Author's Pov

Shravani sat on the chair like a lifeless doll, her sister and a few make other aunties were making her ready for her so called engagement. An engagement she dreaded more than death.

Her face was emotionless but her eyes, they held so much pain and dejection. She couldn't believe, she was doing the things she despised more than anything in this world.

"You look beautiful, Vani. You look so much like how mama looked like on her wedding. Maa would be so proud of you." Reena said hugging Shravani from behind.

Accurately said. Just like her mother.

She couldn't help but smile sarcastically at the irony of her life. She had promised herself and her dead mother that she will never to end up in a miserable marriage like the latter.

Yet here she was getting engaged to a man she loathes.

Shravani smiled, genuinely, as their eyes met through the mirror. Her sister, her strength. The only person who had stood with her from the very beginning.

Yes, it might have been Reena who had forced her to accept the marriage but Shravani don't blame her nor hate her for that because she knew why her sister was forcing her accept it, she had grown mature enough to understand her sister's reasons.

They both were poles apart right from the beginning. She was the sarcastic one who walked around with a scowl on her face while her sister was the sweet golden child. Everyone loved her sister due to her soft nature and resented her for her nonchalant and reckless behaviour. Her sister was sensible whereas she was injudicious.

Their views always differed from that of the other yet in the end one of them always let the other win. Her sister has always supported her in every decision she have made and it was her who even made their father agree to them. Just like how she made their father agree to let Shravani study abroad.

Yet there was something common among them, their love for each other. And it was this love that made the two sisters stand for each other through thick and thin.

Love was pain and she never wished the pain upon herself.

Shravani knew she did never marry a man for love.

Growing up, she had seen both her mother and sister suffer in the name of love. Her mother, that poor woman never got the love and respect she deserved from the man she loved, her father. For him, she was just a commodity.

And her sister, she loved a man with all her heart only for him to leave her alone and broken. He taught her sister to love but he failed to teach her about the pain that love brings along with the sweet pleasure.

She had seen her sister breakdown with grief until due to love. She remembered how her sister cried and begged for him to come back only to receive a silence from the other side. She could never forget the pain and tribulation her sister undergo because of it.

And that was like a last nail to strengthen Shravani's beliefs about love. Seeing the pain and anguish her mother and sister undergo, she had promised herself never to fall in love.

Her pains started years ago, but she had lived with it for so long at that point that she had accepted it as an inevitable part of her. Everything was fine until she had met him.

Rocky a.k.a Roadside Romeo.

He came, made her feel things which she never thought she could feel only for him vanish like wind.

Why did he come into her life if was not here to stay?

Why did he make her feel things only for him to vanish without any trace?

Why do she have to marry someone when there is another person in her heart?

How did she end up catching feelings for a man like him?

Why all this is happening to her?

Why, just why dammit?

Various questions swiveled through her mind as she averted her gaze away from her sister's burning ones. It seemed as if her sister could read the thoughts that was going through her mind.

"You know, I love you right? Just remember decisions I take are only for your happiness and well-being." The seriousness in her sister's voice was alarming. There was the silence of death in her words.

"I know, Reena. You are the only person I trust in this whole world to never betray me." Reena smiled softly as she gently pulled her sister for a hug.

Shravani closed her eyes and breathed deeply, enjoying the warmth of her sister's hug. She felt peaceful and happy as she snuggled herself in her sister's arms or her second mother's arms. But unfortunately for them, all good things should come to an end.

"The groom's family has arrived. Sir has ordered to bring young madam downstairs." One of the maids informed knocking on the door.

"Inform him we are coming." Reena answered, her eyes sparkling with disappointment.

Rocky didn't come.

Maybe he didn't love her sister enough to fight for her. She was a fool to think that guy genuinely loved Shravani.

~•~

Shravani descended down the stairs accompanied by Reena and few of her female cousins, all of whom were chuckling and teasing the bride-to-be.

The entire mansion was decorated with lights and flowers. The house was scented with the ambrosial fragrance of jasmine flowers.

Shravani came with her sister, her eyes casted down. People might think it might be due to shyness but truth be told, she was hiding the pain and sadness in her eyes.

