Riddhima's POV:

I had just finished preparing breakfast for everyone. Maa and Baba had also joined us this morning, making the table feel even livelier. We all sat down together, chatting and laughing as we ate.

It always amazes me how we manage to talk so much, even though we see each other every single day. There's never a dull moment with them.

Suddenly, Mumma's phone rang. She picked it up, glanced at the caller ID, and then looked at me. The expression on her face told me everything I needed to know.

"Not again," I said, rolling my eyes and brushing it off. I didn't give it much thought and continued eating.

Throughout the call, Mumma mostly hummed in response, occasionally nodding as if agreeing to something. When she finally hung up, there was a slight look of worry on her face.

Maa noticed it immediately and asked, "What happened, Sujata?"

Mumma took a deep breath, as if trying to collect her thoughts, and then spoke.

"In Radhika's wedding, one lady from the groom's side saw Riddhima and sent a rishta through my sister-in-law. And now, my sister-in-law is insisting that I invite them over to meet my baby," she said, looking slightly hesitant.

I nearly choked on my food. "Which is not happening in this lifetime," I said casually, trying to lighten the mood.

"Then what's the problem? Just tell your sister-in-law about it," Maa said.

"I already told her, Anu, but she's not listening to me," Mumma replied, sounding frustrated. "She's saying that Radhika's life depends on it. Her in-laws might treat her badly if we refuse, She is slso my daughter and that's the last thing I want.

She sighed deeply before continuing, "But I also don't want to invite them. I don't want my Riddhu to be treated like some doll on display. I want her to marry the love of her life. It will be her and only her decision about her marriage."

Maa reached out and gently patted Mumma's hand. "Sujata, calm down. We'll find a solution. Don't stress yourself."

Mumma nodded but still looked troubled. "I just don't want anyone to mistreat Radhika because of this. Her in-laws are so stubborn. Radhika doesn't know it yet. They've already pressured my sister-in-law so much, and now this... I don't know what to do. On one side is Riddhima, and on the other side is Radhika. I don't want to choose between them."

She paused for a few seconds before speaking again, her voice softer but still filled with concern. "My sister-in-law is saying that at least invite them, and then we can reject the proposal later by giving some excuse—like their kundalis don't match or something. But at least we should meet them. And honestly, I don't know what to do." She sighed, pressing her hand to her forehead as if trying to think clearly.

"We can do one thing," Maa said suddenly, breaking the silence.

Maa continued, "Just like your sister-in-law suggested, we can invite them and pretend we're happy about the proposal. Then we can get help from our priest and ask him to lie about their compatibility. He can say the kundalis don't match, and that will be the end of it. What do you think?"

"No, Maa. I'm against it," I said firmly.

"Why? It's not like we'll do anything without your consent," Maa replied, trying to reason with me. "But for a moment, think about Radhika, beta. They can make her life hell. What's troubling you? You can tell us."

I hesitated before finally speaking. "Vansh. When he finds out about this, I don't know how he'll react. He would be devastated and hurt. I don't want to hurt him."

Baba interjected, trying to calm my nerves. "Who's going to tell him? Not us, for sure. And when he knows the whole situation, I'm sure he'll understand. Besides, he's not here right now. He'll only be back next week. So we'll invite them day after tomorrow, before he returns. There won't be any problems."

"It doesn't feel right to hide this from him," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"If you want, you can tell him when he's back," Maa said reassuringly. "I know he'll understand once he knows the reason behind it."

I reluctantly agreed, but at the back of my mind, all I could think about was Vansh.

What if he doesn't understand? What if he feels betrayed?

I tried to push the thoughts away, but the uneasy feeling refused to leave me. I didn't want to hurt him—not now, not ever. Yet, I couldn't deny that the situation was out of my control, and for Radhika's sake, I had no choice but to go along with the plan.

Little did I know, things wouldn't go as smoothly as I hoped.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Even though I went through the motions of my routine, my mind was restless, constantly drifting back to Vansh.

I kept telling myself that it was just a formality—that nothing would come out of this meeting—but my heart wasn't convinced. I couldn't shake off the guilt or the nagging feeling that something was bound to go wrong.

That night, as I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, I kept replaying every possible scenario in my head. What if Vansh came to know before I could explain? What if he misunderstood the situation? What if—

No. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts.

He loves me. He'll understand.

But even as I told myself that, I couldn't ignore the sinking feeling in my chest.

The next morning, Mumma and Maa were already busy making arrangements for the guests. They seemed calmer now, focused on finalizing the menu and cleaning the house. Meanwhile, I felt like a mess inside.

