Avinash's POV:
As soon as she woke up, first she touched the back of her head, maybe because it would be aching. Then may be the memories came crashing back— she shook her head violently, in denial. Her soft voice was barely above a whisper. "How—" she breathed, looking around. "How did I end up here?"
The room was too quiet. Too still. Except she wasn't alone— i'd been watching her the whole time. She didn't notice me at all. She abruptly sat up and clutched the bedsheet like it was the only shield she had, I couldn't help but smile appeared on my face. She looked around and then froze when she saw the portrait on the wall: me, posed like a king on a throne— an aura dark and powerful.
She starred at the picture and then muttered, "Mann toh kar raha hai, gala ghot ke maar doon tumhe. Meri zindagi ko nark jaise bana diya hai." (I really feel like strangling you to death. You've turned my life into hell.) She raised her hand in a mock strangling gesture towards my portrait — ridiculous and furious — and pretended to choke me. I smirked, enjoying the absurdity. I haven't even done anything and she is saying i'd made her life Hell.
Then she panicked. "Ahh— What should i do now", she told herself out loud, trying to steady her breathing. "Dekh ye koi fairy tale nahi hai. Yaha tujhe bachane koi prince charming nahi aane wala. Tujhe khud hi apni madad karni padegi. Haan. Main.. Main yaha se bhaag jaungi. Yes." (Look, this isn't a fairy tale. No Prince Charming is coming to save you here. You'll have to help yourself. Yes. I... I'll run away from here. Yes.) I couldn't help but chuckle. She had no idea she'd married the King of Rajasthan — AVINASH SINGH RATHORE, I thought and then amused. The absurdity of her thinking that she could escape me, made me laugh internally. She couldn't escape me. Not now. Not ever, after what she did.
She was thinking something deep , the frowns on her head told me and then, "But ek minute... who was that old man he said? After i came to mumbai, i fought with just one old man. But wait— it was his fault. He touched me inappropriately, and for that he was beaten. Kahi.." She stopped then again started, "No, but woh buddha toh itna ameer nahi lag raha tha, par.. Mawali type zaroor tha. No No. He isn't. Then which old man he was talking about?" (No, but that old man didn't look rich... though he definitely looked like a goon.)
I caught myself thinking the same question. Kis buddhe ki baat kar rahi hai? The thought of some man laying hand on her made my jaw clench. I wanted to rip his hand off. Frustration seized her again, she twisted her finger through her hair and let out a raw, "Ahhhh!"
She looked utterly adorable in that moment— hair dishevelled, eyes flashing with anger. This sight was something, i couldn't tear my eyes away. Like i was hypnotised. Then she sat up straighter again and began ranting, practically and furiously both. "I will call the police— he ... he married me forcefully. But wait — i don't have my phone". Does she really think police had the power to keep her away from him. I was loving it.
Her face heated. "He has a gun. Pakka gunda hi hoga!" (He has a gun. He must definitely be a criminal!) I almost laughed out loud. Almost. A thug? Gunda? Me? She thought of nothing else but this. Then she exploded suddenly into cursing me with frantic hand gestures. Her cheeks went crimson, her little nose scrunched up and she punched at the air as if she could punch the very moment i appear there. Fingers flew; palm slapped the mattress and she made that strangling motion at the portrait again, mock violent and ridiculous.
"May his tire get punctured every single time he leaves the house!" she cried, then immediately, "May his food fall every time he sits down to eat!" Her list tumbled out— petty, precise and oddly intimate. I listened, a small smile playing on my lips. The anger in her voice, the ridiculousness of her threats, the sharp little gestures, and ahh she rolling her eyes— they were stirring something inside me, i didn't even know what it is. She looked unbearably human: furious, fragile and entirely unaware of how completely she'd captured my attention. Her curse– should make me furious and angry, but for some reason i was enjoying it.. And the reason behind it still unknown to me. No one have the courage to even think like this about him. And here she is!
Then there was a knock on the door, and she froze. Ohh so my kitten is scared... right now, the same girl who had been cursing me nonstop with all her courage looked tiny, fragile, and terrified. I chuckled softly.
