# CHAPTER 17: When Truth Cuts Deeper Than Any Curse
Hello everyone, it's me again! How are you all doing? I hope you're ready for what is undoubtedly one of the most emotionally devastating chapters in this entire story. Today I will continue to walk with you and review CHAPTER 17 of "Of Curses And Kisses free digital audiobook" — and trust me when I say, you might want to have some tissues nearby. This is the chapter where everything comes crashing down, where carefully constructed walls crumble, and where two hearts shatter in ways that will leave you breathless. So let's dive in, shall we?
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## The Mango Tree and the Banyan
We open with Jaya sitting beside Caterina, and what follows is one of the most beautiful, heart-wrenching metaphors I've encountered in this entire novel. Jaya tells Caterina a story about a mango tree back home in India — a gorgeous tree with soft green leaves and textured bark, but one that kept growing too close to an enormous banyan tree. The gardeners tried everything to save it. They pruned it, tied it, even considered relocating a tree that stood over thirty feet tall. But in the end? They simply left it alone. And the mango tree died. It never stood a chance against the unstoppable banyan.
Caterina, sharp as ever, immediately understands the analogy. "I guess I'm the mango tree in that scenario," she says bitterly. "Great work, Aesop."
And here, dear listeners, we witness Jaya's genuine remorse. She apologizes for not telling Caterina about Alaric's betrayal, for being caught between a rock and a hard place. She tells Caterina she's here now, that she won't misstep anymore, that Caterina is Caterina La Valle and that name means something. For a moment, it seems like Caterina might physically attack her — her eyes burning with fury. But then something unexpected happens. Caterina deflates. She apologizes too, admitting she's been antisocial. And in this moment of vulnerability, these two girls from powerful families find common ground.
They retreat to a dark corner, invisible to the dancers, and Caterina confesses something profound. Part of her is upset because Alaric dumped her, yes — but the other part is devastated because he took something from her. Some power. She was vulnerable, and he hurt her because of it. She doesn't want people to think she's weak. She wishes she didn't care about appearances, but she does.
Jaya's response is one of solidarity and wisdom. She talks about how they're raised — expected to keep up appearances no matter what, carrying more pressure by age six than most adults do in a lifetime, all because of who their parents are. She suggests kickboxing as an outlet for frustration, and Caterina's small smile suggests the advice lands. They talk about Connor, Caterina's disappointing date who abandoned her for being "boring," and Caterina admits she's not ready to date. Maybe won't be for a very long time. And then, in a whisper barely audible, she confesses: she loved Alaric. Really, truly loved him. Jaya holds her close as they sit together in the dark, "wearing their pretty dresses like armor."
This scene is absolutely masterful. The mango tree metaphor resonates throughout, reminding us that sometimes the powerful simply overwhelm the vulnerable, and all we can do is survive.
## Grey's World Collapses
Now, let's shift to Grey's perspective, and oh, how my heart ached for him. He's on the phone with a man named Kiran, who drops a bombshell: he's Jaya's fiancé. Grey's immediate reaction is disbelief. There has to be a misunderstanding. Jaya never mentioned him. But Kiran, with infuriating calm, explains that he found out about Grey "through other means" — and that he's sent Grey an email.
The email contains a PDF of a newspaper announcement: "Maharaja Adip Rao and Maharani Parvati Rao announce with pleasure the engagement of their eldest daughter, Rajkumari Jaya Rao, to the heir of the Hegde house, Kiran Hegde."
Grey feels numb, like he's plunged into an icy lake. And Kiran — that smug, condescending voice on the other end — keeps twisting the knife, pointing out how convenient it was that Jaya ended up in every single one of Grey's classes. How could Grey not have considered what immense coincidence made that happen? And Grey realizes with sickening clarity that he'd thought it was fate, the stars aligning. He'd believed in the magic of it all.
Kiran reveals that their mutual friend is Alaric Konig — the same Alaric who'd been laughing at Grey behind his back every time he saw Grey and Jaya together. And then the final blow: Kiran claims the engagement has been in the cards for years. "You an Emerson and she a Rao? Your families have been feuding for generations. She was probably having a little laugh at you since you met."
Grey stands in the falling snow, letting it coat his hair, his lashes, covering him "bit by bit, in ice." He wants desperately to believe Kiran is lying, but the evidence is right there. The engagement announcement is dated right after Jaya broke things off with him. DE had mentioned Jaya's archery trophy, which Grey had dismissed because it didn't fit the Jaya he knew. She hadn't corrected him about the "coincidence" of their classes. And now her future fiancé is saying she set it all up.
"It's better this way, Grey," Kiran says sympathetically. "Isn't it better to know the truth than to be blissfully ignorant in a complete lie?"
Grey hangs up without responding. He stands for a long time, staring at nothing. Just minutes ago, he'd been thinking of fighting for Jaya, of telling her how he felt. Life had been relatively simple. Then he answered his phone, and everything shattered.
He thinks about how happy he'd felt holding her hand, how lucky he'd felt when she turned those brown eyes on him. He'd believed her when she said the curse didn't define him, that he deserved more. He'd been so sure she was steadfast and honest, that her eyes would never lie to him.
