Chapter 5: A Choice in the Shadows

My cold stare made Arjun wince. He grabbed my hand, his warmth lost on me. "Meera, don’t worry—I won’t let you suffer. This courtyard is just for you, away from the main house. If you don’t like the maids, I’ll send them away. We’ll live like before—chickens, vegetables, just us. The time I spent with you was the happiest of my life."

For the first time, Arjun spoke his heart. He said he never loved Priya—marrying her was for his family, not himself. I was the light of his life, his dream. He didn’t even want to be a government officer—he envied the ordinary couple with a small house, rising with the sun, resting at dusk.

But Priya was his reality. I was just a dream.

I finally understood why Ma’s words echoed in my mind: "Betiyan, never lose your own self for someone else’s dreams. In the end, only your own shadow walks with you."

His words were honey, but my heart tasted only poison. Tonight, I would decide what kind of woman I truly was.