Chapter 7
Reyansh
Aditi:
Can we meet tomorrow?
Oh my God! Finally! I pump my fist in the air. The moment I’ve been waiting for all week is here.
Aditi wants to meet me?
If she planned to reject my proposal, she could’ve just done it over a call or text. But she wants to meet me! Gosh, I can already feel the positivity buzzing in the air.
Reyansh:
Sure. When and where?
I quickly type and await the response, but it pops up on my screen immediately with little ticks turning blue almost at the same moment I sent the message.
Aditi:
Evening at 5 PM. Coming to the place, can you suggest any? I just need a calmer or peaceful place, probably close to nature.
Reyansh:
Got it. I will send you the location shortly.
Aditi:
Done. See you tomorrow.
Reyansh:
I'm looking forward to it.
She reads my message and replies with a thumbs-up. That’s my cue to end the chat. I can’t believe my fretful days and sleepless nights will finally come to an end tomorrow.
I just hope we’ll be together soon.
A wide smile spreads across my face, and excitement surges through me to share the good news with my most trusted ally. I dial the number, but the call disconnects almost immediately and switches to a quick message.
Ames:
I will call you later.
Wait, she didn’t even give me a reason for cutting my call, something she does every time she ignores me. I rake a hand through my hair, a dull sting spreading through my chest as I collapse onto the bed.
My mind drifts back to the last time I saw her. Sunday, the day I confessed my feelings for Aditi. She seemed perfectly fine then. I replay every conversation, every moment, wondering if I said something that might’ve hurt her.
But no, nothing comes to mind. Nothing that could’ve made her this upset. So what’s going on with her? What’s even stranger is that she hasn’t visited me once. That’s rare…shocking, almost unreal.
But the part that truly unsettles me is how unhappy she looked when I visited Bajaj Mansion to meet her. I can still hear that cold statement of hers, it’s etched in my mind, the one that completely knocked the air out of me.
“Adi isn't home yet. You can visit later.”
How could she misunderstand my reason for being there, for thinking I came only for her sister? My main purpose that day was to see Amyra, not Aditi. We meet almost every day, talk on the phone two or three times, and keep each other updated through messages nonstop.
None happened in the last week.
Could she still be hurt that I kept proposing to Aditi, hidden from her? But she forgave me that day, in the middle of that heavy rainfall.
That day ended so differently.
I remember insisting that Amyra come with me to Thakur Estate, as both of us were completely soaked in the rain, but she ran back to her house instead. That’s when Mom caught me sneaking into my room, drenched to the bone, water dripping off me as I tried to slip in quietly.
“Aren’t you the one who was at Bajaj Mansion a few minutes ago? How are you swamped right now?” she snapped, her voice carrying the leftover frustration from earlier that evening.
“Ames went out for a jog, and while following her, I got caught in the rain,” I muttered with a shrug, continuing toward my room.
“Strange how you chase after Amyra when you should’ve stayed to talk with Aditi. I don’t understand you.” Her tone softened, but those words hit harder than I expected.
I froze mid-step, realizing how I’d cut off my conversation with Aditi just because I couldn’t find Amyra. How could I leave the very girl I’d confessed my feelings to, all because my best friend had disappeared for a while?
That was wrong. It should’ve been my moment with Aditi…So why did I end up running after Amyra instead?
That question still rattles me, but when I think about it, it makes sense. Amyra has always been the only girl in my life, so maybe it was just instinct, an old habit I didn’t even realize I had.
Now that I might actually have a girlfriend, I’ll need to learn how to balance things. So, could Amyra be feeling insecure about the same? Worried I’ll start caring for her less?
That’s impossible.
Not after she’s practically imprinted herself on my life and hacked her way into my mind. I chuckle at the thought just as a soft knock sounds and my door swings open abruptly.
“Reyansh!” Dad appears before me, and I immediately stand up in respect for his presence.
“Good evening, Dad.” I greet him politely.
