Page 37 of Mrs. Pandey
And anger at the sheer unfairness of it all.
I wanted to scream. To throw away my phone. To break something, anything, just to let the flood of emotion escape. But I didn’t.
Years of military discipline had taught me to bury pain deep. To compartmentalize.
I took a shaky breath, trying to pull myself together. My eyes drifted to Kabir’s contact in my recent calls.
His soft voice. His patient smile.
He offered me something Prashant never could: peace without pretense. Presence without pressure.
I closed my eyes and thought of him.
He was kind and steady. He didn’t carry the baggage of my past. He didn’t leave bruises on my heart.
He offered something clean, calm and quiet. A future without Prashant.
The thought ached but strangely, there was a flicker of something else too. Acceptance? Resignation? Maybe.
I realized, with sharp clarity, that I had a choice. I could drown in misery and get trapped in this endless loop of what ifs and why nots. Or I could choose the path that lay in front of me. One that promised stability, respect and maybe, one day, a different kind of happiness.
I opened my eyes and sat up, pushing the phone away. The image of Prashant and his fiancée still lingered in my mind but something inside me had shifted.
The tears that had threatened to fall were gone. What replaced them was resolved like a newly sharpened blade.Maybe this was the universe’s way of forcing my hand. Maybe it was its cruel way of telling me, finally, to let go.
I took another breath, this one more even, more deliberate. The storm inside me hadn’t died completely. But it had retreated. What was left behind wasn’t happiness. It was steel.
I would marry Kabir. I would make my parents happy. And somehow, someday, I would learn how to make myself happy too.
Even if it meant burying the ghost of Prashant so deep he could never haunt me again.
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Chapter 18
IRA
I told Mom I just wanted to get married as soon as possible within this month, and during my leave. I made an excuse that I wouldn't get any time off later if I didn't marry now. I knew I wasn't thinking with my head, I was thinking with my anger and jealousy. I was burning inside.
He made his decision. He abandoned me. After I dumped him three years ago, he was finally avenging me.
"Are you sure you want to get married this soon?" my mom asked, an unsure look on her face.
"Soon?" I laughed hollowly. "You've been forcing me to get married for two years, Mom. And now when I actually want to, you think it's too soon?"
"You just met Kabir two weeks ago. You told me you wouldn't agree to this marriage unless you got to know him better," she said, her perfectly shaped brows creased with worry.
"You and Dad decided on this marriage. What's the matter now? Even if I refuse him, Dad won't agree with me; he just wants to get me married as soon as possible. He's returning from a business trip tonight and will be here for a month. It's the perfect opportunity, don't you think? Ivaan will be here next week from abroad. And yes, Kabir is really a good guy. I went out with him a couple of times and he always seems respectful and charming. And don't forget how successful he is..."
"Ira..." Mom slid closer to me and grabbed my hand, her eyes soft and searching. "Whatever you're saying right now doesn't sound like you. You've seemed off these past few days. Is it Kabir, or Aryan, or... someone else?"
My chin wobbled, and I exhaled slowly, forcing calm into my voice. "First of all, don't mention Aryan. He's settled in his life now, and I'm genuinely happy for him. And second, there's nothing wrong with Kabir. He's an amazing person. My gut tells me he's the man I should marry."
"Are you certain, sweetheart?" Mom caressed my hair lovingly and I forced a smile.
"Okay," she said brightly. "Let me talk to your father, then we'll decide the wedding date after speaking to Kabir's parents." She got up, already grabbing her phone, practically buzzing with excitement as she walked away.
I sighed heavily, watching her until she disappeared from sight. Then I glanced at my phone and winced. I had barely touched it since I saw that status from Prashant. It haunted my dreams whenever I closed my eyes. I always found myself wondering how he would hold that woman, how he would give her his last name, and how he would share his bed with her.
