Life of Ilakiya : Chapter 15 : The Marriage Rush

Mr. Gopi and his wife, Mrs. Vijayalaxshmi, were in shock when they received the news from Mrs. Meera. Their daughter, a college student who they had always believed to be focused and dedicated, was suddenly at the center of a scandal.

The accusation from their soon-to-be son-in-law that their daughter had been staying out with another man at a luxury hotel in Genting Highlands was too much to bear. Mr. Gopi felt a heavy ache in his chest as he and his wife rushed overnight to PJ, determined to get to the bottom of the truth.

As they drove through the night, the rain pounding against the windshield, Mr. Gopi couldn't shake off the feeling of dread in his chest. His mind kept replaying the words of the accusation, a constant loop of disbelief and confusion. Beside him, Mrs. Vijayalaxshmi sat in silence, her own thoughts consumed with the same feelings of betrayal and disappointment.

When they finally arrived in PJ, the couple wasted no time in finding their daughter. Mr. Gopi's heart was pounding as he knocked on her door, his wife standing by his side. 

The door wasn't locked. They let themselves in.

Mrs. Viiayalaxshmi hugged her daughter, tears streaming down her face. 

"I am so sorry, Mrs. Meera," Mr. Gopi said, turning to the woman who had called them with the news. "We had no idea that our daughter was capable of such behavior."

Mrs. Meera, looking fatigued and fought off drowsiness nodded tiredly, "It's alright. I understand. I know it's hard for you to accept this."

Suresh, Ilakiya's soon-to-be husband, was visibly upset. He couldn't bring himself to look at Ilakiya or her parents. "I can't believe this," he muttered, shaking his head.

"Suresh," Mr. Gopi said, "we understand that you are hurt and angry. We apologize for the pain and embarrassment our daughter has caused you."

Suresh nodded at Gopi's apology without saying a word. 

Gopi turned to Ilakiya. "Who is that boy you've been with?" he asked. "And what happened at the hotel?" He assured her, "I still believe you, but I need to clear up the accusations against you."

Ilakiya took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before she began to speak. "I know you both have questions about Anbu and what happened at the hotel," she said, looking at Suresh and Gopi. "I want to explain everything to you."

"For a while now, I've been feeling suffocated in my relationship with Suresh. His constant need to control every aspect of my life left me feeling trapped and suffocated. I found solace in Anbu's company, someone whom I met online. He listened to me and didn't try to control me. I only started spending time with him to escape this environment I was in."

She paused, looking at Suresh with a hint of sadness in her eyes. "I know it's hard to understand, but please believe me when I say that I never crossed any boundaries."

Gopi's relief was short-lived as he was still worried about the potential backlash from his family and society. He couldn't help but shed tears, overwhelmed by the weight of the situation.

Ilakiya, noticing her father's distress, stepped in. "I'll do whatever it takes to prove my innocence," she said determinedly. "Even if that means undergoing a virginity test."

"It won't be necessary," Mrs. Meera said firmly. "We trust Ilakiya and we know she's innocent. We don't need to prove anything to anyone."

She turned to Gopi and reassured him, "As of now, the only people who know about this are in this room. We can prevent further incidents like this from happening if we conduct Ilakiya's marriage as soon as possible."

Mrs. Meera then turned to Suresh, "I trust Ilakiya and you should too. You have to accept her for who she is."

Suresh nodded, understanding his mother's words. "I agree," he said. "Let's move forward and make the necessary arrangements for the marriage."

Mrs. Meera, not taking any chances, instructed Ilakiya to destroy all evidence of her relationship with Anbu immediately. Ilakiya, with a heavy heart, agreed to her mother in law's request. She deleted all of Anbu's messages and photos from her phone and blocked his contact number. Suresh, still visibly upset, collected all of the gifts Anbu had given to Ilakiya and burned them in the bin in the wee hours in the morning.

As the flames consumed the last remnants of her past relationship, Ilakiya knew that she had to put it all behind her and move on. The thought of forgetting the good times she had shared with Anbu was painful, but she knew it was necessary for the sake of her family's reputation and her future marriage. She steeled herself for the road ahead, ready to face whatever challenges came her way.