Chapter 37
Sana
It’s been five long, agonising hours at the hospital.
Mom has finally been shifted to a private room, but she’s still unconscious.
The doctor said her blood pressure had dropped dangerously low—that’s what caused this.
But I know better. I know what really pushed her to this point.
It was me. I’m the reason. And I hate myself for putting her through this.
Aditya’s mom’s words keep ringing in my ears.
The way she accused me, as if I were someone with no dignity.
As if I weren’t the woman her son loves, the woman who was supposed to become her daughter-in-law.
Her tone dripped with disgust and venom.
And I just sat there, speechless. Not because I had no answer, but because I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
How could she stoop so low? How could a mother say something so vile about another woman, a woman who was going to be a part of her family?
I don’t have answers as to why Aditya’s mom would be so cruel.
All I know is that right now, my mom is lying in this hospital bed, still unresponsive—because of me.
If I hadn’t agreed to fight for this relationship, if I hadn’t let myself believe that I could make Aditya’s parents accept me, none of this would have happened.
I thought I was ready to face whatever they threw my way.
I thought I was prepared. But not for this.
Not for seeing my mother like this. Not for feeling this helpless, this broken.
Even now, as I sit beside Mom’s bed, my fingers gently wrapped around her cold, lifeless hand, the steady beep of the monitor is the only reassurance that she’s still here, still fighting.
But the sight of her like this—so still, so fragile—makes my chest ache with unbearable guilt.
If being with Aditya means watching my mom suffer like this, then do I really have the strength to keep going? Can I really lose…
“I’ll get you coffee,” Aditya’s voice breaks through my spiral of thoughts as he bends down and kisses my forehead. He’s been here, by my side, the whole time, watching over me. But right now, I feel nothing but the weight of my own regret.
He turns to leave, but before he can take a step, my hand moves on its own, wrapping around his wrist.
He turns to me, his gaze searching mine as he crouches down, cradling my face in his hands. “What happened?” His voice is soft, laced with worry, as if he can feel the storm raging inside me.
“I don’t want you here,” I blurt out, the words tumbling out before I can stop them.
He draws in a deep breath. “I know, Sana. We have things to talk about, but that can wait. Right now, we need to focus on Mom.”
I shake my head, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. I place my hands over his, prying them away from my cheeks. Then, without a word, I slip the engagement ring off my finger and place it in his palm.
“This… this isn’t how it’s supposed to be, Aditya.” My voice trembles as I speak. “I wanted to fight for us, I really did. But not like this. Not at the cost of my mom’s life, not at the cost of my own dignity. I can’t do this anymore.”
Aditya drops to his knees before me, his eyes desperate, his hands still holding the ring tightly as if refusing to let go of us.
“Sana, please… not now,” he pleads, his voice raw. “I know what my mom said was wrong. It was cruel and unforgivable. But don’t do this. Don’t punish me for her mistakes. I’ll fix this. I swear to you, I’ll make it right. Just don’t give up on us.”
I shake my head, my heart shattering with every inch I put between us. “You can’t, Aditya. Not this time. This isn’t about just winning over your family or proving our love. This is about my dignity, about my self-respect. And I can’t—I won’t—stay in a place where I’m not respected.”
“Then we won’t stay there, Sana. We’ll find our own paradise—our own happiness, away from all this.” His voice cracks as he cups my face. “I love you! I can’t let you go.”
I swallow the lump in my throat, my chest heaving. “I can’t do this.”
His jaw clenches. “I won’t let this be the end. You promised me, Sana. You said you’ll never leave me.”
Tears slip down my cheeks, “I did. But I never agreed to fight for a place where I have to prove my worth at every step. I won’t beg for respect, Aditya. Not even for you.”
His eyes darken with frustration, his breathing ragged. “You don’t have to fight when you have me standing against the world for you, Sana. Just don’t walk away from me.”
I shake my head, pulling away. “You don’t understand, Aditya! I just can’t be with someone whose parents have nothing but hatred for me.”
“I don’t care what they think, Sana. This is our life, not theirs. I won’t let their prejudice and hatred dictate our future. I love you, and I’m not letting you go.” His voice is almost breaking, his desperation clawing at my resolve.
My chest aches, but I force myself to stand firm.
“I can’t build a life with you while tearing apart the one I already have.
My mom—she’s my everything. I won’t be the reason she suffers.
” I shake my head, my eyes filled with tears.
“This isn’t just about us anymore. No matter how much I love you… I can’t do this.”
