She stares at him, wide-eyed, for she didn't anticipate this coming. Life had been a smooth ride for them until today. And now, he has broken news that has shocked her. She didn't think he'd say something like this, and she's stupefied, unable to register his words. They feel like a needle piercing her heart.

"Tum ye kya bol rahe ho? Main aisa kuch nahi karne wali hoon," she says, her tone firm and her voice heavy.

"Tumhe aisa hi karna hoga, Riti! Apne aap ke liye, apni khushi ke liye," he replies, his tone steady, trying to convince her.

"Par meri khushi tumse hai, Ved, tumhare saath, tumse door nahi," Riti, also known as Ritika, responds, her gaze resting on his face.

"Riti, please, tum ye sab mere liye aur mushkil mat karo. Tum apne parents ke paas laut jao. Main vo sab nahi kar sakta jo tum deserve karti ho," Ved says, his tone heavy with emotion, his eyes glistening with tears.

She looks at him for a few moments, then walks toward him, closing the distance between them. She places her hands on his shoulders and makes him face her.

"Meri aankhon mein dekho, Ved! Please, look at me," she urges him, and all she can see is the pain glistening in his eyes.

She cups his face, trying to soothe the chaos bubbling within his heart.

"Main tumhe deserve karti hoon, Ved. Mujhe kuch nahi chahiye, mujhe sirf tum chahiye, samjhe tum? Aur tum aise mujhe jaane ke liye nahi bol sakte," Ritika says softly.

"Lekin tum yahan reh ke bhi kya karogi, Riti? Please jao, uncle-aunty bhi pareshan honge. Aur phir ab toh vo bhi hamari shaadi ke baare mein ek baar sochenge," Ved says, weighed down by the burden of his own thoughts.

"Vo aisa nahi sochenge, Ved. Mumma-Papa ko, aur mujhe, tum par poora bharosa hai. Aur tum bhul gaye? Kehte hai na ki samay kabhi ek sa nahi hota. It's okay, baby! Aaj humara din achcha nahi hai, iska ye matlab nahi hai ki aage kuch achcha nahi hoga," she tries to explain.

"Nahi, Riti! Tum samajh nahi rahi ho. Please, meri baat samjho. Dekho, maine apne saare paise business mein laga diye, aur hume loss ho gaya hai. Mujhe nahi pata phir se sab kuch karne mein kitna waqt lagega. Aur tum jaanti ho na, hamare parents ne hume 6 months diye the. Main apni wajah se tumhari zindagi kharab nahi karna chahta," Ved says, his voice trembling with emotion.

Yes, he's faced a loss, and he has no idea how to recover from it. He believes Ritika deserves someone better than him. He feels that if he can't handle the business, he may struggle to take care of Ritika, and he doesn't want her to suffer because of his mistakes. Little does he know that Ritika's love isn't limited to joy and pleasure-she's ready to face sorrows with him.

"Ved, we will live through this. Humne apne parents ko yahi kaha tha na ki shaadi se pehle hum ek dusre ko janna chahte hai, toh yahi toh sahi mauka hai na ek dusre ko jaanne ka. Jo ho chuka, usey nahi badal sakte, par hum phir se scratch se shuru kar sakte hai na?" she says gently, her gaze soft.

"Wahi toh nahi pata na, Riti, ki kahan se shuru karun? Main nahi chahta ki tumhe koi takleef ho, isliye keh raha hoon ki tum apne ghar chali jaao," Ved replies, feeling helpless and wanting to spare her from suffering.

"Nahi, main nahi jaungi, Ved. Hum iss cheez ko milkar face karenge. Maine tumse pyaar kiya hai, Ved, humara pyaar itna kamzor nahi hai, ki itni chhoti si baat se tumhare liye mera pyaar kam ho jaye," Ritika says, cupping his face.

"Hum solution zaroor nikalenge, Ved. Lekin tum mujhe khud se door karne ki baat mat karo, ab tumhare bina rehna hi ek saza hogi," Ritika adds, her voice thick with emotion.

Ved looks at her intently, seeing concern etched across her face. He knows she loves him dearly, and her words reveal the emotions stirring in her heart. He understands that she won't willingly stay away from him, and he realizes he doesn't truly want her to leave either. He only fears her suffering because of him.

He watches as she takes his hand, entwining her fingers with his. She gazes at him softly, taking in his vulnerable expression. Rising on her toes, she plants a gentle kiss on his forehead, then brings his hand to her lips, leaving a lingering kiss on his knuckles.

"Ved, mere liye tum important ho. Tumhara saath aur pyaar mere liye maayne rakhta hai. Tum jaise rakhoge, main rahungi, lekin iss sab se bahar nikalne ka raasta bhi hum milkar nikaalenge. Trust me," Ritika says softly.

Ved doesn't say anything but pulls her into an embrace. She smiles, taking this as his acknowledgment, and rests her head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. He kisses the top of her head, silently promising himself that he'll always cherish this gem of a girl and love her with all his heart.

In this moment, they know they'll need all the love, courage, and resilience they can muster to overcome this setback. But as long as they're together, nothing can stop them.