033

Niyati remembers it vividly.

The innocent soul she once was, before she fell in love with the man of anyone's dreams-Achintya. How lucky she had thought herself to be, to have found someone like him, who was willing to put societal norms and judgments behind and love her.

It was an intense and gripping love, one that sometimes suffocated her, yet most of the time, it was something she could hardly breathe without. As if oxygen was necessary for living, Achintya was necessary for her.

The man for whom she lied to her parents, her friends-putting everything behind just to be with him.

Panic gripped her throat as Shekhar's voice interrupted from the side, surely alerting Vijay, though he was nowhere to be seen. It must have been the adrenaline pumping through her veins that allowed her feet to move.

It must have been survival instinct that made her clutch the bottle in her hand and bolt outside, even as thudding steps followed behind her.

"VIJAY... VIJAY... THE BITCH IS RUNNING AWAY... VIJAY..." Shekhar yelled, trying his best to keep his eyes open.

But it was too late. Niyati was already outside the main door. Shekhar ran after her, only to slip on the floor, his body crashing hard as he fell face-first into a puddle of blood.

"Fuck," he groaned aloud before lying still, his body refusing to cooperate.

Once Vijay knew what had happened, he would be dead meat.

_

Niyati had no idea where she was. As far as her eyes could see, the place was barren and lonely-no shops, no vehicles, only tall grass obscuring the dilapidated buildings. They had kept her in what looked like a factory, but she had managed to escape. Yet, her problems were far from over. She had no idea where to go, which road to take, whom to trust, or when to hide. Niyati was utterly lost.

Her head throbbed, on the verge of splitting open, and the back of her cotton kurta was soaked in blood. The wound had been bleeding steadily since Vijay had thrown her to the floor, making her head spin and her body sway. Finding balance was nearly impossible; she was out of control.

And then came the roar that made her heart stop.

"NIYATI..." She turned around, her heart sinking as she saw Vijay standing there, murder in his eyes.

Suddenly, she was running-running to save herself, knowing that if he caught her, there would be no tomorrow, no light to dispel the darkness he would bring. She ran on weak, trembling legs, her throat tight, her heart pounding in her mouth. She could feel him getting closer, even without turning around. The smell of alcohol and sweat grew stronger, more nauseating.

"Run... because once I get you, I'm going to beat every single bone out of your legs-"

Oh Goddess, help her, please. Summoning what little strength she had left, Niyati suddenly hurled herself backward, catching Vijay by surprise. She stabbed him with the broken bottle, using all her might. He howled in pain.

"I'm sorry... but an animal like you deserves this," she whispered fiercely, pushing the bottle deeper into his upper thigh.

She was about to run again, hoping to take advantage of his temporary distraction, when Vijay's hand shot out and clutched her throat from behind. "Ahhh..."

"Not so fast-" he hissed, leaning close to her ear, about to say something cruel. But their struggle came to an abrupt halt as the sound of screeching tires filled the air, and Achintya's Jeep came into view.

_

Achintya had thought this through.

If even a single strand of her hair was harmed, Vijay would die an excruciating, painful death. If not, Vijay would still die a slow, agonizing death.

He checked the time. It was six past five in the morning. Sixteen hours had passed since she was kidnapped... sixteen hours too long.

All of this could have been avoided if Vijay had had the courage to fight his own battles, instead of dragging Niyati into his mess.

But it was fine. Vijay might have started this nightmare, but it would be Achintya who would end it.

His eyes locked onto the man jumping out of the Jeep, exuding a calmness that screamed murder. Achintya's eyes blazed with a rage that could barely be contained as he took in Niyati's condition-a messy bandage on her forehead, tears streaked down her cheeks, her eyes swollen from crying, and her nose red from the cold.

There were also unseen wounds, the kind that could be overlooked by anyone else. But Achintya noticed them all. His eyes were always on her, and he could see the hidden strength beneath her vulnerable appearance. She didn't look fearful; she looked angry. She had managed to escape Vijay's grasp on her own, making it this far by herself.

She was truly brave. His Niyati wasn't some damsel in distress who needed rescuing. She had fought her way out.

