A Loveless Arranged Marriage

Chapter 1. An Opposite Magnet

The day was January 21st, 2022, and the morning sun started to spread its wings. We see a grand wedding hall. Near the entrance, a board adorned with white flowers arranged in the shape of a heart stands against a red backdrop, reminiscent of red velvet cake frosting. The groom and bride's names, "Rishi weds Deepa," are beautifully spelled out with these flowers. Cheerful faces greet guests at the entrance.

Inside the hall, a red carpet extends from the entrance door to the wedding stage. The ceiling is adorned with 45 white bulbs, evenly spaced to illuminate the hall. Around 100-150 seats are neatly arranged, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for the celebration.

The wedding stage was spacious and elegantly designed. White and pink curtains, along with additional rows of flowers, showcased the creativity of the wedding decor. A combination of chandeliers, antique oil lamps, royal standing lamps, and modern LED lights created a magical nighttime effect.

A large number of visitors, dressed in traditional Tamil Nadu attire, filled the allocated seats. They chatted amongst themselves, waiting for the wedding to begin. Others were bustling about, busy with the final preparations.

On the wedding stage, a setup for the wedding rituals had been arranged. Beside a sacred fire, the priest was chanting something. Then, the priest called for the groom to come for the muhurtam (auspicious time). Rishi's cousin Madan went to fetch him. As he approached the groom's dressing room, Madan knocked on the closed door and called out, "Rishi, are you ready? The priest is calling you."

We see Rishi, a 28-year-old man who enjoys living a single life. He sits in front of the mirror, looking confused. He replies, "Yeah, I'll come. Just wait for two minutes."

From the other side, Madan responds, "Okay, don't take too much time. Otherwise, you'll be late for your own wedding."

Rishi replies, "Yeah, I know." With a confused expression, Rishi looks into the mirror and mutters to himself, "This feels like a dead end for me. I should have already said that I'm not interested in this marriage. But my circumstances and introversion have kept me from telling the truth."

Madan called from outside, "Rishi, please come. The priest is calling you."

Rishi, dressed in his wedding attire and wearing a garland around his neck, began to leave the room. As he stepped outside, everyone cheered for him. However, Rishi felt grief in his heart because he was marrying a girl not out of love, but due to his own problems.

He sat near the sacred fire and looked at his mother, thinking, 'Mom, do you think I agreed to this marriage on my own? Sorry, Mom, but I took this step for you. Please forgive me.'

At the same time, Deepa arrived at the wedding hall. But Rishi, burdened by his grief, couldn't bring himself to look at her. The priest then announced it was time to tie the thaali (mangalsutra, sacred thread). Rishi felt his hands trembling with fear, but he overcame it and prepared to tie the thaali.

While Rishi was tying the thaali, everyone around him felt happy and enjoyed the moment. However, Rishi did not share their happiness. After he tied the thaali, his mother, Ishwari, was overjoyed to see her son married.

The reception followed, and the atmosphere in the wedding hall was filled with a mix of emotions—happiness, sadness, and joy. During the reception, Rishi wore a fake smile, hiding all his true emotions, reminiscent of the Japanese three-face theory.

As the night replaced the day, preparations began for the couple's first night together. It was 10:15 p.m. when a room was allocated for them. The room was beautifully decorated with four nightlight lamps at each corner, flowers adorning the sides of the bed, and a heart-shaped flower arrangement in the center of the bed. A table beside the bed held a bowl of fruits and some sweets. The atmosphere of the bedroom resembled a mini garden.