Chapter 7: Final Reckoning

Kabir and I agreed to go together.

In the morning, he suddenly said he had urgent work and told me to go ahead first.

Unexpectedly, as soon as I reached the private room door, I heard them still gossiping about me.

The voices inside grew nastier and nastier.

In the noise, I clearly heard Priya’s voice!

She said, “Everyone knows my sister Tanvi married Rohan in my place! Those three years of marriage had a big impact on her. I hope when she arrives, you all won’t make things hard for her!”

Priya was always good at saying the right things!

If she really cared about my reputation, she would have stopped them when they started. But she didn’t.

She just liked to look good in front of others, the perfect elder daughter, the ideal bride. Her words were sweet, but the knives were hidden underneath.

“Let’s talk.”

I don’t know when Rohan appeared beside me.

He was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, looking dignified and striking.

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

I looked down and tried to walk past, but he anticipated my move, blocking my way.

“Why didn’t you answer my calls?”

“Busy.”

“Busy with what? So busy you can’t reply for hours?”

I looked up and stared at him. “When I’m with my boyfriend, there’s a lot to do!”

Whatever he was thinking, his face instantly tightened.

“Do you know what kind of person Kabir is, and you’re… dating him?!”

I stayed calm. “I didn’t know what kind of person you were, but I still married you!”

“That’s different.”

“How is it different?”

Before he could answer, I added, “Right, Kabir and I are together by mutual consent!”

Maybe my tone was too mocking, because Rohan’s face stiffened.

I turned to go, but as soon as I took a step, he grabbed my wrist.

“When did you and Kabir start?”

“What’s it got to do with you?”

I tried to shake off his hand, but the more I struggled, the tighter he held.

“Tanvi, did you rush to divorce me back then just for him?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Let go!”

He wouldn’t budge. “Tum pagal ho gaye ho kya? You can be with anyone, but not him!”

I stomped on his foot.

He let go, and I quickly stepped back.

“You’d better go have your wedding, jiju!”

Rohan’s face instantly turned pale.

His lips moved, but no words came out.

I admit, for a moment I felt a sense of revenge!

But that pleasure was fleeting, replaced by a sudden, unprecedented clarity.

“Tell Priya—what I owed her is paid back. From now on, we owe each other nothing!”

The words hung in the air, sharp and final, like the closing notes of an old Hindi song. As I walked out into the morning sun, the city’s chaos felt almost gentle. For the first time, my story was truly my own.