Arranged by Fate

Unknown Paths

The soft golden sunlight streamed through the café windows, casting a warm glow on the wooden tables. The faint aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, blending with the delicate notes of piano music playing in the background. It was a peaceful afternoon, yet Arya felt an odd sense of restlessness. Her fingers absentmindedly traced the rim of her coffee mug as if trying to find answers in the swirls of steam rising from it.

Meera noticed her silence first. She had always been good at reading Arya’s moods. "Why do you look so lost? Is something bothering you?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

Tanya, who had been stirring her iced coffee lazily, raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, you’ve been acting weird since morning. Spill it already!"

Arya took a deep breath, hesitating for a moment before finally speaking. "A marriage proposal has come for me," she said, her voice quieter than usual, as if saying it out loud made it more real.

Silence.

Meera’s eyes widened in surprise, while Tanya almost choked on her coffee, coughing loudly.

"Wait, what?! A marriage proposal?" Tanya exclaimed, placing her cup down with a thud.

Meera leaned forward eagerly. "From whom? Do you know the guy?"

Arya hesitated before answering. "His name is Rivan Malhotra… He’s a doctor. A neurosurgeon."

Tanya’s brows shot up. "Oh wow. A doctor? Sounds like a Mr. Perfect type. And what are you thinking about all this?"

Arya stared at her coffee, as if hoping it would answer for her. "I don’t know… Papa likes this proposal. He thinks it’s a great match. But marriage… am I really ready for that?"

Meera and Tanya exchanged glances. This wasn’t a simple matter.

Before they could say anything, a familiar voice interrupted them.

"Who is this sad-looking damsel sitting here?"

Arya closed her eyes in frustration. She knew that voice all too well.

Rohan.

Dressed in his usual casual yet stylish attire, Rohan stood there, one hand in his pocket and the other making a dramatic salute as if he had just entered a battlefield. His signature smirk was plastered across his face.

Tanya groaned. "Oh no, not you again!"

Rohan placed a hand over his heart as if deeply wounded. "Ouch, Tanya! Such hostility? And here I was, about to shed tears of joy upon seeing you all!"

Meera suppressed a laugh. "Tears of joy? Because you’re used to getting scolded every day?"

Rohan sighed dramatically. "I am such a kind-hearted man, yet my reputation is always at stake!"

Arya rolled her eyes. "Rohan, stop the theatrics. What are you even doing here?"

He shrugged. "I came for coffee, but then I saw my dear friend looking unusually serious. So, like a true hero, I decided to make an entrance!"

Tanya muttered, "You’ll never change."

Rohan grinned. "Changing is not in my blood, madam!"

Meera smirked. "By the way, Arya just got a marriage proposal!"

The reaction was immediate. Rohan’s eyes widened, and he dramatically turned to Arya as if she had just dropped a bombshell. "WHAT?! Arya is getting married? And I didn’t even get an invitation?"

Arya threw a tissue at him. "It’s just a proposal, i***t! Not a wedding yet!"

Rohan caught the tissue effortlessly. "So, what’s the story? Is the guy actually smart, or did he just get chosen because he’s a doctor?"

Tanya smirked. "He’s a neurosurgeon."

Rohan clasped his hands together. "Wow! So he can fix brains too! But I doubt he can fix Arya’s stubborn mind."

Another tissue came flying at him, but he simply laughed.

---

Meanwhile, across the city, in a bustling hospital cafeteria, a different conversation was unfolding.

Rivan sipped his black coffee, lost in thought, when Arjun, his best friend, leaned in with a sly grin. "Bhai, did you hear? Your marriage is already being planned!"

Rivan raised an eyebrow. "No one informed me about this."

Kabir chuckled. "Welcome to the era of arranged marriages, where parents make the decisions before you even get a chance to react!"

Aisha, their cheerful junior, looked excited. "Wait, Dr. Rivan is getting married? Who’s the lucky girl?"

Arjun casually replied, "Her name is Arya. She’s smart, independent… the daughter of a well-known doctor."

Rivan repeated the name softly, as if testing how it sounded. "Arya?"

Aisha’s eyes lit up. "Oh, I’ve heard about her! She’s really strong-willed and sharp!"

Arjun smirked. "Fire and ice combination, I’d say."

Rivan took another sip of his coffee, his expression unreadable. "I haven’t heard anything official yet. I’ll have to go home and confirm."

Kabir leaned back in his chair. "But what if you actually like her?"

Rivan gave a small, amused smile. "Then you two can start shopping for the wedding gifts."

Laughter erupted at the table, but deep inside, Rivan’s mind was swirling with thoughts.

Who was Arya?

Would this marriage be a mere compromise, or was there something waiting for him beyond the uncertainty?