Author’s POV

The car slowly stopped in front of the grand Rajputana haveli in Rajasthan. The evening sky was glowing orange, and the whole house was decorated with marigold flowers and golden lights. Today was Meera’s mehndi ceremony. Laughter, music, and the sweet fragrance of henna filled the air, but somewhere behind all that celebration… a quiet sadness was hiding.

A few hours earlier, Isha had hugged her best friend tightly before leaving.

“Take care… aur mujhe call karna, okay?” Isha said softly.

Her best friend smiled and nodded. “Tu tension mat le. Enjoy your sister’s wedding.”

Isha gave a small smile, but inside her heart was already feeling heavy. Maybe it was the feeling that her elder sister was about to leave the house forever.

Isha’s POV

As soon as I stepped inside the haveli, I heard the sound of dhol and women singing traditional songs. Everyone looked happy… but my eyes were only searching for one person.

Meera di.

When I finally saw her sitting in the middle of the courtyard with mehndi on her hands, my steps automatically slowed down.

She looked beautiful… wearing a green lehenga, her hair softly curled, small flowers tucked between the strands. But something in her eyes felt different.

Not happiness.

Something else.

My throat tightened.

“Meera di…” I whispered.

She slowly looked up.

For a moment, both of us just stared at each other. Then I ran towards her and carefully hugged her from the side, trying not to ruin the mehndi.

“Di… aap sach me shaadi kar rahi ho…” I said with teary eyes.(“Di… you’re really getting married…”)

Meera smiled softly, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes.“Haan pagli… itna emotional kyun ho rahi hai?”(“Yes silly… why are you getting so emotional?”)

I shook my head.

“Because… after marriage you’ll leave me.”(“Shaadi ke baad aap mujhe chhod ke chale jaogi.”)

My voice cracked.

Meera dii looked at me for a second… a deep, painful emotion passing through her eyes. Something I couldn’t understand.

If only I knew the truth.

She gently touched my cheek with her mehndi-covered fingers.

“**Pagal… main kahin nahi ja rahi.”**(“Silly… I’m not going anywhere.”)

But inside her heart, the truth was completely different.

Author’s POV

While everyone around them laughed and celebrated, Meera’s fingers slightly trembled.

She didn’t want this marriage.

Not at all.

But she had no choice.

Her eyes unknowingly moved toward the dark sky for a second… like she was silently asking fate for help.

Then she quickly wiped the emotion from her face and smiled again.

The wedding mandap was grand and royal. Golden drapes, thousands of marigold flowers, and the sound of shehnai filled the Rajput haveli. Guests were whispering excitedly because the groom himself was none other than Rudransh Singh Rajvansh, the powerful Chief Minister of Rajasthan.

Rudransh sat in the mandap like a king on his throne. His sharp eyes were calm but intimidating. Every person around him knew one thing very clearly—he was not a man who tolerated disrespect.

Inside the house, the bride was supposed to be getting ready.

“Isha beta,” her chachi said softly, “jao Meera ko bula lao. Muhurat ka time ho raha hai.”(“Go bring Meera. The auspicious time is coming.”)

Isha’s POV

I nodded and quickly walked toward Meera di’s room.

My heart was beating strangely fast. Maybe because today… my sister was leaving our house forever.

But the moment I pushed the door open… my steps froze.

The room was silent.

Too silent.

On the bed, Meera di’s bridal lehenga and jewelry were lying exactly the way they were kept earlier. Untouched.

My brows frowned in confusion.

“Di…?” I called softly.

No answer.

I slowly walked toward the dressing table. And that’s when I noticed a folded paper lying there.

My name was written on it.

My heart skipped a beat as I opened it.

The words blurred for a second as my eyes filled with tears.

*Isha…

Main kisi aur se pyaar karti hu. Main ye shaadi nahi kar sakti.Main tujhe batana chahti thi… par himmat nahi hui.Main kisi aise insaan se shaadi nahi kar sakti jise main pyaar nahi karti.Please mujhe maaf kar dena. Main settle hoke tujhe call karungi*

*Your Meera dii*

*(I love someone else. I cannot marry here.I wanted to tell you… but I didn’t have the courage i cannot marry someone I don’t love.please am sorry.i call you when I am settled* *Your. Meera dii)*

My hands started trembling.