Now? Now he's marching through the snow toward the main building, fury and shock and sorrow coursing through him. He needs answers.
## The Receptionist's Revelation
Grey storms into the building, startling Mrs. Lucas at the reception desk. He demands to know why Jaya Rao is in all his classes. The receptionist, understandably confused and alarmed by his appearance, pulls up the records. She finds that Grey's father's secretary made a phone call the day before classes began, requesting that Jaya be placed in Grey's classes. The excuse given was that their families were "old friends" and Jaya was new.
Grey feels like he's watching every moment a thousand times because time has slowed to a standstill. His father's secretary. His own father was involved in this deception.
Mrs. Lucas offers to connect him, and Grey nods numbly. She dials, hands him the receiver, and leaves to give him privacy. The phone rings once. Twice. Three times.
"Hello?"
## Jaya's Confusion
Jaya is still sitting with Caterina when her phone rings. She answers, but no one speaks. She's about to pull the phone away when Grey's voice comes through — a voice that doesn't sound like his at all. He asks her to meet him outside the ballroom in five minutes. She tries to ask what's going on, but he's already gone.
Jaya turns to Caterina, torn. She doesn't want to leave her alone, but she senses Caterina might need a friend. She spots Rahul a few yards away and approaches him, straightening his bow tie. She whispers for him to ask Caterina to dance. Rahul is nervous, fidgeting, sweating — he clearly likes Caterina. Jaya encourages him, asking him to do it for her, to be a friend to someone in a bad situation. Rahul finally approaches Caterina, asking her to dance with surprising polish. Caterina, understanding Jaya's intention, agrees. She can show Alaric she isn't crumpled in a heap, that she's enjoying the Homegoing just as much as he is, that she's choosing to try new things.
Jaya watches them for a moment, smiling, before her smile fades and she heads outside to find Grey.
## The Confrontation
Jaya finds Grey standing in the cut-glass night, snow dusting his shoulders and hair. With his blue eyes, he looks like Jack Frost commanding winter. His gaze slips to her pendant — the remaining two rubies — then back to her face. She greets him, but he doesn't respond.
He holds out his phone, showing her the engagement announcement. Jaya's system ices over from shock. This wasn't supposed to happen this way. She'd tried to spare him this pain. She stammers, trying to explain, but he's already stepping away.
Grey's voice is low but reverberating as he calls it what it is: "Such a lie. Such a profound lie." Jaya steps closer, tears thick in her voice, apologizing. But Grey keeps going, his fury like a demon whispering in his ear. Their classes together, their friendship, her concern about the pendant, the kiss — was any of it real?
Jaya squeezes her eyes shut as if his words cause physical pain. She insists it was real. But Grey isn't finished. He accuses her of calling Mrs. Lucas, pretending to be his father's secretary. He questions whether she even has an archery trophy, whether all the pretending to need his help was another lie. He tells her she's good — very good — for fooling him. And then, swallowing hard: "If I'd known any of this, I would never have... I would never have let myself fall for you."
Jaya says nothing. There's nothing she can say that would help. What good would it do to tell him she came for revenge but ended up falling for him? What would telling him the engagement was a last-ditch effort to save her family's name, her sister's honor, accomplish? Perhaps if he rages enough, if the anger crescendos and swallows him, he can begin to let her go. Perhaps he can make peace with their parting. It's what she wanted for him all along.
Grey asks why she did all this. Twin tears run down Jaya's cheeks as she confesses: she came with the intention of breaking his heart. She was told a male Emerson heir was behind the leaked pictures of Isha, and she thought it meant him. She saw St. Rosetta's as the perfect opportunity to get back at his family.
Grey's heart squeezes as if a vengeful fist is reducing it to pulp. So it was true. Everything Kiran said was true. Jaya asks how Kiran found out about them. Was it Caterina? Grey shakes his head — it was Alaric. That asshole was laughing at him every time he saw them together. He braces himself for the final question: is it true that the engagement between her and Kiran has been in the works for years?
Something flits across Jaya's face — shock? Confusion? Anger? — before it becomes a blank mask. Rivers of tears run down her cheeks as she says, "Yes."
Grey feels like someone hit him with a concrete pole. He almost doubles over, panting in agony. He nods once. "I see. Goodbye, Jaya."
He sidesteps her and walks away, cutting through the snow, not looking back once.
## Shattered Pieces
Jaya stumbles off, her body and soul feeling completely, thoroughly dead. Kiran lied to Grey — made it seem like they were laughing at him together. She feels a jolt of anger at him for calling Grey, for trying to hurt him, for lying, especially after she told him to leave Grey alone. But how can she ignore her own hand in this? If she hadn't lied, if she hadn't set up the house of cards for Kiran to knock over, they wouldn't be here.
She tells herself maybe this is for the best. Grey can let her go now. He can go on with his life. Perhaps Kiran did her a favor.
But then she thinks of Grey watching the sunrise tomorrow by himself, afraid of the curse, filled with self-loathing, waiting for it all to end. The agony is so great she has to bury the thought immediately.
