A Loveless Arranged Marriage Chapter 12. The Birthday gift

 Previously, we saw that Rishi was angry at Deepa for hiding the truth. He couldn't forgive her at the time. After they arrived in Mumbai, Rishi fell seriously ill with a high fever. Deepa tried to help him, but Rishi didn't want her assistance. In frustration, Deepa finally revealed what had happened that day. After hearing her explanation, Rishi realized that Deepa hadn’t intentionally kept the truth from him. He forgave her, and that same day, Deepa prepared a meal by herself without any help.

  Then came March 21st, Deepa’s birthday. She received many wishes from her friends and family and even celebrated at her office. When Rishi came home, he handed her a rolled-up piece of paper as a gift. Curious, Deepa asked, "What is this, divorce papers?" Rishi replied, "It's more than that." Deepa untied the ribbon and unrolled the paper. To her surprise, it was an admission form for UPSC coaching at Srikanth Academy. Tears filled her eyes as Rishi explained, "Deepa, I wanted to give you a birthday gift that would truly benefit your life. So I chose this for you." Deepa suddenly hugged him, leaving Rishi shocked. She said, "Thank you for this thoughtful gift, but... but I can’t accept it."

  Rishi pulled her away gently and asked, "Why can't you accept it?" Deepa replied, "Rishi, I love the gift, but I don’t want to burden you. We’re only living together for a year, and after that, we’ll go our separate ways. I don’t want to create any added pressure for you. Besides, this academy charges ₹60,000 for the coaching. I’m so sorry, but I can’t accept it."

Rishi responded, "Deepa, it’s your dream. Remember, this is your birthday gift—don’t reject it. Also, you were the one who told me we’re friends. As a friend, I’m happy to help you. It’s up to you now to choose which academy you’d like to pursue your dream." Deepa hesitated, still uncertain about accepting the gift. Sensing her reluctance, Rishi added, "Deepa, don’t overthink this. By helping you, I’m also fulfilling my mother’s wish." Surprised, Deepa asked, "Your mother’s wish?"

  Rishi nodded, "Yes. Both my mom and your dad asked me to support you in pursuing your dream. Plus, when we eventually separate, you’ll need something solid to stand on. So, please accept the gift. I’ve already done my research—this academy is one of the best in Mumbai. But if you don’t like it, we can find another one that suits you."

  Deepa then asked, "But what about the time we agreed to stay married?" Rishi shrugged, "We’ll just extend it. Do we have any written contract or what? We can stay married until you pass the UPSC exam, and then we’ll get divorced." Deepa then asked, "But how can I repay you for this?" Rishi smiled, "By passing the UPSC exam. That’s all I ask." After thinking for a moment, Deepa finally accepted the gift.

  After that, they both started cooking. While cooking, Rishi asked, "Hey, Deepa, can I ask you something?" Deepa replied, "What is it?" Rishi then asked, "Did your ex-boyfriend support you in becoming an IAS aspirant?" Deepa’s temper flared as she responded, "Why are you bringing him up right now?" Rishi replied, "Hey, chill, I’m just asking, nothing more."

Deepa responded, "Actually, the answer is both yes and no. Sometimes he motivated me, and other times he told me to give it up. I could never really understand him on this." Rishi replied, "Hmm. Can I ask you another question?" Deepa agreed, "Okay, but it shouldn’t be about him." Rishi hesitated, "Actually, it’s still about him." Deepa, now irritated, asked, "Rishi, what’s wrong with you? Why are you asking me so many questions about him?"

Rishi explained, "While thinking about what gift to give you today, I remembered our train journey, when you told me how much you truly loved that guy. So, I had some doubts."

  Deepa sighed, "Fine, what’s your question?" Rishi asked, "In the future, if your ex-boyfriend finds out about our marriage and wants to accept you as his life partner, would you say yes?" Deepa, furious, replied, "Absolutely not! Why would I say yes to him? He left me because he was scared of his father—why should I care about him now? I still get angry thinking about how he broke up with me!" Rishi responded, "Okay, calm down. It was wrong of me to ask." Deepa softened, "Alright, but from now on, don’t bring him up. I’m slowly moving past those painful memories." After that, they finished cooking and had dinner together.