Now, it was his turn to handle the situation.

_

Shekhar sprinted from inside the building as fast as his legs could carry him. He heard Vijay call out her name, which meant she must be close. Despite her injuries, she had managed to outsmart them. She was clever, managing to trick Vijay and hurt him badly, even though she had no clue where she was. It was impressive that she had found the courage to escape despite her condition.

Achintya Chaudhary had truly found a woman who matched his own caliber. There was no doubt about that. Shekhar couldn't help but fantasize about what it would have been like to break her stubbornness, certain that he could have done it with little effort. But his daydream was cut short when his feet froze in place, and he saw the scene in front of him-Achintya Chaudhary was there, and he looked murderous.

This soon!

Oh lord! If Achintya was here, others would be coming too. Everything Shekhar had done, all the risks he had taken, were about to be in vain. He hadn't even gotten the chance to touch her.

Vijay's grip tightened on Niyati's hair as he forced her to look straight at Achintya. "Niyati, see who we have with us... it's my dearest brother... your Achintya," he said, his voice dripping with mockery. A gasp of pain escaped her lips as Vijay's fingers dug into her scalp.

"Are you happy now? He's finally come to save you... you're free now," Vijay continued, grinning like a maniac. Achintya's eyes narrowed as he took in Vijay's state-he was drunk, and likely high as well. It was a dangerous combination that blinded him to the mess he had created and the destruction he was about to face.

Niyati's eyes were already fixed on Achintya. The adrenaline that had fueled her escape was draining from her body, replaced by an overwhelming tiredness that reached her bones. But seeing Achintya brought her a sense of relief-she knew that even if she let herself fall now, he would catch her.

"Ah... ah... ah... not so soon, dearest brother," Vijay taunted. "Back off, or I'll squeeze the life out of her." Despite Vijay's threats, Achintya didn't stop. His steady advance only made Vijay panic, tightening his grip on Niyati's hair and causing her to scream in pain.

Fear flickered in Achintya's eyes. "You're down bad for her, aren't you? Look at you... Achintya Chaudhary, who would rather bleed to death than take orders from an enemy, now doing the exact opposite because of a girl. Love has changed you... it's weakened you."

"You know what this little bitch did?" Vijay sneered, jerking Niyati's chin up, forcing her to look at Achintya. "She broke a bottle over Shekhar's head, stabbed me-"

"I slapped you too," Niyati interjected, her voice defiant despite her fear.

"Shut up, you little bitch," Vijay hissed, his voice a sinister whisper in her ear, but loud enough for Achintya to hear. "Or else I'll rip that pretty mouth right off your face. We don't want that, do we?"

Achintya's voice was cold as he finally spoke. "What do you want, Vijay?"

"Me? What do I want?" Vijay scoffed, incredulous that Achintya would even ask. "I want a life free of your existence, can you give me that? I want to be the only young master of Durga Bhavan, no brother to share my glory or position with, can you give me that? I want her," he spat, shoving Niyati roughly. "From the moment I saw her, I wanted her. I wanted to corrupt her innocence, can you give me that?"

But Vijay once again underestimated Achintya. In the split second it took for Vijay to babble on, Achintya sprang into action. In a blur of movement, he sneaked past Vijay, pulling Niyati to safety. He delivered a swift kick to Vijay's right thigh, causing him to collapse and howl in pain.

"Tell me you're okay," Achintya murmured into Niyati's hair, his hand gently rubbing the back of her neck. His eyes widened in horror when he saw fresh blood on his fingers. "You're fucking bleeding..."

"I'm okay now," Niyati whispered, her voice weak but relieved as she collapsed into his arms. She finally let herself relax, fitting perfectly in his embrace, closing her eyes as exhaustion overwhelmed her.

"Niyati... Niyati, don't sleep... stay with me... stay with me, Niyati!" Achintya's voice grew frantic as he shook her gently. She couldn't lose consciousness now. He had no idea how severe her injuries were, but the fact that she had stayed conscious this long was a good sign. She just needed to hold on a little longer until he could get her to a hospital.

