The sounds of dhol, whispers, laughters, distant yelling was reaching up to everyone's ears. Some smiled continuously while some looked as if they were about to doze off due to tiredness.

And then there was she.

She was sitting indian style, in her heavy bridal attire and heaviest of jewellery whatever her Aunt could make her wear.

Unlike every bride who usually have these big grins or shy smile on their wedding, there was no expression on Kaeya's face. She looked distant. Her face was void of any emotion. Blank was something that she was.

She didn't react when her Uncle and Aunt took her hand to place in the hands of the man sitting beside her since long, for him to protect and keep her happy forever, because of the kanyadaan.

Hers looked so small in his big and rough hand. She wanted to break that. She didn't want her hands to be kept in his'.

But she also knew she couldn't.

This was only one responsibility of them left that was towards her and she without any second doubt agreed for her marriage.

One big mistake she did was not taking interest in the person she was marrying till date. Why would she even? She didn't even care about anything since years.

This marriage was nothing but a responsibility of hers towards her Uncle and Aunt as well.

The priest had now declared that the wedding was done. Every ritual was done and now she was married.

Married to Yuvaan Shah.

Sooner or later, the guests left. The relatives scattered around, busy in their own tasks leaving her all alone.

She forcefully snatched her hand that was in his' and sit by his side all stiff and blank.

"Kaeya-" She heard him say making her go stiff all of a sudden.

"Don't you dare take my name with that filthy mouth of yours." She gritted out, not even looking at him.

The anger and loathe she carried out in her tone was hard to be missed by him.

He looked at her painfully yet a bewildered look on his face. No doubt this was the first time he had heard her speak to him after 9 years. And now, her tone was not at all like the one she used with him.

Her face that always carried a grin despite whatever was going on in her life was now replaced with a face that was void of any emotion.

Who exactly was at fault?

Her Uncle and Aunt?

Her former love, Yuvaan?

Her fake bestfriend, Miesha?

She felt someone place a hand on her shoulder and her head snapped towards the source of it.

There, her cousin who she took no less as her brother was giving her a concerned look, asking her various questions through his eyes.

"Y-You didn't tell me that it was Y-Yuvaan who you were going to marry." He asked making Yuvaan's head snap towards him as well as he heard his name being taken.

"I would've told you if I knew myself." Kaeya responded, giving him a sly smile.

Yuvaan was shocked would be an understatement. He thought she hadn't spoken to him after their wedding was fixed a month ago because of her anger towards him. He didn't know it was because she didn't even know anything about the guy.

What was even her part in this whole marriage?

Doesn't that mean she was nowhere interested in this marriage?

"And Yuvraj? Didn't he tell you?" He questioned again.

"Is he seen anywhere bhai?" Kaeya questioned back.

"No. And that's why I am asking." He responded, caressing her hair.

"I honestly have no idea whatever is going on. Can you please tell Uncle and Aunt to get over with this shit at the soonest? I am not really interested in all this drama." She asked with a small smile, as if whatever she was saying was something casual.

It was so hard for Yuvaan to not react at her words. Their wedding was drama to her? Some sort of shit?

But did he even leave any chance for her to not think this?

He was her bestfriend! Her savior! And what he did to her was something an enemy wouldn't as well.

"This won't affect your life right? Nothing matters? He doesn't matter? My sis is the strongest and she can go through anything even if she is alone." He said, in a stern manner yet making her understand.

By now, things and events had made him realize how to make Kaeya understand and agree to things. She needs a direction in her life at every point, and this man is ready to give her, even though he is not so near.

"Of course. Kaeya all alone is the strongest." Kaeya smiled with a known look as she gave him a thumbs-up.

"I have my flight back to US in the night. Jiya's due date is nearing and then I couldn't take a long leave from the office." He explained, trying his best to make her understand calmly.

"Oh." Was her only response.

"B-But pick my call please?" She innocently asked and he smiled while nodding his head.

"You don't need to say." He said, caressing her hair.