  The next day, Deepa was standing in her manager’s office. The manager asked, "Are you sure you want to resign?" Deepa replied, "Yes, sir." The manager continued, "But Deepa, if you stay with this company, you could build a solid career in this field. You might even get an opportunity with a major MNC. Are you still sure about your decision?" Deepa nodded, "Yes, sir." The manager sighed, "Alright, your remaining salary will be credited to your account." Deepa responded, "Thank you, sir, for accepting my resignation." The manager smiled, "You’re welcome. All the best for your future career." Deepa replied, "Thank you, sir." With that, she left the manager’s office.

 She then went directly to her workplace and started working. Suguna asked her, "Hey Deepa, what happened? Did everything go okay?" Deepa replied, "Yeah, of course," and Suguna asked, "So, today is your last day at work?" Deepa replied, "Yes." Hearing this, Suguna felt sad. When Deepa noticed, she asked, "Hey, what happened?" Suguna replied, "Nothing, Deepa. It’s just that we’ve only known each other for a month, and now you’re leaving. That’s why I’m feeling emotional."

  Deepa laughed and said, "Hey, are you getting emotional over something this small? I’m just leaving the job, not disappearing. We’ll still be in touch, so don’t worry. Plus, you’ve already found your life partner." Suguna, surprised, asked, "Life partner? Who are you talking about?" Deepa replied, "None other than Yuvraj." Hearing this, Suguna blushed for a moment. She then said, "Hey, Deepa, it's nothing like that," and Deepa teased, "Oh really? I’ve noticed how you’ve been around him since day one. You have a crush on him. Take your time and eventually confess your love, okay?" Suguna replied, "Deepa, you always have something to say!" After that, they both continued working.

  After work, Yuvraj approached Deepa and addressed everyone, "Hey guys, today is Deepa's last day at the job. Let's congratulate her and wish her success in her future career." The whole team applauded, congratulating her and wishing her well. Deepa thanked everyone, and they all took some photos together. After that, Deepa waited for Rishi in front of the office. Within a few minutes, Rishi arrived in the car. Deepa got in, and they started heading to Srikanth Academy in Lower Parel. This time, Deepa sat in the front seat of Rishi's car.

  As they were driving, Rishi asked, "Hey Deepa, how was your last day at the office?" Deepa replied, "It was okay, but I felt a little sad. I made new friends and learned what the work environment is like in corporate companies, and suddenly it all came to an end." Rishi replied, "Nothing is permanent in this world. Everything eventually requires a goodbye, so don’t dwell on it." After saying this, he continued driving.

  After 20 minutes, they reached the academy. They both entered and went to the admissions office, where Deepa handed over the admission form along with the required documentation to the staff. Rishi paid the fee for her admission. The staff registered Deepa for the UPSC 2023 April batch and informed her that her classes would start on March 31st.

  After getting registered, Deepa felt like her dream was finally taking shape again. She was filled with happiness. After that, they left the academy. Once they got back in the car, Deepa said, "Thank you, Rishi, for helping me pursue my dream." Rishi replied, "You’re most welcome. Now it’s your turn to pass the UPSC exam." Deepa responded, "I’ll definitely give it my best shot this time. After all, you paid half of my fees, so that’s extra motivation for me." After that, they headed back to their house..

  On the way, Deepa called her brother. Ashwin answered, "Hey, sis, how are you?" Deepa replied, "I'm fine. Where are you now?" Ashwin responded, "I'm at home," and Deepa said, "Kindly give the phone to Dad. I have some good news to share." Ashwin teased, "What’s the good news? Are you pregnant or something?" Deepa felt weird and snapped back, "Don’t talk rubbish, just give the phone to Dad." Ashwin laughed and said, "Okay, fine," before handing the phone over to their father. Her dad asked, "What’s the matter, Deepa?" She replied, "Dad, I'm going to continue my UPSC examination training." Shocked, her dad asked, "What are you saying, Deepa?" She answered, "Yes, Dad. Rishi is helping me fulfill my dream. Today, I registered for the UPSC 2023 examination at an academy." Her dad replied, "Oh, that's wonderful!" On the other side, Ashwin overheard and asked his dad, "What’s going on?" Jayraj responded, "Your sister is going to continue her UPSC training."

