~ Don't trust everything you see, even salt looks like sugar. ~

~

The engagement was over. The guests had left. The house was silent. But inside Aaradhya's heart, a storm raged louder than ever.

The weight of the ring on her finger felt heavier than iron shackles. She stared at it, the delicate diamond reflecting the dim light of her room.

This was real now.

There was no turning back.

She sat on the edge of her bed, numb, when a soft knock came at her door.

Aahan.

His eyes, usually filled with warmth, were dark with guilt. He stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

"Aaru..." His voice was hoarse, burdened.

She didn't respond.

He walked toward her, kneeling in front of her, his hands clenched into fists. "I failed you."

Her throat tightened.

"I promised you that I'd find a way out. That you wouldn't have to go through this. But I—" He exhaled shakily, looking down. "I couldn't do anything."

Aaradhya closed her eyes. She had nothing left to say. They both knew that no number of words would change their reality. she wanted to tell him about the contract, but she knew it would break him more and the clause of not telling anyone in the contract flashed before her eyes.

"Say something," he whispered.

She opened her eyes and met his. "You tried. And that's enough."

It wasn't a lie. But it wasn't the full truth either.

Because no matter how much he tried, in the end, she was still alone in this.

---

Two weeks Later, The Wedding Preparations Begin

The engagement was just the beginning.

Now, the wedding was approaching fast.

The flight touched down smoothly at Jaipur International Airport, but Aaradhya’s heartbeat was anything but steady.

By the time they landed in Jaipur, the sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the city. Waiting outside the private terminal were luxury cars, ready to take them to the Rajvansh Haveli.

As the cars moved through the streets of Jaipur, Aaradhya stared out of the window, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. This wasn't Delhi. This wasn't her home.

This was something entirely different.

And then, she saw it.

The Rajvansh ancestral haveli stood tall and majestic under the golden hues of the afternoon sun. The moment they landed in Jaipur, the grandeur of the family's legacy surrounded Aaradhya. The haveli, known for its rich history and regal architecture, was a place where every Rajvansh wedding had taken place for generations.

The Rajvansh family, known for their tradition and planning, had arrived in Jaipur the day before to oversee final preparations at their ancestral haveli. The palace-like home had seen countless grand weddings, but none like this one—none that involved a girl who felt like a guest at her own life.

As soon as they stepped out of the car, they were greeted by the sound of shankh and soft shehnai music. The staff and a few close relatives of the family lined the courtyard with warm, practiced smiles.

Meera and Sushma stepped forward first, welcoming Aaradhya with a traditional aarti. Her sister tried to insert herself into the ceremony, but Meera gently guided her aside with a smile.

"This is for the bride," she said softly.

Aaradhya blinked in surprise.

Bride.

It still felt like a word that belonged to someone else.

Abhir grinned and whispered to Abhira, Avni and Vihaan, “I bet she’s wondering if we’re always this dramatic.”

Vihaan chuckled, but their eyes softened when they looked at Aaradhya. They had noticed how quiet she was—how she didn’t speak unless spoken to.

Still, something about her made them want to pull her out of her shell.

~

After the welcome, everyone dispersed to get ready for the first evening ritual—a pooja before the rituals start the next day.

Aaradhya had been shown to her room earlier, by Abhira and Avni who were both trying to make her feel comfortable, which worked as she was smiling at their playful banter. Then after resting a bit she started getting ready. she had done her hair and dressed in a soft pink suit, light and elegant. her makeup was minimal as she doesn't like heavy makeup.

Now, standing alone near the intricately carved corridor that opened into the courtyard, she adjusted her dupatta and exhaled slowly. She needed a time alone before she was going to be the Centre of attention.

“Pink suits you.”

She turned, startled slightly.

It was Shivansh.

He stood beside her, his tone casual but respectful. He had changed into a beige kurta with a jacket, simple yet graceful.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

They stood in silence for a few seconds. Then, he looked ahead at the garden.

“You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to,” he said. “But I thought... maybe I should try.”

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. His voice wasn’t cold. It wasn’t pushy either.

It was... honest.

“I’m not good at this,” she admitted softly.

“Neither am I,” he replied.

Their eyes met, just for a second. And in that moment, something shifted. It wasn’t affection. It wasn’t understanding.

But it was something.

A pause between strangers who were being tied by fate—and trying to make sense of it.

"I..." she hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what's expected of me."

Shivansh exhaled slowly, stepping closer but maintaining a respectful distance.

"Nothing."

Aaradhya blinked, caught off guard.

"You don't have to be someone you're not," he clarified, his tone firm but not unkind. "I won't ask you to pretend to be happy or force you to act a certain way. You can take your time... as much as you need."

Aaradhya lowered her gaze. Why was he saying this? Why was he being kind when she expected nothing but indifference?

"You're different from what I expected," she admitted after a pause.

Shivansh arched a brow slightly. "How so?"

Aaradhya took a moment before replying.

"I thought... this marriage was just an obligation for you," she said, her voice steady but quiet.

Shivansh hummed thoughtfully.

"It is an obligation," he admitted. "But that doesn't mean I intend to make it difficult for you."

Aaradhya looked at him, trying to read between the lines of his words.

"You don't even know me," she whispered.

"And you don't know me," he countered easily.

She wasn't sure why, but that made her chest feel heavier.

A few seconds of silence stretched between them, filled only by the distant sound of the wind rustling through the trees.

Then, in a softer voice, Shivansh added, "My parents wish for this marriage. And I... I can do anything to make them happy."

Aaradhya's gaze flickered to his.

"You must love them a lot," she said, more of a statement than a question.

Shivansh's expression softened just slightly. "Yes."

Aaradhya looked away, an almost bitter thought forming in her mind. I wonder what that feels like.

Shivansh turned back to look at her. For the first time since they met, his expression held something different—something less cold, something more... understanding.

"You're not alone, Aaradhya," he said quietly. "Even if you feel like you are."

Aaradhya inhaled sharply. No one had ever said that to her before.

For a long time, she had believed that loneliness was her only constant. That no one saw her, no one cared enough to notice the things she hid behind her silence.

But in that moment, under the moonlit sky, Shivansh had seen through her walls.

And even though she didn't respond, a small part of her felt something shift inside her.

She wasn't sure what it was.

But it terrified her.

Aaradhya turned away first, her heart hammering in her chest as she took slow, measured steps back toward the hall the pooja is held.

Shivansh remained standing there, his gaze following her retreating figure.

-

After the pooja as Aaradhya quietly made her way toward the stairs, she was intercepted by a trio of pleading faces.

“Bhabhi!” Abhira whispered with a dramatic pout.

“Please talk to us once? Just five minutes?” Abhir joined in, hands folded comically.

“It's unfair,” Aarav added, crossing his arms. “You’ve been here for hours, and we haven’t even said hello properly.”

Aaradhya blinked, unsure of what to say.

Avni walked over, laughing softly. “Let them. You’ll find they’re not as chaotic as they seem.”

With a tiny smile that faded as quickly as it came, Aaradhya allowed herself to be pulled aside to a small sitting area.

They didn’t ask heavy questions. They didn’t prod.

Instead, Abhira offered her a chocolate from her secret stash. Abhir made her laugh with a goofy face, and Aarav asked about her favorite book.

And when she gave short, quiet answers, they didn’t seem disappointed.

Instead, they just sat beside her, filling the silence with light banter and harmless teasing. For the first time in a long while, Aaradhya felt something close to warmth.

~~~