"I- I want some fresh air. I am going outside so please handle, hmm?" Kaeya said getting up from the seat she was seated on beside Yuvaan and soon he left.

Yuvaan had a distant look in his face, eyes fixated ahead as neither he spoke nor he reacted to anything after hearing Kaeya's cruel words towards the situation.

The blame?

He was ready to take on his shoulders.

Not Miesha. Not her Aunt. Not those boys. The only one who is responsible for this condition today is Yuvaan Shah.

She blatantly untied the red piece of cloth that was connecting the both of them, one end laid on his shoulder while the other was in a knot with her heavy attire.

Her shivering hands made it difficult for her. They didn't seem to rest. Her panick was rising each passing second and when he tried to help her, she roughly removed his hand as if his touch burned her.

His gaze, his presence did a lot more than his touch.

"Kaeya, just let me." He tried to reason, his rough and husky voice reaching her ears.

It was way different than she used to hear 9 years ago and with what she fell in love with. That voice could lull her into sleep and a sweet oblivion at any point of time, but now his voice only made her not be in his presence anymore.

"I won't. I won't ever let you come near me Yuvaan Shah. You are a betrayer. Bloody betrayer who knows best how to destroy someone from the inside." She snapped at him, not caring about where they were or that other people could hear her.

His jaw clenched on it's own as he heard her say this. It pained his heart. It pained him from the inside. Betrayer was what he is.

"Wait, don't tell me you haven't invited your girlfriend to your wedding. I thought you would atleast have someone to spend your precious time with, instead of sitting beside me. Or, is filling me with some more lies your plan? Okay, now don't tell me she's waiting for you back at your house to spend the night with while like all the times previously, I will be waiting for you to tell me another lie?" Kaeya continued, giving him a sarcastic look, though only anger pouring out in her every word that she spoke.

"Stop it Kaeya. That's enough." He said in a stern voice.

And then a full blown laughter escaped her mouth at which he looked at her wryly.

"Shit, why would you even invite Miesha? If you would then she would come with her husband which really isn't you. She left you too didn't she? The almighty Yuvaan Shah all alone, just like you'd left me all alone. Did she too ignore you? Or did she directly break you apart? Oh my God, don't tell me she cheated on you." Kaeya mocked with a fake sad expression.

"Kaeya p-pease. It's enough." He tried but she gave him a 'Are you serious' look in return.

9 years before, she would've definitely obliged to this. But now, the situation was completely different to listen to him.

"Oh, it's not. I'll tell you what enough is. Enough is when you experience.....no wait, why am I even talking to a person like you. You are a heartless monster who doesn't care about anyone else's feelings." She stopped herself before she could lash at him some more.

It couldn't even be explained in words that how much she wanted to yell at him, shout at him, blame him or break him with just like he did.

"I don't even know why this man married me." Muttering this, she stormed off the mandap, leaving him behind who kept looking at her retreating figure, eyes full of emotions.

He was filled with regret. He was filled with guilt of his actions.

His teenage made him take such bad decisions and do such worse things with his bestfriends that he regrets every single day.

But he just simply was at fault.

//////////

Strong winds were blowing, cool breeze crossing her face that was clad with makeup, her eyelids softly closing, inhaling the freshness and the changes.

She didn't know what to do.

She just couldn't even shed a tear. Crying was something that she'd left years back.

"Kaeya." A voice reached up and she noticed it was her Aunt who was looking at her without any such particular emotion.

"I know I have never been affectionate towards you and to be honest I don't have any explanation for that as well. There's just one thing I want to tell you. From your childhood itself, your Uncle and I had decided that no matter whatever we'd done with you, we'll only give your hands to someone who you could trust your life with. This was the only responsibility we took seriously. I haven't seen you comfortable with any male except Yuvaan. So, we extended the proposal to his parents and they happily agreed. Even Yuvaan did. You didn't take any interest in knowing anything about the groom, till date. We haven't really done anything as a family but the last thing we were doing for you should've been the best. And that's why we chose Yuvaan for you." She explained, with a normal look.

