Chapter 6
Aditya
“Son, we need to talk,” Mom says, her voice pulling me away from my phone.
We’re sitting in the living room after dinner, just the two of us.
Dad’s been called away for drinks with his friends, and since it’s a Sunday, it’s my usual day to visit my parents—a ritual I never miss.
Normally, these visits are all about casual chats and relishing Mom’s food.
But today, from the moment I walked into my parents’ house, I could tell something was different.
“Sure, Mom. What’s up?” I ask, keeping my eyes fixed on her face, even though everything about her expression tells me it’s going to be a conversation I’m not ready for—maybe even one I dread.
“It’s about your marriage. I’ve been dropping hints for months now, and you’ve been avoiding them for long, but not anymore.
It’s time you settled down.” That’s my mom, Seema Thakur, for whom my marriage has now become her sole purpose in life.
As a dedicated housewife, she’s poured her heart into our family, and now that I’m well-settled in my career, her focus has shifted entirely to seeing me married.
“Marriage?” I groan, shaking my head. “Come on, Mom, I’m doing fine on my own. What’s the rush?”
“Rush? You’re not a kid anymore, Aditya. You’ve built a successful business. You have your life in order. The only thing missing is a partner to share it with,” she says, stressing each word.
I sigh and rub my hand over the back of my neck. “Mom, it’s not like I’m against the idea. But right now, I’m just… not ready.”
Her sharp gaze narrows on me, making it clear she’s not letting this go easily. “This isn’t about being ready anymore. Your dad and I have someone we think would be a good match for you.”
That catches my attention, and I sit up straight. “Wait, what? You’ve already found someone? Without even asking me?”
“We’re asking you now,” she says calmly. “Look, Aditya, we’re not forcing you into anything. The final choice will be yours. But you need to understand, as your parents, we just want you to take the next step in life. And trust us, the girl we’re thinking of is perfect for you.”
I stare at her, agitation building inside me, not even bothering to ask who the girl is.
I don’t need to know. All I want is for Mom to just accept that I’m not ready for marriage.
And it’s not just because of the fear of commitment, but because I don’t want someone my parents choose for me.
Yes, they’re great parents who’ve always wanted what’s best for me, but I can’t ignore the fact that for them, status and family name matter more.
The kind of girl they’ll pick won’t be what I’m looking for in my life partner.
It will be someone who fits society’s norms. And trust me, I’ve been with my share of those selfish women—pampered daddy’s princesses who definitely aren’t for me.
They’re just meant for a good time, not forever.
“Aditya, you are thirty-five, and you...” Mom tries again, but I cut her off.
“Mom, this isn’t just about ticking a box. Marriage is a huge deal. I need more time.”
“More time for what?” Mom points out. “To avoid the topic altogether? You’ve had plenty of time. I have been patient, but I won’t wait forever. I’m giving you a few days—think it through. If you have someone in mind, now’s the time to speak up.”
At the mention of that, my mind instantly flashes to her—the beautiful woman who’s taken up residence in my mind, no matter how hard I try to block her out, only to fail every damn time. And the worst part? A part of me doesn’t want to.
“Aditya, do you have someone in mind?” Mom’s voice pulls me out of my troubled thoughts.
“No,” I lie, though in my head, that goddamn woman has me distracted and uneasy.
“Good, we’ll handle it our way then.”
Great. Just what I need on my already overloaded radar. This marriage talk with Mom is the last thing I need right now. Unable to keep my calm, I stand and begin pacing in front of her. “This isn’t fair, Mom. It’s my life.”
Mom arches an eyebrow. “And we’re your family,” she says pointedly, then takes a deep breath. “Look, you’ve always trusted us, son. Trust us with this too.”
“This is ridiculous,” I mutter, pausing to raise my hands in frustration.
“It might sound that way, but it is what it is.”
“Mom, you can’t be serious.”
“As a matter of fact, I’m,” she replies with a knowing smirk, shrugging a shoulder. “We’re not trying to control you, Aditya. We just want to see you happy, and we won’t let you run from it forever.”
I sigh heavily. There’s no point in standing here arguing. It’s better to go home and figure out how to escape this ridiculous idea of hers.
“Fine. I’ll think about it,” I say wanting to end the conversation.
Mom stands, giving me a small smile before pulling me into a hug. “That’s all we’re asking.”
