Chapitre 4: Chapter 4: Rohan’s Shadowed Past
Peeling Back Layers
Rohan Kapoor had always been adept at concealing his emotions. It was a skill he had cultivated from a young age, a necessary armor in a world where vulnerability was often met with exploitation. On the surface, Rohan appeared to be the ideal son—a successful businessman, respectful to his elders, and poised to take on the responsibilities of marriage. But beneath the polished exterior lay a labyrinth of unspoken fears and haunting memories.
As he sat in his room the morning after meeting Asha, Rohan stared out the window, lost in thought. The sprawling gardens outside were a stark contrast to the turmoil within him. He couldn't shake the image of Asha's painting—the caged bird had stirred something deep inside him, a reminder of his own feelings of confinement.
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Flashback: The Wound That Lingers
The sound of laughter pulled Rohan back to a different time, a bittersweet memory from five years ago. He had been in love once, deeply and irrevocably. Her name was Meera, a free-spirited woman with a zest for life that had both captivated and grounded him. Meera had been his equal in every way, and for a fleeting moment, he had believed they could conquer the world together.
But fate had other plans. The memory of their last conversation was seared into his mind. They had been standing on the terrace of her family home, arguing about the future. Meera had dreams of traveling abroad to pursue her career, while Rohan, bound by family obligations, had felt compelled to stay.
"I can't keep choosing between us and my dreams," Meera had said, her voice trembling.
"And I can't abandon my family," Rohan had replied, his tone heavy with resignation.
The breakup had been mutual but devastating. Meera had left, and Rohan had thrown himself into his work, burying the pain under layers of duty. Yet, even now, her absence felt like a void he couldn't fill. It was this loss that made him hesitant about marrying Asha. What if he was incapable of offering her the love and partnership she deserved?
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Confidant: Unveiling Doubts
Later that day, Rohan found himself sitting across from his elder sister, Kavya. She had always been his confidant, the one person who could see through his defenses.
"You're awfully quiet," Kavya remarked, raising an eyebrow as she sipped her tea.
Rohan hesitated, then sighed. "It's this engagement. I don't know if I'm ready for it."
Kavya set her cup down, her expression softening. "You mean you're not sure about Asha."
"It's not her," Rohan said quickly. "She seems... fine. But I can't stop thinking about the past. About Meera."
Kavya leaned forward, her gaze steady. "Rohan, you can't keep punishing yourself for what happened. Meera made her choice, and so did you. Asha isn't Meera, and this isn't the same situation."
"I know," he admitted, running a hand through his hair. "But what if I can't make this work? What if I let her down?"
Kavya smiled faintly. "You're overthinking. Give yourself—and Asha—a chance. You might find that she's exactly what you need."
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A Connection Forms
That evening, Rohan decided to take Kavya's advice and observe Asha with an open mind. His family had invited hers over for dinner, and the atmosphere was markedly less formal than their initial meeting. As Rohan watched Asha move through the room, engaging with guests and helping her mother serve food, he began to notice things he hadn't before.
There was a quiet strength in the way Asha carried herself, a self-assuredness that intrigued him. She was polite but not subservient, her wit evident in her conversations. When a guest made a condescending remark about women's roles in marriage, Asha responded with a subtle yet pointed comment that left the room chuckling.
Rohan found himself drawn to her, not just because of her beauty but because of her depth. She wasn't trying to impress anyone; she was simply being herself.
Later, as the evening wound down, Rohan approached Asha, hoping to strike up a conversation. She was standing by the balcony, gazing at the stars.
"They're brighter here than in the city," she remarked without turning, sensing his presence.
Rohan nodded. "It's one of the few things I appreciate about these gatherings. A moment of quiet amidst the chaos."
Asha glanced at him, her expression thoughtful. "Do you ever feel like the chaos is all there is? Like no matter how hard you try, you can't escape it?"
Her words caught him off guard, resonating with his own inner struggles. "More often than I'd like to admit," he said honestly.
For a brief moment, their eyes met, and Rohan felt a flicker of understanding pass between them. It was the first time he saw Asha not as a stranger or a potential wife but as someone who might understand him.
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Climactic Moment
By the time Rohan returned home that night, he had made a decision. He would give the marriage a chance, but not because it was expected of him. There was something about Asha that intrigued him, something that made him want to explore the possibility of building a life together.
Still, his motivations weren't entirely pure. Part of him saw the marriage as an opportunity to fulfill his familial duties, to put an end to the constant pressure from his parents. Another part of him, however, was genuinely curious about Asha. Could she be the partner he had been searching for, even if he didn't know it?
Standing in his room, Rohan pulled out a small box from his desk drawer. Inside was a simple silver bracelet, a gift he had bought for Meera years ago but never given her. For a moment, he considered throwing it away, but instead, he placed it back in the drawer.
It was time to move forward, he thought, even if the path ahead was uncertain.
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Closing Reflection
As Rohan prepared for bed, he couldn't shake the feeling that his life was about to change in ways he couldn't yet comprehend. Asha was a mystery, one he was both wary of and eager to unravel. For the first time in years, he felt a glimmer of hope—a chance to break free from the shadows of his past and step into something new.
But in the back of his mind, a quiet voice whispered a warning: secrets had a way of surfacing, and the ones he carried could either bring them closer or tear them apart.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone