He started taking me more seriously. Every project, every presentation of his went through me. I liked how much importance he gave me.
He stopped hanging out with our office colleagues and also stopped me from hanging out with them. According to him it was a waste of time.
I thought it was his way of expressing love.
He began asking questions-where had my father retired from, at what position. I couldn't say my father would never retire. So I said he worked in the CEO's office.
"Wow, that's amazing," he said.
I smiled. I thought it was admiration for my father. Now I know-it was admiration for his post.
He asked how many rich people I was connected to. We lived in Delhpur's north region, an area specially designed for the wealthy. Every neighbour of mine was rich.
I mentioned just Shaurya and his girlfriend.
He asked how my father could afford to send me to such an expensive school. I told him it was free for children of company employees.
He was excited to have me-not because of who I was, but because of the car I drove, my father's reputation, the two or three connections he knew about, and how freely I spent my money on him.
He never asked how at such an young age I make such good proposals, how can I study data so well, how can I figure out company's profit and loss just by looking at some bar graphs. Never.
One day, I was invited to his family dinner. He flaunted me in front of everyone. I liked the attention-I won't lie.
But when food was served and I said I don't eat meat, Rohan looked shocked.
"Really?" he asked.
We had been together for almost two years.
I ignored it.
Because I was in love.
When it was time for me to leave party early, he waved from afar. I guess he couldn't walk me to the gate-he could only show me off.
I ignored it again.
I was in love.
We went on walks, and I couldn't walk as fast as him. He would go ahead and wait for me to catch up. I guess he couldn't walk with me.
I ignored it.
Because I was in love.
He never remembered my birthday. He said he was bad with numbers. So I reminded him myself-for three years. His gift was his time. That was all I received in three years. And that time was only given when I would pay in restaurant that are expensive for him.
He was excited to see my house after showing me his one-floor home, passed down through generations, in a place where thousands of similar families lived.
I couldn't tell him that one of my father's companies had built those houses.
I realised there was a huge gap in our finances.
But what hurt more was the gap in the love we shared.
I told him, "You'll see my home once we decide to get married."
He proposed immediately.
I forgot everything else. I truly believed life after marriage would be perfect.
When I told my parents about my intentions, they said they wanted to do a small background check. I was angry-why did they need to interfere?
But the truth was, I was scared.
What if they discovered how little he loved me?
How little did he actually know about me?
My parents' relationship was flawless. My father still opened doors for my mother. He spent time with her, gifted her more than she ever asked for, and remembered every little detail about her life.
And here I was-with a man who couldn't remember my birthday.
My mother was strict. She didn't argue much, once she made up her mind, she acted. She called Shaurya, his girlfriend, and Divya to our house to ask about Rohan.
They all hated him.
I cried the entire night. My eyes were swollen. How could they do this to me? It was the only thought in my head.
Now, I thank them every day for doing it.
My father couldn't bear to see me like that. He called me and said,
"We'll take his test. If he passes, you can marry him. If he fails, you'll marry into the family we choose."
"But don't call him here," my mother said. "Call him to the new apartments our company has built-the 4 BHK ones."
I agreed.
I took him to the newly built apartments. His eyes shone as he looked at the neighbourhood-the swimming pool, the park, the parking area. I took it as a compliment. After all, my company had built it.
"You're a single child, right?" Rohan asked.
"Yes," I said.
"After marriage, we'll live here with your parents. Otherwise, they'll feel lonely."
I smiled. Sure.
I thought it was cute.
He came to meet my parents with fruits and flowers. He knew how to spend money-the bouquet was beautiful.
I had never received one from him.
My father folded his hands and said,
"Leave my daughter. If I don't marry her into the Khano tribe, our people will turn against us."
Rohan got furious.
So did I.
We argued. We fought-for each other.
My mother turned to Rohan.
"How much do you need to leave my daughter?"
He was stunned.
"You aren't that rich, ma'am," Rohan said.
"Just give me a number," she replied.
"One million," he said.
My mother laughed.
"No... ten million," he corrected himself, naming the biggest number he could think of.
I looked at him.
"That could be my lifetime savings," my father said calmly.
"You want your daughter, right?" Rohan asked.
"Isn't ten million too much?" my mother said.
They kept negotiating.
Not because they couldn't afford it-they had cars worth more than that.
They were negotiating to see how much I was worth to him.
Divya was there too.
"Rohan, ask for something they can actually give you. You could have that much money in your account in a minute. Put a real, possible price."