"Riddhima, wear something nice tomorrow, okay?" Mumma said casually as she passed by, carrying a stack of plates.

I immediately looked at her in disbelief. "Mumma!"

"What? It's just for show. Don't overthink it," she said with a reassuring smile.

But that didn't make me feel any better.

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That night, while talking with Vansh, I had the urge to tell him the truth, but fear held me back. I didn't want to stress him. Every message I typed, I ended up erasing.

When we switched to a video call, he seemed to sense something was on my mind.

"Hey," he asked softly, "is everything alright? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that I miss you!" I said, which was true. I missed him a lot.

His expression softened, and a small smile appeared on his face. "I miss you too, Riddhima. Only a few more days, and I'll be there with you."

I smiled back, trying to hide the turmoil inside me. "I can't wait."

After the call, I sat in silence, staring at the darkened screen of my phone. My hands trembled as I replayed the conversation in my mind. Guilt weighed heavily on me for hiding the truth from him.

I didn't intend to keep anything from him, but I just couldn't bring myself to say it over the phone. The thought of how he might react terrified me.

When he's back, I'll definitely tell him everything, I promised myself, even though the knot of fear in my stomach tightened at the thought
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The dreaded day finally arrived, and by noon, I felt like I was going to break down at any moment. I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the light pink saree Mumma had insisted I wear.

I hated how pretty I looked in it. I hated that I had to dress up for something that felt so wrong. I hated that I was dressing for someone other than Vansh.

I took a deep breath and stepped out of my room, just in time to see the guests arriving

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I stood frozen, my hands trembling as I held the tray. The moment our eyes met, everything around me seemed to fade.

Vansh.

He was here.

I couldn't believe it. My heart sank, and my breath hitched. The shock on his face mirrored the turmoil in my heart. His eyes—those deep, intense eyes—looked right through me, shattering the fragile walls I had built to hold myself together.

But I couldn't cry—not here, not now. I forced myself to look away, but the weight of his stare was unbearable.

My legs felt like they would give out, but before I could even process what was happening, Mumma took the tray from my hands. Her gentle touch on my shoulder was meant to comfort me, but it only made me feel more trapped.

And then it happened.

"Ajao beta, come sit beside me," the old woman said, patting the space between her and her son.

I wanted to run. I wanted to scream. But my feet moved unwillingly, and before I knew it, I was seated beside her—like a doll being displayed.

Her hand reached out, cupping my face as she examined me. "Bohot hi pyaari bacchi hai apki," she said to my parents. "I was so happy when my son said he liked her. I didn't want to waste any time and immediately sent this rishta."

Her words hit me like a slap.

I wanted to look at Vansh, to plead with him to take me away from this nightmare. But when I finally glanced in his direction, my heart shattered.

He was gripping the cup so tightly that it cracked. The sound pierced the silence, making everyone freeze.

I stood up immediately, panic rising in my chest. I needed to go to him. I needed to tell him this wasn't what it looked like.

But before I could take another step, he stood up too. His sudden movement made me stop in my tracks. Our eyes locked again, and this time, I saw something I never wanted to see—pain.

Not just pain—betrayal.

The guests looked startled, their eyes darting between us, but Vansh quickly masked his emotions.

"The cup just slipped from my hand," he said with a forced smile.

I knew it was a lie.

I could see through his act, but no one else seemed to notice.

He straightened his shoulders, pretending everything was fine. "I have an important meeting, so I'll take my leave now," he said, his voice steady.

I wanted to stop him. I wanted to shout that this wasn't my choice. That I loved him and only him. But I couldn't move.

And then he said it—the words that broke me completely.

"By the way," he said, looking directly at me, "Riddhima is good at everything—and her cooking? Absolutely delicious."

I flinched, hearing the mockery in his tone.

And then he looked at the guy sitting beside me—the man that wanted to marry me. "I think you two will look great together. I'm rooting for you." He winked, and the room filled with light laughter. Maa, Baba, Mumma and Papa fake their laughter.

But I knew him too well.

The bitterness, the pain hidden in his voice—it cut through me like a knife.

I wanted to run after him, to scream that I didn't want this, but my body refused to move.

As he turned and walked away, I felt my world crumbling.

I didn't care about the guests or my parents. All I could think about was Vansh and the way he looked at me—as if I had betrayed him.

I bit my lip to keep from crying, but it was no use. My vision blurred, and my heart felt like it was being torn apart piece by piece.

And as I watched him leave.

My eyes clouded with tears as I watched him walk away, and I couldn't control myself anymore. I quickly ran after him.

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