the start

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The grand hall of the Goenka house was alive with celebration. Ruhi, dressed in her wedding finery, stood beside Arman, her eyes sparkling with joy and anticipation. The guests, a sea of bright colors and happy faces, surrounded them as the priest began the sacred rituals.

Suddenly, Arman stepped forward, his face pale and tense. He took a deep breath, his eyes darting nervously around the room before settling on Ruhi.

"I can't do this," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

The room fell silent. Ruhi looked at him, confusion clouding her features. "Arman, what are you talking about?"

Arman swallowed hard, his hands trembling. "I... I can't marry you, Ruhi. There's something you need to know."

Gasps of shock and whispers filled the room. Ruhi's heart pounded in her chest as she clutched her wedding dress, feeling the ground slip from beneath her feet.

Arman continued, his voice shaking. "I... I love someone else. I love Abhira."

The words hung in the air like a thunderclap. Ruhi's vision blurred with tears as she tried to process what she had just heard. She took a step back, her legs weak, as the reality of Arman's betrayal hit her like a physical blow.

"Why?" Ruhi's voice was a fragile whisper, barely audible over the stunned silence of the guests. "Why did you do this to me, Arman? Why now?"

Arman's eyes were filled with regret and pain. "I'm sorry, Ruhi. I never meant to hurt you. But I can't lie to myself or to you anymore. I love Abhira, and I can't go through with this wedding."

Tears streamed down Ruhi's face as she shook her head, her body trembling with the force of her emotions. "How could you? How could you do this to me? We were supposed to be happy together. You promised me a future, Arman!"

Arman's own eyes welled up with tears as he reached out to her, but Ruhi stepped back, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "Don't touch me! You don't get to do this to me and then act like you care."

Ruhi's voice broke into a sob. "You could have told me before. You could have spared me this humiliation. I trusted you, Arman. I loved you."

The guests looked on, a mix of sympathy and discomfort in their eyes. Ruhi's parents rushed forward, but she held up a hand to stop them, her gaze never leaving Arman's face.

With one final, heart-wrenching sob, Ruhi turned and fled the hall, her wedding dress trailing behind her like a ghost of the future she had envisioned.

Ruhi ran through the city streets, her vision blurred by tears, her heart heavy with betrayal. She didn't know where she was going; she just wanted to escape the pain that threatened to consume her.

As she crossed a busy intersection, she didn't see the car speeding towards her. The screech of brakes and the blare of a horn snapped her back to reality just in time. She froze, paralyzed by fear.

A strong hand grabbed her arm and yanked her out of the car's path. She stumbled, falling into the arms of a young man. He held her steady, concern etched on his face.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice a mix of worry and relief.

Ruhi looked up, her vision clearing as she met his eyes. There was something familiar about him, something that tugged at a long-forgotten memory. She noticed the chain around his neck, the one they had both cherished in their childhood.

Overwhelmed with a mix of shock and joy, she whispered, "Billa boy."

The confusion on the young man's face melted into emotional recognition. "Ruhi chuhi," he murmured, pulling her into a tight embrace.

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