A Storm on the Horizon

As the days counted down to the wedding, everything seemed to be falling into place. The venue was perfect, the guest list finalized, and Ria and Arun's families were working harmoniously. But life had a way of throwing curveballs when least expected.

It all began with a phone call late one night. Arun was at Ria's apartment, reviewing the itinerary for the wedding week when his phone buzzed. Seeing the name on the screen, his expression shifted from relaxed to tense.

"I'll take this outside," he said, getting up quickly.

Ria raised an eyebrow but didn't press him. She continued working on some last-minute seating arrangements but couldn't help noticing how long Arun was outside. When he returned, he looked preoccupied.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, just some work stuff," Arun replied quickly, but his tone wasn't convincing.

Ria decided to let it go, but a seed of curiosity had been planted.

The next few days were hectic, but Arun's distracted demeanor became increasingly noticeable. He'd take calls at odd hours, often stepping away without explanation.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ria asked him again one evening as they wrapped up a meeting with the wedding planner.

Arun hesitated before nodding. "It's just work, Ria. Nothing to worry about."

But Ria wasn't convinced. Arun was usually open with her, and his evasiveness felt out of character.

One afternoon, while Arun was at a work meeting, Ria received a call from a mutual friend, Sameer.

"Hey, Ria," Sameer said, sounding hesitant. "I don't want to alarm you, but I think you should know something."

Ria's stomach tightened. "What is it?"

"I saw Arun at the police station earlier today. He looked… stressed. He left quickly, but it seemed serious."

"The police station?" Ria echoed, her voice rising in concern. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," Sameer replied. "I didn't want to jump to conclusions, but I thought you should know."

When Arun returned that evening, Ria decided to confront him.

"Arun, what's going on?" she asked, her tone firm.

"What do you mean?" he replied, feigning nonchalance.

"Don't do that," Ria said, crossing her arms. "I know you've been acting strange. Sameer told me he saw you at the police station today. Why were you there?"

Arun froze, the color draining from his face. He exhaled deeply and sat down.

"Ria, I didn't want to involve you in this because I didn't want to worry you," he began. "But since you already know part of it, I'll tell you everything."

She sat beside him, her heart pounding.

"A few weeks ago, one of my old college friends, Varun, reached out to me. He was in some serious trouble—financial trouble. He'd made some bad investments and borrowed money from the wrong people."

Ria frowned. "What does that have to do with you?"

"Varun was desperate," Arun continued. "He used my name as a reference to secure a loan, claiming we were business partners. When he defaulted, the lenders started coming after me."

Ria's eyes widened. "That's serious, Arun! Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Because I didn't want to drag you into this mess," Arun admitted. "I've been trying to resolve it quietly. I went to the police today to file a report and clarify that I had no involvement in Varun's dealings. But it's complicated."

The revelation left Ria stunned. She trusted Arun, but the situation was bigger than she'd anticipated.

"What happens now?" she asked.

"I'm working with a lawyer to clear my name," Arun said. "But it might take time. The lenders are persistent, and Varun has gone underground. Until this is resolved, I need you to trust me."

"I do trust you," Ria said, her voice steady. "But you can't keep things like this from me, Arun. We're a team. If something affects you, it affects me too."

Arun reached for her hand, his eyes filled with gratitude. "You're right. I should have told you sooner. I'm sorry for keeping you in the dark."

Ria nodded, squeezing his hand. "We'll get through this together. Just promise me you won't shut me out again."

"I promise," Arun said, his voice firm.

The next few days were a delicate balancing act. While continuing with the wedding preparations, Arun and Ria worked together to gather evidence to clear his name. Ria contacted a tech-savvy friend to track down Varun, hoping to convince him to come forward and take responsibility for his actions.

The tension was palpable, but their shared effort brought them closer. Ria saw a new side of Arun—his resilience, his determination to protect her from the fallout, and his unwavering sense of responsibility.

A breakthrough came a week before the wedding. Varun finally resurfaced, agreeing to meet with Arun and the police to explain the situation. With his confession, Arun was cleared of any wrongdoing, and the case began to resolve.

The relief was overwhelming. That evening, as Ria and Arun sat together, a quiet calm settled between them.

"You didn't sign up for this kind of drama," Arun said, half-joking.

Ria smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. "Life is unpredictable, Arun. But as long as we face it together, I think we'll be okay."

"And that's why I can't wait to marry you," Arun said, kissing her forehead.