Gowthami pulled back slightly from their embrace, her face a mix of emotions. "You really scared me, you know," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "When you said you were in love with someone else, I felt like my heart was breaking. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you to someone else."
Rajeev listened, his eyes soft and filled with regret. "I'm sorry, Gowthami. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just wanted to see how you felt about me."
She sighed, shaking her head. "Well, you certainly found out. I love you, Rajeev. I don't even know when it started, but being with you, seeing how you care for everyone, how dedicated you are... I fell for you. Completely."
A small, playful frown formed on her lips. "But tricking me like that... it wasn't fair. You scared me so much, and now you have to make up for it."
Rajeev smiled, a teasing glint in his eyes. "And how do I do that, my love?"
Gowthami's expression softened, and she looked at him with a mixture of love and mock sternness. "You can start by promising me one thing."
"Anything," he replied, his tone serious.
"You have to promise to marry me," she said, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Only then will I forgive you for your little trick."
Rajeev's face turned serious as soon as Gowthami mentioned marriage. He gently pulled away, his eyes filled with worry. "No, we can't get hitched. " he said softly, his voice heavy with emotion.
His reply left Gowthami dumbfounded, devastated, and in awe. Rajeev took a deep breath and offered Gowthami a tender look. Despite his strong feelings for her, he was aware that her family would need to approve of the marriage. She couldn't even remember her own name or who her family was.
Gowthami's smile faded, replaced by confusion and hurt. "But why, Rajeev? Don't you love me?"
"I do love you, more than anything," Rajeev said, his voice cracking. "you don't even remember your name. I am terrified of your past. I was wondering if there was someone else in your life. is man?. But I can't ignore the possibility that there might be someone from your past who loves you too, someone who might be waiting for you. What if you loved someone before you lost your memory? I can't marry you knowing that."
Tears welled up in Gowthami's eyes. "Rajeev, I don't remember anyone from my past. All I know is that I love you now. Isn't that enough?"
Rajeev shook his head, his own eyes glistening with unshed tears. "It's not about what you remember now, Gowthami. not if you had a prior relationship. I feel physically nauseous just imagining what may transpire if you were to awaken and discover that you already had a life partner. It's about what might be out there, what might come back to you one day. I don't want to take that chance, to build a life with you only for you to remember someone else. It wouldn't be fair to you or to him, if he exists."
Gowthami's tears began to flow freely. "But what about us, Rajeev? What about our love? Are you just going to throw it away because of a 'what if'?"
Rajeev reached out to wipe her tears, his heart breaking. "I'm not throwing it away, Gowthami. I'm trying to protect you. I don't want you to be in a situation where you feel torn between two lives, two loves. I can't do that to you."
She sobbed, feeling a deep sense of loss and helplessness. "I don't care about my past, Rajeev. I care about you, about us."
He held her close, his own tears falling now. "I care about us too, Gowthami. But this is something I can't ignore. We need to find out more about your past before we can move forward. It's the only way to be sure."
Gowthami cried in his arms, feeling as if her heart was breaking. Rajeev held her tightly, knowing that this was the hardest decision he had ever made. All he wanted was to protect the woman he loved, even if it meant hurting her now to save her pain in the future.
.....
"Hey Rajeev, I'm coming back, and we can live happily ever after, "a guy thought to himself as he was directing his cart driver to hurry swiftly.
"I haven't seen him in a while, and I think he could be searching for me. He needs to know everything that has transpired in my life over the previous three months, therefore I must get in touch with him. " And the person is eagerly anticipating Rajeev.