He recoils, as if my words have physically struck him. He opens his mouth to argue, but before he can, I take a deep breath and whisper, “Please, Aditya. Just leave. I need this time with Mom. I don’t have the strength to argue right now. Please, give me this.”
His face twists with pain, his hands balling into fists before he exhales sharply, nodding to himself. “Fine. I’m going. For now. But don’t think for a second that this is over. Because you are mine, Sana. And I’m not letting you go.”
With one last burning look, he rises to his feet, turns and storms out. I stare at the closed door, a dull ache spreading through my chest.
“Sana…” Mom’s weak voice makes my head snap toward her. My heart leaps as I see her weary eyes slowly flutter open.
“Mom! You’re awake!” My voice trembles with relief as I grab her hands, bringing them to my lips, peppering them with desperate kisses. “You scared me, Mom. I was so worried.”
She gives me a faint smile. “I’m fine, beta.”
“No, you’re not. I need to call the doctor.” I start to reach for the call button, but she stops me.
“No, Sana. I don’t need a doctor. I need to talk to you.”
I ignore her statement and shake my head. “Mom, the talk can wait. Let the doctor check on you first.”
She gives me a tired smile, her thumb brushing over my knuckles. “Sana, we need to talk,” she repeats.
Knowing I can’t avoid the conversation any longer, tears well up in my eyes once again. “Mom, I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. If it weren’t for me… if I hadn’t chosen Aditya, you wouldn’t be here,” I whisper, my voice trembling under the weight of emotion.
She shakes her head, her expression firm despite the exhaustion lining her features.
“No, Sana. Don’t do that to yourself. This is not your fault.
All of this happened because some people don’t know the value of respect.
It’s not your fault that his family failed to see your worth.
You… you are my daughter, and I will not let you suffer for someone else’s cruelty. ”
I bite my lip, looking down at our joined hands. “I never thought it would come to this, Mom. I knew Aditya’s parents weren’t happy with me, but I never expected his mom to… to say those things. To accuse me like that. And I just sat there, frozen, unable to defend myself.”
Mom’s gaze softens, but there’s an underlying steel in her voice as she speaks.
“You know I’ve always liked Aditya, Sana.
He’s a good boy. But marriage isn’t just about love—it’s about respect.
And if his mom—his family—can belittle you and strip you of your dignity with their words, then I can’t send my daughter to that house.
I won’t let you be part of a family that makes you feel like you’re not enough and makes you question your worth.
Because you, my daughter, deserve so much more. ”
A sob escapes me. “I love him, Mom. I really thought we could fight through anything. I was ready for the struggle, ready to prove myself to them… but now, I just feel so tired. I feel… defeated.”
She cups my cheek gently, her touch so comforting it almost breaks me.
“Sana, it won’t be easy, but you need to let go.
Being with Aditya will only turn into a constant battlefield.
You shouldn’t have to fight for the bare minimum respect.
Because if you ever have to beg for dignity and your place in someone’s life, then it is just not worth it. And it’s better to let go.”
I nod slowly, the weight of her words settling deep in my heart. “You’re right. I know you’re right. I just… it hurts, Mom. Letting go of him… it feels like a part of me is breaking.”
Mom sighs, her fingers squeezing mine with all the strength she can muster. “Healing will take time. Love doesn’t just disappear overnight. But it’s better to let go.”
I swallow hard. She’s right. This is closure—not the kind I wanted, but the kind I needed. A finality to the dream I had been holding onto for far too long.
“I’ll be okay, Mom,” I say softly, not just for her, but for myself. “I know it’ll take time, but… I’ll be okay.”
She nods, a small, proud smile gracing her lips. “I know you will, my love.”
I press my forehead against her hand and close my eyes as fresh wave of tears spills down my cheeks. “Mom, I… about that night with Aditya… I never meant for it to be something that would bring shame to you. I…”
She interrupts me softly. “Sana, I’m not so old-fashioned that I would hold you accountable for that.
You are an adult, and your choices are yours to make.
My concern isn’t what happened between you and Aditya in private.
My concern is that you are being made to suffer for it, that your character is being questioned, as if love itself is a crime. That, I will not accept.”
A shaky breath leaves me as I lift my head to look at her. “You really don’t blame me?”
She smiles, brushing away a stray tear from my cheek. “No, beta. What I blame is a society that holds a woman responsible for love, but never a man.”
Her words act like a balm over my guilt, and I lean down, wrapping my arms around her as gently as I can, her heartbeat a steady reassurance against my own. For the first time since this nightmare began, a sense of clarity washes over me.
I don’t need to fight for love. I have the one person who has always been there for me, and she’s enough—my mom.