Saanjh: Bound by love and revenge

A Wedding of Lies and Tears

The grand Mehta mansion gleamed under the golden sunlight, the vibrant sounds of a wedding in full swing filling the air. Siya Sharma stood next to Rudra Singhania, her soon-to-be husband. They were taking vows in front of their families, but the weight of the words felt heavy, like chains tightening around her. The world saw a beautiful bride with an elaborate lehenga and a serene smile, but inside, Siya was burning.

This was never supposed to happen.

Panditji's voice boomed, "Now, the sindoor." As Rudra leaned in to put the sindoor in her hairline, he whispered, his lips brushing her ear.

( Pandit ji means priest😭)

"Cry, Siya. Cry all you want. You'll cry much more once we're married. But it's your parents who'll cry the hardest."

His words sent a chill down her spine, the same chill she'd felt since the day her step-parents revealed the truth.

She had been so naive. So ready to believe that Rudra was different-that he was kind and cared for her. Her cousins, Ahvi, Maahi, and Ahaan, still believed he was the perfect man for her, the way he acted sweet and thoughtful whenever they were around. But that was all an act. A carefully crafted facade, just to marry her.

It wasn't until days before the wedding that her step-parents, Raj and Roshini Mehta had revealed the awful truth, that rudra was marrying her for revenge. It had taken her a moment to process their words, but it all made sense after that. Rudra's cold glances, his sharp words when no one was around, the hidden disdain in his eyes.

They had told her about how they killed Rudra's parents years ago. He must have pieced it together, and now, he was marrying her to destroy them all.

Siya had refused to go through with the wedding at first, but they had threatened her cousins' lives.
Raj : If you don't marry him, we'll make sure Ahvi, Maahi, and Ahaan pay for it,
Raj had a sinister smirk on his face. They knew Siya loved her cousins more than anything in the world.

So here she was, standing beside a man who hated her, trapped in a marriage that would only bring her pain. But she couldn't let anything happen to her cousins, no matter the cost to herself.

She clenched her jaw as Rudra smeared the sindoor in her hair. She wouldn't cry, not yet. She refused to give him that satisfaction.

In the corner of the hall, Ahvi, Maahi, and Ahaan stood, dressed as waiters-hidden in plain sight. It was the only way they could witness Siya's wedding. Her step-parents had ensured they weren't allowed near Siya, but these three had found a way. They always found a way.

Maahi's eyes welled up with tears, as she watched Siya, her heart aching. She didn't know the truth about Rudra. To her, this marriage seemed like a dream-a fairytale where her cousin had found a perfect match. If only she knew how wrong she was.

Suddenly, a voice called out behind her, low and sharp.
Nehaal: Waiter bring me two glasses of wine.

Maahi turned to see Nehaal, Rudra's closest friend, staring at her with a smirk. She blinked quickly, brushing away her tears. She couldn't let anyone see her crying, not here, not now. Swallowing her emotions, she nodded, moving quickly to bring him the drinks.

Her hands trembled slightly as she handed one glass to Nivyansh, Rudra's younger brother, and moved to give the second glass to Nehaal. But as she passed it to him, Nehaal "accidentally" let the glass slip, and the wine spilled down his suit.

"What the fuck!" Nehaal shouted, glaring at her. His voice was loud, but everyone was too busy to notice the commotion. "Are you blind? Do you even know how to serve? Oh, I forgot-you're just a poor girl playing waitress at a wedding you can't afford to attend!"