Chapter 6: The Wedding Day Approaches

The days passed in a blur of preparations, rituals, and family gatherings. Arundhati’s excitement seemed to grow with each passing hour, while Shiv’s emotions remained tangled in a web of uncertainty. The village buzzed with activity as the wedding day approached, and the entire community rallied around the soon-to-be bride and groom. In the heart of the village, the elders and villagers discussed the ceremony’s details, ensuring that everything was perfect.

Arundhati spent her days helping her family with the final preparations, but her mind was often elsewhere. She couldn’t help but think of the life she was about to begin with Shiv. Her thoughts were filled with dreams of happiness, of building a family, and of the love she hoped to share with him. Despite knowing that Shiv had a past, she believed in the possibility of a fresh start. He had agreed to marry her, after all, and she had faith that love would bloom in time.

Her family, particularly her father, was deeply proud of the match. Arundhati had always been a quiet, hardworking girl, and her parents knew that her marriage to Shiv would bring them a sense of security and pride. The fact that Shiv was the village head, a respected leader, added to the honor of the union.

But there was a part of Arundhati that still wondered. She had heard the stories of Shiv’s past, of the woman he had loved and lost. There were whispers in the village, stories of the love he once shared with Ananya, and how it had ended tragically. Arundhati had never dared to ask him about it. She didn’t want to push him, but there was a lingering curiosity, an unspoken question that sat in her heart.

Shiv, on the other hand, struggled with his emotions. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being forced into a life he wasn’t ready for. The weight of duty and legacy pressed down on him, but the love he had once shared with Ananya never fully left him. He tried to focus on his upcoming marriage, on his role as the village head, but his heart often wandered back to the memories of his youth, to the dreams he had once had for a different kind of life.

Shiv hated the fact that he was not marrying the woman he truly loved. His heart still ached for Ananya, and no matter how much he tried to convince himself to let go, he couldn’t. The village needed a leader, and his grandfather had chosen him. He had no choice but to move forward with his duties. But Arundhati—sweet, innocent Arundhati—was a girl he hardly knew, yet her face was now tied to his future. He felt the weight of duty bearing down on him with every step he took, and he resented the fact that his happiness was so far out of reach.

The evening before the wedding, Shiv decided to visit Arundhati’s home, though he dreaded it. It was tradition for the bride and groom to meet before the ceremony. The pressure of the upcoming union felt suffocating to him. He couldn’t understand how this was happening, how his life had led him here, to this place where love seemed like a distant memory.

As he walked into her family’s house, Arundhati was standing in the doorway. When she saw him, her cheeks flushed pink, and she quickly lowered her gaze. She was so shy, so innocent in her manner, it made Shiv feel even more distant. He hated the fact that he was about to marry a girl who had no idea of the inner turmoil raging within him.

“Shiv…” Arundhati whispered softly, her voice barely audible. She felt the awkwardness between them, but she didn’t know how to bridge the gap. She had always been shy, reserved, and now, standing in front of him, she was unsure of what to say or how to act. She had heard so much about him, seen his stature as the village head, and now, she was going to become his wife. But she couldn’t ignore the fact that he was distant, lost in thoughts that were clearly not about her.

Shiv looked at her for a moment. He wanted to say something, wanted to explain himself, but the words wouldn’t come. His gaze softened slightly, but it wasn’t because of any affection for her. It was the weight of guilt. He hated this situation, hated that he was being forced into a marriage when his heart was still held by someone else.

“Tomorrow will be the start of a new chapter,” Arundhati continued, her voice filled with hope. “I know it’s difficult for you, Shiv. But I’ll try to be the wife you need. I’ll support you, and I’ll be there for you… in every way.”

Her words cut through his heart, and Shiv felt a pang of guilt. She didn’t deserve this, this marriage born out of obligation, out of family promises. She deserved someone who could give her the love and attention she so clearly sought. But here he was, standing in front of her, his heart full of resentment for the situation he had found himself in.

“I…I’m sorry,” he muttered, not knowing what else to say. “I don’t know if I can give you what you want. I…I wasn’t prepared for this.”

Arundhati’s eyes filled with understanding, though her heart ached. She had never imagined her marriage would start this way. She wanted to tell him it would be okay, that things would change, but she was too shy. Too unsure of herself. All she could do was offer him a small, uncertain smile.

“I understand,” she whispered, her voice soft but steady. “I will try, Shiv. I’ll try to be everything you need.”

Shiv turned away quickly, unable to look at her any longer. His heart ached with the knowledge that this marriage, this life, wasn’t his choice. He had lost his love and now stood at the precipice of a future he didn’t want. His thoughts drifted back to Ananya, to the life he could have had, and the anger he felt at the choices that had been made for him.

The night seemed long as he walked back to his house, the quiet surrounding him only amplifying his inner turmoil. His life was about to change forever, but not in the way he had hoped. He had to marry Arundhati—for duty, for the legacy of his family. But as he lay in bed that night, the weight of his past, his lost love, and the life he was about to begin pressed heavily on him.

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