The Final Descent


Meeting Swapnika's father felt like stepping back in time—a strange sense of déjà vu washed over me as I stood in the same spot where we had spoken years ago. The balcony of their house was unchanged, but this time, I was different. I was here with a purpose, with a determination that hadn't been there before.

As I approached him, the weight of our past encounter hung in the air. But I wasn't going to let that deter me. I looked him in the eye and spoke with conviction. "Sir, I'm asking you again—will you accept me marrying Swapnika?"

He didn't look surprised by my question. In fact, he seemed almost resigned. "I've been expecting this," he said, his voice steady. "I saw you that night, Arjun—when you kissed Swapnika. I knew this conversation was coming."

There was a pause, and I braced myself for his response and then he continued, his tone firm, "I'll be honest with you. I still don't like you. I've always felt there's a darkness in you, something I can't quite put into words. But my judgment was wrong the last time. It cost me my daughter's happiness. And now... now I'm thinking that maybe my judgment about you could be wrong again."

He sighed, his gaze softening just a little. "I can see how happy Swapnika is when she's with you. I don't want to ruin that for her. But I'm telling you again, I don't like you."

His words were blunt, but I could sense the conflict within him. He was a man torn between his instincts and his desire to see his daughter happy. I knew winning his approval would never be easy, but his acknowledgment, however reluctant, was more than I had hoped for. There was only one more person whose approval I needed—Swapna. I was confident that she would agree; despite everything, Swapna had always wanted to see me happy. When I approached her with the idea, her response was what I expected. She nodded, her eyes reflecting both love and a deep sense of loyalty. I could tell she was doing this for me, to make sure I found the happiness I'd been searching for.

The days leading up to the engagement were busy with preparations. My aunt flew in for the occasion. Her presence added a sense of completeness to everything. Swapnika and I were inseparable during this time, enjoying our love and the excitement of planning our future together.

We spent hours shopping for the engagement, picking out the perfect outfits, and discussing the details of the ceremony. As we shopped and made plans, I couldn't help but notice how natural it felt to be with Swapnika, how easily we fell into a rhythm that was both comforting and thrilling. There was a sense of joy in the air, something that had been missing from my life for so long. We were finally moving forward, leaving the shadows behind.

Amid all the excitement of the engagement preparations, there was one moment that unsettled the growing harmony. Swapnika and I had planned a day out to do some final shopping for the engagement. This time, we decided to take Karthik along with us. It was supposed to be a simple outing, something light-hearted, but it took a different turn.

Swapna had stayed behind, focused on her exams. It seemed like the right decision at the time—I didn't want to disturb her studies, and I assumed she wouldn't mind missing a shopping trip. But when we returned, I could see something was off. Swapna was quieter than usual, and her eyes, usually so bright, seemed clouded with doubt.

Later that evening, when we were alone, she finally voiced what had been troubling her. "Dad," she began, her voice hesitant, "why didn't you take me with you today? Are you... are you trying to avoid me?"

Her words hit me hard. I realized that in my effort to protect her focus on her exams, I had inadvertently made her feel left out. "No, Swapna," I said quickly, sitting down beside her. "It's not like that at all. I didn't want to disturb you because of your exams. That's the only reason. You know how important your studies are, and I thought you'd prefer to stay home and prepare."

She looked at me, her expression softening slightly, but there was still a hint of hurt in her eyes. "I understand, but it just felt... it felt like you were keeping me out of something."

I took her hand, squeezing it gently. "You're always a part of everything, Swapna. I would never leave you out. I'm sorry if it felt that way. Next time, you're coming with us, exams or not."

She smiled, but it was a small, tentative smile, not reaching her eyes the way it usually did. I knew then that I needed to be more mindful, to make sure she always felt included. As much as I loved Swapnika, I couldn't let Swapna feel like she was losing her place in my life.

The engagement had been nothing short of grand, a celebration that brought joy not only to me and Swapnika but to everyone who attended. It felt like a dream come true—a new beginning for both of us. My aunt...