Kaeya just shook her head slyly with a distant look in her eyes.

"Aunty, last you had seen me with Yuvaan was 9 years back. Let it be. That's completely different story. And I too only agreed to this marriage since this was the last thing that was bounding you all to me. You're free from me. Finally." Kaeya breathed out, giving a sarcastic smile to her.

"I hope you could forgive us one day." Her Aunt muttered in a low voice.

"Don't worry, I don't hold any grudges except for one person. And I doubt that they'll end anytime soon." Kaeya sighed dramatically.

Giving Kaeya one last look, her Aunt scurried back inside while all the time Kaeya kept looking at her retreating figure, her mind somewhere else.

Why did everything happened with her only?

First the betrayal.

Then the heartbreak.

And then after so many years she found peace in her life, he is back and even they're married.

Why didn't she atleast pay attention towards the marriage?

If she would've known that it was Yuvaan, she would've denied instantly.

And right now it was a point she terribly missed him. She missed all three of them. The only ones who could bring a smile to her face.

//////////

"Kaeya, please try to understand. You cannot wear jeans and tshirt for your vidaai. I had specially purchased this dress for you so just wear this one." Aishwarya tried to make Kaeya understand which she had been doing since last 10 minutes.

It was now the time for Kaeya to leave everything behind and start a new life with Yuvaan.

Before she would love, she was asked by her Aunt to change into something comfortable from that heavy attire.

But now, Kaeya basically listens to no one and does whatever she wants.

"I will be more comfortable in my jeans Aunt. Now, that matters more doesn't it?" Kaeya voiced out, while removing her heavy jewellery.

It was only her and Aishwarya in the bridal suite. She would more like prefer to be alone. By now, she was so done with everything. No matter it was only the third day of her arrival for her own marriage.

"Kaeya, these things doesn't look good. It has not even been a couple of hours since your marriage and you'll get out in front of everyone like this?" Aishwarya reasoned calmly.

If now she would behave like she used to in earlier times, Aishwarya knew Kaeya wouldn't waste another second to get her locked up in a cell with multiple charges.

"I don't care about other people-" She was busy rambling when a person stepped in the bridal suite after knocking twice.

Kaeya rolled her pretty brown eyes upon noticing Yuvaan enter.

He had already changed into a pair of crisp black shirt and black formal pants in which the shirt was tucked inside.

He is looking so bad. Kaeya though, focusing back on removing her jewellery.

But who was she lying to? He too had changed so much in the context of appearance-

"No, she's not. She wants to wear this stupid jeans and not the dress she should wear as a bride. Please make her understand Yuvaan."

In between her Aunt's voice reached up her ears, words that she said in between a conversation with Yuvaan who seemed too interested in knowing what was going on.

He knew Kaeya wouldn't give him an ounce of attention so maybe that's why he found talking to Aishwarya a better option?

"It's fine Aunty. Let her wear whatever she wants. She looks the best in jeans. And when I don't mind about this then I think no one else should do too. Please let's just drop this right now." Yuvaan stated calmly.

What an acting this man does, huh? Who could even say he's the same man who betrayed his bestfriend, treated her like she was some pawn in his life. Kaeya thought, cursing him in her mind.

"Fine." Muttering this half heartedly, Aishwarya was about to leave the bridal suite, to give some space to the two of them when Kaeya's voice stopped her.

"Now, I'll definitely wear this dress Aunt. I really don't have the mood to wear jeans anymore. Not when he can see me in it for sure." She said with a fake smile, mumbling the last part to herself.

"Is it? Here. Come down soon." Placing the dress happily on the bed there, she soon left the room.

Yuvaan didn't know how to react. He was awkwardly standing in the middle of the room while Kaeya paid zero attention to him. He didn't even know what he should do right at the moment.

"You're such an ass Yuvaan." Kaeya's voice was heard after moments of silence making his head snap towards her.

