There's only a difference of few breaths between life and death.

As long as we breathe, we live... and the moment those breaths stop, life quietly leaves us, as if it was never ours to keep.

It feels as if life and breaths are each other's true love-

a bond so pure, they never leave each other... until the very end.

Being a surgeon, I understand better than anyone how deep this connection is between life and breaths.

But as a human...

the meaning of true love?

That... I never truly understood.

Such a beautiful word, isn't it?

True love.

When you're with someone and you feel like they are your person, your forever...

but then that same person makes your love feel meaningless.

And that pain... it's unbearable.

Maybe it sounds strange,

but watching my father treat my mother badly all my life...

I always promised myself one thing-

that I will try my best to make my wife feel like the luckiest woman in the world.

I had dreams... so many dreams about how I would love her, care for her, make her smile.

But today...

all those dreams are locked somewhere deep inside my heart.

Because now...

I neither have the desire, nor the courage to believe

that someone could ever truly love me...

after knowing My truth.

A truth...

that made the person I loved leave me halfway.

We had dreams together.

A future.

A forever.

But everything... remained incomplete.

For the first time in my life, I fell in love...

and even that love couldn't stay.

A truth so harsh...

that even my own father stopped loving me.

To him, I became nothing but useless.

The only things holding me together now are-

my work,

my patients,

A few friends...

and my mother.

"Sir... my husband... how is he? C-can I meet him?"

A trembling voice pulled me out of my thoughts as I stepped out of the operation theatre.

The woman looked around sixty.

Her face carried pain, fear, helplessness... and a tiny spark of hope.

"He's out of danger," I said softly.

"We'll shift him to the general ward after recovery. You can meet him then."

The moment I said that...

her face lit up with relief. Tears filled her eyes.

"Thank you, Doctor," she whispered.

I smiled.

A few hours later, while passing by the general ward, something made me stop.

My steps slowed... and then completely froze.

I walked towards one of the wards and looked inside through the glass partition.

It was her.

She was sitting beside her husband, gently caressing his hair.

He was lying on the bed, eyes closed.

Slowly... she leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his forehead.

Watching them, only one thought crossed my mind-

How much must they have endured to reach here?

And yet today...

they looked so complete.

So peaceful... Just being together.

A tired smile found its way back to my face.

I quietly walked away, finished my remaining work, and returned to my cabin.

Picking up my belongings, I went to the counter.

"Miss Sanvi, the old couple... the man who had heart surgery this morning-

I'll cover all their expenses. Don't ask them for any payment.

If they've already paid anything, return it."

"Okay, sir," she nodded with a soft smile.

I sat in my car and drove back home.

My body was exhausted.

My eyes were heavy with sleep.

But my mind...

That was still stuck on that one scene.

This... this is what we call True Love , right ?

I wondered-

"Will someone like that ever come into my life?"

Someone who would grow old with me...

Sit beside me like that...

Gently stroke my hair...

kiss my forehead...

and make me believe...

that true love really exists.

I questioned myself.

But I already knew the answer.

I didn't have it then...

and I didn't expect to ever find it.

................

A knock on the door pulled me out of my sleep, and I let out a low groan.

Dragging myself up, I walked to the door and opened it-only to find my mother standing there.

"Good morning, Maa," I murmured, still half-asleep, wrapping my arms around her in a loose hug.

"Good morning, beta. What time did you come home last night?" she asked softly.

I pulled away from her and grabbed the shirt lying on the couch, slipping it on.

"At least come inside first... you can question me later," I said, holding her hand and guiding her in before making her sit down.

"How can I not ask about you?" she said, her voice laced with concern.

"I don't even know what time you come home... whether you eat anything or not... what you do... nothing makes sense anymore."

She spoke like a complaint... but every word carried nothing but worry.

"Maa..."

I got up and sat beside her, gently placing my head in her lap as I closed my eyes.

Her fingers instinctively began to run through my hair-slow, soothing... familiar.

"Don't worry so much," I murmured softly.

"Your son is a grown man now. I can take care of myself. You don't need to stay awake all night for me... or worry this much.

If I'm hungry, I'll eat. If I'm tired, I'll sleep. Simple."

"How can I not worry?" she replied, her voice filled with quiet affection.

"You're my son... the one who loves me so much. Taking care of you... it makes me happy."

A small smile formed on my lips.

"Listen..." she continued after a pause, her tone turning gentle yet meaningful,

"if you agree with me... then it's time you have someone in your life too.