More sounds of screeching tires and slamming doors filled the air as Achintya turned to see his father, brother, and uncle rushing towards them.

"Niyati..." he heard a voice call out, and that's when Achintya noticed Raghuveer Mishra and Radha among the crowd.

Radha ran to her daughter, taking her from Achintya's arms with a swift motion. "Amu... Amu... beta... beta, she's not opening her eyes, Jethji... she's not opening them... Amu..." Radha cried, stroking Niyati's pale face. There was so much blood-soaked into her clothes, matted in her hair, smeared across her face.

"Niyati..." Raghuveer murmured, his voice thick with emotion as he supported some of her weight. She looked so fragile, so vulnerable. How could anyone have tried to hurt her? How could Vijay have even thought of it?

"Thank you for-" Raghuveer began, but Achintya cut him off.

"Don't thank me. I didn't do anything. Niyati did it all on her own. When I arrived, she had already fought her way out. She stabbed Vijay in the thigh and broke a bottle over Shekhar's head. She only lost consciousness after running from them."

Raghuveer listened to Achintya's words with a mix of pride and pain. His brave Niyati had proved once again that every woman carries the spirit of Goddess Durga within her. By standing up to her captors, she had made everyone believe in that truth.

"Don't waste time. Take her to the hospital. She's lost a lot of blood and her injuries are severe... she needs immediate medical attention. Shastri! Take them to the hospital," Achintya ordered, taking Niyati's frail body from Radha, who hesitated to let her daughter go. "Trust me, she's safe now," he assured her, his eyes conveying the same relief and determination that Radha felt.

Carefully, Achintya carried Niyati to the backseat of the SUV that the Mishras had arrived in, placing her head in Radha's lap as Raghuveer settled into the front seat. The car sped off towards the hospital, leaving Achintya standing there, his eyes fixed on the vehicle until it disappeared from view. He knew that his job was far from over. Vijay would pay for what he had done, but for now, his priority was Niyati's safety.

_

As the car drove off, something shifted in Achintya's demeanor. His eyes, once calm, now burned with a murderous intensity.

"What should we do now, Papa?" he asked, turning to Phoolan Chaudhary, who had been observing the scene from a distance.

Phoolan Chaudhary studied his son before replying, "What do you have in mind, Achintya?" But he already knew the answer. It was clear from the way Achintya marched toward Vijay, who lay sprawled in the dirt, his head propped up on one hand as if this were all a game.

Achintya grabbed Vijay by the collar, hauling him to his feet. Even in his current state, Vijay seemed too ecstatic for the situation he was in. "What are you going to do, Achintya? Kill me? Will that satisfy your bloodlust?"

Achintya's voice was cold and controlled. "No, I'm not going to kill you, you asshole. That would be too easy. If you died, it would all be over too soon, and that's not what you deserve. You deserve something far worse."

Initially, Achintya had thought he would kill Vijay the moment he saw him. But after seeing the condition Niyati was in-tortured, physically and emotionally-he realized that Vijay's punishment had to be more painful than death.

"Even if you do kill me," Vijay sneered, "it won't change anything. The deed is done. I brought her to her knees. I tarnished her honor, her virtue-"

Achintya's fist crashed into Vijay's face, followed by a knee to his stomach, causing Vijay to spit blood. But Vijay retaliated, throwing a punch that caught Achintya in the side.

"You can't do anything, Achintya," Vijay laughed maniacally, even as blood dripped from his mouth. "No matter how many punches you throw or how many kicks you land, the fact remains that her reputation is tarnished. Tarnished."

Their tussle escalated until Achintya had his hands around Vijay's throat, squeezing the life out of him. "The society is never gonna accept her," Vijay choked out. "My revenge is done... I've ruined her life... and by extension, I've ruined yours. My revenge is complete. I've finally defeated you."

Achintya's rage was palpable, his face flushed with anger. He couldn't believe that Vijay had dragged Niyati into this, that he had ruined her life and crushed her hopes and dreams just to get back at him.

Achintya didn't notice the hands that gently wiped the moisture from his cheeks or the hand that grabbed his wrist, where it connected with Vijay's throat. "Let him go," a voice urged. "He'll die."

