I watched as Shreya and her now-husband exchanged garlands, surrounded by a sea of laughter, music, and flashing lights.
The air was thick with the scent of roses and sandalwood, the flames of the sacred fire flickering as the priest chanted the wedding mantras.
I should have been enjoying this moment. It was my cousin's wedding, a night filled with love and celebration. But all I could do was stare at them, the weight of my own impending fate settling in my chest like a boulder.
I felt suffocated.
I glanced around, forcing a smile when distant relatives pulled me in for pictures, when aunts gushed about how I would be next. If only they knew.
Aditya was somewhere in the crowd. I hadn't seen him in a while, and frankly, I didn't want to. Because if I did, I would lose whatever self-control I had left.
Instead, I focused on Shreya.
She was glowing, a wide smile on her face as she held her husband's hand, whispering something that made him chuckle. My heart clenched at the sight.
Would I ever smile like that on my wedding day?
Would I ever be able to look at him the way she looked at her husband?
NO.
Because my wedding wasn't a love story. It wasn't a celebration. It was a deal. A contract. A business transaction disguised in the form of holy vows.
I gritted my teeth, shoving down the bitterness crawling up my throat. I stayed through the entire ceremony, watching as Shreya bid her farewell to our family and her own family, hugging me tightly before she left.
"Be strong," she whispered in my ear before stepping away. I didn't answer. I was too busy pretending I was okay.
By the time I reached home, exhaustion clung to my bones. My feet ached from standing in heels for hours, and my head pounded from all the fake smiles I had forced tonight.
I just wanted to shower, bury myself under my blankets, and forget.
But the moment I stepped inside my house, I knew I wouldn't get that luxury. Because sitting in our lavish living room, sipping tea like this was a normal family gathering, were Aditya's parents.
And right across from them sat him. Aditya Singhania.
I stopped mid-step, my hands curling into fists as my father turned to me with a tight smile. "Ah, Avni, you're back. Come, we were just discussing your wedding."
The word slammed into me like a punch. My fingers trembled, but I forced myself to stay calm, my gaze flickering to Aditya.
He looked... unbothered. Like this entire conversation wasn't about his life too. He leaned back against the couch, his sharp gaze locked onto me, expression unreadable.
I turned to my father. "And what exactly is there to discuss? I believe the decision has already been made without my input."Â My father exhaled sharply. "Avniâ"
"It's better this way," Aditya's father cut in smoothly, his voice calm yet authoritative. "The faster we make arrangements, the less time wasted."Â My stomach twisted.
I looked at him, at Aditya's mother sitting beside him, her hands adorned with heavy rings as she sipped her tea elegantly. It was painfully obvious that this wasn't a wedding. It was a merger.
I swallowed my anger and spoke, voice flat. "How soon?" Aditya's father smiled, pleased that I wasn't throwing a tantrum. "The engagement is in two days. The wedding, in a week."
A week.
One week.
I barely had time to process Shreya's wedding, and now mine was looming over my head.
Aditya's mother waved a hand dismissively. "I wanted all functions but aditya's dad told we need to make this quick so no need for excessive celebrations. "
Of course.
My fingers curled around the fabric of my dress. I could feel Aditya's gaze burning into the side of my face, but I refused to look at him.
I had spent years building my independence, carving my own path, and now, in a matter of days, I was being shackled to a man whose mere presence infuriated me.
If this was how it was going to be, then so be it. But if they thought I would sit back quietly and let them dictate my life, they were wrong.
If I was being forced into this marriage, I would make sure Aditya regretted every second of it.
This wasn't going to be a love story.
__________________________________
Okay this chapter is little boring sorry for that.
Next will be a little twist.
Thanks for reading guysð
Take care