In the heart of chaos

Chapter 1

The fire crackled softly in the center of the mandap, the sacred flames casting a golden glow over the vibrant marigolds strung around the hall. Aarohi stood at its edge, her heart pounding in her chest as her eyes searched for something—anything—to hold onto. The crowd of guests blurred together, their whispers growing louder with every passing second.

"Aarohi," Abhimanyu's voice rang out, strong and firm, yet laced with a tinge of regret. "I can't do this."

The words hit her like a wave, knocking the breath out of her lungs. She turned to face him, disbelief flashing across her face. "What...what are you saying, Abhimanyu?"

"I'm sorry," he continued, glancing around uncomfortably before focusing back on her. "I don't love you. I thought I could, but I was wrong."

Her heart sank. The world around her felt like it was crumbling, the weight of his words pressing down on her. "You...you don't love me?" Her voice trembled, barely above a whisper.

Abhimanyu shook his head. "I never did, Aarohi. It was always Akshara. I was trying to move on from her, but I can't lie to you or myself anymore."

The mention of Akshara's name stung worse than the rejection. Aarohi's fists clenched at her sides, her knuckles white. "You...you've got to be kidding me," she said, her voice now cold. "This is about Akshara?"

Silence fell over the room as everyone's attention shifted from the couple to Akshara, who stood at the back, her face pale with shock.

"You're calling off this wedding because of her?" Aarohi's voice grew louder, the pain in her chest morphing into anger. "You knew from the beginning how I felt! You led me on, Abhimanyu! You let me believe we had a future together!"

"I didn't mean to hurt you," he replied, his tone soft but firm. "I wanted to make things right. I thought I could move on, but I can't. I can't marry you when my heart belongs to someone else."

"Someone else?" Aarohi let out a bitter laugh, tears welling up in her eyes. "She's not just someone else, Abhimanyu! She's my sister! Do you know how humiliating this is for me? To be rejected for my own sister on the day of my wedding?"

Abhimanyu opened his mouth to speak, but before he could respond, Manish stepped forward, his voice filled with anger and frustration. "Abhimanyu, what do you think you're doing? You've embarrassed my granddaughter in front of the entire world! How dare you back out like this?"

"Bade Papa," Abhimanyu said, lowering his eyes, "I'm truly sorry, but I can't marry her when I don't love her."

Manish scoffed, his hands shaking with rage. "Love? Do you even understand what love means? You're making a mockery of our family! This isn't just about you or Aarohi; this is about respect, tradition, and responsibility."

Aarohi's voice cut through the air. "No, Bade Papa. Let him speak. Let him tell everyone how he's breaking off our wedding because of my sister." Her gaze shifted to Akshara, her voice now filled with venom. "Because of you, Akshara."

Akshara took a hesitant step forward, her hands clasped tightly together. "Aarohi, I swear I didn't know—"

"You didn't know?" Aarohi interrupted, her voice shaking with anger. "You didn't know that Abhimanyu has been in love with you this whole time? Are you seriously going to stand there and pretend you're innocent?"

"I didn't ask for this," Akshara said, her voice breaking. "I never wanted to hurt you."

"Of course, you didn't. You never want anything, do you? Things just happen to you," Aarohi spat, her eyes burning with unshed tears. "You've always been the perfect daughter, the one everyone adores. And now, you're the one who gets the man too. Congratulations, Akshara. You've won."

"Aarohi, stop it," Abhimanyu interjected, stepping between the two sisters. "This isn't Akshara's fault. It's mine. I was the one who couldn't be honest with you."

Manish glared at Abhimanyu. "You've not only humiliated Aarohi but also disrespected this family. How do you expect us to trust you after this?"

Abhimanyu met Manish's eyes, unflinching. "I understand your anger, but I can't marry someone out of obligation. It wouldn't be fair to Aarohi, and it wouldn't be fair to me. I love Akshara. I've always loved her."

The declaration hung in the air, heavy and final.

Aarohi's breath hitched as she stared at him, the man she had imagined spending the rest of her life with. "Then why did you agree to this wedding in the first place?" she asked, her voice breaking. "Why did you let me believe there was a chance?"

Abhimanyu looked down, guilt evident on his face. "I thought I could move on... I thought I could learn to love you the way you deserve. But I can't lie to myself anymore."

The room was eerily silent, every guest watching the drama unfold as if it were a performance on stage. Aarohi's vision blurred with tears, but she refused to let them fall. Not here. Not in front of everyone.

"Fine," she said, her voice hard. "You want to be with Akshara? Go ahead. But don't think for a second that this ends here. You've ruined everything today, Abhimanyu. You've ruined my life."

"Aarohi, please don't say that," Akshara pleaded, stepping closer to her sister. "We can fix this, we can—"

"Fix it?" Aarohi scoffed, turning her back on both of them. "You can't fix this, Akshara. This is broken beyond repair."

Manish sighed deeply, the weight of the situation pressing down on his shoulders. He placed a hand on Aarohi's shoulder. "Come, beta. We don't need to stay here any longer."

Aarohi stiffened at his touch but didn't pull away. She nodded numbly and turned to leave, her once-beautiful wedding lehenga now feeling like a chain around her neck.

As she walked away from the mandap, the whispers followed her, growing louder with each step. But Aarohi didn't care anymore. The perfect life she had imagined was shattered, and in its place was a void that she wasn't sure she could ever fill.