"Then let him die!" Achintya yelled, his voice thick with emotion.

"And take away Lokesh's only son?" Phoolan asked gently. He could see the pain in his son's eyes, the deep hurt caused by Vijay's betrayal. In a life filled with cruelty, the Chaudharys had found peace within their family. But now, that peace was shattered.

"Let him go, Achintya. You don't want to kill him. Remember your words... think about Niyati." Phoolan's words echoed in Achintya's mind, fueling his rage and making his heart pound violently in his chest.

He thought of Niyati's expressionless eyes, her tear-streaked cheeks, her swollen eyes, her bleeding head, and her bruised body.

He recalled her laughter, the way she twirled in his arms, her nimble fingers tracing his face, her bright eyes that once held the universe, and her neck, which he had marked with love.

Her image, once full of life, was now hauntingly frail.

But Achintya knew exactly how to punish Vijay. He knew precisely what move to make, one that would destroy Vijay without destroying himself.

As he tossed Vijay's body to the side, Achintya turned to his father, a determined gleam in his eyes. "I know what to do. And I'm going to do it, whether with or without your support."

_

The atmosphere was heavy with tension as the doctor gave his report.

Niyati's condition, though not critical, was still serious.

"A small clot had been detected in the back of her head, but it wasn't alarming, and could likely dissolve with medication. The wound on her head needed stitches, and the cut on her neck was cleaned and bandaged. She had lost a significant amount of blood and was running a fever," but the doctor assured her worried parents that she would recover quickly.

The doctor, sensing the gravity of the situation and the power the Chaudharys held, didn't ask too many questions and left quietly after giving his report.

As the door closed, the Mishras stood outside Niyati's room, peeking in at their sleeping daughter. Inside, Shivangi, Ranveer, and Maithili sat by Niyati's side, ensuring she wasn't alone.

Now that she was cleaned of the blood, dirt, and bruises, it was evident how much the last sixteen hours had taken their toll on her.

"Achintya Babu came to us in the form of God. He saved her... There isn't enough gratitude in the world-"

"Saved her?" Manorama cut in sharply. "Roopa, have you lost your mind? It was his brother that did this to Niyati, and you're thinking of him as a god?"

Roopa, who had been defending Achintya, fell silent as Manorama continued, her voice growing more resolute. "Raghuveer, do you remember what I said? Once we take her home, we need to wed her off-"

"Wed her? My daughter has just gone through the biggest trauma of her life, and you want to-"

"Yes, I do!" Manorama interrupted, her voice stern. "The longer we delay, the more this news will spread. Then there will be no family willing to take her as their daughter-in-law."

"Then let it be so!" Radha snapped back. "There are limits, Amma. You can't just make decisions about Niyati's life on a whim. If you're so worried about what people will say, then I'll take Niyati and Maithili back to Indore. We'll live there, away from all this savagery."

"And what about Maithili? She's your daughter too. Don't you understand that having Niyati's shadow over her could ruin her life as well? Who would marry her, knowing her elder sister spent the night-"

"She was kidnapped," Raghuveer retorted angrily. "Enough, Amma! Please. Let us give Niyati the time she needs to recover from this."

"And what about Shivangi's marriage? Her in-laws are understanding, but that doesn't mean we should take advantage of their patience. What if, during the function, someone says something to Niyati? Will you be able to bear that? You don't understand, Radha. I'm not Niyati's enemy. She's the honor of our family, and I want her to live an honorable life."

Manorama's tone softened, but her words were no less harsh. "The situation is dire, but not everyone knows about it. We can still find someone suitable for her, and don't forget the election results are about to be announced. It's almost certain that Phoolan Chaudhary's party will win, and when he becomes Chief Minister, he could decide to punish Raghuveer and our family for going against him."

"And what will we do then? You can run away, but with power and wealth in both hands, the Chaudharys will always be able to track you and your daughters down. Only marriage can save her from that fate. So don't go against my words. I've already called Malti, and there's a man-"

_

Meanwhile, in another part of town, Achintya was dealing with the fallout from the incident.

