Raghav's POV:

I rushed back home after getting Tanya's message. Dad stayed back, enjoying the feel of the restaurant. After all, it had been years since the original owner had come back. The chefs were literally scared as Dad entered the kitchen to see how everything was. He looked so relaxed being in his element. I guess I would have to bring him here for a few hours every day.

Reaching home, I saw both the sisters chattering away. After a long time, I saw such a huge smile on Sia's face.

"May I know the reason behind this happiness?" I asked happily.

"We were gossiping about you", Sia replied cheekily, sticking her tongue out at me.

I chuckled at her antics, really glad for the glimpse of old, childish Sia in her. But I didn't understand Tanya's far away look. She looked troubled.

"As much as I would like to talk more, I need to go and get ready for college. So byee", saying this Sia ran off, without waiting for our reply.

"BYE", I yelled as she already crossed the main door.

She waved her hands without looking back and went away.

"She looked happy", I commented.

"Yeah, she was", Tanya responded in low voice.

"All okay?" I inquired, looking at her worriedly.

"Yup. It's nothing. I am just tired. Showering with a broken leg takes away all your energy", Tanya replied with a small laugh, but her eyes didn't hold that laughter.

I shrugged it off thinking that she was really tired.

"Do you want breakfast here? Or should I bring it to the room after helping you to go up?"

"I am already downstairs so let's have breakfast here only. No need to work extra by bringing everything upstairs", she answered and tried to stand up.

I helped her up and we moved towards the dining table. She hopped all the way there while holding me as a support.

After making her sit comfortably, I went back to kitchen and brought the food after reheating it.

"I told Sia about the academy", Tanya informed as I handed her the empty plate.

"So it wasn't gossiping but this. No wonder she looked so happy", I commented as I started serving the food on our plates.

"Yeah, she was really happy", Tanya spoke with the same far away look.

"Really happy that I would be free of this loveless marriage after I become independent", Tanya completed her sentence, making me drop the tablespoon on the dining table in shock.

"Oh!!" I muttered dumbfoundedly.

"I...I will bring another tablespoon", saying this I rushed off to the kitchen.

Taking the support of the counter, I exhaled loudly. It took me a few minutes to regain my composure and return back to her.

"Sorry it took time to find one. Rishi, I tell you. He misplaced all the utensils", I made a feeble excuse with a fake laugh and started serving again.

"Why don't you seem angry? After what you and your family did, I am speaking about leaving the moment I get money.

"Your family accepted me. You even gave up on Naina for me, yet I am talking about going away. It must feel like a betrayal, right?" She asked.

I avoided looking at her and focussed on my food, so I didn't know what she was feeling while talking about all this.

"Right Raghav?" She asked again. And I had to look up at her.

"I did what I thought was right at that moment. Whatever the circumstances might have been, I married for the whole life. But that doesn't apply to you. If you want to break the relation, then I won't force you. Regardless of that, I don't regret choosing you over my love for Naina".

"Really? But I don't understand. Isn't love important in a relationship? We don't have that. So why did you choose me?" Tanya asked, looking desperate, for what I didn't know.

I chuckled sardonically. "Love is important-yes. But I don't think it is the only factor that matters in a marriage. Trust, loyalty, respect, care, freedom and most importantly happiness; for me all these take a much higher bar than love.

"Of course, that's my ideology and not yours. So I won't stop you. You are free to leave after getting successful".

I was sincere while speaking about it. As much as love was important, it wasn't the only factor that could run the engine of life.

"Your family thinks that we are in a real relationship. They would receive a shock when this comes out. But you can always prevent that. If you don't help me financially, I won't be able to open an academy. Thus, me being always dependent on you. It would be impossible for me to leave you", Tanya spoke out the fictional ideas while focussing on her plate.

'Why is she giving out ideas that would cause problems to herself?' My subconscious questioned and this time I was with my subconscious; totally confused by Tanya's behaviour.

"If I clip off your wings just to keep you with me, then you wouldn't be my wife but my prisoner. And I won't be your husband but a monster.

"Don't worry about anything else. Not about my family and definitely not about me. Go and spread your wings; fly with all your might. Even if that flight takes you away from me, I will still support you.

"I will help you with your career, Tanya. What to do after you get successful would be your choice".

I was expecting her to give me a relieved smile, thankful for being understanding and letting her go but she started crying.

"Woah! What's wrong?" I asked as I stood up to go near her and sat on the chair near her, after changing its direction to face her.

"How can you be like this? How can you just agree to leave me?" She shouted amidst her cries.

"You didn't even try to stop me. Not once did you ask me to stay by your side. What kind of a husband are you?" She shouted as she started hitting my chest with her fists.

"How can she hit so lightly? What will happen if someone kidnaps her? How will she be able to fight back?'

Apparently my subconscious had other worries but I would deal with him later. Right now, I had to focus on my crying wife.

"Even if you couldn't think of any excuse, you should have still tried. I gave so many ideas, at least you could have used one of them. But no, this person has to be a nobleman", she huffed, fire blazing from her eyes.

"How can someone be so good yet so bad? Why didn't you ask me to stay?" She yelled, and started coughing because of the constant shouting.

I immediately handed her water and rubbed her back. Her coughing stopped but her tears didn't.

"You are right. I am an idiot. Of course you cannot break our marriage", I spoke, trying my best to calm her down.

"Its not like you will get successful overnight. By the time, you get success, you will be old and wrinkly. And at that time, you will get no one else but me. I will always be your husband. Anyways, no one in the right mind would get ready to deal with the disaster named Tanya".

I kept on rambling and didn't even realize when she had come so close. She jumped on me and gave the tightest hug possible in the history of mankind.