Knowing that my ex-wife married a poor man, I came to mock her, and as soon as I saw the groom, I went home in pain.
Aisha and I loved each other for four years in college in Delhi. She was gentle, patient, and loved me unconditionally. However, after graduating, I quickly found a high-paying job at a multinational company, while Aisha struggled to find a job as a receptionist in a small hotel. At that time, I gave myself the right to choose. I left Aisha to be with the daughter of a rich director – someone who could help me advance quickly. Aisha cried her eyes out on the day I coldly said goodbye, but I didn’t care. I thought that girl was not worthy of me.

Five years later, I became the deputy sales manager. My married life with my new wife was not as happy as I thought. She criticized and looked down on me because my monthly salary was still only average at her father-in-law’s company. I always had to live with the sight of my wife and father-in-law.

At that moment, I heard that Aisha was about to get married. A friend told me:

– “Do you know who she married? A construction worker, dirt poor. She really has no eyes for men!”

I laughed contemptuously. In my mind appeared the scene of Aisha wearing a simple wedding dress, her face haggard from hardship. I decided to go to that wedding, not to congratulate her, but to mock her, to let her see how poor her choice in the past was.

That day, I dressed smartly, drove a luxury car. As soon as I entered the yard, all eyes turned to me. I felt extremely complacent. But then, when I saw the groom, I was stunned. He was wearing a simple suit, but his face was extremely familiar. I walked closer, my heart stopped when I realized it was… Raj – my best friend from college.

At that time, Raj was a guy with one leg disabled due to an accident, gentle, hard-working, always silently helping me with everything from homework to daily life. But I never considered him a friend, just a freeloader. After graduating, Raj got a job at a construction company, even though it was just a construction supervisor, the salary was not high, but he was always cheerful.

I looked at Aisha. She smiled brightly, happily holding Raj’s hand. In her eyes, there was no inferiority or regret, only faith and peace. At that time, I heard two guests at the next table talking:

– “Raj is very good. Even though he has one leg, he is very hard-working, working to earn every penny to help his parents. I heard that he saved up for several years to buy a small piece of land to build a house for him and his wife to live separately. He is filial, affectionate, and lives a decent life, everyone loves him.”

I was speechless. When the wedding ceremony began, Aisha held Raj’s hand and walked up to the stage. At that moment, I suddenly felt my heart tighten. It was a happy smile that she had never had when she was with me. I remembered the years before, Aisha never dared to lean on my shoulder in public because I was afraid that my friends would laugh at the simple, rustic girl. But now, she proudly held Raj’s hand, a man who only had one leg but had a warm and kind heart.

When I got home, I threw my expensive vest on the sofa, sat down on the floor, tears streaming down my face. I cried not because of jealousy, but because I bitterly realized that I had lost the most precious thing in my life. I had money, status, but no one truly loved me. As for Aisha, she had a husband who, although not rich, was willing to go through all the difficulties of life with her.

I cried all night. For the first time in my life, I understood what true failure was. Not being inferior in material things, but being inferior in personality and heart.

Since that day, I have lived more quietly. I no longer look down on people around me, nor dare to be arrogant about my salary. I realize that the value of a man does not lie in the car he drives, the watch he wears, but in the way he loves and cherishes the people around him.

Because money can be earned, but human love, once lost… can never be found again.

After Aisha and Raj’s wedding, I returned to my quiet life in Gurgaon. In the early days, I still felt empty, occasionally remembering Aisha’s happy smile on stage. But then, I began to realize that complaining or regretting would not help anything. I needed a change.

I decided to leave my job at my father-in-law’s company and apply for a small business in the city, where I was treated equally and really learned. The salary was not high, but I felt freedom and a sense of accomplishment when I built my own career. I started participating in volunteer activities, helping young people who had difficulty finding jobs or studying.

One morning, when I went to the community center to teach management skills to young people, I saw Aisha appear. She smiled, looked at me friendly:

– “Do you still remember this place?”

I was surprised but smiled back:

– “Yes, I feel happy to help people a little… just like what I dreamed of when I was young.”

We talked to each other very naturally, without any regrets or hatred. Aisha said that life with Raj was warm, although simple and hard, she felt happy. I told her about the days of changing myself, finding my own value.

At that moment, I realized: happiness does not lie in status or money, but in peace of mind and mutual respect. I was no longer jealous or regretful. Instead, I felt relieved, as if I had regained the serenity I had lost many years ago.

From then on, I continued to live a simple life, enjoying my work, helping people, and learning to love myself. Aisha and I still maintain a sincere friendship, without any constraints or reproaches. Every time we met, we laughed and shared our daily joys.

One day, as I stood watching the young students at the center laughing and joking, I suddenly realized: I no longer had regrets, no longer felt like a failure. Because I had found true happiness – peace of mind, and pure love that money or power could not buy.

And in that moment, I smiled, knowing that I had finally grown up – brave enough to love, wise enough to let go, and brave enough to live for myself.

One late summer afternoon, the Mumbai sky was a silvery grey. I had just finished work when I received a text message from an old friend:

“Raj had an accident at the construction site. Aisha is at the city hospital.”