"Agarwal called Papa," Mithilesh informed him.The news traveled to him but he assures that he is doing best to not let media involved." Mithilesh said. Agarwal was the another candidate of the party. He was an influential man who is the hidden man behind the news channels networking.

Achintya however, wasn't fooled. "He's more interested in saving his own neck than ours. The results will be announced," he added, glancing at his watch. "by this time tomorrow, we'll be celebrating-if your dearest Vijay hasn't ruined that for us."

Durga Devi opened her mouth to speak but fell silent when Phoolan shook his head.

"What, Badi Amma?" Achintya snapped. "It's true."

"He's in the hospital, Achintya."

"So is Niyati, and she's there through no fault of her own." Durga Devi rolled her eyes, growing tired of hearing that girl's name from Achintya's lips.

"Once the news is out, it won't matter whether or not Papa wins. It'll all be over. Months of hard work, down the drain. Papa's only chance of fulfilling his dream will be over, Badi Amma."

Achintya's words hung heavily in the air. Phoolan Chaudhary, who had built his reputation on power and control, now felt it slipping away, all because of his sons.

Achintya, in contrast, seemed calm, even as he nursed his injured fingers. "You're going to win this election, Papa," he said with quiet determination. "I won't let another loved one down. Trust me."

And Phoolan did trust his son, even though he knew that when emotions were involved in matters requiring a clear mind, catastrophe often followed. But with no other options left, he had no choice but to rely on Achintya. Even if that meant everything might not turn out well for the family, but only for Achintya.

Back at the Mishras' house, neighbors and relatives had gathered to see Niyati, who had finally returned home. The atmosphere was thick with tension and whispered speculations.

"It's by God's blessing that she came home safe and sound. Considering what happened the day before, let's not even think about it," one woman said.

"Yes, but how did she manage to escape?" another asked, her eyes on Niyati, who was seated in the middle of the room with Reecha, Shivangi, and a few classmates. Niyati sat quietly, listening but not speaking, her gaze distant. The bandages on her head was the only evidence of the night . The one on her neck was carefully hidden under her dupatta, as instructed by Manorama.

The women exchanged glances, hungry for more details. "Did Vijay Chaudhary let her go on his own?" one of them inquired, but the Mishras' lips were sealed. No one said more than necessary.

Niyati, though physically injured, didn't seem as affected as they had expected. This could mean nothing happened, or that she was pretending. As they watched Shivangi help Niyati upstairs, the women's curiosity only grew.

_

Achintya Chaudhary came to the hospital last night when Papa wasn't there. He sat outside your door for hours without even going inside. He would take one glance at you sleeping, as if to confirm you were really there, then sit back down," Shivangi explained as she helped Niyati bundle up in the thick comforter.

"Do you want to explain why? Why he came to the hospital directly in his bloodied shirt and knuckles, sitting outside your room like his whole world had collapsed?"

Niyati had lied to them enough. She decided it was time to let her two worlds merge. Shivangi deserved to know; she had been with her through every up and down, like a steady rock. If Niyati couldn’t tell her, she couldn’t tell anyone.

"What do you think, Dii?" Niyati asked in return.

"I—I think it’s because… is it true? Is it true, Amu? Tell me… what I’m thinking isn’t true, right?"

But the silence she received from Niyati was more telling than any words. The way Niyati looked her straight in the eyes and nodded was all the confirmation Shivangi needed. "It’s true. Achintya... I love him."

"Oh god..." Shivangi groaned, clutching her head as she sat down beside her.

"But Dii, please... please, I beg you, don't judge him. Don't judge our love just because of this incident—"

"That man is a womanizer, Niyati. You don't know his reputation—"

"I do. I've seen women flocking around him too many times, but trust me—"

"Trust? How can you trust a man like that? He's the reason Vijay Chaudhary dragged you, isn't he?"

No matter what Niyati said, Shivangi seemed determined not to believe the words coming from her sister’s lips. Niyati might be naive, but Shivangi wasn’t. And yet... what she had seen yesterday, the utter devotion on that man's face... she didn’t think just anyone was capable of feeling that way.

Achintya looked at Niyati as if she were his entire world.

