Sanaya ran downstairs in a hurry, her dupatta slipping off midway, but she didn’t stop to pick it up. As she reached the living room, her sudden entrance caught everyone's attention. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, while Kritika followed closely behind.

Without saying a word, they quietly sat on the long couch—Sanaya in the middle, meanwhile Kunal and Kritika sitting either side.

"Dikhne mein kitna sundar hai... apni Sanaya ke saath jachega," her grandmother commented, admiring Anirudh's picture on Rudraksh’s phone.

[ He's so handsome...He will look good with our Sanaya ]

Hearing that, Sanaya's eyes widened, and a grin stretched across her face before she quickly hid behind Kritika’s shoulder, peeking out shyly.

"Woh ladka accha nahi hai," Rudraksh objected, his voice firm as if he had already made up his mind. "Ladai-jhagde mein rehta hai."

[ That guy isn't good ] [ He's always in fight and all ]

"Toh apni Sanaya bhi toh aisi hi hai. Yaad nahi, boss ko gaaliyan de kar aa gayi thi?" their grandfather chuckled, already favoring the match.

[ So our Sanaya is also like him. Don't you remember she cursed her boss? ]

Sanaya straightened her back with pride.

"Nahi," Rudraksh insisted. "Ladka shaant hona chahiye. Jiski dushmani itne bade-bade logo se rehti ho, kya pata underground tak pahucha ho. Uski umar ka kya vishwas, kab koi goli maar de!" His tone was serious, his brows furrowed in clear disapproval.

[ The guy should stay calm. He has enmity with such powerful people, who knows if it even reaches the underground? And as for his age, who can say? Someone might shoot him any day. ]

" Haw" Sanaya reacted unde rher breath. She turned to Kritika, muttering near her ear, "Yeh Bhai meri love story mein villain kyun ban rahe hain?"

[ Why is brother becoming a villain in my love story? ]

Rudraksh stood up from the armchair.

"Lekin, Rudraksh—" their father tried to reason.

"Hume damad chahiye, gunda nahi," Rudraksh cut him off before heading upstairs.

[ We want a son in law, not a thug ]

Sanaya glared at him, her lips curling into an unintentional pout. "Ye Bhai kuch zyada nahi bol rahe? Itne pyare se toh hain woh!"

[ isn't brother talking a bit too much? He's so sweet though. ]

As Rudraksh disappeared, and others went in their rooms. Kunal smirked and shrugged. "By the way, Bhai is right. I'm with—"

Before he could complete his sentence, Sanaya grabbed a cushion and smacked it straight into his face.

"Jab kuch acha nahi bol sakte toh chup raho!" Kritika joined in, slapping the back of his head.

[ When you can't say something right so stay quiet ]

Kunal groaned, rubbing his head. "Me toh jaa raha hoon, aur aaj ke baad tum dono ko koi baat nahi bataunga," Kunal huffed and walked away.

[ I'm going and I'm not going to tell you anything anymore ]

"Di, you have to fight for yourself. This is not just a golden chance but priceless," Kritika encouraged, her voice filled with determination.

"I think you're right. I will talk about it," Sanaya said, glancing toward Rudraksh's hallway. "Tomorrow," she added hesitantly.

"Tomorrow? Not tomorrow. Go right now," Kritika insisted, pushing her toward the stairs.

"Right now?" Sanaya swallowed hard.

"Yeah, right now. Come on." Kritika grabbed her wrist and started dragging her upstairs.

"But don't you think it's... not appropriate to tell your own brother that you like a guy?" Sanaya hesitated as they reached the hallway.

"It's the twenty-first century already, Di," Kritika rolled her eyes " and since when you start overthinking like me?" she gave her one final push in front of Rudraksh's bedroom.

"Okay, okay, I'm going," Sanaya sighed deeply before knocking on the door.

"Bhai, can we talk for a minute?" she asked, pressing her ear against the door to hear his response.

"Hmm," came Rudraksh's usual low, uninterested reply.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. He was sitting on the bed, his tablet resting on his lap, fingers scrolling mindlessly.

Sanaya sighed, gathering her courage. "Bhai, at least meet him once. We shouldn't judge people from afar. If you trust people's words so much, then why don't you believe them when they talk shit about me? You don't, because you know I must have my own reasons. What if he's forced to be like this?" she argued, her voice laced with determination yet a hesitation.

Rudraksh remained silent for a moment, his sharp gaze assessing her. There was always a certain weight in his silence that made Sanaya uneasy. She had never feared anyone in her life except him. Her voice trembled slightly as she continued, "Bhai...."

Rudraksh exhaled, placing his tablet aside. "The problem isn’t why he's like this, Sanaya. The problem is that he is like this." His voice was calm yet firm. "Even at those parties where I had to face him, he was too cold. I don’t think he would treat you right. He’s almost a gangster, Sanaya. You deserve someone calm, mature, and family-oriented,"

Sanaya bit her lip. "But Bhai—"

"No." He cut her off. "I won’t let you marry a man who lives in a world of fights and enmity. You deserve better."

