My eyes are still wet. Before I can wipe them, his thumb reaches my cheek once again and carefully brushes every tear away with a tenderness that makes my heart ache all over again.
“I’m sorry for every pain I’ve given you,” he whispers. “For going against you, against your heart, against your dreams, against every wish you ever had.”
“No...” I slowly shake my head. “You don’t have to keep apologising anymore, Raghav.”
My fingers slowly find his hands, holding them gently between mine. “I forgave you the very day I realised how deeply you regretted everything. In fact, now when I think about all that happened, I sometimes feel that…” My smile grows a little softer. “Maybe you marrying me by force was destiny’s own strange way of pushing us towards each other.”
He watches me with a frown.
“If destiny had left everything to the two of us,” I continue, “I don’t think we would’ve ever reached this place. You never wanted to step back into the mafia world again by tying yourself to someone from that life, and I never wanted marriage at all. I just wanted a life where no one else could make decisions for me.”
I gently squeeze his hands.
“So if life had simply waited for you and me to make the choice ourselves, we probably would’ve spent our entire lives walking in opposite directions. So maybe that’s why destiny forced us through all of this... until we found our way to this moment.”
His eyes soften, and I can almost see the weight lifting from them.
“So...” he murmurs, stepping closer. “Does that mean...”
“Of course, I’ll marry you again.” I don’t even let him finish.
The happiness that spreads across his face steals my breath away. He cups my face once again before leaning down to place another tender kiss on my forehead. When he finally pulls back, I notice the familiar look in his eyes as his gaze drops to my lips. Mine part instinctively.
He’s about to kiss mewhen I suddenly place my palm against his chest, stopping him. Raghav immediately stills. I can’t help smiling at the faint frown that appears between his brows. Instead of answering him, I glance over his shoulder. He turnsaround to see Haider and Esha standing a few feet away. Neither of them even tries to pretend they haven’t witnessed everything.
Esha is grinning openly. Even Haider, who rarely shows his emotions, is smiling. The sight makes me blush all over again.
I look back at Raghav. “So... I suppose these two are our marriage witnesses this time?”
Raghav shakes his head, then gently takes my hand and turns me towards the inside of the temple.
“Not two,” he says. “We have four.”
My eyes instinctively follow his gaze, and the moment they do, I freeze. Standing near one of the temple pillars, partially hidden in the shadows, are Mom and Kailash Uncle. Both of them are dressed for the occasion, as though they had been waiting for this moment all along.
When did Uncle come to RK Estate?I didn’t even know.
I just stare at them, unable to find the words. The very people who had witnessed the beginning of our broken marriage would now see us finally choose each other wholeheartedly and without regret.
Mom steps forward first, tears already shining in her eyes, while Kailash Uncle walks beside her, his own eyes shimmering with pride and emotion. I run towards Mom and throw my arms around her, hugging her tightly.
“You knew about this?” I ask.
She smiles, wrapping her arms around me just as tightly.
“Yes,” she says softly. “Before proposing, Raghav came to me first and asked for your hand this morning.”
I slowly pull back and stare at her in disbelief.
“And how could I possibly say no?”
I turn instinctively towards Raghav, who stands there watching us, his hands tucked into his pockets, almost embarrassed by all the attention.
“Oh, that’s not all.” Kailash Uncle laughs, shaking his head. “He called me and insisted I come here especially for this. My son wanted his Baba beside him when he asked your mother for the hand of the woman he loves. He said it wouldn’t feel right otherwise.”
I look at Raghav again. He smiles at me as Uncle continues. “I was planning to come next week anyway for some work here, but this fellow refused to hear any excuses. And honestly, the moment he told he wanted to marry you again, there was no way I was going to miss my son’s real wedding. Even Ayaan and Meher wanted to come, but with Meher’s pregnancy, travelling isn’t possible. She’s at Walia Mansion now, so she and Ayaan will be watching everything live from there with the rest of the family.”
I instantly smile as Haider pulls out his phone, and so does Esha. Raghav has really planned it all. He has rebuilt every memory that was stolen from me the first time.