Her voice came out barely above a whisper, so soft it might have gone unheard if i hadn't been listening with my full attention. "KAun hai?" she asked, her fist tightening on the bedsheet. The expression on her face... oh my God. She truly looked like a scared little kitten, all wide eyes and trembling.
I reminded myself: No one dares enter my space without my permission. And yet, here were my family members, stepping in carefully, only to see her.
Her eyes were full of curiosity, confusion, and lingering fear. And then... the air shifted. The entire misunderstanding began to unravel when my mother started recounting the story, explaining what had really happened. Piece-by-piece, Siya's tension eased, replaced by a mix of disbelief, relief and the faintest trace of lingering anger— but mostly relief. But what she said next made my temper rise. She actually said she wanted to leave this place... she wanted to leave me!
Then she asked cautiously, "Where am I?" My father replied calmly, "Rajasthan". The moment she heard, her reaction was instantaneous— she practically leapt from the bed, eyes wide with disbelief, voice shaking with outrage. "What? Rajasthan??" she shouted, as if she couldn't believe it.
I felt heat crawl up my spine. How dare she even think about leaving? The audacity. My blood boiled and I clenched my fists. She isn't going anywhere.
I stood up from the couch, my eyes fixed on her and ordered coldly, "No one is going anywhere." Her eyes widened in shock, disbelief written all over her face. Then, as realization slowly dawned, she whispered, "Where... you here the whole time?" I didn't answer. I just stared. Her cheeks flushed a deep, delicate pink, and she looked away, caught between embarrassment and frustration.
Author's POV:
Hearing to his son, Aditya, his father started, "Avinash... beta, ye— " but he couldn't finish.
Siya suddenly burst out, her voice sharp, "Avinash!! Iska naam Avinash kisne rakha?" She paused. "Iska naam toh Satyanaash hona chahiye!!" (Avinash!! Who gave the name Avinash?? His name should be Satyanash - meaning destruction, ruin )
The younger clan — Rudra, Moksh and Ishika — immediately burst into laughter. Even the older generation — his grandparents, parent and his uncle and aunt — tries to suppress their smiles. Avinash's eyes narrowed, a piercing glare slicing through the room. The younger clan froze, their giggles dying in their throats.
Seeing this, Siya noticed the younger clan shrinking back, clearly afraid of him. She turned to Avinash, her eyes blazing and demanded, "Aankhe kya dikha rahe ho unhe? Maine kuch galat nahi kaha..!" (Why are you glaring at them? I didn't say anything wrong!) Avinash froze, caught off guard. Up till now, she had been cursing him in private. And yet here she was — standing her ground, confronting him face-to-face, even threatening him. A flicker of surprise crossed his face, but he masked it well.
Nandini, knowing his son too well, interrupted not to make it worse. But it only made the things worse. Nandini smiled. "Beta, shant ho jau. Tum hamari bahu nahi balki beti ho." (Child, calm down. You're not our daughter-in-law, you're our daughter.)
Bahu. (Daughter-in-law?)
That word hit her chest like a bullet. Her lips trembled — not with tears, but with fury. "Bahu? Beti?" (Daughter-in-law? Daughter?) she repeated, almost laughing at the absurdity. "Aap sab serious toh hain?" (Are you all serious?) Everyone froze. "Main kisi ki bahu nahi hoon!" (I am not anyone's daughter-in-law!) Her voice rose sharply, slicing through the air. "Yeh shaadi zabardasti huyi thi! Bandook ke zor pe! Aap sab jaante hain na?!" (This marriage was forced! At gunpoint! You all know that right?!)
No one spoke. Not even the man who had brought her here. Avinash's gaze lingered on her for a long moment — and then, quietly, he said, "Everyone out".
The authority in his tone was too dark to ignore. The family hesitated, the air suffocating with tension, when Siya's voice cut through it like a sharp blade. She wasn't the broken girl everyone expected. "Sab log yahin rahenge," she said sharply, folding her arms. "Agar kisi ko problem hai... toh wo chala jaaye." (Everyone will stay right here.If anyone has a problem... they can leave. )
Pin- drop silence.
