Chapter 3
Surbhi
The wedding was finally over.
Hours of rituals, photographs, blessings, smiles, and introductions had come to an end, but somehow, I felt even more exhausted than before.
As the car came to a halt outside Ranbir's home, I looked out of the window.
A towering residential building stood before us, its glass exterior reflecting the city lights.
This was home now.
Or at least, it was supposed to be.
The elevator ride to the top floor passed in complete silence.
Neither of us spoke.
I wasn't sure if he didn't know what to say or if he was simply giving me space.
Either way, I was grateful.
When the doors opened, he stepped aside.
"You first."
I walked into the penthouse.
It was beautiful.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the glittering skyline. Warm lights softened the modern interiors, and every corner reflected understated elegance rather than unnecessary luxury.
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
"This is home," Ranbir said gently.
Home.
The word settled heavily inside me.
Just this morning, I woke up in the room where I had spent almost my entire life.
Tonight...
I belonged somewhere else.
I slowly looked around the living room.
There were books stacked neatly on one shelf.
Fresh flowers sat on the dining table.
The furniture was simple, tasteful, and immaculately arranged.
It didn't feel like a bachelor's apartment.
It felt lived in.
"I've been living here alone for the last three years," Ranbir said, almost as if he had guessed what I was thinking.
I nodded quietly.
"But now..." he paused for a second before giving me a reassuring smile, "...it's your home too."
Your home too.
Everyone kept saying that.
My parents.
His parents.
Relatives.
Guests.
Yet I couldn't bring myself to believe it.
How could a place become home overnight?
A house could be handed over with a set of keys.
A home couldn't.
A house needed walls.
A home needed belonging.
I wasn't sure I belonged here.
He showed me around without forcing conversation.
The kitchen.
The study.
The guest room.
Another bedroom.
Finally...
The master bedroom.
"This is..."
His sentence trailed off as he opened the door.
I stepped inside.
Rose petals were scattered across the bed.
Soft candles flickered around the room.
Someone had clearly spent hours decorating it for our wedding night.
My breathing faltered.
The room suddenly felt too small.
Too warm.
Too crowded.
I couldn't breathe.
Not again.
Please... not again.
A familiar panic crawled up my chest, tightening around my lungs.
My fingers trembled.
I wrapped them tightly around my dupatta, desperately trying to steady myself.
Everything around me blurred.
No...
I heard the bedroom door close behind us.
Then footsteps.
Slow.
Careful.
"Surbhi?"
His voice sounded distant.
I stared at the floor, afraid that if I looked at him, the tears threatening to spill would finally win.
"Surbhi."
This time, he was standing close enough that I could sense his presence.
He didn't touch me.
He simply stood there.
"Is everything alright?"
I couldn't answer.
"What can I do to make you feel better?"
The kindness in his voice only made it harder to keep myself together.
I closed my eyes.
When I finally spoke, my voice barely rose above a whisper.
"I..."
The words refused to come.
He waited patiently.
Taking a shaky breath, I forced myself to say it.
"I want... a separate room."
Silence.
The moment the words left my mouth, regret hit me.
What had I just done?
We had been married for barely a few hours.
Any husband would have every reason to feel insulted.
Slowly, I lifted my eyes.
Ranbir looked surprised.
Not angry.
Not offended.
Just... surprised.
"I know it's an unreasonable request," I said quickly, my voice breaking. "I'm sorry. I just..."
I couldn't explain.
How could I?
How could I tell someone I barely knew that there were memories I couldn't escape?
That even after all these years, they still found me in the quietest moments.
That the thought of sharing a room with any man filled me with a fear I hated but couldn't control.
"I'll understand if you say no."
He remained silent for a few seconds.
Then he nodded.
"Okay."
I blinked.
"I'll take the other bedroom."
For a moment, I thought I had heard him wrong.
"You don't have to explain anything tonight," he continued calmly. "You've had a long day."
He glanced around the decorated room before letting out the faintest sigh.
"I'll ask the staff to clear this tomorrow."
His words carried no disappointment.
"If staying separately helps you feel comfortable..." he said, "...then that's what we'll do."
I stared at him, unable to find a response.
He offered me a small smile.
"Get some rest."
With that, he picked up a pillow from the bed.
"I'll be in the other room. If you need anything, just call me."
Then he quietly walked out, closing the door behind him.
The room fell silent once again.
I stood there for several seconds before my legs finally gave way.
I sat down on the edge of the bed.
The tears I'd been holding back all day escaped without restraint.
Why?
Why couldn't I leave the past behind?
Why did it still follow me everywhere I went?
No matter how much time passed...
No matter how hard I tried to bury it...
The fear never truly disappeared.
It always returned.
Tonight was supposed to be the beginning of a new chapter.
Instead, the shadows of the old one had found me again.
I buried my face in my hands and cried.
Not only because of the memories that continued to haunt me...
But because, on the very first night of our marriage, I had already been unfair to Ranbir.
He had done nothing to deserve the distance I had put between us.
And yet...
He was the one paying the price for wounds he had never caused.