wedding day

As the Arora family made their way to Rajawat Mansion, Veer sat in his car, casually scrolling through his phone when a notification popped up.

Aarini: "How does my sister look, jiju? 😉"

Attached was a picture.

Veer's breath hitched. It wasn't even Ridhima's face—just a glimpse of her bridal lehenga and the delicate bangles adorning her wrists. But somehow, it was enough to make his heart skip a beat.

"Why the hell am I reacting like this?" he thought, gripping his phone tighter.

He could almost imagine her—dressed in red, her bangles softly clinking, the soft scent of her perfume lingering in the air..

But why did it feel so real?

A Grand Welcome & A Playful Banter

As the Arora family arrived at Rajawat Mansion, Veer stepped out of the car, adjusting his sherwani. He barely had a second to take in the lavish decorations before he was blocked at the entrance.

Standing in front of the door were Ridhima's sisters—Aarini, Meera, and Devika—smirking mischievously.

Aarini crossed her arms.

"Jiju, if you want to enter, you gotta pay up!"

Veer raised an eyebrow. "Pay? For what?"

Meera grinned. "For taking our sister away, obviously!"

The entire Rajawat family chuckled at the playful demand. Veer's father, standing behind him, smirked. "Looks like you're already trapped, son."

Veer smirked back. "Trapped? Please. I always find a way out."

Devika scoffed. "Not today, jijaji! Today, we make the rules."

Veer sighed dramatically, taking out his wallet. "How much?"

Aarini smirked. "Oh, we don't want cash."

Veer narrowed his eyes. "Then what?"

Meera grinned. "A promise. That you'll always keep our sister happy."

For a second, Veer froze. He hadn't expected that.

His eyes flickered toward the grand staircase, where he could barely glimpse Ridhima in her bridal attire. His heart tightened unexpectedly.

After a moment, he sighed and smiled slightly. "Fine. I promise."

The sisters cheered and finally let him through. As the Arora family stepped inside, the grandeur of Rajawat Mansion took over—floral decorations, chandeliers, and a setting that looked straight out of a royal wedding.

"This actually looks like the wedding of the most beautiful couple," Veer thought, his gaze unconsciously searching for Ridhima.

Veer stood at the mandap, dressed in a royal sherwani, waiting for Ridhima. The lights, the floral arrangements, and the crowd of guests faded into the background as he checked his watch, feeling an unfamiliar sense of anticipation.

"Why am I even waiting so eagerly? It's just a deal," he told himself. But his heart? It didn't seem to care.

Meanwhile, in Ridhima's room...

She sat in front of the mirror, fully dressed as a bride. Her lehenga, a masterpiece of intricate embroidery, shimmered under the soft glow of the vanity lights. The bangles on her wrists jingled slightly as she adjusted her dupatta.

She looked at her reflection, trying to convince herself.

"This is right... it's just a wedding for four months... nothing more."

But the words felt hollow.

Her mind flashed back to the way Veer had pulled her close in the office, the way he had looked at her when he thought she wasn't noticing, the way he had protected Meera without a second thought.

Her fingers curled into fists on her lap.

"No. I can't think like this. I won't let myself fall again."

Taking a deep breath, she stood up, ready to walk toward the mandap.

Veer's World Stopped

As Ridhima walked toward the mandap, flanked by her sisters, the entire world blurred for Veer. The lights, the music, the murmurs of guests—nothing existed except for the woman in front of him.

She looked ethereal, her bridal lehenga hugging her frame like it was made just for her, the bangles on her wrists singing with each graceful step. The dupatta draped over her head only enhanced the mystery in her eyes, eyes that refused to meet his.

Veer had forgotten everything—

The deal, the four months, the boundaries she had set.

All he could think was, "She is the most beautiful woman in the world."

His heartbeat wasn't normal. His hands weren't steady. His gaze was stuck on her, memorizing every detail, every shimmer of her jewelry, every flicker of uncertainty in her expression.

For the first time, Veer didn't care about the contract between them.

For the first time, he felt like he was actually getting married.

As Ridhima walked closer to the mandap, her gaze landed on Veer—standing there in a cream sherwani, looking like a dream straight out of a royal fairytale.

He looked effortlessly handsome, his broad shoulders carrying the weight of tradition and something else—an intensity she wasn't ready for.

But what shook her more was the way he was looking at her.

Like he had never seen a woman in a lehenga before.

Like she was the only thing that existed in this moment.

A strange feeling crept into her chest, an unfamiliar warmth. Her heart betrayed her with an unsteady rhythm. Why is he looking at me like that? She had seen admiration before—but this? This was something else.

For a moment, she forgot about the deal, the four months, and the walls she had built around herself.

For a moment, she felt like a bride.