(Flasback)

Several hours ago in the study room....

Author's pov

" I think it's the right time to decide" kanika said calmly as she sipped through her tea and looked at Rajendra and Chandrika who seemed to be engrossed in deep thoughts.

Riya had left already as she had a call to attend.

" afterall it was my husband's and your best friend's last wish" she ended with that and looked at Rajendra who still seemed to be engrossed in thoughts.

when Chandrika suddenly said supporting kanika's statement

" I think so its right as well after all it's a matter of our  daughter, it would still feel like she is still within the family and hasn't gone away" Chandrika tried to reason as she kept her hand over his shoulder.

Rajendra who was still suddenly looked at Chandrika and then kanika, as if kanika understood his turnmoil answered

" listen, I know giving off of one's daughter is a very difficult job, in fact I also have a daughter I can understand the pain

besides just by looking at her one could simply melt on how sweet and beautiful looking your daughter is she is a pure angel and you should be proud of her and

for my son I am sure you are not doubtful of him, in his early thirties itself he became the master of his grand business empire and

let me assure he would never hurt your daughter after all she'll be my daughter and his wife as well" kanika assured to Rajendra and

he was surprised as if somebody has read his mind but he acted as if that was not the major concern and said

" no kanika I trust you in fact, I don't doubt in your capabilities of being a wonderful mother and soon to be mother in law to whom I could entrust my daughter with but.......isn't one month's time too soon to get my daughter married off to your son?" he questioned kanika as his thick brows furrowed in a question and slight worry, to that kanika replied

" pandit ji said that the day after the month is the best day for the wedding...... or else the marriage will be postponed to next year, she will be my son's wife regardless of it being a month later or an year besides

you know how much my husband i.e. your friend wanted this wedding besides I have come all prepared so you don't have to worry,

your angel would be safe here with me and she'll be perfect for my son" kanika's eyes glistened afterall this was a dream she also wished for

Rajendra again fell into a deep thinking as old memories flushed him

How he and raj were best friends since childhood,

how he had helped him in his critical condition,

it was the time of when riya was just a baby due to some economic crises his company fell into bankruptcy to such an extent where just not his business but his house would have also been taken from him.

he couldn't have taken his wife and his new born child on road, and riya was just a little but a cute baby, at that time raj was the only one who helped him, he was a really nice man and very down to earth. He remembered how his friend gave him refugee in his house so that they don't have to beg,

he always treated him like family and also helped him acquire his business.

at that time Rajendra felt so proud and moved of his friend and

then on everything went well but after several years came his news raj had cancer Rajendra was very sad on knowing about his friend and that too it was in his last stage

and he remember how on his last day what he wished for he remembered his words clearly 'my friend, I don't have many days left but I have this one last wish which sadly I may not be able to see in front of my eyes but I wish you to'

Rajendra held raj's hand who was on the ventilator and his green eyes were rhuemy,

rajdenra determined, he sadly smiled that if he couldn't save him so atleast he could fulfil his last wish but what he said after shocked him ' I want my son Yuvraj to get married to your sweet daughter'

and those were his last words before Raj went into hyperventilation and he got the news of his friend dead, everything was still so crystal clear in his mind as if it happened just now,

Rajendra who was determined to fulfil his wish and as they were best friends got his daughter and Yuvraj engaged at a young age but after that kanika in grief of her dead husband with her children moved to America

and he thereafter never really heard from them, which distanced their relation and as he saw his daughter growing into a fine plump woman,

he became questionable of what he did, it was for his friend at that time but as time went by he questioned his decision and wondered if what he did was it right for his child.

Seeing kanika after such a long time was a shock to him and that too hearing this news of the age old promise.

He looked at kanika and Chandrika and sighed an ' hmm'

kanika became impatient and asked about what did he decide, he was still in deep thoughts but he tried to assure him self after all it was a decision of his daughter and he sighed and said a 'yes I agree for this marriage',

kanika and Chandrika squealed and hugged each other crying tears of happiness but Rajendra just slightly smiled, several things were going inside his head, tensions, worries mostly about his daughter and his friend's last wish

but he also knew that after all there won't be any better choice then Yuvraj and kanika's family for this matter and that he could trust her to them.

And after a few more happy cryings and slight celebrating sessions kanika said " I can't wait to tell this to my son" and Chandrika chuckled

, her parents also thought that tomorrow they would also tell their daughter about the case and their already 'yes' for this marriage without asking for her approval.

( Flashback ends)

-----

Riya's pov-

" h..hello sameer" riya quickly answered the call, still terrified of what she heard, but she wanted answers she wanted to prove her self and her family is that they think very wrong of Sameer, because he is an angel according to her.

" yes love, just called to know you if you are okay but.....what happened dove you sound terrified" he anxiously asked riya about her condition on hearing her voice so faint and sore and terrifingly dwindling.

" sa..sameer I need answers" riya led it out what she wanted to say she still had an hope in her heart whereas on the other side sweated anxiously worried what she wanted to know

" I have heard that your family is into illegal business and wante-" she was going to complete when he cut her off almost shouting " beilve me love it was not me, it was never me it was always them" Sameer said his voice came broken, riya's heart thundered and she asked him to continue he stayed quite for a while and said

" yess, it is true that my family or my uncle and father are wanted and into illegal crimes but trust me love I never part took in that heck I can't even imagine hurting an innocent soul, beilve me love it was never, I am not a part of any of these things....." he sounded desperate as he tried to explain her

riya was in a delima of who to trust somewhere she knew and supported that Sameer would never do any such thing but another part of her was horrified knowing about his uncle and father

Before she could say anything her phone was snatched away from her and was thrown hard on the floor that horrified her and scared her

she looked to see it was her father who had sneaked inside her room to look at her daughter but got furious on catching her with Sameer

" i..i..i am so..sor..sorry dad, plss" riya brutually shaked as she hid her face between her knees and covered her cheeks her father who was standing there slowly locked the door and stayed with her for a few minutes nobody said anything but then he said

" many relatives are coming tomorrow might as well your kanika aunty and has soon tomorrow would be a busy day so go and sleep" with that he got up to leave,

riya who heard his calm and soft voice thought that everything was resolved and his father came back, so she thought to give it a try and held his hand, which surprised him and she said

" dad...pls" she looked at him with her doe eyes that shined in with the stars in the night sky and muttered a soft " I don't want this marriage",

but her father at that raged and spat her hand which scared her, he never raised his hand on her and that disherteaned her even more.