Tears rolled down my cheeks silently.Inside my heart… two emotions were fighting.

One side of me was happyMy Meera di had finally chosen herself… her own happiness.

But the other side… felt broken.“She didn’t tell me…” I whispered painfully.(Usne mujhe kuch nahi bataya…)

Suddenly the door opened loudly.

“Meera kahan hai?” a furious voice shouted.I quickly folded the letter and hid it behind my back.

Rajiv Rajput, my father, had entered the room along with chacha, chachi, and my cousin brother.His face was red with anger.

“Isha! Meera kahan hai?” he demanded.

My throat felt dry.

“Mujhe… nahi pata…” I said quietly.

Just then my chacha rushed to the window and looked outside.

“Bhaisahab!” he shouted in shock.

“Window se bhag gayi hai Meera!”

The whole room froze.Father’s anger exploded.

“Badtameez ladki!” he roared.

My body started trembling. My chest felt tight. My breaths were becoming uneven.

Tears kept falling silently but I didn’t say anything.

Author’s POV

At that very moment, the room door opened again.

A powerful presence entered.

It was Rudransh Singh Rajvansh… along with his entire family.

His jaw was clenched. His eyes were dark with rage.

For a man like Rudransh, reputation was everything.

And today… his bride had run away.

He slowly stepped forward, his voice dangerously calm.

“Meera kahan hai?”(“Where is Meera?”)

Rajiv Rajput’s confidence shattered instantly. Everyone in Rajasthan knew the power Rudransh held.

He was afraid.

Before he could speak, Isha stepped forward.

Her hands were trembling but her eyes held courage.

“She ran away,” Isha said firmly.

The room fell silent.

“And honestly… unhe aap jaise insaan se shaadi nahi karni thi.”

(“And honestly… she didn’t want to marry someone like you.”)

For a second, the air itself felt heavy.

Rudransh’s eyes darkened even more. No one had ever spoken to him like that.

Then suddenly an older but commanding voice spoke.

It was Rudransh’s grandfather Yashvardhan Singh Rajvansh.

“Rajiv,” he said calmly, “agar Meera bhaag gayi hai… toh koi baat nahi.”

Everyone looked at him.

“Apki choti beti hai na…” he continued.

“Isha.”

“She will marry Rudransh.”

Isha eyes widened in shock.

“Nahi!” isha immediately said.

“I will never marry this man!”

My voice was shaking but my refusal was clear.

The room became silent again.

Rudransh stood there quietly for a few seconds… thinking.

Then suddenly he spoke.

His voice was cold. Calculated.

“Rajiv Rajput,” he said slowly.

“If you love your position… and your reputation…”

He looked directly at Isha.

“Then in 10 minutes… I want this girl in the mandap.”

His words were not a request.

They were an order.

And without waiting for a response, Rudransh Singh Rajvansh turned around and walked out of the room with his family.

Leaving behind a storm of fear… silence… and a destiny that Isha never chose.

The haveli that was supposed to witness Meera’s wedding was now preparing for something completely unexpected. The music outside continued, the guests whispered among themselves, and the sacred fire in the mandap kept burning… waiting.

But inside a room upstairs, Isha’s world had completely shattered.

Her chachi and a few women hurriedly brought the red bridal lehenga and jewellery.

“Isha beta jaldi karo… waqt nahi hai,” her chachi said nervously.(Isha dear hurry… we don’t have time.)

Isha stood there like a statue.Her eyes were swollen from crying, her hands cold and slightly trembling.

“Main ye shaadi nahi karna chahti…” she whispered brokenly.

(I don’t want this marriage…)

But no one answered her.Because everyone in that room already knew the truth — this wedding was not about her wishes anymore.

Isha’s POV

I stood in front of the mirror while they started getting me ready.

Every second felt heavier than the last.

The deep red bridal lehenga was placed on me. It was heavily embroidered with golden zari work, the fabric rich and royal. The skirt felt so heavy that it almost felt like chains around my legs.

Then came the jewellery.

A large kundan choker necklace, long layered haar, heavy jhumkas brushing against my neck, bangles filling both my wrists, and a delicate maang tikka placed in the center of my forehead.