She looked no less than a princess in the ivory lehenga. Her ears and neck was adorned with beautiful gold ornaments. Her anklets jingles making sound with each step she took.

All eyes watched her, some with admiration, some with lust and many more. People looked at her with their mouth parted.

Reena brought the reluctant girl towards the families and made her stand beside Virat before moving away and standing beside her own fiance.

Virat looked her up and down in a way that made her skin crawl before he took her hand in his. She was about to pull her hand back but her father's warning glare stopped her. Feeling disgusted, she let him hold her hands.

Shravani looked around the decorated hall taking in all the familiar faces. Few of her father's relatives, his business partners and of course his goons. But amidst all these familiar faces her eyes were searching for someone unknown to herself.

'He won't come here, Shravani. Why are you budding false hope in your heart?' Her mind whispered.

With each passing second, she felt herself turning cold and numb. Terrible anguish struck her heart, she felt a dreadful ache as if something was being torn inside her and she were dying.

'No' Her heart and mind both screamed so loudly yet no words left her mouth.

"Here Virat, make your bride wear this ring." Garuda said, passing a costly looking gold ring to his brother.

Virat took the ring from his brother with a smirk on his face. Finally the feisty princess is his. He will make sure he will completely break the girl and mold her according to his own like.

He looked at Shravani who in turn was looking down at the floor, like a typical shy submissive bride. He slightly pressed on Shravani's hand making her look at him, she averted her gaze.

And that was it when it happened like a fantasy for her.

Amidst the crowd, her eyes met the burning eyes of the man she fancied. He is here. Her eyes widened in shock as the realisation sinked in.

Rocky is here.

He is really here.

But why?

They got lost in each other's eyes, the pain and the love?, were evident in his eyes before she looked away unable to see the raw emotions in his eyes.

Loud claps echoed through the walls of the mansion heard as Virat slid the ring in Shravani's finger, sealing her fate with his.

"Now Shravani make Virat wear this ring." Her father said forwarding a velvet box towards her.

She looked back at the place where she spotted Rocky standing only to find him missing. He left. With hesitation she took the ring kept inside the box and slide it his hands.

He let her go. Without a word. Without a try. Without a fight. He simply just let go of her. Was she not worth it?

~•~

Shravani was tossing and turning on her bed unable to sleep despite the long day she had.

The moon outside was high in the sky indicating it was past midnight. She sat up and blinked her eyes trying to adjust to the dark room. She stretched, standing up from her bed and walked towards the balcony of her room.

She leaned against the rally closing her eyes feeling the cold wind blowing against her face. The night felt calm and peaceful.

She hadn't meet Rocky till now. She wanted, no she needed to talk to him that too before the wedding but she didn't know how she will do it nor what she really wanted to talk to him about.

She had got a glimpse of him during her engagement function but after that he vanished like always. She searched her entire house for him but she couldn't find him. It seemed as if the entire 'seeing him thing' was an illusion.

Maybe it was an illusion, a mere fragment of her mind. He was never here. He will never be here. Because who was she to him for him to fight for? She was just an entertainment for him.

The sound of a fallen vase brought her out of her thoughts. She came back in her room and looked around only to find a shadow making its way towards her. She froze for a second before she felt adrenaline rush through her. She slowly moved towards her bed and picked up the gun, gifted by father on her eighteenth birthday. She tightened her grip on the gun as the shadow moved closer to her.

She tightened her grip on the gun to ready to pull the trigger but before she could do it the shadow he stopped her by holding her hand. He twisted her hand lightly making her drop the gun on the floor. He held her hand tightly pulling her closer to him while his other hand covered her mouth preventing her from screaming. He trapped her between himself and the wall. She tried to wriggle out of his hold but he held her more tightly. She felt the touch familiar.

"Shh don't struggle sweetheart. We don't want your father and sister to catch us like this in the middle of the night, do we?" He said making her stop struggling.

~•~

Hola guys,

Hope you all liked the chapter.

I have not proof read this chapter. So there are chances for plenty of mistakes and I apologize for them.

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Till then,
Take care❤️