"I don't want to get married right now, Ma…"
Sejal's voice was calm but firm.
Her mother's tone softened slightly as she replied,
> "Ken is such a good boy, dear. You won't find another like him. He loves you deeply. He's never left your side—not even once. Through your joys, sorrows, sickness, or emotional breakdowns—he's always been there. Has anyone else stood by you like Ken has?"
Before Sejal could respond, her mother added,
> "Please, beta… just say yes. Ken will keep you so happy. I'm not forcing you, I'm requesting you—from a mother's heart. Say yes to marrying him."
Ken was standing quietly beside her mother, eyes lowered, silently listening to every word—his heart heavy with emotion.
Sejal didn't respond right away.
She stood in silence for a while. Then, in a soft voice, she said,
> "Ma, I'll come home straight from college tomorrow. Let me talk to you in person first… and then, whatever you decide, I'll listen."
Before Sejal could even hang up, Ken's voice came from the other end of the call:
> "Okay, I'll come pick you up from college tomorrow. We'll go to your house together."
Sejal didn't say anything else.
She simply lowered her eyes and hung up—her silence speaking louder than any words.
Inside her chest, something weighed heavier and heavier, as if her heart was sinking into itself.
Was love… just another name for duty?
---
To be continued...