Someone who can take care of you the way I do... someone who waits for you, stays awake for you..."

She hesitated for a moment before adding softly-

"That's why... you should get married now."

I opened my eyes and sat up.

"So now, to take care of myself, I should ruin some girl's life?" I said with a faint, almost ironic smile as I stood up and walked toward the closet, pulling out my clothes.

"Get married... just so someone can look after me?"

There was a quiet bitterness beneath my light tone.

"Who told you that marrying you would ruin someone's life?" Maa's voice came from behind me.

I froze in my place.

"Why... don't you think so?" I asked, turning to face her.

"No, beta," she said softly, stepping closer and cupping my face in her hands.

"The girl who marries you... the one you'll love... she'll be the luckiest girl in this world."

A faint smile appeared on my lips.

"No, Maa... if any girl ever truly loves me..." I paused, my voice softer now,

"then I will be the luckiest man alive."

I smiled... but it didn't quite reach my eyes.

"And as for marriage... I don't want to," I continued quietly.

"Because I know... once someone learns the truth about me... no one would choose to stay."

"Why do you think like that?" she said gently, trying to ease the heaviness in my words.

"Look at this..."

She handed me a photograph.

"Your father has found this match for you. The only issue is that their status isn't like ours... but everything else is good. She's homely, well-mannered... knows how to take care of a house.

She doesn't work-her parents kept her at home after her studies. She knows all the household responsibilities..."

"Maa are you sure you are talking about my Partner or a Maid ?" I chuckled.

She shook her head in no with annoyance.

She extended the photo toward me again, her eyes hopeful.

"At least... take a look once."

Without even glancing at the photograph, I looked straight at Maa.

There was no trace of playfulness on my face now-only seriousness.

"Does she know... the truth about me, Maa?"

Maa fell silent.

And that silence... was enough.

"I haven't told them. And no one will," a voice interrupted.

"Not Even you... and your mother."

I shut my eyes in frustration the moment I heard it.

My father.

Or rather... a father only by name.

The mere sound of his voice was enough to ruin my mood.

"Maa, please tell him I can't do this marriage," I said, turning away as I began walking toward the bathroom.

"Viraat."

I stopped.

Right there.

My back facing him, my body stiff.

"People are already talking because of you," he continued, his tone sharp and authoritative.

"They keep asking why our son isn't getting married. Don't give them another reason to gossip."

I turned toward him .

"I don't care about those people. You're the one who gives them importance," I said coldly.

"Whether you care or not, we do!" he snapped, his voice rising.

"It's a reputation we've built over years-not you."

I remained silent.

"I don't know in what cursed moment you were born," he continued bitterly.

"Useless. Absolutely useless. Just like your mother... and you turned out no different."

My fists clenched at my sides, but I said nothing.

Maa, as always, stayed quiet.

Though... it wasn't entirely her fault.

She had been conditioned this way ever since her marriage-never allowed to speak against him, never given the space to stand up for herself.

And the sad part?

She never even tried.

And whenever I tried to make her... she would silence me too.

"I wanted an alliance with a respectable, high-status family," he went on, his voice dripping with disappointment.

"But when the son himself isn't worthy, what can I even expect?"

A humorless scoff escaped him.

"That's why this marriage is happening in a middle-class family. The girl is simple, homely... she won't talk back much.

Keep her in her place like a man-just the way I've kept your mother."

Every word felt like poison in the air.

"And no more drama from your side.

You will marry the girl we've chosen... quietly."

And with that... he left.

Just like always.

Maa's hand rested gently on my shoulder, her touch soft-almost hesitant.

I forced a small nod, silently assuring her that I was fine.

A lie... I had learned to live with.

After a moment, she walked away too.

And just like that... I was alone again.

The silence in the room felt suffocating.

I walked to the door and shut it-harder than necessary.

Then, without wasting another second, I headed straight to the gym attached to my room.

The punching bag stood there... still, silent-unlike the chaos inside me.

And then-

I hit it.

Hard.

Again.

And again.

Each punch carrying everything I couldn't say... everything I couldn't feel out loud.

It was the only way I knew how to let it out.

The only way to silence the noise inside my head.

Because there was no one...

No one I could talk to.

No one I could open up to.

No one in front of whom I could break down-

not even myself.

Because since childhood, I was taught one thing-

Men don't cry.

So I didn't.