Avinash froze mid-step, his glare enough to set the entire floor on fire. His fingers curled into fists. For a long second, he didn't speak. And when he finally did — his voice was calm. Too calm."Aapko lagta hai, aapke kehne se—" (Do you think just because you say so—)
Siya cut him off instantly. "—haan lagta hai! Kyu tumhe koi problem hai? Toh tum jaao. Maine rok nahi rakha tumhe!" That... did it. (Yes, I do! Why, do you have a problem? Then leave. I'm not stopping you!)
The entire family's eyes went wide. Moksh whispered under his breath, "Arey wah bhabhi! Pehle hi din bhai ko line pe le liya. History ban gayi!" (Wow, sister-in-law! You have put brother in his place on the very first day! Its's history!) Rudra shot him a warning glare. "Chup kar, warna bhai teri history bana dege". (Shut up, or else brother will turn you into history.) But Moksh being Moksh. He only grinned wider. "Ab bhai ko pata chalega roz humpe hukum jhadne ka asli taste kya hota hai." (Now brother will get to know.. What its taste like to command and rule) Avinash's jaw twitched. His glare snapped to Moksh, and instantly — dead silence. Moksh zipped his lips like a disciplined schoolboy.
But Siya wasn't done. She turned back to family, eyes fuming with anger. "Main yeh shaadi nahi maanti. Yeh zabardasti thi. Main yaha ek minute bhi nahi rahoongi. Bas!". (I don't accept this marriage. It was forced. I won't stay here even for a minute.) Gayatri, his grandmother stepped forward, "Beti," she began gently, "Shaadi jaise bhi huyi ho... Shaadi, shaadi hoti hai. Jis din maang mein sindoor lagta hai, us din se— ". (Child.. No matter how the marriage happened.. A marriage is a marriage. The day vermillion applied to your hairline—) Siya threw her hands up. "Yeh sab filmy dialogues hai. Aur aap sab bhooliye mat ye meri marzi ke khilaf shaadi huyi hai! Zabardasti se!!" ( All this is filmy dialogue. And you all don't forget that this marriage happened without my will! Forced!!) Avinash looked like he might explode. He opened his mouth. "You—"
But Siya pointed a finger at him. "Tum bilkul chup raho! Ab tumne kuch bola toh mujhe allergy ho jaayegi!" (You stay completely quiet! If you say another word, I'll get an allergy!) Moksh choked on the air. Rudra's lips twitched. Ishika covered her mouth, trembling with suppressed laughter. Even his grandfather pinched the bridge of his nose to suppress his laugh. His grandmother said, "Beti, Shaadi to ho gayi hai. Toh ab tumhe —" (Child, but the marriage is done. So now, you—) She interrupted again, her tone sharp and witty. "Main koi toothpaste nahi hoon jo 'once opened, must be used fully!' Shaadi hui toh kya? And ek minute Zabardasti ki shaadi!" (I'm not toothpaste that says 'once opened, must be fully used'! Marriage happened so what? And wait a sec.. A forced marriage!)
That broke Nikhil. He burst out laughing, coughing mid-way. "Toothpaste!! Haye bhagwan!" "Chup!" Avinash thundered. The room went silent again. For exactly five seconds. Then Siya crossed her arms. "Tum chilao mat. Koi behra nahi hai yaha." (Don't shout. No one here is deaf.) Avinash took a step forward, jaw tight, because he was not used to this insulting and interrupting. "Aap—"
"Dekha?" (See?) Siya said, turning to the family. "Aap sab dekh rahe hai na? Yeh hai aapka so-called Son! Shuru se sirf dhamki deta rehta hai!" (You all are seeing naa? This is your so called son! From the starting, he is just threatening me!) Moksh couldn't hold it anymore. "Bhabhi toh full-on entertainment hai! Finally— Bhai ke takar ka match mil gaya!" (Sister-in-law is full-on entertainment! Finally— our brother's match is found!) Avinash shot him such a deadly glare that even Rudra took one step back. Siya frustrated said, "Bhabhi nahi hoon main". (I'm not your sister-in-law) Vikram cleared his throat loudly. "Bas! Ab sab shant ho jao!"(enough! Now every one silent)
But Siya wasn't done yet. "Theek hai! Aap sabko lagta hai yeh shaadi sach hai? Fine! Toh main divorce lungi. Simple." (Fine! You all think this marriage is real? Fine! Then i'll take divorce. Simple.) That word echoed through the room like a thunder. For a second., no one dared move. Then, Nandini — calm, yet her words held weight — "Hamare raj gharane mein divorce nahi hote, Siya. Yahan sirf arthiya uthti hai." (In our royal family, there are no divorces. Only funeral biers are lifted.)
