Bound by Fire

The Family Bombshell

Sanya had mentally prepared for a day of wedding planning chaos, but she hadn't prepared for *this*.

She and Aarav sat in his parents' lavish living room, a place so grand and ornate it felt like a palace straight out of a Bollywood movie. Chandeliers dangled from the ceiling, and the walls were lined with gold-framed portraits of Aarav's ancestors. It was the kind of place that screamed "old money" and "serious family expectations." And Sanya felt completely out of place.

Aarav's mother, Mrs. Mehra, perched elegantly on a velvet sofa, eyeing Sanya with the same level of curiosity she might reserve for a rare artifact. Aarav's father, Mr. Mehra, sat beside her, his hands clasped and his expression unreadable.

"So, let me get this straight," Mrs. Mehra said, her voice smooth but sharp, like a blade hidden beneath silk. "You two have decided to get married... suddenly?"

Sanya swallowed, trying to keep her cool. Aarav had insisted they tell his parents about the engagement in person, and now she was regretting every second of agreeing to this. She glanced at Aarav, silently begging him to take the lead.

"Yes, Mom," Aarav said, his tone calm and confident as ever. "Sanya and I... well, we've been seeing each other for a while, and we've decided it's time."

Sanya's eyes widened slightly. **Seeing each other for a while?** That was news to her. They hadn't even had a proper dinner date, let alone a romantic relationship. But she kept her mouth shut, nodding along like a supportive fiancée.

Mrs. Mehra raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Is that so?"

"Yep," Aarav replied smoothly, leaning back in his chair like he was completely unbothered by the tension in the room. "We wanted to keep things private at first, but now that we're engaged, it's time to involve the family."

Sanya could feel Mrs. Mehra's gaze burning into her, and she suddenly wished she had prepared a speech or at least practiced some fake romantic gestures beforehand. Instead, she just sat there, smiling awkwardly and hoping she didn't look like she was about to pass out.

Mr. Mehra, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke, his deep voice cutting through the room. "Aarav, this is... sudden. We didn't even know you two were serious."

Aarav smiled slightly, but Sanya noticed the tension in his jaw. "I know, Dad. But Sanya and I... we've grown close. It just felt right."

Sanya felt her stomach flip at Aarav's words. **Grown close?** The closest they had gotten was arguing about wedding cake flavors two days ago. But again, she bit her tongue and tried to play along.

"That's wonderful," Mrs. Mehra said with a tight smile, though her eyes flickered with something that made Sanya uneasy. "But, dear," she added, turning her attention fully to Sanya now, "tell me... how exactly did you two meet?"

Sanya blinked, caught off guard. **How did we meet?** Her mind raced, trying to remember the details Aarav had filled her in on beforehand. Right. The cover story.

"We met through... mutual friends," Sanya said, her voice sounding a little too high-pitched. "It was actually at a charity event."

Mrs. Mehra's smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "Ah, charity. How lovely." Her voice dripped with politeness, but Sanya could sense the underlying skepticism.

She could feel sweat prickling at the back of her neck. Aarav, on the other hand, was cool as a cucumber, sitting there like they were just having a casual brunch conversation.

Suddenly, Mr. Mehra leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing. "And you're certain about this, Aarav? Marriage is a big step. There's no rush."

Sanya held her breath, waiting for Aarav's response. There was a long, agonizing pause before Aarav finally spoke, his voice steady but firm.

"I'm certain, Dad. Sanya and I have talked about this, and we're both ready."

Sanya nearly choked on her own spit. **Both ready?** This was getting more surreal by the second. She shot Aarav a sideways glance, but he was completely focused on his parents, his face unreadable.

"Besides," Aarav continued, his tone lightening, "you've been after me for years to settle down. Isn't this what you've always wanted?"

Mrs. Mehra's lips pursed, and for a moment, it looked like she might actually object. But then she sighed, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "I suppose you're right. We've been waiting for you to find someone, Aarav."

Sanya exhaled, feeling like she'd narrowly dodged a bullet. But just as she was beginning to relax, Mrs. Mehra's eyes gleamed with sudden excitement. "We should throw an engagement party!"

Sanya's heart sank. An engagement party? With more of Aarav's family? More people to lie to and pretend she was head over heels in love with Aarav? This was quickly spiraling out of control.

"Oh, that's really not necessary—" Sanya began, but Aarav cut her off smoothly.

"I think that's a great idea," Aarav said, flashing a charming smile at his mother. "We can keep it small, just close family and friends."

Sanya shot him a panicked look, but Aarav ignored it, clearly in full-on damage control mode.

Mrs. Mehra clapped her hands together, beaming. "Wonderful! We'll invite all our relatives, and we can have it at the house. It'll be perfect!"

Perfect. Right. Sanya smiled weakly, feeling like she was trapped in a nightmare where she had to pretend to be madly in love with Aarav in front of an audience of his overly inquisitive relatives.

"Well, we'll leave you two to discuss the details," Mr. Mehra said, standing up. He gave Aarav a firm pat on the back before turning to Sanya. "Welcome to the family, Sanya."

Sanya nodded, smiling politely, even though inside she felt like she might faint.

As soon as Aarav's parents left the room, Sanya turned to him, wide-eyed. "An *engagement party*? Are you serious?"

Aarav shrugged, his expression annoyingly calm. "It was bound to happen eventually. It's better to just get it over with."

"Get it over with?" Sanya repeated, throwing her hands up in frustration. "Do you have any idea how many people we'll have to convince that this whole thing is real? I don't even know half of your relatives! What if one of them asks me what your favorite food is? I don't even know that!"

Aarav smirked. "Easy. It's butter chicken."

Sanya glared at him. "That's not the point! This is a disaster waiting to happen!"

Aarav leaned back, looking far too relaxed for someone in the middle of such a chaotic situation. "Relax. We'll be fine. It's just one party. You can handle it."

Sanya groaned, sinking into the sofa. "You're lucky I'm too tired to argue with you right now."

Aarav grinned, clearly pleased with himself. "That's the spirit."

Sanya rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corners of her lips. As ridiculous as this entire situation was, there was something oddly comforting about the way Aarav seemed to take everything in stride.

"Well," she sighed, closing her eyes, "if we're going to do this, you'd better teach me everything about your family. I'm not going in there unprepared."

Aarav chuckled, standing up and heading toward the door. "Don't worry. I'll give you the full rundown tomorrow. Consider it part of your wedding training."

Sanya groaned again, but this time there was a hint of laughter in her voice. "I can't believe I agreed to this."

"Too late to back out now," Aarav called over his shoulder as he left the room.

Sanya watched him go, shaking her head with a small smile. Maybe this wouldn't be such a disaster after all.

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