Sanskruti….

Sanskruti stood silently near the large glass window, her arms wrapped around herself as she watched the moon shine brightly in the sky. The night looked calm, almost comforting—but nothing inside her felt that way.

Her mind refused to rest.

The engagement… the lights… the crowd… him.

He didn’t care.

That was the one thing she couldn’t ignore. After turning her life upside down in a single day, he behaved as if nothing extraordinary had happened. As if binding a stranger to his life was just another task on his checklist.

It was their first meeting, and he hadn’t spoken a single word to her. No greeting. No reassurance. Not even a formal acknowledgment.

Am I really going to spend my life with a man who doesn’t even see me?

She pressed her forehead lightly against the cold glass. She had lived a simple life—predictable, peaceful. She had dreams, routines, comfort. And today, all of it had been snatched away without asking her once what she wanted.

How am I supposed to survive with someone so emotionally distant?

Her throat tightened.

I wish I could go back, she thought desperately.
Back to my normal life… back to the girl I was yesterday.

A single tear slipped down her cheek.

“I don’t want this,” she whispered to the empty room.

Ishita…

Ishita sat on the bed, finally free from the weight of heavy jewellery and layers of makeup. Her reflection in the mirror looked unfamiliar—like a bride she never chose to become.

The silence in the room was unsettling. Her mind replayed his face again and again.

His cold eyes.
His unreadable expression.
The way he kept his distance, as if she didn’t exist.

Was he forced into this marriage too?

She wondered. If he was… then maybe there was hope. Maybe they could set boundaries, live their lives separately, and coexist without expectations. That thought gave her momentary relief. But then another thought crept in—slow and terrifying.

What if he wasn’t forced at all?

He didn’t look uncomfortable. He didn’t look angry. He looked… indifferent. And indifference scared her more than anger ever could. She laughed softly, bitterly.

Ishita: “If that’s the case,”

She murmured,

Ishita: “I should start preparing my funeral.”

Her chest felt heavy.

Ishita: “God, how can reality be this cruel?”

She whispered, rubbing her temples. Or maybe it wasn’t reality. Maybe it was just her destiny playing its favorite game with her.

Ishita: “I don’t want to get married.”

She said aloud, her voice cracking.
Ishita: “And after seeing him… definitely not to him.”

Ruhi….

Ruhi stared blankly at her reflection in the mirror. She was still dressed in her engagement attire, the fabric clinging to her like a reminder of the day she lost control over her life.

After returning to her room, she hadn’t even had the strength to stand. She had simply slid down onto the floor, sitting there like a lifeless statue.

Her body was present. Her soul wasn’t.

Everything that had happened today felt unreal—too overwhelming to process.

This… this is the man my father chose for me?

Her heart clenched painfully. She trusted her father. Always had. She believed he would never choose wrong for her.

So why did it feel like she had been handed over to her worst nightmare?

One thought refused to leave her mind.

Should I tell Papa that I don’t want this marriage?

But it was already too late. The news had spread like wildfire. The media was involved. Relatives had started calling. If she backed out now, her family would face humiliation. Worse—the Oberois would never forgive it. They wouldn’t just walk away. They would destroy them. Her parents hadn’t forced her. Even when she hesitated, they had asked gently. And she had agreed—only for their happiness.

So now… there was no escape. Her future was crystal clear.

My life is going to be hell.

He would break her slowly, deliberately, until there was nothing left of her. Tears streamed down her face.

Ruhi: “Maybe today is the last day I cry because of destiny.”

She told herself, trying to be strong—even as her heart shattered.

Kiara….

Kiara removed her jewellery with trembling hands, her mind trapped in a loop of unwanted memories.

Him.

The way he touched her without hesitation.
The way his fingers rested on her waist like he owned her.
That smirk—mocking, dangerous.

Disgust churned in her stomach. She couldn’t forget a single second of it. Lost in her thoughts, she tightened her grip around a bangle without realizing it.

“Ahh!”

The bangle snapped. A sharp pain shot through her hand as blood slowly seeped from the cut. She stared at it numbly.

“I’ll make your life hell.”

His voice echoed in her head, louder than before.

Kiara: “No.”

She whispered, shaking her head violently.
Kiara: “I can’t do this.”

Fear replaced shock.

Kiara: “I can’t marry a psycho.”

She said, her breathing uneven. She needed to stop this—now. She had to convince her parents, no matter what it took. She refused to destroy herself for a man like him.

If he’s like this… what kind of people are his parents?

The thought terrified her. Wiping her tears, she straightened her back.

I have to do something. Fast.

She walked toward the washroom, unaware that the worst battle of her life was about to begin.

Kiara’s House:

Kiara: “Dad, please!”

Kiara cried, her voice shaking.

Kiara: “I don’t want to marry him!”

Tears streamed down her face as she stood in front of her father.

Gautam: “You will marry him. And that’s final. No more arguments.”

His voice was cold, firm—like a verdict already passed.

Kiara: “I’ll marry anyone you choose, Dad. Anyone. But not him. He’s not a good person.”

Gautam (mocking): “Do you know better than me? Or do you think you’re oversmart?”

Before Kiara could reply—

Karan: “Dad, please. If she doesn’t want this marriage, don’t force her.”

Gautam turned sharply toward him.

Gautam: “Are you her lawyer?”

Karan: “No, Dad. I just don’t want to see you forcing her.”

That was enough to ignite Gautam’s anger.

Gautam: “That’s exactly the problem! Why does she bring me to a point where I have to force her? Can’t she just obey and marry him? After all this drama, she still dares to argue?”

He burst out.

Gautam: Bad daughter—that’s what you are. And even if he’s not a good person… you deserve it.”

Each word struck her like a slap. Kiara slowly looked at her father, disbelief and pain filling her eyes. Then she turned toward her mother—hoping, begging silently for support. Her mother avoided her gaze and offered only a look of pity. That broke something inside her forever.

Karan stepped forward again—but Kiara held his hand tightly, stopping him. Her lips trembled as she spoke, her voice calm yet devastating.

Kiara: “Let’s assume that, for you, your daughter died today.”

Karan looked at her shocked.
Kiara: “And for me… my parents will die on my wedding day.”

The room fell into dead silence. Even Gautam froze. Kiara had reached her limit.

Kiara: “If you want, you can even arrange a funeral.”

She turned around and walked out. Gautam was shaken—but his pride refused to let him call her back.

Later That Night

Dinner was served. Kiara never came. Karan struggled with guilt and helplessness, wanting to go to her—but he knew she needed space.

She had lost everything today.

Meanwhile, Kiara lay curled on the floor of her room, crying uncontrollably. The room was in chaos—broken things scattered everywhere, just like her shattered heart.

Kiara: “Everything happened because of her,”

She sobbed.
Kiara: “I hate her.”

Her voice cracked.

Kiara: “Because of her, I lost my freedom… my trust… my parents. And now… my life.”

Her thoughts drifted back to three years ago. Her old life.

The warmth of her home. Her parents’ smiles. Her laughter.

She chuckled weakly, remembering how her father panicked when ten-year-old Kiara fell off her bicycle.

Tears streamed down again.

Kiara: “Sometimes reality is too hard to accept,”

She whispered. She leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes.

Kiara: “I would rather die,”

She said softly,
Kiara: “than forgive you, Mina.”