“Evening. I’m here to inform you that the preparations for appointing you and Amyra as trainees have picked up speed. It may take another two weeks to finalize everything.” I nod, noticing he’s still in his formal wear, probably just got home.
“Sure, Dad. I’ll let Amyra know.”
“No need. Harsha will handle it. I just want to make sure you’re focusing on your groundwork for the company and not getting caught up in...distractions.” His tone carries that familiar bitterness, and I know exactly what he’s hinting at.
“I don’t entertain distractions when I’m working, Dad. You don’t have to worry about that,” I say firmly, keeping my voice even.
“Good. Be ready to join the company.”
“Okay. And Dad,” I add carefully, “please try to accept and support my personal life decisions. You can’t stay locked in the past—”
“Stop.” He raises his palm, silencing me instantly.
“Be grateful we didn’t oppose your personal choice. But don’t be greedy enough to expect our support for it. That may take years or may not have a chance too.” His words hit like bullets, sharp, cold, and deliberate.
“For God’s sake, you act like I’ve committed a big mistake, Dad.”
“You did, Reyansh. We’ve been dreaming of Amyra as our daughter-in-law for years. You broke that.” His impassive tone freezes me in place, and before I can respond, he’s already gone, leaving my room and me in stunned silence.
What the hell, man!
I slam my fist against the wall, frustration boiling over. Why can’t they understand something so simple?
They’re making me look like some villain, a man who abandoned his bride and broke a promise when all I ever said about marrying Amyra was childish nonsense. Why the hell did they ever imagine her as my wife? Their future daughter-in-law?
Unbelievable. How can they cling to something I said as a kid?
Sure, I get it, they wanted our friendship to turn into something more. But shouldn’t that idea end when there are no feelings involved? My spiralling thoughts come to a halt as my phone starts ringing.
Amyra’s name flashes on the screen. Relief washes through me instantly.
“Thank God, Ames. You called me at the right time. I was almost on the verge of losing my shit.” I explain in an exaggerated tone.
“What's wrong?” Her dull reply comes up, which somehow slows down my fervor.
“My dad just came to my room and started the same old rant about my childhood blabbering. He even said I shouldn’t expect his support for my relationship.
Does that even make sense, Ames? It wasn’t a promise for God’s sake!
Why did I even say that?” I grumble, exasperated, but there’s only silence on the other end.
“Ames?”
“You can’t expect them to move on overnight. Give them some time. Time heals everything.” Her voice sounds hollow, empty, nothing like her usual vibrant self. That’s strange. Amyra is all energy and warmth…so what’s wrong?
“You don’t sound okay, Ames. What’s happening?” I ask quietly, tightening my grip on the phone.
“I’ve been busy catching up with B&T Corp, so I’m just tired.” But something in her tone doesn’t sound genuine. Amyra Bajaj never lies unless she has to.
“Please get some rest, Ames.”
“Sure.”
“Wait!” I blurt out, knowing she’s about to hang up. Is it wrong to want to talk to her a little longer?
“Tell me,” she says softly.
“I… so…yeah, Aditi messaged me. She wants to meet tomorrow evening.”
“Okay. She’ll probably give you her answer then.”
“I figured that, but…what do you think it’ll be?” I ask, hoping she’ll say something reassuring.
“Don’t worry. Reyansh Thakur always gets what he wants, and this will be no different. Look forward to good news tomorrow.” A spark of joy rushes through me, and a proud smirk tugs at my lips.
“I hope your words come true, Ames.”
“I have to go now. Bye.” Before I can respond, the call ends, leaving me staring at the screen in disbelief.
Amyra isn’t okay. I can feel it. But didn’t she just say she only needed rest?
Still, that uneasy feeling won’t leave me, the sense that something’s off with her, not physically, but emotionally.
Is she…hurting?
She just confirmed that my relationship status might finally change tomorrow, exactly the way I wanted. I should be focusing on that. I should be relishing this moment, living in it.
So why does this restlessness refuse to fade? Why am I so worried about something I shouldn’t even be thinking about right now?