I was stunned. My hands were shaking, the phone almost fell from my hand. I didn’t know why, but I quickly took a taxi to the hospital. The streets were crowded, the sound of car horns mixed with the sound of the rain that had started to fall lightly.

When I arrived, Aisha was sitting outside the emergency room. She was wearing a simple sari, her face pale, her eyes red but her gaze still strong. When she saw me, she was surprised for a moment, then nodded slightly.

“He… is in surgery,” she said, her voice hoarse. “The doctor said he needed blood urgently, but his blood type is so rare…”

Not letting her finish, I quickly walked to the reception desk. When the nurse asked for my blood type, I replied: “O Rh negative.”

The nurse looked at the file, then happily said: “That’s the group! Come with me!”

In the cold room, I lay still to receive the blood transfusion. For the first time in many years, I felt like I was truly doing something meaningful. Not because I was atonement, but because my heart told me that sometimes just doing the right thing was enough.

When I woke up, Raj was out of danger. He was transferred to the recovery room. Aisha sat next to the bed, holding her husband’s hand, a relieved smile on her lips. When she saw me, she stood up and said softly:

– “Thank you… If it weren’t for you, maybe…”

I interrupted, smiling:
– “Don’t say that. Raj is a good person, he deserves to be happy and have me.”

At that moment, we were both silent. Outside, the shower had just stopped, the last sunlight of the day shone through the window, shining on Aisha’s face, making her strangely beautiful – no longer the gentle, weak girl of the past, but a strong, resilient woman.

I stood up, looked at Raj one last time, then said softly:
– “Live happily. That’s the only thing I want.”

Aisha looked at me, her eyes glistening with tears. She didn’t say goodbye, just clasped her hands in the Namaste style – as a deepest gratitude.

I walked out of the hospital. The sky had completely cleared, the air after the rain was fresh and warm. I raised my head to look at the Mumbai sky, the brilliant sunset was covering the city. For the first time in many years, I felt my heart at peace.

I understood that there is love that doesn’t need to be possessed, just being loved sincerely once is enough. And there are mistakes that cannot be erased, but can turn into light if we dare to face and change.

I smile, walk down the sunny road, leaving behind the past, and look forward to a new future – where I can live with a full heart, knowing what true love is.

Ten years have passed since that day. I – Arjun – have now left the hustle and bustle of Mumbai to live in the town of Varanasi. I opened a small tea shop on the banks of the Ganga River, where every morning people come to watch the sunrise, listen to the temple bells and chat in a voice as warm as the sun.

I am no longer the man in a suit, sitting in an air-conditioned office, saying flowery words to please my superiors. Now I am just an ordinary person, knowing how to make tea, tell stories to tourists and smile when I see someone happy.

Sometimes, when I see young couples holding hands walking along the riverbank, I think of Aisha and Raj. I wonder how they are doing now, if they are still in Mumbai. Maybe they have children, a small home, and the peaceful life that I once lost because of my arrogance.

One afternoon, while I was clearing the tea table, a couple and a seven-year-old boy walked in. The man leaned on a wooden crutch and walked slowly. The woman in the pale yellow sari, the bright smile and the familiar gentle voice. I raised my head… and was stunned.

It was them. Raj and Aisha.

Aisha looked at me, her eyes surprised and then softened like a gentle breeze. She smiled, placing her hand on her husband’s shoulder:
– “Raj, this is Arjun… the one who helped you that year.”

Raj looked at me, a gentle smile on his lips. He reached out his hand, shaking me tightly with all his heart.
– “Thank you, Arjun. Without you, I wouldn’t be here today.”

I was speechless. The little boy beside me ran over and hugged his mother:
– “Papa, is this Arjun? Mom said he’s very nice!”

I burst out laughing, bending down to stroke the child’s head. In that moment, I felt strangely warm in my heart – as if all the mistakes of the past had been washed away by sincere forgiveness.

The three of us sat down and drank tea with me by the river. The sun was setting, the last rays of the day covering the Ganga with a golden color. Raj told me that he had started a small construction company, building houses for the poor. Aisha taught at a public school, and the boy was named Aarav – the result of a simple but lasting love.

“You know, Arjun,” Raj said, his voice as light as the wind, “I used to be self-conscious because I only had one leg. But thanks to Aisha, I understood that the true value of a person is not in his legs, but in his heart that knows how to love and live a kind life.”

I was silent, just smiling. In my heart, I felt small before those two people – people who taught me that happiness does not lie in power, but in kindness and gratitude.

As the sun gradually set behind the ancient temples, Raj and Aisha stood up. Before leaving, Aisha turned back, looked at me for a long time, and said:
– “Arjun, the past is over. Forgive yourself. You deserve a new beginning.”

I nodded, my heart choking. They left, their figures gradually shrinking among the crowd, melting into the fiery red afternoon light.

I returned to the shop, sat down next to the hot teapot, and quietly looked at the sparkling sunset water. In that moment, I understood that life, no matter how far it strays, as long as you know how to stop, know how to look back – you can still find peace.

The Ganga River flows forever, washing away all the mistakes and pains of people. As for me, Arjun – a once arrogant and foolish person – finally learned the simplest thing:

Love is not to possess, but to understand, to let go, and to grow up