" no more words, accept what you have gotten in life and what you will get, people are not fortunate enough as you who take it for granted" he angrily spoke to her and left her alone without forgetting to lock the door.

------

Few day's later...

Riya's pov:-

It has already been few days the house is bustling with relatives and their little children and celebrations and happiness but ultimately the one who these preperations are being made for is unhappy.

My father told me everything about this marriage and his conversation with kanika aunty and all the while he was saying that it pricked my heart and small tears welling and fell from my eyes, I was engaged already to kanika aunty's son Yuvraj,

I have never seen him yet I am marrying him I honestly feel suffocated in here.

I also met kanika aunty and she was really happy, she also exclaimed that she was really excited to have me as her daughter and she had proud and happy tears in her eyes,

I simply smiled though the inside of me felt sour

she also told me that Yuvraj couldn't come as he had a very important business deal to crack but by the week of our marriage or on the day of our marriage he'll be here, well I am least bothered about that guy.

True to her words she wanted a grand and luxirous marriage with expensive décor, jeweleries and everything and that's what we are having,

I missed Sameer I wondered how was he? How was college and Srishti? Since that day when I have called, my dad has kept me locked in the room and allows me out only during the rituals and work

and I am also surrounded by a few bodyguards, there had been quite high security installed around because they simply didn't trust me and i am also lectured on how to behave.

marriage is supposed to be a blissful thing where two souls become one but in my case it was saddening and heartwrenching, there went no single day when i didn't cry

Though my parents seem happy I dreadfully hated this right now I was in my grand room in our mansion situated in the countryside near the hills which is not very far off from the mansion we live in originally

but this one was huge, my parents had decided to do this marriage near the countryside mansion in order to get rid of reporters and attention

my was room was filled with all sorts of lehengas and jewelleries and aunties gossiping, the mehndi ceremony ended hours ago

and I felt super tired from all the things and the continuous fake smiling and from answering my relative's unstoppable questions.

My parents behaved good and loving when everyone was around but they would always talk seriously with me when nobody was around

I just sighed and looked at my hands painted with mehndi where his name was written, I felt slight wetness in my eyes, it should have been sameer's name which should have been written on my hands.

I believed Sameer but in my parent's eyes he was a robberer, a bastard and all those bad things existing in the word

but I trusted him he could never do such vulgur, criminal crimes even after being from that family,

I was silently looking at my mehndi seated near the dressing tables with lots of beauty products and bangle stands.

when a group of young girl's mostly in their early 18's and 20's ran towards me and giggled and gossip

The leader of the group tanya or as to what my relatives called her because she was notorious as hell said

" haye rabba, dekho to zara didi ke haat me lagi mehndi kitni fabb rahi he unke gore gore haato me " she dramatisingly said

and all the girls giggled and chuckled as she came near me and kept her hands on my shoulder and stood behind me,

I didn't say anything cause I was still too engrossed until I left a rush of air near my ears, and said

(oh my god!! look here?!, didi's mehndi looks so good on her white hands! Too good!!)

" pata hein didi kahan jata he ki jiski zada kali mehndi nikalti he uska pati usse sabse zada pyaar karta he dekho aapke haat me toh gehra rang aya he ... aye haye..love shove" she teasingly said as she and chuckled and signaled to her friends " hena, dosto!!"

and all the other girls burst in laughter some whistling some teasing me,

normally a girl on this comment would have shied away but my expressions were calm as if I was a monk I looked down again at my hands they were for sure quite dark..

( you know didi, I have heard that the darker is the color of your mehndi the more loving would be your husband and you have such a dark mehndi imprinted on your hands...oh hoo love shove)

( right!?! My friends)

" kyu didi! Kya kehti ho" she teased me again and I reciprocated by a small smile but that too was sad and fake.

( so what say)

Suddenly somebody called me I looked at a little girl with a cute little dress she ran towards me and sat on my lap and said

" aapka koi dost aya hai" she squealed and licked her toffee,

my eyes widened I softly stood her down and slowly rushed down but the peachy lehenga that I wore was to heavy and my makeup and hairstyle felt heavy

on the way I also banged into people cause the mansion was filled with people and their waves of laughter

( some friend has come to meet you)

I climbed down the white marble stairs and spotted Srishti in the immense crowd filled with businessmen, politicians and my rich relatives, and mostly all of them also lived in the guest rooms of the mighty mansion.

she was wearing an Anarkali suit sipping some orange fizzy drink

I ran to her and hugged her,

some people noticed me, as ' the bride' but most of them were busy in their gossip

I sneaked her in she was asking me several questions but I couldn't hear because of the noise everywhere

I wanted to tell her everything, my sufferings in a silent and quiet place how my parent's were doing all of this to me and how they had destroyed my phone and kept me locked, away from people and how they immidealty arrange my marriage , a few tears priked in my eyes

I rushed into a room and emptied it from all the people in the room who were there requesting for some personal time with my friend, ones they left i locked the door and turned towards srishti

" riya what is-" before she could complete her question I hugged her as I couldn't take it anymore and cried my heart out.

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