Chapter 18. The Bride of Vengeance

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Song: You're Gonna Be OK – Brian & Jenn Johnson

Silent tears.
An empty heart.
A helpless soul standing in a destiny she never chose.

"Won't you welcome your brother-in-law and his newly wedded wife... Bhabhi sa?"

The venom-laced voice slid through the grand hall like a blade.

Vedika gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as her eyes locked onto the impossible sight before her.

Krish stood completely still.

As if the ground beneath his feet had suddenly disappeared.

Rana Udhav's sharp gaze slowly moved toward his youngest son, his face turning rigid like carved stone. Sampoorna's lips trembled in disbelief, while Rana Virat simply stared, too stunned to react.

And yet the man who had set fire to this moment stood untouched by the chaos.

Arjun Rajvansh.

Dark. Proud. Unshaken.

Like a devil standing victorious in the ruins he had created.

Beside him stood Anaya.

Silent.

Fragile.

Drained of life.

She wasn't walking beside him.

She was simply existing.

A few hours earlier...

"Bring Dr. Anaya Gill to me within two hours. And call the lawyer. I want everything ready in an hour."

Arjun's voice had been cold. Calculated. Final.

Sarah simply nodded and began making the calls.

Anaya, unaware of the storm approaching her life, stepped out of the house wearing a red saree—the same saree she had planned to wear to celebrate Aashi's wedding.

She smiled softly to herself.

Just one last errand for her best friend before the celebrations began.

But fate had other plans.

Cruel ones.

"Hello? Aashi? Vihan?"

Her voice echoed softly inside the empty church.

The silence felt strange.

Too strange.

Then she heard footsteps.

She turned.

And froze.

Her breath caught violently in her throat.

Arjun stood there.

The man she had prayed never to face again.

"Welcome, Miss Gill..." he said slowly.

His lips curved into a mocking smile.

"Or should I say... soon-to-be Mrs. Mehra?"

Anaya blinked in shock.

"How... how do you know—?"

"I know everything."

His voice cut through her words like a knife.

"You really thought you could hide this from me? You thought I'd just sit back and watch my sister ruin her life while you stood beside her pretending to be the noble friend?"

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