The doors closed behind her.
Thud.
The sound echoed through the massive mansion like a final decision—cold, heavy, irreversible.
Meher stood frozen.
Her eyes scanned the place—high ceilings, dark walls, silence that didn't feel peaceful… it felt suffocating.
This wasn't a home.
It was a cage.
"Let me go."
Her voice was low this time.
Not loud. Not angry.
Just… tired.
No one responded.
The staff standing around avoided eye contact, their heads slightly lowered as if they already knew what was happening—but refused to be part of it.
"Did you not hear me?!" she snapped suddenly, her voice breaking. "I said LET ME GO!"
Her words echoed.
But still—
Nothing changed.
Footsteps approached behind her.
Slow.
Controlled.
Dangerous.
She didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
"You're not leaving."
Aarav's voice.
Calm.
Certain.
Final.
She turned instantly, her eyes filled with anger and something deeper now—fear.
"You can't keep me here like this!" she shouted. "This isn't your decision to make!"
"It already is."
Her chest rose and fell rapidly.
"Why are you doing this?" she demanded. "Why me?!"
For the first time—
He didn't answer immediately.
His gaze stayed on her, intense, unreadable.
Like he was trying to understand something himself.
"Because I chose you."
Her heart sank.
"That's not a reason!" she cried. "That's obsession!"
A flicker of something passed through his eyes.
Something dark.
"Yes."
The word hit harder than anything else.
No denial.
No excuse.
Just truth.
"You're admitting it?" she whispered in disbelief.
"I don't lie," he said quietly.
Her hands trembled.
"You need help," she said, stepping back. "This isn't love. This is wrong."
His jaw tightened.
"Love?" he repeated, almost like the word was unfamiliar.
Then, slowly—
"I didn't say I loved you."
Her breath caught.
"I said I want you."
Silence.
Heavy.
Terrifying.
Before she could respond, a woman stepped forward hesitantly.
"Sir… everything is ready."
Meher frowned slightly. "Ready? For what?"
No one answered her.
But deep down—
She already knew.
Her head snapped toward Aarav.
"No."
Her voice shook.
"No… you're not serious."
He didn't look away.
Her heartbeat sped up.
"No! I won't do this! I won't marry you!" she shouted, backing away.
"You don't have a choice."
"Everyone has a choice!" she cried.
A pause.
Then—
"Not you."
Her vision blurred slightly as panic took over.
"This is insane… this is insane…" she whispered, shaking her head.
"Bring her," Aarav ordered.
Two women approached her gently.
"Ma'am, please—"
"Don't touch me!" she snapped, pulling away.
But they didn't stop.
Within minutes—
She was taken to a large room.
A bridal outfit lay on the bed.
Red.
Heavy.
Beautiful.
And completely unwanted.
Her breathing became uneven.
"No…" she whispered, stepping back. "No, I'm not wearing this…"
"Please cooperate," one of the women said softly. "It will be easier."
"Easier for who?!" Meher broke. "For him?!"
Her voice cracked.
Tears filled her eyes.
"This is my life!" she cried. "You can't just take it away!"
But no one stopped.
No one helped.
And that's when—
She broke.
Tears streamed down her face as she struggled, her strength slowly fading under the weight of everything happening.
"Please…" she whispered, her voice barely audible now. "Just let me go…"
But the room remained silent.
Outside—
Aarav stood still.
Listening.
Every word.
Every tear.
Every broken piece of her voice.
His hands clenched into fists.
Something inside him twisted.
Uncomfortable.
Unfamiliar.
"Sir," Kabir spoke carefully, "this is going too far."
Aarav didn't respond.
"She's breaking," Kabir added.
Silence.
For a moment—
It looked like Aarav might stop this.
Like he might walk in and end it.
But instead—
He closed his eyes.
Took a slow breath.
And said something that sealed everything.
"She'll adjust."
Kabir's expression hardened slightly.
"This isn't adjustment. This is—"
"Enough."
One word.
Sharp.
Final.
Kabir stepped back.
Inside the room—
Meher sat on the floor now, her hands shaking, her mind unable to process anything anymore.
Her reflection stared back at her in the mirror.
Dressed as a bride.
Without her consent.
Without her choice.
Without her voice.
"I hate you…" she whispered softly.
And for the first time—
She meant it with everything she had.
Hours later—
She was brought downstairs.
The mansion was decorated.
Lights. Flowers. Silence.
No happiness.
Just… arrangement.
Her steps felt heavy.
Like she was walking toward something she could never escape from.
And then—
She saw them.
Her parents.
Her world stopped.
"Maa…?" her voice broke instantly.
Her mother looked at her.
But there were no tears.
No panic.
No urgency.
Just… silence.
Her father stepped forward.
"Meher," he said calmly.
She shook her head slowly.
"No… no… tell me this isn't real…"
Her eyes begged.
Her voice trembled.
"Tell me you didn't know about this…"
A pause.
A long, painful pause.
Then—
Her father said the words that destroyed her completely.
"We agreed."
Everything inside her shattered.
"What…?" she whispered.
"This marriage is important," he continued. "For us. For our future."
Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.
"You sold me?" she cried. "I'm your daughter!"
"It's not like that—"
"Then what is it?!" she screamed. "Because this feels exactly like that!"
Her mother finally spoke, her voice soft but distant.
"It's for your good."
Meher let out a broken laugh.
"My good?" she repeated. "You call this my good?"
Her legs felt weak.
Her heart felt empty.
And in that moment—
She realized something worse than being trapped here.
She had nowhere to go back to.
Aarav watched everything silently.
His expression unreadable.
But his eyes—
They never left her.
Pain.
Betrayal.
Broken trust.
And still—
He stepped forward.
The priest began the rituals.
Voices echoed.
Words were spoken.
But to her—
Everything sounded distant.
Muted.
Meaningless.
As Aarav stood beside her—
His hand brushed against hers.
She flinched instantly.
Something in his expression darkened.
Not anger.
Something deeper.
Something dangerous.
Not at her.
But at the fact that she pulled away.
The rituals continued.
Step by step.
Binding them together.
Until finally—
The moment came.
The final vow.
Aarav looked at her.
His voice low.
Certain.
Possessive.
"You're mine now."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
Her voice barely came out.
"I will never be yours."
For a second—
Silence.
Then slowly—
Aarav leaned closer.
Close enough that only she could hear him.
And whispered something that sent a chill down her spine.
"You already are."
.
.
.
.
.
THIS WILL BE INSANE YOU HAVE TO READ THE NEXT CHAPTER WITH A LOT OF TWIST EMOTIONAL BREAKDOWN AND ALSO HIS FOREVER . WILL MEET YOU TOMORROW WITH A NEW CHAPTER ALSO A BONUS CHAPTER TOO 👀✨🌼