I never did.

Instead, I chose this.

Pain.

Something I could control.

Something I could understand.

I didn't want my anger to fall on anyone else...

didn't want to become him.

So I kept punching.

Relentlessly.

Until the skin on my knuckles tore open...

until the blood started dripping down my hands...

Until it reminded me-

that I am human too.

That I feel.

That I break.

That it hurts...

It hurts like hell.

Whether it's the sting of torn skin...

or the kind of pain that sits quietly inside your chest-

unseen...

unheard...

but slowly destroying you from within.

..........

A while later, after stepping out of the shower, I reached toward the bed to pick up my clothes-

when my gaze fell on the photograph lying beside it.

The same photograph Maa had shown me.

The same photograph... of the girl who was supposed to become my wife.

I picked it up unconsciously.

It looked like it had been taken at some function.

Her face was soft... delicate.

Her eyes-slightly small, lined beautifully with kohl-held a quiet depth.

Her cheeks were a little chubby, adding an innocent charm to her features.

A sharp nose adorned with a tiny nose ring,large Jhumkas swaying gently beside her face ,a small bindi resting perfectly at the center of her forehead.

Loose strands of hair brushed against her cheeks.

And her lips-

curved into the kind of smile that felt... warm.

Real.

For reasons I couldn't explain...

a faint smile found its way to my own lips.

My fingers brushed softly over the photograph... almost absentmindedly.

And before I could stop myself, I whispered-

"Am I... really worthy of you?"

"Myra, open the door and come outside!" Maa banged loudly on the door, her voice filled with anger.

"I'm not coming out. I won't step outside until you people cancel this marriage," I cried out.

For a few moments, Maa said nothing.

"Open the door. Don't make me angrier," she warned again, pounding on the door.

"I told you not to educate her this much. After getting educated, she thinks she has too much freedom. She's 25 years old and still sitting at home. Doesn't she feel any shame? Open the door, Myra!" Soon, Papa's voice joined in.

"I'm sitting at home because of you people... you're the ones who never let me step out."

"Open the door, or the consequences won't be good, Myra!" Papa shouted, and for a moment, fear gripped me completely.

But even then, I didn't open the door.

"Suman, do one thing-go and take down all her certificates that she proudly hangs, and burn them all," Papa said to Maa. Hearing that, panic took over me. Pure panic. Those certificates and medals were the only things that constantly reminded me to keep striving in life.

I immediately got up and opened the door.

"No... no, Papa, you-"

But before I could complete my sentence, I was slapped by my father.

I placed my hand on my cheek and stared straight at him.

"Look... look at the way she's glaring at me!" Papa stepped forward again, but this time my elder brother Rahul, intervened and stopped him.

"Papa... Papa, leave it. Let it go. Anyway, she'll be leaving this house in a few days."

"Be grateful that your fate is turning in your favor-that such a wealthy family is willing to make you their daughter-in-law. Otherwise, girls like you aren't even considered these days." Papa Said .

"From tomorrow, relatives will start arriving. Quietly do as you're told. I was even thinking of letting you meet that boy, but no-you're not worthy of that. Now sit here, and only step out when you're asked to." He further added .

And I was still staring at my father.

"I. Will. Not. Get. Married. Do you understand?"

Papa stepped toward me again, but my brother gripped my arm tightly and said,

"Why are you creating this drama? We've arranged such a good match for you-what more do you want? Seriously, just leave us alone. How long will you remain a burden on us?"

And I don't know why, but hearing these words from my own brother made my eyes well up.

A burden? Even my own brother sees me as a burden...

What could be worse than this?

"And if you create any drama in this marriage, remember this-I'll burn all your achievements, your certificates, your medals... everything. And I'll marry you off to some old man." My Father Warned me .

Saying this, one by one, they all left.

I closed the door of my room .I was trembling . I looked at the photograph of the boy who was about to become my husband.

"He looks like a decent person... but what if he turns out to be just like.... them?" I murmured to myself.

And in that moment, I realized something-that whatever was about to happen next was entirely in the hands of my destiny.

Either everything would turn out beautifully...

Or everything would fall apart terribly...

But whatever happens, I'm ready for it. I'm not so weak that anyone can just do whatever they want with me.

With that thought, I sat there quietly, lost in contemplation about what awaited me in the days to come...

🌺

Thank you so much to read my Story .

Do vote and Follow me on Instagram ❤️

Your support means a lot .