Love turns ash

Death

POV PREETI

Virendra Mangla is lying on his bed when, I enter the bed along with my little family. he looked pale and thin. uncle was always so charming and warm that it hurt to even accept the fact that he is dying. he has cancer second stage. I always shared a lovely bond with him and was closer to him than my father because of his badass attitude.

he tried to speak something but I stopped him he doesn't have to. then he finally said,

 "let me speak love. it’s important. Sanjaya I want to request you something please don't refuse me.  I'm dying and I cannot die peacefully if I don’t get what I want"

Manav interfered, "what is it you want father, tell me I will get it even if I have to rip out someone's heart, I would do that for you "

my father relied, "what is it my dear friend?"

uncle said "I want the hand of your daughter for my son Manav. " the words left me shocked. I don’t want to marry the person I am in love with from my childhood.  who broke my heart when I was just 17? who made my life a living hell after that as if rejecting me was not enough. who blamed me for his wife's death?

I said, "I am sorry uncle I cannot do this. you know that I have some ambitions to accomplish. I have some dreams "

uncle said with tears in his eyes, "Preeti, you know that you can finish your ambitions after the marriage. I want to see the face of my grandson before this disease consumes me. please daughter please I have always loved you like Manav and Manvi can't you do this for me?"

"I know you have loved me uncle but why me? am I a child bearing faculty for you?"

"please Preeti don't let the old man die with a pending wish."

"uncle ask Manav once if he wants to marry me? it’s about his whole life"

Manav, the man of my dreams was as much shocked as I was but he was great in hiding his emotions. he snapped back into his ice-cold normal expression and said,

 "father, if you wish for this, I would certainly marry Preeti"

I was shocked what has gotten into him. He knows that I can’t marry him he knows he can't love anyone either than Diya he said that himself. Just when I was in shock and dismay what he had just said my angel interrupted my thoughts

"does that mean Preeti Didi will be my mother?"

 her excitement could be seen in her eyes. Manav didn't even cared to propose me properly and called the lawyer. the lawyer arrived within an hour with marriage certificate and some papers.

this wasn't the marriage I wanted for myself. I wanted a proper Indian marriage where there will be love in the air and every essence of it would be coloured with the emotions of happiness. I know I’m not beautiful even that was clearly stated by him 7 years ago. I wanted someone who could accept me with all my flaws and my appearance just for my heart. I never ever left loving him but I don’t want a forced marriage upon him.

just then my brother hugged me giving me the reality check asking me," are you going to marry him for real? "

that was more than enough for me and I started crying tears rippling down and went out of the room. Manav appeared from back and said, “let’s not make it more difficult than its already is "

"what do you mean", I said

"I am not that bad of a person that you think. I am also a human being and I can’t see my father dying like that. so please marry me. isn't that you have always wanted?"

"yes, I wanted to marry you in the past 7 years ago when you broke my heart and married Diya. you didn't stop there, did you? you made my life hell do I have reminded you that? ", practically yelling at him as the past memories are still fresh and wounds are way to green and new.

"I wouldn't do anything please marry me for my father’s sake. you said you loved him can’t you do this for him?"

"I don't want to bear your child. I don’t want a loveless life. I don’t want to marry like this but I will. there are no options for me but don't be sad once uncle dies, I am going to divorce you. you will never be able to get any piece of mine never ever going to get "

"you are not the kind of appetite I ever wanted to have anyways. " it broke my already broken heart into millions of pieces. I cannot do this but I have to I reminded myself. I was extremely shocked when he continued saying

"you cannot divorce me if you marry me. I can’t give Arya a false hope. she always dreamed of having a mother. you know she loves you "

even I love her too. I have always been there for her. I have spent all my free time with her. I want to be her mother but not his wife not after what he did 7 years ago. but I have to and this is the melancholy of the situation.

"I know she loves me and I love her too. but don't want to be married to a person who held me responsible when his wife died ", my words leave him shock reminding him the past and I could see the hatred he had towards me as if he still believes I was responsible.

"you are going way too personnel. stop this or else I am going to make your life hell" he said. anger raged in his eyes and he looked as if he was about to explode and now, I didn’t had energy to fight him. he was a business man and the owner of India's leading defence equipment company and was habitual of taking decision and he felt as though he can take this decision too. but I know how to piss him off. I went in the room to uncle Virendra and said," I’m ready for this marriage uncle. tell me where to sign. " .

I signed the papers and without saying a word I left the room. being a lawyer by profession I knew the marriage would be registered in the time span of 3 days and in three days my life would turn completely upside down. Preeti aggarwal will become Preeti Manav Mangla and I have to live that asshole who ruined me in the way no one could ever have....