Supriya sat in a crowded café, lost in thought. Everyone around her seemed busy, chasing their goals, yet she felt stuck—uncertain of what she truly wanted.

It all began five years ago...

That day, she saved Rajalakshmi’s life by donating her blood. She never expected anything in return, but fate had other plans. Rajalakshmi, grateful and affectionate, wanted Supriya as her daughter-in-law. At first, she refused. Marriage wasn’t something she had planned.

But then she learned the truth—Rajalakshmi’s son was Mahesh, the man she had secretly admired for years. A successful businessman, distant yet captivating.

That one decision changed everything.

________

Supriya sat alone in the grand, beautifully decorated room—her wedding night, a night she had dreamed of since childhood. But reality was far from the fairy tale she had imagined.

Mahesh's cold words echoed in her ears:

"I know you're after my money… take what you want, but don’t even think about me falling in love with you."

Then, without another glance, he walked away, leaving her in the silence of her shattered dreams.

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. No, she wouldn't break. She had married him out of love, not greed. There was still time—time to make him see her heart, time to change their fate.

_____

Supriya woke up the next morning determined. She had married Mahesh out of love, and she wouldn't give up so easily. But the days that followed only deepened her pain.

Mahesh barely acknowledged her presence, treating her like a stranger in their own home. He came home late, sometimes not at all. When he did, his cold stares and sharp words reminded her that she was unwanted.

One evening, at a family gathering...

Rajalakshmi, her mother-in-law, smiled proudly at her. "Supriya is the best daughter-in-law anyone could ask for."

Mahesh scoffed. "Let’s not pretend, Ma. We both know why this marriage happened." His words cut deep, but she forced a smile, hiding the tears threatening to spill.

The night that shattered her hope...

One night, she found Mahesh in his study, talking to someone on the phone.

"Shivani, I’ll always love you... I was forced into this marriage, but you’re the only one I care about."

Her heart stopped. She had known he didn’t love her, but hearing him say it so openly crushed her.

She turned away quietly, her hands trembling. Maybe love wasn’t meant for her. Maybe it was time to stop fighting for someone who never wanted her in the first place.