Shadow of Innocence

Chapter 4

I chapter 4 I

After saying goodbye to the cool couples and the man with the blank face, man's don't show emotions, but he was not even changing any facial features, god knows, like jaw clenches, first,nothing . He was so calm with a blank face—the first man in my record who I can't read. Whatever it is, he is masterful at hiding his emotions. God knows how, but who cares?

The damn thing is that he seriously knows why I don't want to marry. If he is correct, I have to marry. My inner voice mocked me.

What rubbish am I talking about? I am the great Eshani Mukherjee. Even God can't find it, and this guy will find it. I scoffed at the thought, feeling a mix of frustration and curiosity. How could this man possibly know my deepest desires and fears? It was disturbing, but curiously interesting. I couldn't help but wonder if he got the key to opening the truth about me or if he was just another scammer.

But this man, as he said to me something like this, does he really know me?

and the fact is that he is really dangerous for me if he can read me.

Panicking after hours, I called my best friend "Rihanna Roy."

She picked up and said, "Hello, kutti maine suna aaj bhoat sundar launda dakhna aya tha."

"Shut up, Ri; do you know the fucking bastard what he said to me? Forget; I will tell you the whole story later. The first problem is marriage. The second problem is that he is coming home in the evening because, god knows, Papa has an interest in this guy. He will stay at home for a few days. The third problem is that he knows why I don't want to marry . He put a condition."

"What condition?" Rihanna asked, her voice filled with concern. I took a deep breath before replying, "He said he will only consider not marrying me if I can convince him; otherwise, we are going to marry, Mrs. Eshani Abhimanyu Malhotra to be,any quarries." Mimicking him,

I rolled my eyes at Rihanna's concerned expression, realizing how ridiculous the situation sounded. "He wants to know the real reason; if he is right, he will marry me without my consent," I explained, frustration evident in my voice.

"Do we have  a proper reason? How about your freedom and career?" Rihanna suggested, her eyebrows furrowing in thought.

"I told him this reason, and he said my reason is wrong, so I can't convince him to not marry me. If he is right, it's Mrs. Eshani Abhimanyu Malhotra for me, whether I like it or not." I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his arrogant tone.

Rihanna's concern deepened as she asked, "So, what are you going to do? How are you going to convince him?"

I sighed, feeling the responsibility of the situation on my shoulders. I said, "It felt like a trap, as if he was intentionally setting me up for giving up. I could not believe he would put so much pressure on me to change my thoughts about marriage." Rihanna's eyes widened in surprise as she said, "That's really unfair and manipulative. You shouldn't have to get somebody to  marry you if that's not what you want."

"He also said I waited for years so you can marry whom you love and know time is over, "I uttered, my voice filled with frustration.

"but bro!! How about giving him a chance? I felt like he was a morally gray man. Try, baby; may be you fall in love in the future." She speaks excitedly , trying to offer a different perspective.

"Shut up, Ri Comeon. Don't connect reality and the fictional world; both are different." I said I was trying to make her know we were different. She loves the fiction world, and I love the real world.

"Then, how much do I know about fictional men?" They will do anything for their women, so it's time to play the game. Let's execute our plan A." She said I sighed, realizing that Ri was determined to prove her point.

"Fine." I reluctantly agreed.

"But just remember, reality doesn't always work out like it does in fiction." I paused for a moment, contemplating her words.

While I understood her love for fictional characters and their strong commitment, I couldn't help but wonder about the importance of such values in real-life relationships. However, her determination was dangerous, and I couldn't help but be interested in how "plan A" would play out.

I raised an eyebrow at her idea. "Plan A? " What do you have in mind?" I questioned her, surprised by her determination. She smirked mischievously and murmured, "We'll set up a scenario in which he must prove his loyalty and devotion."

"What will you do, Ri?" I stated that because she is so peaceful, but when she does something, it indicates that the man is finished with his life. Ri's eyes sparkled with a combination of joy and wickedness as she leaned in closer. "Oh, don't you worry," she said, her tone tinged with threat. "I have a few tricks up my sleeve that will make him question everything he thought he knew." With that, a playful smile formed on her lips, making me both curious and a little scared of what would happen next. I can sense everything she does on the phone.

"And please tell Mummy and Papa I was also coming to stay with you guys." She said it quietly. This girl is more scary.

We said goodbye on the phone. As I hung up the phone, a shiver ran down my spine. I couldn't shake the feeling that this girl was capable of much more than I had initially thought.

When I heard the knock on my door,it was Papa coming inside my room.

He softly said,I know you must be curious about why I want him to come here and stay with us."

"I am Papa. I never heard from you about those couples and sons. I paused for a moment, unsure of how to respond. It seemed like Papa was keeping something from me, and his sudden interest in having this mysterious person stay with us only heightened my curiosity. I decided to confront him gently, asking, "Papa, why haven't you mentioned anything about these couples and sons before? Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Well, he is my best friend. His son is so capable of you and always will be. I just want him to not tell you everything. He has so many stories to tell, and I want you to marry him. "Papa said I was taken aback by Papa's unexpected response. His words filled me with a mix of confusion and concern. It seemed like there was a deeper story behind this mysterious person and their scars. I couldn't help but wonder what Papa was hiding and why he wanted me to marry someone I barely knew.

"What is the secret? Shouldn't I need to know if I want to choose to marry him?" I said I was trying to calm my nerves.

"I am not the person who needs to tell the secret of someone else; he will stay here so "you can know why I am asking to marry him. You have so much to give my little girl," Papa said.

"What do you mean? Why are you talking in a mysterious tone? I asked him curiously.

"What does Grandma always say? he asked me.

I replied, "Kis chiz mai."

Papa scoffed and repeated,If you have something more, try to give it to those who don't have it." I paused for a moment, realizing the depth of his words. "What do I have that I can give him?" I asked, feeling curious.

Papa again said, "On your journey, find yourself what your power is. "He chuckled and started walking away from the door, and slowly he disappeared.