Solace

|16| guilt

Presenting the latest chapter! The last two were temporarily taken down due to plagiarism. If this chapter receives a significant number of votes, I'll go ahead and update the next one today itself.

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As I opened the back door of the car, my eyes were drawn to the bouquet of red roses, adorned with a few pink ones. Unintentionally, my gaze shifted to the person who must have bought it, only to find that he wasn't looking at me.

Vaibhav entered the car, taking the passenger seat beside the driver. I followed suit, retrieving the bouquet from the seat and placing it on my lap.

Guilt started to settle in, recalling the words exchanged in our room,

I sat in the corner next to Roshni. The driver started, and Vaibhav remained immersed in his phone. The weight of his indifference was intensifying my remorse.

I was never accustomed to behaving this way-abusing or screaming at people. Perhaps I was, but no one had been around to witness my outbursts. In that moment, I felt confused, influenced by my mother's constant assertions that he would eventually leave me. Just when I started finding a bit of peace in my heart, the uncertainty clouded my thoughts. Maybe, just maybe, I had found someone in my life upon whom I could rely.

The words I said to him were not meant at all, just a sudden outburst.

It was too early to trust anyone, or maybe thinking about trusting anyone. But his behavior during our first meeting, when he, without any irritation, took the escalator and walked along with me, his thoughtful gestures during the anxiety attack, the way he took care of me during my vulnerabilities.

It's easier said than done to claim that we don't need anyone, but the truth is, everyone yearns for someone to share their day, their deepest traumas, and worries. Perhaps he is a good person, akin to Priya, with a kind soul that doesn't find joy in mocking people's insecurities, as I experienced in school or witnessed in my mother's behavior.

I wondered if Vaibhav's mother hadn't expressed her desires regarding the alliance. Who might I have married? My mother wouldn't have hesitated or felt the slightest remorse about marrying me off to even an old man.

My father, as usual, would have remained silent, lacking the courage to confront her or address her mistreatment of me. I never confided in him for my own reasons, but deep down, he knew what she was subjecting me to.

Similarly, he remained silent when the topic of our marriage arose. If only they had given us a month to better understand each other, I might not have spoken to him in such a manner, or he might have understood my trust issues.

"Is he angry?"I was startled by the sudden intrusion into the ocean of my thoughts, but after a fleeting moment, I turned my attention to Aadarsh.

I nodded in response to his question. I wasn't sure if Vaibhav had heard it, as he didn't turn around. Upon closer inspection, his eyes were fixed on the scenery outside the car window.