Siya froze from the weight of the words. But she was done with everything, emotionally exhausted but still fierce, "Toh theek hai!" (Fine Then!) she shouted. "Ab toh aapke bete ki arthi hi uthegi! Par main yahan nahi rahoongi, aur na main is shaadi ko kabhi manungi! Samje sab log?!" (Then only your son's funeral bier will rise! But I won't stay here, and I'll never accept this marriage! Understood all?!)
( abb iss ladki ko kon samjay ki... arthi bhale hi uski uthegi par vidhwa toh tu hogi na😮💨 )
Aditya exhaled, muttering under his breath, "Yeh toh gaya beta..." (He is gone now) Ishita elbowed Rudra, whispering, "Bhai-sa, lagta hai bhabhi-sa ne Rathore Palace ka Wi-Fi password change kar diya — ab bhai connect nahi ho pa rahe!" (Brother, it seems sister-in-law ha changed the WIFI password of the Rathore Palace— now brother is not able to connect!) Rudra murmured back, "Bas kar warna bhai tujhe reboot kar denge." (Stop it or else brother will reboot you.)
But Siya— oh our Siya didn't stop. "Aur tum teeno has kyu rahe ho? Yeh koi joke hai kya? Main mazak nahi kar rahi!" (Why you three are laughing? Is this a joke? I'm not making joke!) She looked around furiously among the family member — only to find Ishika trying her best to hold in laughter... and failing miserably. Ishika burst out laughing, clutching her stomach. "Bhabhi! I swear, aap toh legend ho! Aapne bhai ki bolti bandh kar di!" (Sister-in-law! I swear you are a legend! You have shut the mouth of our brother!) Siya didn't know what to say so she just glared.
But Avinash — for the first time — looked away. His lips twitched, not from anger... but something else. Something he couldn't name. Because for the first time, someone had dared to silence him. The lion of the Rathore Empire — shut down by a girl with fire in her eyes and zero fear in her heart.
Sensing the tension, Nandini stepped forward, she placed a gentle, motherly hand on Siya's head. "Go and freshen up first," she said softly. "We'll talk afterward. You haven't eaten since yesterday." She pointed towards a silver dish covered with a small cloth. Beneath it lay a set of clothes and jewelry. "Wear these", she added. Before Siya could protest, she continued, "Whatever decision you make — no matter who stands against it — i'll support you."
But deep down, Nandini knew her son. Avinash could never marry a girl unless he truly felt something for her. Whenever she or other family members pressured him about marriage, he would always refuse — his temper flaring, his words sharp — and then used to destroy everything in the room and also he would disappear for days, shutting everyone out. She had seen it in his eyes yesterday — that fleeting moment when the guard raised his gun and struck Siya. The horror, the fury, the helplessness that flashed across his face... After all, a mother always knows.
Everyone began to leave, still stealing glances at Siya. While leaving Moksh whispered, "Bhaiya toh gaye. Bhabhi-sa ne toh ek din mein Rathore Palace ka rulebook hi badal diya." (Brother is gone now. Sister-in-law had changed the rulebook of Rathore Palace in just one day.) Ishika smirked. "Ab dekhte hai, kaun kis pe hukum chalata hai." (now let's see, who rules over whom.) Rudra just grinned listening to them clearly enjoying.
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