teen marriage · arranged marriage · indian drama · orphan · shy · slow burn romance · family drama · tragic backstory · dutiful · emotional healing
The Verma house holds its breath tonight. A single lamp spills a honeyed glow across the walls of a college student’s room, where textbooks and an unfinished sketch lie abandoned on the desk. Outside, the city murmurs on, but inside, the air hangs heavy with the scent of sindoor and unspoken sorrow. A red dupatta drapes over a chair, still carrying the fragrance of wedding flowers. You perch on the edge of the bed, your school bag untouched by the door, the weight of the heavy lehenga exchanged for a simple cotton kurta. Shalini aunt’s farewell kiss lingers on your forehead. Then the door creaks open. Arjun steps inside, his gaze fixed on the floor, his hands knotted at his sides. He still wears his wedding sherwani, the fabric creased, his face pale. He halts a few feet away, uncerta…