  Ashwin, surprised, took the phone back and asked, "Hey, sis, are you really going to continue your UPSC training?" Deepa replied, "Yes, that was the good news I wanted to share, but you jumped to conclusions about me being pregnant!" Rishi laughed, and Ashwin defended himself, "Sis, it's been three months since your marriage, and you said you had good news. What was I supposed to think?" Deepa quipped, "Well, keep those thoughts to yourself!" Ashwin then said, "Okay, Dad wants to speak again," and handed the phone to Jayraj. Jayraj asked Deepa, "Is your husband nearby? If so, let me talk to him." Deepa handed the phone to Rishi, but he asked her to put it on speaker. Rishi greeted, "Hello, Uncle, how are you?" Jayraj responded, "I'm fine, Rishi. I'm happy you're helping Deepa with her UPSC training." Rishi replied, "Uncle, there's no need to thank me. I'm just fulfilling the promise I made to you." Jayraj said, "Still, it’s great that you remembered," to which Rishi replied, "You're most welcome, Uncle." Deepa then asked, "Dad, is Mom there?" Jayraj replied, "She’s out right now, but I’ll let her know later." Deepa said, "Okay, bye, Dad," and Jayraj replied, "Bye, dear." They ended the call after that..

 Then came March 31st, and Deepa was excited for her first day of class. At 9:20 p.m., she arrived at Srikanth Academy. As she entered, she felt like a phoenix rising again, ready to reach for the sun. She made her way to room 3, where the UPSC 2023 April batch class was scheduled. Upon entering the room, she found a bench and sat down. As time passed, the classroom gradually filled up. At exactly 9:30 p.m., a middle-aged man walked in. He stood in front of the class and introduced himself: "Hello, students. I'm Rajiv, your mentor for general studies and the head of staff at Srikanth Academy. Before we begin the class, let's have a quick interaction to get to know each other and address any doubts you may have about the UPSC exam. But first, tell me, what's the full form of UPSC?" In unison, the class responded, "UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION." Rajiv nodded, "That's correct. Now, how many stages are there in the UPSC examination? You in the fourth row, second bench, blue t-shirt, tell me."

  The boy answered, "There are three stages: prelims, mains, and the personality test." Rajiv asked, "What’s your name?" The boy replied, "Sir, I'm Ansari Saad." Rajiv said, "Okay, Saad, you may sit." Rajiv then addressed the class, "So, you all know the basics of the UPSC exam. But tell me, why have you chosen to take this exam?" Some students mentioned they wanted to become a collector or an IPS officer. Others said they wanted to contribute to society, and a few even mentioned that they were taking the exam because of their parents' wishes. Rajiv replied, "Alright, most of you have reasons for taking this exam. I respect even those who said they're here because of their parents. But if you've decided to take this exam, do it with your whole heart. Saying 'I'm here because of my parents' won't cut it. The UPSC is like a blue whale swimming in an ocean, and you are the fishermen trying to catch it. Only those who dedicate themselves completely will succeed. Also, don't compare your school or college grades here. Grades are just numbers. I've seen last benchers pass this exam and top students fail. Now, let's open the floor for questions. Raise your hand if you have any doubts."

 A boy raised his hand, and Rajiv pointed at him, "Say your name first, then ask your question." The boy said, "Sir, I'm Vishal. My doubt is: were you a UPSC aspirant too?" Rajiv laughed, "Yes, Vishal, I was. I even made it to the interview stage, but I couldn’t pass it." Moving on, another student raised her hand and said, "Hello, sir, I’m Sangeetha. My doubt is, which optional subject is best for scoring in the UPSC exam?" Rajiv replied, "Sangeetha, you've probably seen online discussions where people say law or agriculture are the best options because many students pass with those subjects. But those are just statistics. The best optional subject is the one in which you can give your 100 percent. There are no shortcuts." Another girl raised her hand and asked, "Good morning, sir. I’m Reshma. My doubt is: how many students from this institution have passed the UPSC exam?" Rajiv answered, "A total of 46 students have passed from this academy. It might seem like a small number, but keep in mind that many among you have taken the exam more than three times. Can I see a show of hands from those who've appeared more than three times?"