Jaya finds herself back in the ballroom without remembering deciding to return. People are dancing, laughing, blissfully unaware of the smoking wreckage of her life. She walks to an empty table, then to the dark corner where she and Caterina sat before. Suddenly, she realizes Isha is there with her. Her sister's face is full of concern.
Jaya doesn't answer Isha's questions. She just wraps her arms around her sister and holds her close. When she pulls back, she tries to smile and reassure Isha, but her face crumples and tears stream down her cheeks. "No," she manages. "I'm not all right."
## Sisters in the Dark
Back in Isha's dorm room, Jaya leans against the headboard with her eyes closed. Isha sits at her feet, having just said goodbye to Elliot at the door. She gently bounces the bed. "Hi."
Jaya tries a wan smile, but from Isha's concerned face, she's not sure she succeeds. Isha ventures a guess: did something happen with Grey? Jaya is surprised — how did Isha know? Isha shrugs. It's not hard to figure out. Jaya looks heartbroken, and only one boy has her heart.
Jaya tries to deflect. She's getting engaged to Kiran. But Isha presses — did Grey find out somehow? Jaya nods. Kiran called him and made it seem like she was playing with Grey's heart the whole time.
Isha is livid. Why would Kiran do that? It's none of his business. But Jaya argues it is — Kiran will be her fiancé soon. She doesn't have the luxury to be heartbroken over an Emerson. Her voice cracks despite trying to sound harsh.
Isha kicks off her shoes and sits cross-legged, putting a hand on Jaya's knee. "Maybe you don't have the luxury to, but you can't tell your heart what to do."
Jaya blinks away tears. She's marrying Kiran. It's what's best for the family. She echoes Grey's words from their first meeting: "It might not be easy, but it is that simple."
Isha challenges her: Jaya doesn't even like Kiran. What's best for *her*? Jaya dismisses it as immaterial. There's nothing more to say.
But then Jaya has something to tell Isha. She apologizes — for pushing Isha so hard to be someone she's not, for telling her not to take robotics, not to be with Elliot, for being controlling and rigid. She caresses Isha's cheek and tells her she did nothing wrong kissing Talin, nothing wrong helping those boys in the motorcycle shop. The problem isn't Isha — it's the messages they're given before they can even understand them. "You're perfect the way you are, Ish. People who don't turn out how their parents or their society expects are the best people of all." She tells Isha to be the best robotics engineer she can be and to give hell to anyone who gives her shit.
Isha stares, agog. "Jaya... You... you said 'fuck.' And 'shit.'"
Jaya stares back. "Damn right I did."
Isha laughs, and they hug tight, both laughing, tears prickling Jaya's eyes. Then Isha pulls back, worried. What is Jaya going to do about Grey? Is she really going to let him think she was messing with him this entire time?
Jaya whispers Grey's name, feeling a stab of pain. She wishes she could explain she wasn't trying to be cruel, that it could be her way of undoing damage, making amends before goodbye. But he won't even speak to her. She hasn't given him any reason to.
Isha studies her sister, jaw set. "Then I'll have to give him one."
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## Reader's Impressions & Star Rating
Oh my dear listeners, where do I even begin? This chapter is an absolute emotional rollercoaster that left me reeling. The parallel storytelling between Jaya and Grey is masterfully executed — we watch Jaya finding connection and vulnerability with Caterina while Grey's world simultaneously collapses through that devastating phone call from Kiran.
What struck me most was the theme of armor — how these young people wear their "pretty dresses like armor," protecting themselves from a world that demands they maintain appearances at all costs. Jaya's confession to Isha about the ludicrous pressure they face is both heartbreaking and liberating. And that moment when Jaya finally lets herself swear, finally lets herself be real with her sister? Pure catharsis.
The tragedy here is Shakespearean in scope. Grey's fury is justified, yet we as readers know the full truth — that Jaya came for revenge but fell in love, that she was trying to protect him, that she's as much a victim of family expectations as he is. The misunderstanding isn't a cheap plot device; it's the natural consequence of secrets, pride, and the walls we build to protect ourselves.
And that ending! Isha's determined declaration that she'll give Grey a reason to speak to Jaya sets up what promises to be an explosive next chapter.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ **Rating: 4.9 / 5 Stars**
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## Next Chapter Prediction
Based on that powerful cliffhanger, I predict that Isha will indeed seek out Grey — perhaps approaching him at his sunrise ritual or finding him alone somewhere on campus. She'll likely tell him the truth about their family's pressure, about Kiran's manipulation, and most importantly, about Jaya's genuine feelings. This might not immediately fix things — Grey's trust is shattered, after all — but it could plant seeds of doubt about Kiran's narrative.
We might also see the fallout with Caterina and Alaric, especially now that Caterina is choosing to reclaim her power by dancing with Rahul. And what about that curse? With only two rubies remaining on Jaya's pendant, the supernatural stakes are rising. Could the curse play a role in forcing Grey and Jaya back together, or will it be the final wedge that keeps them apart?
The Homegoing continues, but the fairy tale is crumbling. The next chapter promises difficult conversations, possibly a confrontation between Grey and Alaric, and perhaps the beginning of understanding between our star-crossed lovers.
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