai kya?"

( You are looking very beautiful. Do you have to go somewhere? )

She asked. " Ab-b vo me Mr. Mehrotra ke bete se milne jaa rhi hu "

I said looking anywhere but her because I know I should have informed her before about this but she didn't seem disappointed instead she called me towards her and applied kajal behind my ear.

" Jao mil lo aur agar milne baad tumhe esa lage ki vo sahi insaan nhi hai toh zhizhakna matt mana karne se. Me tumhare sath hu "

( Go and meet him and if you feel he is not good person than don't hesitate to back off. I'm there with you )

Hearing her i got relief and hugged her tightly while kissing her cheeks and stood up

" Thik hai me nikalti hu gaadi bahar khadi hai lene k liye "

( Okay I should take my leave now the car is waiting for me outside )

I stepped out and saw a black luxurious car standing there and a man who i guessed is a driver because of uniform standing there to take me.

I quickly sat inside and door was shut closed no words exchange and I think it's better that way cause I need some time to gather my thoughts.

I looked at the view which was passing by and saw how busy city streets were fading into greener posh area but that was the least concern cause now that I'm sitting here I don't know what should I talk about with him.

What should I say? That I'm forced into this marriage which I can't even say forced because I was given a choice or if I explain to him my situation will he understand? Or will he behave like rich lad I have seen in movies.

All my thought came to halt after I felt car has stopped at the big mansion. Big was very small word in front of this Mansion which feels like it came straight from heaven with huge garden area in front a small fountain in middle and vast spread greenery.

I felt out of place like i didn't belong here. When the same driver opened door for me and told me to follow him.

There at the main entrance was standing a women dressed in simple saree as soon as she noticed us she greeted me professionally.

" Good morning mam. I'll lead you from here "

She said and I saw driver leaving me to her and walking away not wanting to waste any time I followed her inside.

Inside the house was too quiet. Not peaceful—sterile. Like it had long forgotten how to echo with laughter or warmth. Each step I took down the polished hallway made me feel more like an intruder.

The women stopped outside a wide wooden door and gave a curt nod before disappearing. No announcement. No invitation. Just silence and expectation.

I stood there for a moment, pulse fluttering in my throat. Then I knocked and pushed the door open.

And there he was.

Laksh Mehrotra.

Sitting near a sunlit window, framed like a portrait that no one dared touch. He didn’t move. Didn’t look up. Just turned a page of the book in his hand like my presence was a passing breeze—not worth noticing.

I had expected something—anything. Curiosity. Bitterness. Maybe even anger.

But indifference? That cut deeper.

I couged a little to get attention and took a hesitant step in. The room smelled faintly of cedarwood and old pages. It was spacious, tasteful—like everything in this house. And yet it felt… caged.

And then he turned, and I felt like the world stopped around me and everything started spinning because sitting in front me was Laksh Mehrotra. On his wheelchair.

A silent revelation.

Maybe a test.

I held his gaze, even though my chest felt like it might come out any second looking at the intensity in them.

They were green like an emrald. So deep and I fear if I look any longer I might drown in it so I broke the eye contact.

"Let me guess " came his voice —chilling and so

cold as if it was frozen for years.

He continued while maintaining the eye contact.

" You found the catch. Aur ab tum bhagna chahti ho"

[ You found the catch. And now you want to run]

" N-nahi mujhe bilkul pta nhi tha" came my reply instantly.

[ N-no i didn't have the slightest idea about it ]

" That's the catch. Laksh Mehrotra ke bare me kisiko kuch pta nhi hota jab tak vo khud na chahe " he stated flatly.

[ Thats the catch. Nobody knows anything about Laksh Mehrotra unless and untill he himself wants them to know]

"I'm not them. And I didn't come here to pity you"

I tried to respond to him in the same tone as he did but my voice failed miserably to match his.

That finally earned me a look from him rather than a void face.

" Good because I really had enough of those in the past year" his voice

A dry laugh escaped me before I could stop

I hated how beautiful he was—even in bitterness. It made this all the more cruel. The way he sat there, every line of his body carrying quiet defiance. Not weakness. Not despair. Just an edge, honed sharp and untouchable.

“I agreed to this marriage because I had no other choice,” I said, standing straighter, trying not to let the air feel too thick around me.

His eyes didn’t soften. “So it’s a transaction for you too. Perfect. At least we’ll be honest liars.”

The way he said we—like it tasted wrong.

“I don’t know who you think I am,” I shot back, “but I’m not here to parade around as your nurse, your caretaker, or your punishment.”

He smirked—just a hint. Not amusement. Approval, maybe.

“You won’t need to be,” he said coolly. “I don’t want a wife. Just someone to keep my father off my back.”

A beat of silence passed between us.

I wanted to scream. Or cry. Or leave.

But I didn’t.

Because somewhere beneath his ice was a man who once had everything—and lost it all. And I couldn’t decide if he was pushing me away for his sake… or mine.

“I guess we’re both walking into this half-blind,” I murmured.

Laksh turned his face back toward the window. “No,” he said quietly. “I see just fine.”