"Wh-"

"Who do you think you are to even say that you don't mind what I wear? You do not deserve to look at me and here you're saying this shit to look the greatest human being of the century in front of others? I am literally missing that ignorant behaviour of yours. Specially when you would treat me like trash. So, don't really try to be the perfect gentleman specially in my matter because you are nowhere near that. And next time think twice before speaking in any matter that relates to me because I will literally seal your mouth shut." Words rolled off her tongue without any resistance, anger pouring out that was so hard to be missed.

And with that, she stormed off in the adjoined bathroom when all Yuvaan could do was look at her retreating figure, tears clouding his vision, now looking blankly at the door that was shut with a bang.

//////////

The trees were dancing with the wind as the cloud was roaring with thunderstorms, heavy droplets falling on the windshield to which she paid no heed.

She was relaxing on the passenger seat of his car with him driving, taking them back to his home now that they were married.

No words were exchanged between the two of them after she snapped at him.

Kaeya didn't cry when she was leaving her life behind. There was nothing to cry. No love. No emotions.

Even her cousin, Aditya had left before her departure from the venue as his flight was already booked, and the time was way early than it should've been.

But Kaeya just smiled, bidding him byes knowing that he too has a family waiting for him back in the US.

She couldn't help but to think about Yuvraj, who didn't bother showing at their wedding.

What exactly was the reason behind this?

She felt the car come to a halt and her eyes wandered to the surroundings. They were standing in front of a posh building, almost of 30 floors that looked like penthouses. It screamed modesty and richness.

Her face scrunched up at the thought of living here.

Hers was lot better and cozy.

"Till I park the car, you can go to the 25th floor. The parking is behind and because of it, you'll unnecessary have to walk in the rain." He said of a sudden and she just simply exited the car, without paying him a glance or responding him.

A sigh escaped his mouth, him cursing himself and his teenage brain as he parked the car, all the way behind the building that leads to the basement.

In that heavy rain, he had to walk back to the main entrance instead of taking a lift thinking what if Kaeya wasn't able to find her way.

He searched for her everywhere. First on the 25th floor, then in the whole corridor and then in the main lobby. She was nowhere to be found.

At last, he had to go outside where he'd left her and his brown orbs landed on her who was standing in the heavy rain, looking up in the sky blankly, her figure completely drenched, showing no movement.

His mouth dropped open in shock, frown appearing on his forehead due to the concern. Instantly taking long strides towards her, he shook her to life as she flinched in reaction.

"What the hell Kaeya? Why are you standing in the rain? Didn't I tell you to go up? And what about your health? Have you forgotten how easily sick you get-"

"I haven't forgotten but you clearly did when you asked me to wait in the school till you drop Miesha. In the rain. Does that ring a bell Mr. Shah?" She asked sarcastically, her hands now folding across her chest as she took a step away from him.

"Kaeya- I- I-"

"There's no explanation that I want Yuvaan Shah. You are the piece of dirt that stains the word bestfriend. Cold hearted. That was something you were towards me those days and that has made me turn the worst and it's bloody all your fault." She hissed, pointing an accusing finger towards him.

All his fault and he by now knows that too.

He was looking at her helplessly. Years ago, it would've melted her, but now it just made her laugh.

"Oh my goodness, stop this drama hmm? You look so funny with this expression, I swear. But see, I can atleast see that you're trying to show some but you couldn't years back when every emotion of mine was written all over my face." She spat angrily.

And giving him one last look, she stormed off to the lobby of the building, now taking the elevator to the 25th floor as he said.

Maybe today was the first time some real tears appeared in his eyes after 9 years that too twice in a couple of hours?

Last time he shed tears like a child was 9 years ago when he got the news of Kaeya leaving him alone, far away from him in a different city, all because of his actions towards her.

(PS: Y'all see, he's about to cryyyyy. But I am gonna give him more pain. A LOT MOREEEEE)

******

○How was the chapter readers?

○As promised, you're seeing the badass version of Kaeya who is doing nothing but taunting him continuously that he's basically on the verge of crying. But still, it's nothing compared to what Kaeya felt. More drama ahead...

Love,
Myra❤