 Along with Deepa, 18 students raised their hands. A girl took note when she saw Deepa raise hers. Rajiv then remarked, "Ask them that question; they understand the value of that number better than anyone. Why ask me? I'm just sharing the statistics. The passing range is typically between 700 and 1300 across India. That’s why UPSC is known as one of the toughest exams in the country."

  After that, no one raised any further questions, so Rajiv began his lecture. After an hour and a half, he concluded. "Alright, students, I'll wind up the lecture here. Starting tomorrow, your classes will run from 9:30 to 2:00. Don’t forget to collect your ID cards from the reception on your way out. And one more thing: there’s a library on the third floor of this building. Make sure to visit—it will be helpful for all of you. Okay, students?" With that, Rajiv left the room.

  As everyone was leaving, the girl sitting next to Deepa stopped her and introduced herself. "Hi, I’m Christy. I saw you raise your hand when sir asked who’s attempting the exam for the fourth time or more. Is it true that only fewer than 1300 people pass this exam?" Deepa nodded, "Yes, that’s the harsh reality." Christy replied, "Oh, by the way, can I know your name?" Deepa noticed Christy’s accent sounded familiar and replied, "I’m Deepa. Are you from South India?" Christy smiled, "Yes, I’m Tamil." Surprised, Deepa responded, "Really? You’re Tamil too?" Christy laughed, "Yes, are you Tamil as well?" Deepa nodded, "Yes!" Christy grinned, "Oh my God! I thought you were from another state because you were speaking in Hindi. Well, lucky me—I found a friend today!"

  They continued chatting as they walked toward the reception. During their conversation, Christy learned that this was Deepa's fifth attempt at the UPSC exam, while Deepa found out that this was Christy's first attempt. Christy then joked, "So, Deepa, I’ll start calling you ‘sister’ since you’re older and more experienced." Deepa chuckled, "Alright, whatever you like."

  When they reached the reception, they collected their ID cards and decided to check out the library on the third floor. Afterward, they left the academy and headed to the railway station together. Once they arrived at the station, Christy asked, "Sis, which station will you be getting off at?" Deepa replied, "I’ll be getting off at Dadar station. What about you?" Christy responded, "I’m getting off at Mahim station." With that, they boarded the train and eventually reached their respective homes.

 When Deepa reached home, it was 1:15 p.m. She had her lunch, and after that, she began studying. As the sun set and the moon took over, Rishi returned home. After freshening up, he headed to the kitchen to cook. At that moment, Deepa entered, and Rishi asked, "Hey, Deepa, what are you doing here?" "I just came to help with the cooking," she replied. Rishi frowned slightly. "Why take on the extra burden? Go and study." Deepa smiled. "It’s my free time, Rishi. Don’t worry about it." "If you’ve got free time, then listen to some music or rest," he suggested. "Sir," she responded with a playful tone, "I know how to manage myself, so don’t worry about it." She then helped Rishi with the cooking. Afterward, they both had dinner, and Deepa returned to her studies for an hour before the day came to an end.

 Days passed, and April arrived. Over at Arvind’s house, he was getting ready for work, while Shahina was frantically searching for something. Arvind noticed and asked, "Shahina, what are you looking for? Aren’t you going to be late for work?" "I know, just give me five minutes," she replied. "At least tell me what you're searching for. I can help," he offered. Shahina paused for a moment before saying, "I’m looking for the pregnancy kit." Arvind, surprised, asked, "Pregnancy kit? Why now? Can't you check it after work?" She sighed, "I need to check it now because I missed my period last month." A stunned Arvind responded, "Wait, if you missed your period, then… you might be pregnant?" "Yes," Shahina confirmed, just as she found the pregnancy kit.

 With this, the chapter comes to an end. Let’s see what unfolds next in the upcoming chapter. Stay tuned!