Aakrati stood rooted to the spot long after Arsh disappeared into the crowd.
His words refused to leave her mind.
"Just be honest with yourself."
Why did they hurt so much?
"Aakrati!"
She blinked and quickly turned around.
Her mother was smiling.
"What are you doing here? Everyone is looking for you."
"I... I was just coming."
She forced a smile and followed her inside.
The house was alive with music and laughter.
Relatives teased the bride-to-be, children ran around with sweets in their hands, and photographers clicked endless pictures.
Everything looked perfect.
Except her.
Every few minutes, her eyes searched the crowd on their own.
She hated herself for it.
She wasn't looking for Arsh.
At least, that's what she kept telling herself.
---
Outside the house, Arsh stood beside his car.
He looked back once.
Just once.
The balcony where Aakrati had been standing was now empty.
He smiled bitterly.
"I kept my promise," he whispered to himself.
"I didn't ask her to choose me."
He got into the car and drove away.
But for the first time ...
He wasn't running from her.
He was letting her decide.
---
That evening, Shrisha found Aakrati sitting alone on the terrace.
The noise from downstairs felt distant.
"You met him."
It wasn't a question.
Aakrati nodded.
Shrisha sat beside her.
"What did he say?"
"He asked if I was happy."
"And?"
"I said yes."
Shrisha looked at her for a long moment.
"Was that the truth?"
Aakrati didn't answer.
Tears slowly gathered in her eyes.
"I don't know anymore."
Shrisha gently held her hand.
"You know what's strange?"
"What?"
"He still loves you."
Aakrati closed her eyes.
"I know."
"And..."
Shrisha paused.
"I think somewhere... you still love him too."
The words struck harder than Aakrati expected.
"I can't."
"That's not what I said."
"I gave my word."
"I know."
"My parents trust me."
"I know."
"Krish has done nothing wrong."
"I know."
Her voice finally broke.
"So why does it hurt this much?"
Shrisha pulled her into a hug.
Neither of them spoke.
Some questions had no easy answers.
After a long time, Shrisha finally spoke.
"Then what are you going to do?"
Aakrati wiped her tears.
"I don't have the courage to call off this wedding."
Shrisha remained silent.
"My parents have spent months preparing for this. Our relatives have come from everywhere. If I back out now..." She swallowed hard. "Their reputation will be ruined."
"And your feelings?"
Aakrati smiled sadly.
"That doesn't matter anymore."
Shrisha wanted to argue.
She wanted to tell her that her happiness mattered.
But she knew Aakrati had already made up her mind.
That night, after everyone had gone to sleep, Aakrati sat alone on the balcony.
Her engagement ring glimmered under the moonlight.
She unlocked her phone.
Arsh's name stared back at her from the screen.
Her thumb hovered over the call button for almost a minute.
Finally...
She pressed it.
The phone rang twice.
Then his voice came through.
"...Hello?"
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
"Aakrati?"
"Hmm."
"Is everything okay?"
She smiled weakly.
"I just... wanted to hear your voice once."
Arsh closed his eyes.
"You shouldn't have called."
"I know."
Silence settled between them again.
"I'll miss you," Aakrati whispered.
Arsh's grip on the phone tightened.
She continued before she could lose the courage.
"I don't think I'll ever stop loving you."
His heart stopped.
"I tried so hard to convince myself that what we had was wrong."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"But no matter how much I tried... I couldn't stop loving you."
On the other end of the call, Arsh couldn't say a word.
"I love you, Arsh."
The confession she had buried for so long finally escaped.
"And I'll miss you... every single day."
For a few seconds, all he could hear was her quiet breathing.
Then, without thinking...
"Then marry me."
The words came out almost as a plea.
"Marry me, Aakrati."
She shut her eyes tightly.
"No."
"Why not?"
"You know why."
"I don't know and I don't wanna know because I don't care."
"But I do."
"Aakrati, if you love me and I love you, then why are we letting each other go?"
Her voice trembled.
"Because life isn't that simple."
"It can be."
"No, Arsh."
"My parents trust me."
"They've announced this wedding to everyone."
"Krish has done nothing wrong."
"How can I destroy so many lives just to save my own happiness?"
Arsh took a shaky breath.
"So you'll sacrifice yourself?"
"If that's what it takes..."
"No."
His voice cracked for the first time.
"I won't let you do that."
"You don't have a choice."
"I'll come tomorrow."
"No!"
Her response came instantly.
"Please don't."
"I'm serious."
"So am I."
"If you come... everything will fall apart."
"Maybe it should."
She shook her head even though he couldn't see her.
"I don't have the courage to break my parents' hearts."
Another silence followed.
This one hurt more than all the others.
Finally, Aakrati whispered,
"I just wanted you to know that I loved you."
"And maybe... in another life, we would have been enough."
Before Arsh could stop her...
The call disconnected.
He stared at the dark screen.
He realized that sometimes love wasn't defeated by hatred.
It was defeated by helplessness.