✿༺ 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 2 ༻✿

I was standing near the staircase. A few days had passed in all the rituals, mehendi, haldi, cocktail party, everything, and now it was the wedding evening. So much happiness and laughter filled the air. The Mallik mansion was beautifully decorated. All the big guests, media reporters, everyone had arrived on time.

And tomorrow, I can finally leave from here.

That thought stayed with me.

Because here, I am always extra. No one wants me. They just wanted me here for their reputation and their perfect, complete family image. Now it will be done, and I will be free.

I miss my work. I miss my best friend.

I have tried my best to consider them my family, my stepmom and my step-siblings Kritika and Viraj, as my real family. I have never treated them differently.

But they always have.

And what should I even say about them when my own father does not care about me? He only cares about his business and reputation.

They think I feel nothing.

But I do.

And it hurts. It hurts so painfully when in your own house you live like a guest. No, even guests here are given more importance, but me, nothing.

When my mom passed away, I was just one year old. He remarried. I did not even see my mom, but I always think, if she had been alive, she would have treated me the way my stepmom treats Kritika, like she matters the most. But that never happened. Till I was fourteen, my grandmother raised me, and she was everything I had, but she also left me.

My eyes filled with tears, but I quickly wiped them away and composed myself as people were around. I could not let anyone see.

"Ruhaani."

Viraj's voice pulled me back.

I turned.

"Mom said to bring Kritika. Panditji has called her. The wedding rituals are about to start."

"Oh, okay. I am going," I said.

"Yeah, do it fast," he replied.

I nodded and went upstairs.

I went to Kritika's room and opened the door.

There was no one.

I frowned. How was that possible? Her friends and my cousins were supposed to be with her.

"Kritika?" I called.

No answer. Then I checked the bathroom. She was not there. Something felt wrong.

Then I looked around the room carefully, and on the makeup table, I found a folded letter. I picked it up, opened it, and read.

I was shocked.

She had run away.

Run away from her wedding.

With her boyfriend.

They had been in a relationship for two years. She could not tell her mom before because she had a fight with him, and to make him jealous, she agreed to this marriage. Now he came back, said sorry, convinced her, and she realized everything was messed up, but still she left with him, saying she cannot live without him.

Marriage and all this... was just a joke for her.

Just to make her boyfriend jealous.

Really?

What about two families?

She did not even think about it.

I hurriedly went downstairs and went to mom. I took her to a private space.

She asked, "Where is Kritika? I told you to bring her."

I did not say anything. I just gave her the letter.

She read it and was shocked. And for the first time, I saw her so nervous.

"How can she... no, she cannot do this. Not today," she said.

"Everything was fine, how can she run away? Call her."

"I did," I said, "but her phone is switched off."

Then she looked around at all the guests, family members, the Shergills, and Ritvik, who was sitting in the mandap.

"What will I say to everyone? How can she do this to me?" she said.

Seeing us, dad and Viraj also came toward us.

Dad asked, "What happened? Where is Kritika? Bring her, everyone is waiting, the mahurat is going."

Mom, with nervous and shaken expressions, handed the letter to him.

Dad read it.

Then Viraj also read it.

Both their expressions changed into anger, frustration, fear, everything mixed together.

"How can she run away and leave us like this?" dad said. "Was this wedding a joke for her? Everyone is here waiting for her. What will I answer them? The Shergills... my reputation of all these years... my business will be ruined."

Viraj tried calling her, but again it was switched off.

"How can she do this?" he said. "Dad, what will we do now?"

Seeing us all together, Vikram Shergill, Ritvik's father, came toward us and said, "What happened? Why are you all looking stressed?"

Mom and dad straightened themselves and tried to fix their expressions.

He again asked, "Where is Kritika? Call her."

Then dad said, "I want to talk to you."

The next moment, we all, Vikram and Meera Shergill, Saurabh, Ritvik, and us, were in a private room. Now everyone knew what had happened.

I was standing in a corner, just listening.

Vikram Shergill said, "What is this, Rajeev? How did this happen? Now what will we do? My reputation will be damaged, all because of you and your daughter's joke?"

Dad said, disappointed, "I do not know how this happened, Vikram. Everything was fine before. How suddenly this happened, I am also in shock."

He said, "But that will not fix anything. How will I face people, business partners, and media? You know how much our reputation will be tarnished."

Everyone was standing with tense faces.

Then my eyes went to him.

Ritvik.

His expression was calm. Like nothing had happened.

His wedding was ruined, his bride ran away, and he was just standing there with a normal expression.

How can someone be so calm?

Then my father said, "We have one way to save our reputation."

His father asked, "What way? How?"

Dad looked at me.

I was confused.

Why is he looking at me?

Then slowly, I understood.

"No..." I said in my mind. "This cannot happen."

Then he said it.

"We can replace the bride. Instead of Kritika, Ruhaani can marry Ritvik."

The words I never wanted to hear.

How can he do this without even asking me?

Is marriage a joke?

I do not want to marry anyone.

No.

I am not going to do this.

His father said, "What are you saying? How can that happen?"

I looked toward Ritvik. He was also looking at me.

Then again my dad said, "This is the only way. I have to save our families' reputation."

After more discussions, they agreed.

Dad came to me and said, "Ruhaani, please do this marriage," folding his hands, something he never does.

"You can only save our reputation. Please, dear, do this."

I could not.

"I cannot do this.." I said. "This was not mine. I do not want to marry... I.... cannot do this....... You cannot do... this to me, dad. I do not even know him. How can I marry a stranger?"

I walked away.

Then suddenly, I heard a sound.

I turned.

Dad had fallen on the floor.

"Dad!" I ran to him. "Dad, open your eyes!"

"Viraj, call the doctor!"

Everyone gathered around.

We moved him to the bed. The doctor came and checked him.

"His BP is very low," the doctor said. "He has taken major stress. Take care of him. Do not give him more stress, otherwise it will be serious."

He left.

We were all scared.

After some time, dad opened his eyes.

"Ruhaani..." he said.

I went near him.

"Please, Ruhaani, do this marriage. I know I have not cared enough for you. I have no right to ask you anything, but still I am asking. Please agree."

I could not see him like that.

I could not say no. And I agreed. Not because I wanted to. But for him.

And the next moment, I was sitting in the mandap beside Ritvik Shergill, wearing a bridal lehenga that had been arranged within minutes.

Everything happened so fast that I did not even get time to think.

Same mandap. Same people. Same rituals.

Just... a different bride.

Panditji was reciting mantras, like nothing had changed.

But everything had.

My hands were cold. I kept them still in my lap so no one would notice. I looked to the side. Ritvik was sitting there. He was not looking at me.

His face looked normal from the outside, but there was something off. His jaw was tight, and he wasn't moving much, like he was just getting through it.

Not reacting.

Not saying anything.

Just... doing what had to be done.

For a second, his eyes shifted.

They met mine.

Only for a moment. Then I instantly looked away. As I felt little nervous or what I could not tell.

Panditji asked us to repeat something. I said the words without thinking.

This was not my wedding.

This was not my place.

And still...

I was sitting there.

In my sister's place.

...................................

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