When the red dupatta was carefully pinned over my head, I finally looked like a bride.

But inside… I felt completely empty.

The makeup artist softly applied foundation over my tear-stained skin, dark kohl around my eyes, soft red lipstick, and a tiny bindi between my brows.

Everyone kept saying the same thing.

“Kitni sundar lag rahi ho…”(You look so beautiful.)

But I couldn’t even recognize the girl staring back at me in the mirror.

Ye meri shaadi nahi hai…

Ye meri zindagi ka faisla hai… jo maine kabhi nahi chaha.

A tear rolled down again.

I quickly wiped it before it ruined the makeup.

“Di… aap khush rehna,” I whispered softly under my breath.

Thinking about Meera.

At least she had the courage to choose herself.

I didn’t.

Author’s POV

Outside in the mandap, Rudransh Singh Rajvansh sat beside the sacred fire.

His posture was straight, powerful, and calm… but his eyes were cold like a storm waiting to explode.

This wedding had become a matter of ego, power, and respect.

No one dared speak loudly around him.The priest nervously adjusted the items for the ritual.

Then suddenly the whispers grew louder.

“Dulhan aa gayi…”(The bride has arrived.)

Everyone turned toward the entrance.

Isha slowly walked toward the mandap.

Her red lehenga shimmered under the lights, her jewellery glowed, and her dupatta covered half her face. She looked breathtakingly beautiful.

But her steps were slow.

Heavy.Each step felt like she was walking toward a destiny she never chose.

When she finally reached the mandap, her eyes lifted slightly.

And for the first time that night…

She looked at Rudransh.

He was already staring at her.

His sharp dark eyes studied her face carefully.

There were no soft emotions in his gaze.

Only dominance.

Control.

And a silent warning.

Isha’s fingers clenched tightly together in her lap as she sat beside him.

Her heart was beating so loudly she could hear it.

The priest started chanting the mantras.

“Vivah ki rasmein shuru karte hain.”(Let us begin the wedding rituals.)

The sacred fire crackled between them.

During the rituals, their hands were tied together with the sacred cloth.

The moment the priest placed Isha’s hand in Rudransh’s hand for the hast milap, she felt his grip.

Strong.

Firm.

Possessive.

She tried to pull her hand slightly… but his grip tightened just enough to stop her.

Without even looking at her, he said in a low voice only she could hear,

“Ab bhaagne ka koi option nahi hai.”(Now there is no option to run.)

Her breath hitched.

Tears silently gathered in her eyes again, but she forced herself to stay strong.

The pheras began.

With every circle around the sacred fire, Isha felt like her old life was slowly burning away behind her.

Her dreams.

Her freedom.

Her choices.

And beside her walked a man she barely knew… yet now he had complete control over her future.

When the final ritual arrived, Rudransh took the sindoor.

The entire mandap fell silent.

Isha’s hands trembled slightly as she lowered her head.

Rudransh looked at her for a brief second.

Then slowly filled her hairline with the deep red sindoor.

And just like that…

The forced wedding was complete.

Two strangers were now tied together for life.

But neither of them knew yet—

That this marriage would become a storm powerful enough to change both their lives forever.

The courtyard of the Rajput mansion was filled with the heavy echo of rituals ending and a daughter leaving her home. The air carried the scent of marigold flowers and incense, but beneath the festive decorations there was a strange tension… something incomplete.

Every bride cried during her vidai.

Every daughter clung to her parents.

Every father shed tears.

But Isha didn’t cry.

She stood there in her crimson bridal lehenga, heavy jewelry resting against her skin, but her face was completely still. No trembling lips. No wet eyes. No hesitation.

Only silence.

Around her, women sniffled, wiping their tears with the edge of their sarees. Some whispered softly about how emotional the moment was.

But Isha’s eyes… they were empty.

Her gaze briefly moved toward her father.And instantly… the air around her turned cold.

There was no love in that look.

No pain of separation.Only hatred.

The man who stood there pretending to be a grieving father was nothing more than a stranger to her. Someone she had stopped seeing as family long ago.

Her jaw tightened.

For a moment, he stepped slightly closer as if expecting her to hug him or at least touch his feet.

But Isha didn’t move.Not even an inch.

Inside her mind, a cold voice whispered—

You don’t deserve my tears.

