Next Morning.
The first thing Siya felt was pain. A dull ache at the back of her head.
She groaned softly, her lashes fluttering open. Sunlight coming in through the tall window, painting the room in a warm gold — a room far too grand and far too strange to be hers. The carved pillars, the royal drapes, the lingering scent of sandalwood — it all felt like dream. For a moment, she thought she was dreaming.
Then she felt the pain again. Her hand flew up to the back of her head to touch. It hurts. And with that pain... came the memories
The mandap.
The gun.
The sindoor burning her forehead.
The salp — his slap.
And then.. The sharp blow from behind, before going everything into darkness.
Her heart began to race. No. No, no, no.
She sat up abruptly, clutching the bedsheet like its her only shield. Her breath came out uneven, her mind replaying everything — the forced marriage, the humiliation, the blood on the floor when he shot Avni's father.
"How— " she whishpered, looking around. "How did I end up here?" The room was too quiet. Too still. Except... she wasn't alone. She didn't notice it at all — the two pairs of eyes watching her from the far end of the room. Silently. Patiently.Studying her every movement and enjoying it. Avinash sat casually against the couch, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Avinash said nothing. He just observed. The morning light caught the sharp line of his jaw, the faint bruise where she had slapped him the night before — a slight mark she didn't even realize she'd left.
Siya's POV:
As soon as I woke up, i had this throbbing feeling at the back of my head. My hand instinctively rose to touch it. And then everything came running — one by one.
The mandap.
The gun.
The sindoor burning my forehead.
The salp — his slap.
And then.. The sharp blow from behind, before going everything into darkness.
My heart began to race. No. No, no, no.
I sat up abruptly, clutching the bedsheet like its my only shield. My breath came out uneven, my mind replaying everything — the forced marriage, the humiliation, the blood on the floor when he shot Avni's father.
"How— " I whishpered, looking around. "How did I end up here?" The room was too quiet. And then my eyes fell on the first thing — his pic large — hanging on the wall. My blood boiled looking at his picture. My fist curled into punch. "Mann toh kar raha hai, gala ghot ke mar dale tumhe. Meri zindangi nark jesi kar di hai", i started blablering looking at his portrait and raised my hand (🫶 like this ) to strangle his neck.(I feel like strangling you to death. You have make my life hell)
"Ahhh", I shouted. "What should i do now?" I panicked. I again looked at his picture and made the disgusting face, like I will do vomit if for one more second I looked at him. "See Siya, You don't have to panic right now. Dekh ye koi fairy tale nahi hai. Yaha tujhe bachane koy prince charming nahi aane wala. Tujhe apni madad khud karni padegi. Haan. Me yaha se bhag jaungi. Yes." Then my gaze shifted to the bandage on my wrist. I frowned thinking who did this. But then I dismissed it and again started, "But ek min woh konse buddhe ki baat kar raha tha?" I started thinking and as realization hit me, I screamed, "Ohh shit!! Mumbai aane ke baad mene sirf ek hi buddhe se fight ki thi. But ek min galti uski thi. (But wait a sec, it was his fault) He dared touch me inappropriately. And for that he was beaten. Kahi... No, but woh buddha toh itna ameer nahi lag raha tha, par... mawali type tha. (Somewhere... no, but that Buddha did not look so rich, but... he was a rowdy type.) No No. He isn't. Then which old man he was talking about?"
In frustration, I twisted my fingers through my hair and shouted, "Ahhhh!" I sat straight suddenly, "I will call the police, he.. He married me forcefully. But wait a sec— i don't have my phone." Then again that scene came in my mind, "He has gun, pakka gunda hi hai!" (He has a gun, he is definitely a goon!) and anger again rose inside me, and i started cursing him,
"May his tire get punctured every time he leaves the house.
May his food fall whenever he sits down to eat.
May the lights cut out whenever he sits to watch a match on TV.
May his phone battery dies right when he is about to make an important call.
May he step into puddle every time when he has wore a new shoes.
May his toast always burn when he's angry.
May his coffee spils on his shirt before every meeting."
( behn aur kuch bachha ho toh woh bhi bol de.. abb toh bas galiya deni hi bachhi hai😐 )
I was cursing him non-stop,pouring out my anger, when suddenly — Knock.. Knock..! Two sharp knock that made me freeze. My breath caught in my throat, and instinctively i clutched the bedsheet tightly in my fist. My heart pounded so loudly that i was sure whoever stood outside could hear it.
"Kaun hai", (Who is it,) I whispered, so softly that even i could barely hear my own voice. But there was only silence. My mind started racing, imagining every possible horror. "What if it was him? What if he'd come back with that gun?"
