---
Two months before their wedding, Meghna and Journ — both from the same IAS batch — were unexpectedly transferred to different regions due to departmental reshuffling. Though it was just temporary, the distance and timing troubled Meghna.
During the chaos of packing, Meghna’s loyal maid Reshmi was sorting through a stack of old files.
“Madam, should I throw these old papers?” she asked.
Meghna absentmindedly nodded, but Reshmi paused, frowning.
“There’s an old letter stuck in one of them… should I open it?”
Something in her voice made Meghna turn.
Reshmi handed her a dusty envelope — on it was a name written in faded ink:
*“To Bera.”*
Meghna froze.
“Bera…?” she whispered.
Her hands trembled slightly as she held the envelope. The name didn’t belong to anyone she knew.
Her thoughts spiraled.
Was Bera a woman from Journ’s past? A secret love?
Had he hidden something this big from her?
To calm herself, she asked Reshmi to make tea. She drank it rapidly, her fingers shaking. Then she called her closest friend — a scientist and her emotional compass.
“Do I even know him?” Meghna whispered.
Her friend was calm, steady.
“Meghna, Journ has given you nothing but loyalty, love, and respect. But if this letter has shaken you, then you have every right to seek the truth. Just… don’t destroy everything before you know the full story.”
Later that night, Meghna tried to talk to Journ, but he was busy, distracted — unaware of the storm building inside her. It was the first time he hadn’t noticed something was wrong.
The next morning, Meghna saw something half-burnt in the dustbin — torn paper. Recognizing the same yellow envelope, her heart dropped.
*He tried to burn the letter.*
“Why, Journ? What are you hiding?”
Unable to contain herself, she confronted him. Her voice cracked under pressure:
*“Tell me about the letter, Journ. Who is Bera?”*
Journ looked stunned, caught completely off-guard. But his silence only worsened things.
“I became an IAS officer because of your belief in me. I agreed to marry you because I trusted you. But now, I can’t move forward until I know the truth.”
They separated.
Weeks passed. Meghna buried herself in work, but her health deteriorated. Her brother, worried, visited Journ’s residence — only to discover he was in the hospital due to collapse from stress and exhaustion.
At the same time, still haunted by the letter, Meghna asked Reshmi again:
“Did you… read it?”
Reshmi hesitated, then nodded with moist eyes.
“Yes, madam. And it broke me. Please… listen.”
She unfolded the letter and read it aloud:
---
💌 *The Letter to Bera*
*Dear Bera,*
You cleared Prelims… I knew you would.
Now Mains are approaching, and I see you fighting every day — tired eyes, hungry stomach, and yet, that fire in your heart never dims.
You make me proud just by breathing.
But today, I hit a wall. I had no money. No way to support you — not even for your next test series or notes.
For a moment, I thought of ending it all.
Not because I wanted to die… but because I felt useless.
You deserve someone who lifts you, not someone who drags your dreams down.
Then I had a better thought —
Why die, when I can still give something?
So I went and sold my blood.
Twice.
They warned me it was risky. I didn’t care.
I signed the forms, closed my eyes, and thought of you.
If I vanish tomorrow, just know — I left the world with love in my veins.
And it was all for you.
I didn’t tell you because I know your heart.
You’d cry, stop studying, maybe even come back.
That’s not what I want.
I want you to go all the way.
IAS isn’t just a dream — it’s our dream.
And even if I disappear from your life, I’ll still be your biggest reason, your quiet supporter in the background.
If I die… smile once for me.
Then open your books again.
But if I live, and you become everything we imagined —
Don’t look for me.
Just whisper my name during your oath. That will be enough.
Yours —
**More than you ever knew,
Journ.**
---
Meghna broke down.
Tears flowed as realization hit her like a storm.
*She was Bera.*
Bera was the name he lovingly gave her back then — a secret nickname from their struggling student days.
He had hidden his pain, his sacrifices, and his love — not from shame, but to protect her from guilt.
She ran to the hospital.
Journ’s family was there, praying. When the doctor came out, he smiled gently:
“He’s out of danger now.”
Meghna didn’t wait.
She rushed inside, and the moment she saw him awake, she fell into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
*“Why didn’t you tell me, Journ? Why did you carry that burden alone?”*
Journ, weak but smiling, whispered,
*“Because I wanted you to fly without weight. Even if I had to stay on the ground.”*
Their families, deeply moved, decided the wedding should happen immediately.
And this time, it wasn’t just love that united them — it was truth, understanding, and a bond stronger than words.
---
Months later, Meghna had the letter framed in their study.
A small golden plaque below read:
**“The letter that changed everything.
Because sometimes, the greatest love is the one that stays silent… until it saves everything.”**
---
React
