Aryan slowly walked toward Prerna.
Just then, the nurse entered the room.
"Only one person can stay here," she said. "The others need to wait outside."
Aahil, Ahad, Devika, and Nandini looked at each other and quietly walked out of the room.
Aryan moved closer to Prerna's bed.
"I'm sorry, Prerna," he said softly. "I shouldn't have been rude to you. I was just afraid."
Prerna looked at him.
"I was afraid that he might not be a good person," Aryan continued. "I didn't know if he was truly right for you. I didn't want my sister to suffer in her life. That's why I reacted like that."
Tears rolled down Prerna's cheeks.
"Hey… please don't cry," Aryan said gently.
Prerna slowly wiped her tears.
"I'm sorry, Bhai," she said weakly. "I did wrong. I know you care about me… but Bhai, Aahil is a really nice person."
Aryan listened silently.
"I will be happy with him," Prerna continued. "I should have told you earlier that I didn't want to marry Dev. Everything that happened… it's my fault."
Aryan immediately shook his head.
"No, no… it's not your fault," he said softly.
"Don't blame yourself."
He paused for a moment.
"I should have asked you earlier whether you wanted to marry Dev or not."
After a short silence, he added,
"Anyway… we will talk about all this later, when you come back home. Okay?"
Prerna slowly nodded her head.
Meanwhile, Aanya's cab reached her house.
She paid the driver and walked straight inside.
At home, Radha and Naveen were already worried and tense.
"Did she tell you where she went?" Naveen asked.
"No," Radha replied anxiously. "She didn't tell me anything. She's not even answering her phone."
Just then, Naveen saw someone at the door.
"Aanya!" he said in surprise.
Radha also saw her and immediately felt relieved.
She rushed toward Aanya and hugged her tightly.
"Aanya, where were you?" Radha asked worriedly. "Why didn't you answer my calls? Do you know how worried your father and I were?"
Aanya didn't say anything.
She stood there expressionless.
Naveen looked at her carefully.
"Where did you go, Aanya?"
After a pause, she replied quietly,
"To Aravindh uncle's house."
Radha looked confused.
"Seriously? Why did you go there? What was so urgent?"
"I left my stuff there," Aanya said tiredly.
Then she walked straight to her room.
Naveen looked confused.
Radha frowned.
"Wait… what stuff? Where is it? Aanya?"
She didn't respond.
Naveen looked at Radha.
"What happened to her?"
Just then, they heard a voice from the door.
"Excuse me."
Radha and Naveen turned and saw a man standing there with a bag.
"Ma'am left her bag in the cab," he said.
Radha took the bag from him.
Naveen asked, "Who are you?"
"Sir, I'm the cab driver," the man replied.
After saying that, he turned and left.
Radha and Naveen looked at each other.
Then Naveen asked, "What is there in this bag?"
Radha slowly opened the zip and looked inside.
"There are just clothes in it," she said. "She could have told us earlier."
She kept the bag aside.
Naveen sighed. "Maybe she thought we would be angry that she left her things there. That's why she didn't tell us."
Radha frowned. "But even now she left it in the cab."
Inside her room, Aanya sat on the bed, crying.
"Why, Mr. Aryan?" she whispered to herself. "Why did you reject me?"
Tears kept rolling down her cheeks.
Just then, Radha knocked on the door.
"Aanya, come and eat dinner," she said from outside. "You didn't even eat lunch."
"I'm not hungry, Mom," Aanya replied weakly. "Please leave me alone."
Radha sounded surprised.
"What? How can you not be hungry? And because you're not eating properly, your memory isn't working either. Look, you even left your bag in the cab. The driver brought it back."
Aanya felt irritated.
She quickly wiped her tears, walked to the door, and opened it.
"Mom, I just didn't eat this afternoon and now. That's all," she said tiredly. "I'm feeling very tired right now, so please don't disturb me. When I feel hungry, I will eat, okay?"
Radha looked at her carefully.
"What happened to your eyes? They are red."
Aanya quickly looked away.
"Nothing… some dust went into my eyes," she said, trying to sound normal. "Anyway, I'm really tired. I need to rest."
She closed the door gently.
Radha stood there for a moment.
"Okay," she said softly. "I'll keep the food in the fridge. If you feel hungry, eat it."
Then she walked away.
Inside the room, Aanya sat on the floor beside her bed.
She tried hard to control her tears, but they kept falling.
The next day, Radha was in the kitchen preparing different varieties of food.
Aanya came downstairs and saw her mother busy cooking.
"Mom… why are you making so many dishes?" Aanya asked.
Radha turned and saw her.
"Oh, Aanya! You woke up? Good. Now go and get ready quickly, okay? And wear a nice dress and some jewelry."