"Dekh tu jitna darehi, woh tujhe utna hi darayega," (Look, the more you fear, the more he will scare you.) I muttered under my breath, I tried to steady my shaking hands. "Haan... don't be scared." But who was i kidding? My voice was trembling, my throat felt dry, and my heart. My poor heart won't stop hammering against my ribs. I was terrified — hella scared — yet i forced myself to sit straighter, pretending to be brave even though my fear had already choked the breath from my chest.
Author's Pov:
Avinash did not move or speak. The knock was not a formality — no one dared enter his personal sanctuary without his verbal permission. Yet, the lock clicked and the heavy door began to swing inward.
His lips curled into a smirk as he watched her fear spike. This was it: the introduction—
A tide of people, finely dressed and radiating power entered the room.
First entered the patriarch and matriarch: Vikram Singh Rathore (Grandfather) and Gaytri Vikram Singh Rathore (Grandmother). Following them were his father, Aditya Singh Rathore, and his mother, Nandini Aditya Singh Rathore. Then came his younger brothers, Rudransh Singh Rathore (everyone calls him Rudra only) and Moksh Singh Rathore . Last were his uncle, Nikhil Singh Rathore, his aunt, Kirti Nikhil Singh Rathore, and there daughter, Ishika Singh Rathore.
(Family Members of Male Lead)
No one usually entered his room without permission. Not even his family. Yet today, they did. Because everyone wanted to see the girl — the stranger who had dared to challenge him.
Siya was utterly in her fear. Her breathing became shallow and rapid as she stared at the crowd that had come into the room. She was so consumed by the sheer number of people, their silence and their judgemental face, that she still hasn't registered Avinash's presence in the corner. Her eyes moved from one person to other, searching for something familiar, something safe. She clutched the bedsheet even tighter, that her knuckles became white. She looked from one face to another — confusion erupting in her mind. And then her eyes fell on the old man standing near the door. The same man that had smiled at her 2 or 3 days ago in the restaurant. Her breath hitched. "Aap.." (You)
Vikram Singh Rathore blinked in confusion, "Pehchaan gayi, beti?" (you recognized me, daughter?) Siya softly said, "How could i forget? You're the same man whose meal i paid for..." She stopped as realization hit her. "Wait— so you are that old man — that gunda was talking about..! I.. I helped you and what did i get? This!!" Avinash's eyes darkened. His Grandmother, Gayatri asked, "Gunda??" to which she replied, "Yes gunda. Guns leke ghumta hai, (yes, a goon. He carries guns around) and.. And he married me forcefully. I... I had helped you and your grandson had married me at gunpoint." There was hurt in her voice. "Aap sab soch rahe honge main jhooth bol rahi hoon. Par mera vishvas kijiye mene kuch nahi kiya." (You all must be thinking that i am lying. But believe me, I haven't done anything.) She blinked in confusion when she didn't see any expression on anyone's face. So many people. So many eyes — all fixed on her.
Nandini, his mother, places the silver dish on the table— that has neatly folded clothes and jewelry. Then she stepped forward, her eyes soft but heavy with guilt. "Beta," she began quietly, "it was all a misunderstanding. Actually, what happened was..." She took a pause before continuing. "Our enemies had poisoned the food that was served to Papa at the restaurant— the same meal you had paid the bill for. You had already left, but when he fell and was admitted to hospital. My son started searching for answers and... when that chef told us that you were the one who seen near Papa's table before and after the food arrived... he assumed— and nowadays who help others just free of cost." Her voice flattered. "So he assumed the worst." She looked down for a moment, before continuing, "We are truly sorry for what my son did to you, Siya. We know how this marriage happened... at gunpoint."
The room was filled with silence. Siya just stared at her for a long moment. Then slowly, a bright smile spread across her face— "That means.. You all believe me now?" she asked, her voice trembling with relief. "You know i'm innocent. I did nothing!" Her eyes sparkled as she looked around. "Where's that gunda? Tell him I did nothing! Huhh, finally!" She let out a shaky laugh, her smile widening. "Finally... now i can leave from here. I can go home, right?" There was a pause. She frowned, glancing between them. "Where.. Where am I, by the way?"
His father, Aaditya cleared his throat softly and said, "Rajasthan." The word hit her like a slap. Siya's eyes widened in disbelief. Ohh! So that's why there was a blindfold the whole time!! She stood up abruptly, the bedsheet falling on the floor. She shouted, her voice echoing through the quiet room. "WHAT? RAJASTHAN??"
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That's it for today
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