Chapter-2: Shadows of the Past

...----------------...

The next morning, Anaya woke up to a silent house. No sound of footsteps, no murmured voices, not even the soft clinking of dishes in the kitchen. The city buzzed faintly beyond the tall windows, but within the penthouse, there was only stillness.

She sat up slowly, still wrapped in the weight of the previous day. Her red bridal bangles glinted in the sunlight. They were beautiful, but they felt like cuffs—reminders of a bond sealed without affection.

After a quick shower, she stepped out wearing a simple pastel kurti and leggings. Her long hair was still damp, left open to dry naturally. She made her way to the dining area, where a neatly laid breakfast for one awaited her. Veer was gone. A note beside the plate read:

“Had an early meeting. Don’t wait for me. —Veer.”

Anaya stared at the handwriting. Clean, sharp strokes. Impersonal. Efficient. Just like him.

She sighed and sat down, nibbling at the toast without appetite. Was this what married life with him would look like? Empty chairs and half-hearted notes?

The next few days passed in routine monotony. Veer remained distant, leaving early and returning late. Their conversations were polite but sparse.

“Did you eat?”

“Yes.”

“Do you need anything?”

“No.”

Every word exchanged felt transactional, like two strangers sharing the same air but not the same world.

One afternoon, Anaya found herself exploring the penthouse. It was large and tastefully decorated but lacked warmth. The walls were bare except for a few expensive abstract paintings. In the study, she found a shelf of books—mostly business and finance. No novels, no poetry, no music.

But what caught her eye was a small, locked drawer in the desk. She hesitated, then turned away. She had no right. Not yet.

That evening, as she walked into the living room, she noticed a photo frame peeking from behind a stack of files on the coffee table. Curious, she picked it up.

It was a picture of Veer and a woman. Tall, elegant, and stunningly confident. They stood close, smiling genuinely. Unlike any expression Anaya had seen on Veer’s face so far.

...----------------...

(credits goes to the real owners of this picture)

...----------------...

She didn’t need to ask who the woman was. Meera.

Anaya felt the air go still. So the rumors were true. Meera wasn’t just a name whispered by relatives at the wedding. She was real. She was unforgettable. And Veer had loved her.

Her heart tightened, but she placed the frame back exactly where she found it. It wasn’t jealousy that stung—it was the confirmation of what she had feared all along: she wasn’t his choice.

That night, Veer returned later than usual. He looked exhausted, but paused when he saw her sitting quietly on the balcony.

“You’re still up?” he asked.

She nodded. “Couldn’t sleep.”

He hesitated, then stepped out beside her. The silence stretched between them again.

“Was she the one you wanted to marry?” Anaya asked, her voice calm.

Veer blinked, startled. “What?”

“Meera.”

He looked away. “It doesn’t matter now.”

“But it does to me,” she said, eyes shining with unshed tears. “Because I’m not a contract. I’m a person. And I deserve to know if I’m living with a ghost.”

He didn’t answer.

She stood up slowly. “You don’t have to love me, Veer. But you can’t keep pretending I’m invisible.”

And with that, she walked back inside, leaving him alone with the weight of his silence—and the realization that perhaps, just perhaps, he had never really seen her until now.

...****************...

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***