Her heart sank. Rudraksh’s words were final, but Sanaya wasn’t ready to give up yet.

She walked out of the room quietly, her steps heavy with frustration.

"Yaar, 'you deserve better, you deserve better' bol rahe hain... mujhe nahi chahiye better, mujhe wahi chahiye," she muttered to herself, more than to Kritika, as they made their way back to her room.

[ He's saying you deserve better, you deserve better....I don't want better, I want him ]

"You know what? You can fight with the whole world for yourself, but in front of Bhai, you always go silent. Bro! At least tell me, what did you say?" Kritika snapped, crossing her arms.

Sanaya sighed and told her everything as they entered the room. The moment the door shut behind them, she threw herself onto the bed dramatically.

"Yaar, Bhai toh bewajah akal ke gadhe doda rahe hain," she groaned into the pillow.

"Ghode. Akal ke ghode dodana," Kritika corrected, shaking her head. " Are you serious, Kritika? " Sanaya wondered.

🦢

Half of the night was spent planning how to convince Rudraksh for her marriage.

🦢

The next day, Sanaya was all set to leave for the office.

As she passed by the kitchen, she overheard her mother and aunt talking about her and Anirudh. She immediately hid behind the wall—after knowing, eavesdropping is a sin.

"Ladka bahut hi accha hai, itna rutba hai, kitna kamyaab hai, aur dikhne mein bhi bahut sundar hai ki har kisi ki nazar tham jati hai," her mother praised.

[ The guy is truly amazing, he has such status, is incredibly successful, and is so handsome that everyone eyes stop on him ]

Sanaya’s eyes widened slightly. Such positive words from her mother’s mouth—about a man, she might get married with—were shocking.

She leaned in further.

"Isliye hi toh main bol rahi hoon, iske liye chhodo ye Kritika ke kaam ka rishta hai." Her aunt said.

[ That's why I'm saying, leave her. He's perfect for Kritika ]

Sanaya's eyes popped out, her jaw clenching in disbelief.

Before she could process it, Kunal appeared out of nowhere. "Sanaya di, kiski baatein sun rahi hoon chup chup kar?" he blurted out, exposing her within a second.

[ Sanaya Di, whose talks are you secretly listening to? ]

Her eyes widened for the third time that morning. She cursed him under her breath.

Her mother and aunt immediately turned towards her, their expressions sharp.

Kunal gritted his teeth, realizing his mistake. This could lead to serious trouble for Sanaya. Sanaya, who was already glaring at him, clenched her fists.

"Sanaya? Tum humari baatein sun rahi thi?" her mother asked, her gaze narrowing.

[ Sanaya? Were you listening to our conversation? ]

"Nahi Maa," she lied quickly.

"Nahi Aunty, how can she? I was joking. Di, come, come, come," Kunal panicked, grabbing her wrist and dragging her outside before her mother could remove her slipper and launch it at her.

As they reached outside, Sanaya quickly grabbed a stick lying nearby. “Ab bach ke dikha!” she yelled, charging at Kunal.

[ Now let's see you escape! ]

“Arey ye kya baat hui! Ek toh maine unse aapko bachaya,” Kunal laughed as he dodged her.

[ Hey, what’s this! I was the one who saved you from them. ]

“Acha? Aur phasaya kisne tha?” she scolded, swinging the stick playfully.

[ Oh really? And who got me into trouble? ]

They ran around the lawn, Kunal laughing and Sanaya chasing him with determination.

Meanwhile, Rudraksh had just stepped outside and stopped to watch them. Kritika was already there, arms crossed, amused at the scene.

Kunal, catching his breath, groaned dramatically. He stopped to see Sanaya. “Sab mere hi peeche pade hain, sab ke sab! Ek Maa—pure din chappal lekar tayyar rehti hai! Tumhari Maa—jo hamesha kaan bharti rehti hai! Aur ek Bhai—”

[ Everyone's after me, every single one of them! My mom—always ready with a slipper in hand! Your mom—always filling ears with complaints! And then, a brother— ]

Sanaya, too lost in her rant, didn’t realize Kritika and Rudraksh were standing behind her. She finally stopped, catching her breath, her back still facing them.

“Arey mujhe shaadi karni hai! Mujhe nahi rehna is ghar mein! Bolte hain ‘you deserve better.’ Bas mujhe itna pata hai ki sab kuch is ghar se better hai! Areyy insaan ko jab tang karenge toh wo toh gunda banega hi! Aur waise bhi, kitne pyaare—”

[ Hey, I want to get married! I don’t want to stay in this house! He keep saying, ‘You deserve better.’ All I know is that everything is better than this house! If you keep pushing someone, of course, they'll turn into a gangster! And anyway, how sweet— ]

She turned mid-sentence— And froze. Her words hung in the air, unfinished. Her breath hitched. The ground slipped from beneath her feet.