"Yes. I won't lie to you anymore. But Achintya saved me... not just today, but many times, Dii. Look... look at this," Niyati said, pulling back her dupatta to reveal a thin golden chain dangling from her neck. "This belonged to his mother. He gave it to me on my birthday because it's as precious to him as I am."

What kind of nonsense was Niyati saying? But now, Shivangi recalled there hadn’t been any recent rumors about Achintya Chaudhary and other women. In fact, she remembered Prachi mentioning something about him being devoted to a girl he had fallen in love with.

Could that girl be Niyati?

"Amu... When did all this start?"

"We met on Abhay's birthday. Then we started talking, and just a month ago, he confessed—"

"Months. Months, Niyati... This has been going on for months right under our noses, and we didn’t know?" Shivangi exclaimed, tears filling her eyes. She had asked Niyati if there was someone in her life, but Niyati had denied it. "Do you not trust me? Why didn’t you care to share this crucial part of your life with me?"

Her cheeks wet with tears, Niyati took Shivangi's hands in hers and pressed them against her cheeks. "I'm sorry you felt that way. But trust me, it was never my intention. I wanted to tell you, but you were always against him and the Chaudharys, and I couldn't find the courage to tell you. For that, I'm sorry. Please forgive me, Dii..."

How could she stay angry at Niyati when she looked at her with those wide, tear-filled eyes? Not when she had just suffered a huge trauma the day before... she needed support. The support of her family.

Besides, Shivangi had heard what their grandmother had planned for Niyati. The man was 17 years older than Niyati and had a son and daughter. If what Niyati was saying was true—and Shivangi had already seen proof of the same love in Achintya’s eyes—then there might be a better future for Niyati than the one planned.

But everything depended on Achintya Chaudhary. From what she knew of the family, they were big on honor and respect... would the Chaudharys accept Niyati?

"Look, I have something to—" The sound of a commotion interrupted her sentence, and both sisters turned towards the door.

"What is that?" They asked simultaneously as Shivangi got up from the bed and peeked out the window.

"What is it? Dii... what is it?" Niyati asked, her voice rising as she threw the comforter aside and jumped to her feet. The fear was still present, the what-ifs still running through her mind.

"They—"

"Niyati, Shivangi, come downstairs. The Chaudharys are here." As those words left Radha's lips, all three women in the room exchanged looks.

_

What are you thinking, Achintya?" Mithilesh muttered furiously into his brother's ear.

He was certain that whatever was running through Achintya's mind wasn't good, especially considering the expression on their father's face. Phoolan Chaudhary looked as if he was struggling to control his rage.

"Wait and watch, Bhaisahab. Whatever it is, it will only benefit us."

"Us, as in you or the family?"

"Both," Achintya replied with a charming smile, his eyes scanning the house. He had been here once before but hadn’t had the chance to see the place. Besides, he was dying to see his Niyati.

"Chaudhary Sahab," Raghuveer greeted, folding his hands together in a gesture of welcome.

"It's fine, Panditji, we're fine here," Lokesh said when Phoolan took too long to respond. "Please ask Niyati to hurry up."

Just hearing her name from Lokesh’s mouth sent a shiver down Raghuveer's spine. Could his mother be right? Were the Chaudharys here to take their revenge?

"Why Niyati? Whatever you have to say, you can speak to me. Niyati won't be coming," it was clear to everyone present that the Mishras were still hostile toward the Chaudharys.

"No problem… she's already here," Achintya said just as footsteps echoed from upstairs. His eyes, hidden behind sunglasses, fixed on the figure half-concealed behind two women—the dash of yellow standing out amidst a sea of other colors.

Raghuveer looked at him as if Achintya had grown two horns on his head. How did he know? But that was a concern for later. First, he needed to know why the entire Chaudhary family was here.

"My apologies, Chaudhary Sahab, but our family is in the middle of—"

"Panditji," Achintya interrupted, smiling as he approached. "I know you see us as villains, and let’s be frank—I agree. What happened yesterday is something that can neither be forgotten nor forgiven."