Without saying a word to anyone, she simply turned around and walked toward the car.

The sound of her anklets echoed sharply with each step.

People looked at each other in confusion. Brides weren’t supposed to leave like this… without looking back.

But Isha didn’t look back.

Not even once.

She quietly sat inside the car.

The door closed.And with that… her past ended.

The Car Ride

Inside the car, the atmosphere was suffocating.

Rudransh sat beside her.

His powerful presence filled the car like a storm waiting to erupt. His jaw was tight, fingers tapping slowly against his knee, eyes staring straight ahead.

He was still angry.

Furious.

The marriage had happened… but nothing inside him had settled.

Isha sat beside him like a statue, her hands folded in her lap. The bangles on her wrists softly clinked whenever the car moved.

Neither of them spoke.

The road lights passed across their faces one after another.

At one point Rudransh glanced at her from the corner of his eyes.

No tears.

No trembling. No emotional breakdown.

Just silence.

His brows slightly furrowed.

He expected drama. Fear. Something.

But this girl…

She looked like someone who had already survived worse.

After a while he spoke, his voice deep and cold.

For a moment, Rudransh’s gaze hardened.

The air between them became sharper.

He leaned back in his seat, a faint sarcastic smirk appearing.

“Interesting…” he murmured.

The rest of the journey passed with nothing but the sound of the engine and two strangers sitting beside each other… bound by a marriage neither of them truly wanted.

Arrival at Rajvansh Haveli

After some time the car stopped in front of Rajvansh Haveli.

The massive palace-like mansion was glowing with lights. The entrance was decorated with flowers, diyas, and traditional rangoli designs.

The moment the car door opened…

Drums began to play.

The entire Rajvansh family stood there waiting.

Grandmother Vanshudhra, mother Vinita, aunt Varsha, cousin Shourya, uncle Sanjay… everyone stood at the entrance with warm smiles and excitement.

For them, their house was finally welcoming a bride.

Vinita’s eyes softened the moment she saw Isha.

She immediately stepped forward with an aarti thali.

“Swagat hai tumhara beta…” she said gently.

(Welcome home, child.)

The ritual began.

The aarti circled slowly in front of Isha and Rudransh. Then Isha lightly kicked the kalash at the entrance, stepping inside the haveli with red alta footprints marking the white marble floor.

Every ritual was performed with care.

The family was warm, affectionate, happy.

But Rudransh…

He looked completely detached.

His expression remained cold the entire time.

His grandfather Yashvardhan Singh Rajvansh observed everything carefully from a distance. His experienced eyes noticed the tension between the newly married couple.

After the rituals ended, everyone expected the couple to sit together for the next ceremony.

But Rudransh suddenly spoke.

His voice was sharp.

“Bas ho gaya na?”(This is done now, right?)

The room went slightly silent.

Vinita looked confused.

“Rudra beta abhi—”

But he cut her off.“Mujhe kuch kaam hai.”(I have some work.)

His eyes briefly landed on Isha.

There was no warmth there.

Only controlled anger.

Then he said coldly—

“Tumhari entry ho gayi hai. Baaki family handle kar legi.”(Your entry is done. The rest of the family will handle everything.)

Without waiting for anyone’s response, he turned and walked away.

His footsteps echoed across the marble hall as he headed toward the staircase.

Within seconds…

He disappeared into the corridor leading to his study room.

Rudransh’s Study

The heavy wooden door shut behind him.

The moment he entered, Rudransh loosened the collar of his sherwani roughly.

His anger was still burning.

He walked toward the large glass window overlooking the vast Rajvansh estate.

For a few seconds he just stood there.

Then he muttered under his breath—

“Yeh shaadi… meri life ka sabse bada mistake ho sakti hai.”

(This marriage… might be the biggest mistake of my life.)

His fingers curled into a tight fist.

The storm inside him had only begun.

Meanwhile… Isha

Downstairs, Isha stood quietly among strangers who were now her family.

Everyone around her was kind.

Warm.

But her mind was somewhere else.

She slowly lifted her eyes toward the grand staircase where Rudransh had disappeared.

For a moment something flickered in her gaze.

Not sadness.

Not fear.

Something deeper.

Then she looked away.