I check my watch. “I should get back home. I have an early morning meeting”
“Of course, you can carry on. Just remember, you only have a few days to think this through,” Mom reminds me. I stare at her, her steady gaze unwavering, as if daring me to argue further.
Without another word, I turn and walk out of the house, her demand pressing heavily on my chest. Sliding into the driver’s seat, I start the car and pull away.
Frustration continues to simmer inside me as my mom’s words replay in my head like a relentless echo.
But then, just like that, her face hits me again.
Damn it—I’m losing control. Why the hell is she the only thing I can’t shut out?
What the hell do I have to do to get her out of my head?
I’m still questioning everything when, without thinking, I turn the car toward the one place my mind’s yelling no.
.. but something deeper, something I can’t fight, says go.
???
“Seriously?” I mutter under my breath, staring at the glowing sign of the café. “What the hell am I even doing here?” My fingers tighten around the steering wheel as a voice inside tries to make sense.
Marriage. My mom’s ultimatum. This twisted pull I can’t seem to shake. All of it just tangled me up, and that’s exactly what pushed me to end up here.
I kill the engine and rest my head back against the seat, eyes closed, heart unsteady.
I know I should be driving home instead of complicating things further.
But I can’t. Like it or not, right now all I know is she’s the only damn thing that makes sense—the only one who can calm the chaos, even if she is the chaos itself.
With a resigned sigh, I push the door open and step out, heading straight for her café.
Maybe talking to her will clear this mess of emotions, or make it worse.
Either way, I’m done second-guessing. I’m not turning back.
I need to see her. I need to talk to her, even though I don’t have a clue what I want to say.
The moment I walk through the door, my gaze drills straight into her.
She’s sitting behind the counter, typing away on her laptop, completely absorbed in her work.
Her dark hair is twisted into a loose bun at the nape of her neck, giving her that effortlessly adorable vibe.
She’s wearing a simple yellow dress, yet for some reason, it makes my body react in ways I can’t even begin to understand.
As I get closer, she finally looks up. That sweet, genuine smile fades and is replaced by a tight, almost forced one. Luckily, the café is empty, with no customers or staff around, giving me the rare peace to be here without anyone disturbing me.
“You’re back?” she groans, leaning back in her chair and shutting her laptop with a bang.
I shrug casually, hands in my jeans pockets, standing across from her at the counter. “I’m a paying customer. Isn’t that something you should be happy about rather than being grumpy about it?”
She raises an eyebrow, and fuck, she looks cute.
“If I remember correctly, a paying customer who didn’t like his coffee last time and also mentioned he wouldn’t step into a café that couldn’t even get his basic coffee right.
” She leans forward, resting her hands on the counter, giving me her fake sweet smile that makes my blood hum in a way it hasn’t in years.
“So, forgive me if I’m not exactly thrilled to see you again. ”
I mirror her actions, taking my hands out of my pockets and placing them on either side of hers, leaning in slightly, just enough to meet her gaze. “Well, I thought I’d give this place another shot. After all, everyone deserves a second chance.”
She pulls her hands back and straightens. “I’m not convinced you’re the type to believe in second chances. You seem more like the kind who writes people off the moment they make a mistake.”
I smirk, ignoring her sass. “You know, we still haven’t had a proper introduction. How about we start by exchanging names?” I extend my hand to her. “Hi, I’m Aditya.”
She looks down at my hand, then back at me, unimpressed. Folding her arms over her chest, she says flatly, “We don’t need to do any such thing. Last I checked, we aren’t friends.”
Smiling, I drop my hand and pull out a chair, settling into it without a care in the world, not wanting to end the conversation. I’m loving every bit of her feistiness. “Maybe not. But introductions seem like a good place to start.”
“I don’t see why it matters. But I’m not going to waste time arguing with you about it. It’s Sana,” she snaps. “Now that you know, you can leave.”
Grinning, I ignore her dismissal. “Nice to meet you, Sana. Though I was hoping for a warmer welcome.”
She deadpans. “And I was hoping for a quieter evening. Looks like neither of us is getting what we want.”
“Touché. You sure know how to use that sharp tongue.”
“Yeah, I’d rather keep it sharp than pretend to nice,” she retorts, smirking slightly. “You’d be surprised at how much it helps in dealing with people like you.”
“You definitely are one of a kind,” I reply, leaning back with a smirk of my own.