What happens when a young woman finds herself standing at the altar, not as the chosen bride, but as the last-minute replacement for her elder sister who has fled? Forced into a marriage that was never meant to be hers, she faces a future filled wit...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Dadi, was all this really necessary?" I asked, watching as the house slowly filled with people for the Jagrata she had arranged for Akshit’s well-being. My eyes swept over the crowd, a sense of unease building.
“It was necessary. The more people, the more blessings Matarani will bestow upon us,” she had said before walking off to tend to other guests.
I glanced toward our room, where Kashvi was still with Naira, getting ready. I hadn’t seen her all morning—she had been caught up in the preparations for the puja.
“Kya haal hai?” Kabir asked, stepping up beside me. I gave him a slight nod, but he wasn’t done. “Where’s Akshit?” ( How's it going? )
“In his room, living his best life,” I replied, thinking back to how Akshit had somehow gotten Kashvi to agree to a month off from work. I swear, the only reason I hadn’t snapped at him yet was because of Kashvi.
“Still can’t believe you weren’t terrified after his accident,” Kabir remarked.
I paused, my jaw tightening for a moment. Terrified? Of course I had been, but admitting that out loud wasn’t something I’d ever do. I wasn’t the type to let people see fear so easily. The world wouldn’t get to know how scared I was, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t there.
I shrugged, brushing off Kabir’s comment, but my focus shifted as Kashvi finally appeared at the top of the stairs. My heartbeat thundered in my ears, completely drowning out Kabir’s voice. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her. Draped in a yellow saree, she looked just like my Ray—the one who brightened my darkest days. Even if she wore a rag, I'd feel the same — because it's her. It’s always been her, not the clothing.
"Abhishek," she whispered in that sweet tone of hers, standing right in front of me.
"Yes, Ray." I watched as her cheeks flushed, and she glanced away shyly at the sound of her nickname.
A soft clearing of a throat made me shift my gaze to Naira, who I hadn’t even noticed until now. “Abhi bhai, Dadi’s calling,” she said with a giggle.
It wasn’t until then that I caught Dadi glaring at me from across the room, her expression sharp enough to cut through steel.
I glanced back to see Kashvi trying to stifle a laugh, while Kabir shot me a look dripping with mockery. Brilliant. That was really stupid of me, I thought as I hurried toward Dadi, who clearly had plans to introduce me to a few people.
After returning, I spotted Kashvi heading toward the kitchen, so I followed her in. She stood there, filling a glass of water, her focus entirely on the task. I moved closer, the air thick with anticipation.
"What are you doing?" she shrieked as I brushed my hand against her bare waist. I couldn’t help myself; she looked too tempting. Sliding my fingers beneath the pleats of her saree, I began to massage her waist, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath my touch.