"You're right," he said.
"If I will ask for too much, they would agree for our marriage, I should ask for something realistic." Rohan thought.
Three years of love-forgotten in a second.
"I want Aayna's car and three million in my account. Right now. That's it," Rohan said.
Rohan,what are you saying? Think. Please think before you speak anything. I said.
Iam thinking he said with a smile.
"You will lose me, forever", I cried.
My father completed the paperwork within minutes. Rohan was made to sign a contract stating he could never contact or come near me again-under any circumstances.
"Rohan, are you sure you want to do this?" I asked.
"Yes," he laughed. "I'm getting money."
"Don't sign this please, after this there will be no us." I again reminded him.
He signed the paper. And he did get the money.
I ran after him. "It's still not too late." I said. "Money isn't more important than a relationship." I again reminded him.
"It's emberessing, how you can leave me just for a car and 3 million." I cried.
"Please don't do this." I begged him.
Someone who had millions in her bank account. Someone who was raised with luxury. Someone who could choose anyone, begged him to stay.
He didn't care. He laughed. He kissed me on my cheeks. "Thanks for the money."
He said and left me crying just for 3 million.
He was stupid. My bank account had 5 million, 2 million more than he asked for. I was more stupid, who was trying to marry someone, who didn't respect relationships.
The next day, my father asked me to join his office. He instructed the director to arrange a farewell for me from that office.
I didn't want to go alone, Divya, Tara and Shaurya came along.
Shaurya's girlfriend, Tara, wanted me to look like a real boss-so she decided what I would wear.
Divya and Shaurya reminded me that I was the only daughter of my father, and it was time to stop staying broken and start taking charge of what my father built for me.
It was a lesson I needed to learn.
And finally, I returned to my real self-
Aayna, the girl who once dreamed of turning her father's multi-million-dollar business into a multi-billion-dollar empire.
"I think we should drive our Rexies today," Tara said.
Rexie is a car-rare in Delhpur. It starts at ten million.
The four of us bought it with our own income. In our early twenties, we started a small company together. The moment it made forty million in profit, we shut it down.
We didn't want the company.
We wanted the car.
Our parents had said no-so we earned it ourselves.
Mine was red.
Divya's pink.
Tara's hot pink.
Shaurya's orange.
As we reached the office, everyone straightened up.
Rohan tried to act smart. He opened my car door, not knowing it would be me, thinking he still had a chance with the owner's daughter.
To be fair-he wasn't wrong.
He had a chance.
Just not anymore.
I stepped out and gave a heartfelt farewell speech, thanking everyone. But this time, I wasn't the sweet Aayna they knew. I was calm, composed, and authoritative-kind, but no longer their colleague.
Their boss.
As I sat down afterward, Rohan approached me.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.
"Oh-hi, Rohan," I replied, formally, with a wide smile.
"I didn't want to break my cover," I said, unapologetically.
He tried playing the victim.
"You played with my heart," he said, tears rolling down his face.
It angered me-but I didn't show it.
People started noticing.
"Come on," Divya said loudly. "You wanted three million and Aayna's car. More than you wanted Aayna."
"That's exactly what you got," she added, without hesitation.
The room shifted.
"Come on, Rohan-you're a gold digger," a girl who used to hang out with him said.
"Didn't you say you'd replace your girlfriend instantly if you found someone richer?"
Another voice added, "You were never in love."
People laughed.
"Silence," I said.
I walked toward my red Rexie and looked at him.
"One tyre of my car needs five lug bolts," I said calmly.
"Four tyres need twenty lug bolts."
"Each lug bolt costs five thousand."
"That means one lakh-just for the bolts."
"You don't even earn that much."
"You should be happy with the car I gave you-because you won't be able to afford this, even by retirement."
"Why are you doing this?" he whispered.
"Because I didn't know you were this cheap to buy," I replied.
"Aayna, your father is coming," the director announced.
My father walked in and gave a long speech. He announced that I would now officially join him at the office-after eight to ten years of experience, he said proudly.
He was proud of me.
And for the first time in three years, I was free-
Free from the kind of love that had blinded me.
Shreya's desperation to destroy others when she was caught mirrored my own desperation to stay where love had already died. I stayed, bleeding quietly, calling endurance love.
Desperate people always lose.
She lost her freedom.
I lost my belief.
I understand lust.
I understand power.
I understand wealth.
But love-
love is the only thing I walked away from without learning.
And that is the loss I still carry.