Aanya looked confused.
"Why, Mom?"
Radha stared at her.
"What do you mean 'why'? Did you forget? Kunal's family is coming today to see you."
Aanya suddenly froze.
The memory hit her.
"What?!" she shouted.
Radha looked at her briefly and then continued her work.
Aanya quickly walked closer.
"Mom, wait! Please don't do this. I don't want to get married."
Radha ignored her and kept cooking.
"Mom, are you listening to me?" Aanya shouted.
Radha suddenly turned toward her.
"Mom, I don't want to marry him. I don't even want to see that Kunal. Do you understand?"
Radha frowned.
"Shut up. Whenever you speak, you always talk nonsense."
"Mom, you're not listening to me—"
"Aanya," Radha cut her off firmly, "whatever you say, I'm not going to listen."
Aanya looked disappointed.
Radha continued,
"Kunal is a nice boy. He earns very well and lives in the US. Don't you like foreign countries?"
Aanya sighed.
"Mom, that's different. I never said I wanted to live there. I said I just want to travel there."
Radha ignored her again and continued cooking.
Seeing this, Aanya crossed her arms.
"Fine. When they come here, I won't meet them. I'll just stay in my room."
Radha immediately grabbed her hand.
"Aanya, you will not do such a thing. You will meet them and talk to them. Do you understand? Promise me."
"Mom, you can't blackmail me emotionally," Aanya said.
"Aanya!" Radha warned.
At that moment, Aanya remembered Aryan's harsh rejection from the previous day.
Her heart tightened, and anger filled her chest.
"…Okay," she said quietly.
Radha smiled with satisfaction.
"Perfect! Now go and get ready. Quickly, go!"
She lightly pushed Aanya toward the stairs.
---
After some time, Aanya got ready in her room, even though she wasn't happy about it.
Meanwhile, Radha asked Naveen,
"Did you bring the fruits and everything?"
"Yes," Naveen replied calmly. "Everything is ready. Don't worry."
"I just want everything to be perfect," Radha said nervously.
She looked at the clock.
"They can arrive at any moment."
After a pause, she suddenly said,
"Wait… did Aanya get ready or not? Oh no!"
She quickly went upstairs and knocked on Aanya's door.
"Aanya! Are you ready?"
"Yes, Mom."
Aanya opened the door.
Radha looked at her dress and frowned.
"Why did you wear this one? You could have worn that blue dress."
"Mom, that one has heavy work on it. This dress is simple. I like it. I feel comfortable in it."
"No. Go change and wear that one."
"Mom, I—"
Just then, the doorbell rang.
"Oh no! Looks like they've arrived," Radha said nervously. "You go and change your dress quickly."
"But Mom—"
Radha had already rushed downstairs.
Radha opened the door.
Kunal and his parents were standing outside.
"Namaste," Radha and Naveen greeted them warmly.
They welcomed them inside and everyone sat on the couch.
Kunal noticed Radha and Naveen still standing.
"Aunty, please don't stand," he said politely. "I'm feeling awkward. Please sit."
Radha and Naveen smiled and sat down.
"So, how are you, beta?" Radha asked.
"I'm good, Aunty. How are you?" Kunal replied.
"I'm fine too."
Then Kunal turned to Naveen and asked,
"And how about you, Uncle? I heard you had surgery two months ago."
Naveen smiled warmly.
"Yes, I did. But I'm much better now."
Kunal suddenly straightened up and said,
"Aunty, my name is Kunal Malhotra. I'm 27 years old. I work in the US. I don't have any siblings. I don't drink or smoke. My hobbies are reading books and playing golf."
Radha and Naveen looked at each other in confusion.
Radha asked, "Why are you telling us all this, beta?"
Kunal smiled awkwardly.
"Well… since you want your daughter to marry me, you would definitely have questions about me. So I thought I would introduce myself first."
Radha and Naveen laughed.
"No need to introduce yourself, Kunal,"
Naveen said. "We already know about you."
Kunal sighed in relief.
"Thank God, Uncle! I was really nervous at home, thinking about how to impress you both. But since you already know about me, I guess I don't have to try so hard anymore."
Everyone laughed again.
Then Kunal's mother, Kavya, asked,
"Radha ji, where is Aanya?"
Radha called out,
"Aanya!"
After a moment, Aanya came downstairs from her room.
Radha looked at her seriously since she hadn't changed her dress, while Aanya glanced at everyone sitting in the living room.
She looked at everyone.
Kunal also saw her.
He immediately stood up, walked toward her, and extended his hand for a handshake.
"Hi, I'm Kunal Malhotra."
Aanya looked at his hand for a moment.
Then she shook it lightly.
"Hi… I'm Aanya Agarwal."
---
End Of Chapter 66