The missing piece of my Heart

✧ Chapter 1 ✧

In the lavish Vasant Kunj hotel, where the cream of society had gathered to witness the wedding of two business tycoons, Kriti Singhania and Vedraj Oberoi, whereas a heart-pounding drama was unfolding behind closed doors. In the bride's dressing room, a young woman, clad in the exquisite wedding attire, was pacing back and forth with increasing desperation, her eyes fixed on the phone as she frantically tried to reach her Boss. Fifty missed calls later, the phone finally rang, and a voice full of anger spoke on the other end,

"What's wrong with you, Arna? Fifty missed calls? Have you lost your mind?"

The woman's voice trembled as she replied,

"Please, ma'am, it's time for the wedding. I've done as you asked, dressed up as the bride. Everyone thinks it's you. Please don't abandon me now. I've risked everything for you."

The response was glacial, "I'll return, but until then, you're my substitute. Remember, you're just a stand-in. Don't dare imagine Vedraj Oberoi as your real husband. You're just a substitute."

The phone went flying onto the bed as the woman's anxiety spiked, her breath coming in short gasps. Suddenly, footsteps echoed outside, heavy and deliberate, and she grabbed her phone, dashing into the washroom, locking the door behind her. She was trapped, and time was running out. The wedding was about to begin, and she was the only one who knew the truth. If discovered, her fate would be sealed.

As the wedding clock ticked away, a voice called out from beyond the door, "Kriti, are you ready?"

But the response was a clever fake-out - a recorded message played from the washroom,

"Not yet, mom, I'll be right there."

Kriti's mom fell for it, leaving Arna Agarwal breathless and trapped. Heir to the powerful Agarwal empire, Arna had been living a secret life, hiding her true identity as a lowly employee in Kriti's office. She had always craved independence, but now her ruse had led her down a perilous path. With each passing second, the danger grew. The wedding ceremony loomed, a ticking time bomb waiting to explode her carefully crafted lie. One misstep would expose her, ruining everything. Arna's heart raced as she thought of her brother, Arhan, and her father, both oblivious to her predicament. They would never approve of her masquerade, and the consequences would be dire. Yet, she had no escape. The door creaked, and Arna's pulse skipped a beat. Someone was coming. Would she be discovered, or could she sustain the charade? The outcome was far from certain, as the wedding ceremony beckoned, like a specter of doom, waiting to consume her.

Just as Arna thought she had a moment to collect her thoughts, a voice pierced the silence from outside the door,

"Kriti, are you ready? How much more time do you need? I'm waiting for you."

The sound sent shivers down Arna's spine as she recognized the unmistakable tone of Vedraj Oberoi, the man she was pretending to marry. Her body froze, paralyzed with fear, as cold sweat dripped from her forehead. The air seemed to thicken, suffocating her.

"Kriti, reply!" Vedraj demanded,

his impatience growing. The silence was deafening, and Arna knew she had to respond, but her voice was caught in her throat. Vedraj's tone shifted from annoyance to concern,

"Kriti, is everything okay? Why aren't you answering? Are you all right? Reply, or I'll break down the door!"

The threat hung in the air like a sword of Damocles, and Arna knew she had to act fast. Summoning all her courage, she attempted to mimic Kriti's voice, "Y-yes, I'm fine."

But the words came out strained and hesitant.

Vedraj's response was immediate, his tone laced with suspicion,

"What's wrong with your voice, Kriti? Come out quickly, I'll take you with me."

The command sent Arna's heart racing. Had I failed to convincingly impersonate Kriti mam? Did Vedraj suspect something? Arna was engrossed in her thoughts...

The door creaked, and Arna's breath caught in her throat. Was he really going to break down the door? She knew she had to think fast, or risk being exposed.

Arna swiftly emerged from the washroom, her face shrouded in a veil, exuding an aura of mystery.

"Kriti, why have you covered your face?" Vedraj inquired,

His brow furrowed in curiosity. "It's...it's a ritual," Arna stammered,

struggling to mimic Kriti's voice. Vedraj's eyes narrowed.

"Kriti, what's happened to your voice?" he pressed, his tone laced with suspicion.

Arna's heart raced as she faltered, "N-nothing."

Vedraj's gaze intensified. "Come here, I want to see your face."

His words dripped with an unsettling urgency. Arna's instincts screamed warning, but her legs seemed rooted to the spot. She faced the wall, paralyzed by fear of discovery.

Vedraj's patience snapped. He grasped her arms, his grip unyielding, and slowly turned her toward him. Arna wrestled to maintain the veil, but Vedraj's determination proved unrelenting. With a swift motion, he lifted the veil, revealing Arna's face. The air seemed to thicken as Vedraj's eyes locked onto hers, his expression frozen in shock.

Time stood still as the truth dawned on Vedraj. The woman before him was not Kriti. Arna's pulse pounded in her temples, her thoughts racing with the devastating consequences of her deception.

Vedraj's grip on Arna's arms tightened, his fingers digging deep into her skin like talons.

"Let me go, Mr. Oberoi, please... it's hurting," she begged, her voice trembling with fear. But Vedraj's anger only intensified, his face twisted in a snarl.

"Where is Kriti?" he thundered, his voice echoing through the room. "Tell me, where is she?" Arna's eyes screwed shut, her body trembling like a leaf.

"I...I don't know," she stammered, her voice barely audible. Vedraj's grip tightened further, his nails biting into her skin.

"Don't lie to me!" he bellowed, his face inches from hers.

"I know you're hiding something. Did you do something to Kriti?" Arna's eyes remained shut, her face pale with fear.

"Oh, I get it now," Vedraj sneered, his voice dripping with venom.

"This was your plan all along, wasn't it? Marry a rich guy like me and then...and then what?"

Arna's voice trembled like a leaf.

"S...she will come soon. She went to meet an old friend and asked me to...to give her proxy till she arrives." Vedraj's expression changed from anger to confusion, his brow furrowed in disbelief.

"With friends?" he repeated, his voice laced with pain.

"What do you mean? Why would she leave you to take her place on our wedding day?" Arna's eyes remained shut, her body shaking uncontrollably.

"I...I told you the truth," she stammered.

"She promised to come before the marriage, but she told me if I didn't do this, she would fire me and make sure I'm blacklisted." Vedraj's voice softened slightly, his confusion evident.

"Call her," he ordered, his tone strict.

"I want to talk to her, now." Arna's hands trembled as she picked up her phone and dialed Kriti's number, her eyes still shut, her body frozen in fear.

Chapter will be published every Monday and Thursday.

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