Ashlok FF - You've Won My Heart! (Chapter 10 updated on page 138) - Page 10

Now Shlok got really annoyed "No baba I can't wait anymore now. Why are you all hell bent on creating suspense? I was called here because of this so called surprise na and now no one is willing to tell me. Why are you all testing my patience?" Now NA got the gist that he was starting to get annoyed and decided to stop teasing him and reveal the big surprise.

"Ok then listen" he smiled at him mysteriously and then continued, "the surprise is that next week there is a marriage..."

Before NA could finish, Shlok interrupted him.."Marriage? but whose?" His entire senses were alerted hearing the word marriage. Whose marriage is his baba talking about? Jyoti was still too young so it couldn't be her. Could it be someone else in the family?

NA stared at him in mock anger, "beta at least let me finish na...all your questions will be answered if you patiently listen to everything I want to say" he said calmly. Shlok felt embarrassed at being told off like a small kid and asked him to continue.

"Like I was saying, there is a marriage happening next week. I went to Avdhoot's house regarding that matter. Do you remember we once told you about your engagement to Avdhoot's daughter, Astha?" he paused to wait for his response. Shlok simply nodded. He wasn't liking where it was going. The 'surprise' it seemed turned out to be an unpleasant one for him.

"Well you know how close our families have always been. Avdhoot was my best friend even before I got married to ur mum. When u kids were small, we decided then that we will eventually turn this deep friendship into a relationship. Therefore we fixed your marriages with each other: yours with Astha and Jyoti's with Sid. Everyone in the family was happy with our decision, so we got you four officially engaged. We decided that we will get you married when you will grow up. And now that you have got a great job and are earning well, and Astha too has completed her masters this year, me and Avdhoot decided that finally it was the time to get you two married..." he was still going on, excited at the prospect of his dearest son's marriage, completely unaware of his present state. Shlok was staring at his baba with wide open eyes. He was too shocked. This 'surprise' did leave him surprised...in fact no, that's a too small a word...it left him baffled in true sense. The impact of the blow from this surprise was too much for him to take. He completely forgot about his engagement with Astha years back. He never thought in his wildest dreams that his baba would spring the news of his marriage to his childhood fianc out of the blue.

NA was now finished and was looking Shlok questioningly, waiting for his response. But Shlok was too dumbfounded to say anything. After getting no response from him, he was forced to ask, "So mere bachche, how did you find our surprise?" Still there was no response from Shlok, which surprised him and Anjali who was also sitting in the room, quietly observing interaction between father and son.

"Shlok!" this time NA loudly called out his name and touched his shoulder. "Where are you lost beta?" Shlok suddenly came back to his senses and looked at his baba. "I asked you something...that how did you find our surprise?" NA asked again.

Shlok took a few deep breaths, trying to make sense of it all. He finally decided to come straight out with the truth. He looked at his baba who was still waiting for his response and said in a low but firm tone of voice, "I am sorry baba but I can not marry Astha."

As he said it, he saw shadows of several emotions passing through his baba's eyes...from contentment to confusion to shock to anger. They were left as shocked as him at his announcement. Both of his parents were staring at him in disbelief.

"Shlok, what are you saying?" Anjali finally spoke, looking at him incredulously.

"Shlok have you lost it? Do you even realise what you are saying?" NA shouted at him, shocked at his son's blunt refusal.

"Yes I do. You heard it right. I do not wish to marry Astha"

"Shlok!" He yelled furiously.

"But what's the reason for your refusal?" Anjali asked.

"I love someone else and I will marry only her. I have never thought about Astha in that way and neither will I ever do. So please I request you to end this matter here and refuse Avdhoot uncle." As soon as he finished, he walked straight out of the room, knowing full well that he just threw a bombshell on his parents.

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Astha was alone at home. Her parents had gone out to visit her aunt. She decided to stay back at home. After making herself a cup of coffee, she was making her way to her room when she heard the phone ringing. She kept the cup on a nearby table and picked up the phone. "Hello".

"Hello Astha" Her heart skipped few beats as soon as she heard his voice. She was hearing his deep but warm and gentle voice after a really long time. It was like music to her ears. All of a sudden she started feeling nervous...not sure what to say. Her heart was doing somersaults. She was thinking of a suitable response when he said in a very serious tone,"Astha, now listen to what I am going to say very carefully...and please u better accept it and act upon it because that will prove best for both of us."

Now she started feeling anxious. Her nervousness vanished replaced by worry and astonishment. "Shlok what are you trying to say? I am unable to understand."

He sighed and continued.. "Look Astha, in my entire life, I have never thought about you...I mean as my life partner. We are really good friends...we were even best friends at one point, but I have never considered you anything more than that. I have never felt any romantic emotions being evoked for you. Even my mind never accepted you as my would-be-wife. In short, I do not want to marry you. Please refuse your dad."

Astha was completely stilled into shock after hearing his painful and cruel words...How easily and calmly he uttered them...didn't even think once what damage his words will do to her soft and innocent heart that was filled with love for him. She felt sure her heart was scarred for life which will never be able to heal and be whole again.

"Astha are you listening to me?" she heard Shlok's voice who may have paused expecting her to react in some way but after getting no response from her, he asked her again.

Astha returned to her senses and tried to overcome her shock with great difficulty. She used all her energy and effort on making herself normal again. She took few deep breaths and said in a strong and firm voice. "may I know the reason for your refusal?"

"Yes, why not? Actually I love someone else so there is no question of me marrying you. I have refused my baba and it would be best if you refuse your parents too." he said in a harsh tone.

She was feeling more depressed and heart broken by the minute. But she ignored her heart. It was time to think practically, she decided. She assessed the situation and thought for few minutes. "And what if I refuse to decline the proposal? What will you do then?"

"What do you mean?" He asked, startled.

"What I mean is...it's you who has objection towards this marriage, not me...it's you who love someone else, not me...you will be the one benefiting with the refusal of this marriage, not me. Because after breaking the years-long engagement, people will raise fingers on ME...it will be a stigma on my character, not yours. So MR. Shlok Agnihotri it will be better if you refuse for the marriage yourself because honestly speaking I don't think I have enough strength to hurt my parents by refusing this marriage". Even though she tried her best to sound strong but by the end of her speech her voice started shaking with the storm of emotions she was feeling at the moment.

"What rubbish? How dare you?" he yelled.

"How dare I? How dare you..call me and tell me your love story, expecting me to bow down to your ridiculous request and refuse my parents on YOUR behalf? Don't you expect ANY kind of favour from me." she was fuming. "And btw Mr. Agnihotri, before refusing for this proposal, did you even once stopped to think about your sister?" she heard a gasp on the other end. She smiled a little and continued, "you should have thought that the girl you are refusing is the sister of the man who is engaged to your sister. If not mine, then at least you should have thought about the future of your sister."

"Are you threatening me?" sounding furious.

She responded calmly, "No, I am not threatening you. I am simply warning you and making you see the other side of the picture. Now I am sure this time when you will take the decision you will at least once think about your sister too" After she finished, she didn't stop to hear his response and disconnected the call immediately.

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So many of you guessed the 'surprise' after the last update 😉 I guess I made it quite obvious 😆Will be waiting for your feedback and comments 😃

P.s. If anyone wants me to pm them then kindly buddy me as it makes it easy for me 😊