“I’m not forcing anyone; I’m giving you time to think it over before giving me your answer. But be careful, saying ‘no’ isn’t an option,” Priyank’s voice exuded confidence and threat simultaneously.
His eyes sharply assessed Priya and Mary.
“Are you threatening us?” Mary inquired.
“Do you want me to?” Priyank’s gaze narrowed as he focused on Mary, who returned his stare with eyes full of resentment.
“We don’t need time to think. And even if you don’t accept ‘no’ as an answer, our response remains unchanged: you can’t marry Priya,” Mary asserted, her words tinged with uncertainty.
“Understand this, old hag. I don’t think you can handle refusing me. You have much to lose, so maybe you should reconsider your so-called denial,” Priyank chuckled, suppressing a few curses.
Priya looked at Daisy, silently pleading for help. Daisy was the only one who could influence Priyank; he had always held a soft spot for his mother, so perhaps she could intervene.
Noticing Priya’s plea, Daisy intervened. “I don’t believe marriage is something we should rush into. Give it time, Priyank. You can’t force a lifelong commitment. Priya is young and has much to experience in life.”
“I’m not hindering her education,” Priyank glanced at his mother. “I’m willing to support her in building her future. And who says you can’t marry young? It’s not a crime. She’s already of legal age.”
“Legal or not, that doesn’t mean you can simply marry her. She needs to agree to it,” Daisy attempted to reason with him.
“Will it make any difference? I’m giving her time to prepare. What I’m offering is better than anything else. Marriage isn’t unbreakable; what we’ll have will never falter, and I’ll ensure that,” Priyank declared, his hands clenched into fists.
Why was everyone so eager to oppose him? It grated on his nerves, and he couldn’t understand why they were treating him as if he were marrying a child.
Sure, Priya acted like one, but that didn’t mean she was a child. She was a fully grown 18-year-old.
Marriage wasn’t about taking anything away from her; in fact, it was about giving her opportunities.
Daisy sighed heavily, closing her eyes briefly before opening them again, knowing her son’s stubborn nature wouldn’t allow him to reconsider.
He always pursued what he wanted, no matter what, and while she often despised this aspect of him, she also recognized that it contributed to his confidence and power.
In his childhood, he had been gentle and compliant, but somewhere along the path to manhood, he had shed those traits. Daisy couldn’t help but mourn the loss of the son she once knew; it pained her deeply.
“Mom!” Priyank’s voice interrupted her thoughts as he noticed her distant expression.
Daisy snapped back to the present, meeting his gaze. “Do as you wish. I can’t stop you, but I’m not pleased with this decision at all.”
She rose from her seat, offering an apologetic glance to Mary and Priya before walking away. She felt torn leaving him to his own devices, but she also felt powerless to intervene.
Nothing she said seemed to make a difference anymore.
Priyank took a few deep breaths internally as his mom left. He could convince her later; for now, he needed to address the situation at hand.
“We’re leaving too. There’s nothing left to discuss,” Mary declared, rising from her seat. Priya silently followed suit.
Throughout the conversation, Priya had been silently observing everything. She could sense Daisy’s helplessness too.
But she was also haunted by the fear of what Priyank might do to the orphanage kids, similar to what he did to her pet dog. What if he harmed everyone like he did to Lucky?
Fear flashed in her eyes, coursing through her veins like a poison.
“You can go, I don’t think it’s an issue, but keep in mind you have three days to think, if I didn’t get an answer then you will get any answers in return for your silence,” Priyank said observing the fear in Priya’s eyes.
He knows he didn’t win at all, but she is rethinking her rejection and that’s the major win too. The more she will think, the more she will figure out how she can’t just deny him .
Priyank watched as Mary and Priya left, his gaze lingering on Priya for a moment longer. He could sense her inner fear, but he was confident that in the end, she would see things his way.
‘It will be fine, way fine,’ Priyank repeated to himself as he stood up and made his way to his mother’s room.
He hated upsetting his mother; nothing like this brought him joy.
But this was one instance where he couldn’t do anything but oppose his mother’s wishes.
Priya wasn’t just a desire; she was a necessity, his everything. He craved her, and he couldn’t let her slip away.
If it came down to it, he could let go of this life, but not Priya.
As Priyank entered his mother’s room, he found her sitting by the window, lost in thought. He approached her cautiously, sensing her unease.
“Mom,” he began softly, “I know this is difficult for you, but please try to understand. Priya means everything to me. I can’t imagine my life without her.”
Daisy turned to him, her expression a mix of sadness and resignation. “I know you love for her deeply, but marriage is a serious commitment. You’re both still so young.”
“I understand, Mom,” Priyank replied earnestly. “But I promise to take care of her, to support her in every way possible. Please trust me on this.”
Daisy sighed, her hand resting on her son’s shoulder. “But you can’t force anyone, son. If you keep behaving like this, she won’t love you at all.”
Priyank’s heart clenched at her words. He had thought he was immune to the fact that she didn’t love him, but hearing it aloud made him feel a pang of sadness.
He knew she couldn’t love him, given her level of understanding, but he believed that what he had to offer was more than enough for both of them.
“Mom, I’m not forcing her. She’ll come to her own decision in time. Don’t worry,” he reassured her, though uncertainty lingered in his own heart.
“I was sitting right there; I could see how you were using the orphanage and her loved ones as threat,” Daisy remarked pointedly.