What is he thinking? Niyati wondered from afar. She was tired of the pitying looks from everyone, and now, with the Chaudharys present, fear was etched on every face in the room. The people around them wore mixed expressions, some worried, others anticipating what would happen next.

"And we assure you, we’re not asking for forgiveness or for you to forget what happened. We won’t ask that. I would offer an apology, but knowing what Vijay did, I don’t think an apology is what you need."

Only Achintya could speak such sincere words to a man glaring daggers at him.

"What is he doing?" Shivangi whispered. Niyati had no answer. She herself had no idea what was going on in this devil’s mind.

Manorama seemed to be the only one following his line of thought, as she asked, "And what are you offering, Achintya Babu?"

Clenching his teeth, Phoolan Chaudhary looked away, knowing what his son was about to do. His forefathers would never forgive him for this.

"I'm offering a marriage. A marriage to Niyati."

Somewhere, something fell as the murmurs of gossip began to spread. People looked from one to another, completely shocked at what they had just heard.

"We’ve already found someone for her—"

"Who? The widower who is seventeen years older than her?"

What? Niyati strained her neck to look at him. There was no cheerfulness in his tone, only a cold, blank expression. And what was he saying? Her marriage to whom? A widower? When was this decided? When was this—

"Mummy… what is this? What marriage?"

The guilt on her mother's face was evident, and Niyati suddenly understood. Tears of betrayal welled up in her eyes, but she blinked them away furiously.

Niyati didn’t need the pity that Achintya was offering, served on a silver platter. She had been thinking of demanding that Vijay be arrested, that he face the rightful punishment and not escape just because he was a Chaudhary. And in return… she got this compromised marriage proposal with Achintya.

When she voiced her thoughts to her mother, Radha looked scandalized, and Raghuveer appeared miserable. In their small world, the police were seen as foreign people as no one wanted them to be around.

But this… this was not something she would take lightly. She would tell him…

However, Achintya seemed to have other plans as he made his way to where Niyati stood. It was as if he had something in him that made people part for him as he walked closer. Taking her hand in his in front of everyone elicited gasps from the onlookers.

"Achintya Babu…" Raghuveer began, "Chaudhary Sahab… Chaudhary Sahab!" he yelled, but there were men blocking everyone’s path.

Achintya forcefully dragged Niyati by the hand. "Achintya… Achintya, please stop. I don’t want this… not like this, Achintya…"

But for the first time since she had known him, Achintya ignored her words as he removed his shoes at the steps of the ancient Durga temple.

"I'm not going…" Niyati cried out. She wouldn’t marry him with her family held hostage. They were supposed to marry in a grand ceremony with the blessings of both families.

What was he doing? "Achintya… please."

When she dug in her heels in clear protest, Achintya simply lifted her into his arms and carried her into the temple.

"Chaudhary Sahab… Chaudhary Sahab, this is wrong… we are Brahmins and you are Kshatriyas. Think about this… this is a sin, a sin our forefathers will never forgive!" yelled Raghuveer from where he stood.

Inside the temple, the atmosphere was calm and serene as Achintya gently set her down. "I won’t forgive you, Achintya. This is not what I want—"

"I know. But trust me, Niyati… trust me… whatever I’m doing is for both of us."

"And my family? Their reputation, their feelings—none of that matters? Achintya—" she pleaded, clutching his hand as it hovered over her head, the holy orange vermilion clutched in his feet that hebhas taken by the feet of the Goddess.

"Niyati." And with that, he filled her forehead with the orange vermilion, marking the start of their bond, marking her as his wife .

Starting from her nose to the end of her maang (parting), the orange Sindoor contrasting against her yellow suit and white bandage.

The heavy brass bell hanging from the ceiling rang out, signifying the completion of the ritual, as if declaring their union to the world.

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Orange vermilion:- in the marriages of the Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, instead of putting the red, orange Sindoor is used made up of turmeric, lime peels and other herbal medicine.

The Sindoor is then put from the starting of the nose to the end of the parting denoting the long colorful path of the martial life.

At the end of the rituals, the sound of the brass bells then could be heard from everywhere, a way to bring the God's attention to the newly weds.

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This here..marks the ending of the story.

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