Ram was seated at his desk, flipping through papers, the weight of the upcoming marriage bearing down on his thoughts. He had managed to keep everything under control — or so he believed.
"Ram!" Adi stormed in; his usually calm face clouded with worry.
Ram's pen stilled, and his heart skipped a beat. "What happened? Is everything okay?" His eyes scanned his friend's face for answers, but he already knew something was wrong.
Without a word, Adi thrust his phone into Ram's hand, the screen lit up with a video.
Ram's eyes fell on the footage. It showed Meera Sood, Priya's mother, being hounded by a swarm of paparazzi. Voices in the video rose like a storm, harsh and cutting. The reporters were relentless, their cameras flashing as they threw one invasive question after another at her.
"It is speculated that your daughter is trapping Ram Kapoor in this marriage. How are you feeling about this?"
"Was this your plan from the beginning? Secure a rich man for your daughter?"
"How did Ram Kapoor react to your criminal history?"
The words seared into Ram's mind like acid, each one more vicious than the last. His jaw clenched as he watched Meera Sood try to shield herself from the barrage, her expression torn between confusion and quiet dignity. But it was the pain in her eyes that broke him. She had no answers for their cruelty, no defense against the twisted narrative they were spinning.
As Ram scrolled through the comments, his anger flared into something molten, burning through his veins. He couldn't read more than a few before the rage was too much to contain. Each cruel remark, each vile accusation, was like a knife twisting deeper into his sense of responsibility. He had asked Priya to marry him, he had pulled their families into this, and now he had failed them. He should have anticipated the backlash his rash decision would receive. He should have prevented it. He had failed to protect them from this vile scrutiny.
His hand tightened around the phone. No more.
****************
By the time Ram reached the Sood house, a sea of reporters was camping outside, hungry for another story to fuel their growing frenzy. The image of Meera being harassed replayed in his mind, fueling the storm within him. The car door slammed shut behind him as he stepped out, the sight of the flashing cameras made his hands ball into fists. He wanted to tear through them, smash a few faces to make them feel the weight of his fury. But he knew, this wasn't the time to lose control.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. Stay focused. This wasn't just about his anger. It was about Priya's dignity. He had a responsibility to handle this the right way.
He entered the Sood house and found Meera Sood sitting on the sofa, her hands trembling ever so slightly as she held a cup of tea. Her face was pale, her eyes hollow from the weight of the day. The sight sent a fresh wave of guilt and anger crashing through him. How much had she endured today, because of him? Because of a decision he had made for the sake of family, tradition, and duty?
"Aunty," he murmured softly, taking her hand with a careful gentleness. "Come with me." His voice, though low, held a fierce resolve.
Outside, the media vultures stirred when they saw Ram emerge with Meera Sood by his side. The cameras were ready, flashing, their questions already forming on their lips, ready to be shouted. But this time, Ram was ready too.
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Romance"You know? There is a famous troupe for stories. Incomplete love stories of Kolkata. How did I ever think that I could escape it?" Laughed Ram bitterly. Ram Kapoor. Bounded by loves of past. Memories has been his entire existence. Even after becomin...