Rudraksh stood there, arms crossed, eyebrows raised, staring at her with a look that sent chills down her spine.

“Kitne… pyare hain mere bhai,” Sanaya forced a smile, trying to salvage the situation. “Have a good day!” She greeted quickly and turned towards her car.

[ How sweet my brother is ]

Each step felt like walking on a minefield. “Agar Bhai ne roka, matlab… ab khal utaregi. Aur agar nahi roka, toh main bach gayi,” she muttered under her breath.

[ If my brother stops me, it means... my skin will be peeled off. But if he doesn't, then I'm safe ]

“Jai Baba Mohan Ram ki,” she joined her hands in silent prayer, hoping for a miracle.

Finally reaching her car, she wasted no time and sped away from the house as fast as possible.

Meanwhile, Kritika smirked and turned to Rudraksh. “What can we even say when a girl herself wants to marry?” She gaslighted him, watching his reaction carefully.

She kept her expression neutral but shifted her eye balls to the corner of her eyes, trying to gauge his reaction, only to find him already looking at her with unreadable expression. She straightened her face. “That’s another thing that the family doesn’t want. Well… she was excited, but never mind.”

Kritika swallowed hard and immediately started walking towards Kunal.

“Agar Bhai ne roka, matlab meri tang tutegi aaj. Lekin agar nahi roka, matlab meri baaton ne kaam kar diya,” she thought, her heart pounding.

[ If my brother stops me, it means my leg is breaking today. But if he doesn’t, it means my words did the trick. ]

To her relief, Rudraksh didn’t stop her. He simply left for the office, not saying another word.

She exhaled, victorious. "Bach gayi," she whispered under her breath.

[ I'm safe ]

🦢

JAIPUR

“Abhi tak koi reply nahi aaya… agar mana kar diya toh?” Anirudh muttered to himself, tapping his fingers anxiously on the desk. The silence of his office cabin only made his thoughts louder. “I would be traumatized for a lifetime......and Embarrassed ”

[ Still no reply... What if they say no? ]

His brows furrowed as he checked his phone again, hoping for a notification that still hadn’t come.

“What if they’re just looking for the perfect time?” he tried to reassure himself. “But it’s already a day they’d want… toh phir itni der kyun?”

He leaned back in his chair, exhaling sharply. Patience was never his strong suit, and right now, waiting felt unbearable.

🦢

UDAIPUR

While Sanaya was working, she got a call from Kritika. “Hm, bolo?” Sanaya said while her gaze remained fixed on the desktop.

“Di, ghar aao jaldi! Aapke sasural wale aaye hain,” Kritika told her excitedly.

[ Di, come home quickly! Your in-laws is here. ]

She shot up from her seat. “Kya?!” she almost screamed, grabbing her colleague’s arm in shock.

[ What? ]

Realizing her surroundings, she immediately looked around, gritted her teeth out of awkwardness, and lowered her voice. “Kya baat kar rahi ho?” she whispered, sitting down again.

[ What are you saying? ]

“I'm not kidding, why would I? Come quick,” Kritika replied instantly.

“Aur suno!... Sanskaari banke aana,” she added before hanging up.

[ And listen! Act all traditional ]

“Sanskaari?” Sanaya muttered to herself, glancing down at her outfit—loose cargo pants, a short kurti, a high messy ponytail, and white sneakers.

She rushed to the manager’s cabin, barely stopping at the door. “Sir, I have to leave,” she said before even asking 'May I come in?'

“Reason?” he questioned, raising a brow. She immediately smiled. “Woh... mujhe ladke wale dekhne aaye hain,” she giggled.

[ Uh...the groom's family has come to see me.]

The manager blinked. “Hm, okay.” He sighed.

🦢

She made her way to the mall. “Ladki is moment par kya pehne rakhti?” she muttered to herself, scanning the ethnic section.

[ What girls wear in this moment? ]

Her eyes landed on a light blue Pakistani kurta set—loose-fitting, elegant, and perfect for the occasion. Without a second thought, she picked it up, tried it on, and made the payment. She packed her casual clothes into the shopping bag that came with the kurta set.

Next, she headed to the footwear section, selecting a pair of ethnic flats.

🦢

By the time she reached her haveli, she had already transformed. She neatly tied half of her hair back with a flower clip, applied a soft nude-pink lipstick, and placed a small blue bindi on her forehead. Blowing a quick kiss to her reflection in the mirror, she stepped out of the car and handed the keys to the driver.

Taking a deep breath, she muttered to herself, “Sanskaar?..........Jal lijiye?” Then, with a mischievous smile, she added, “Aaj toh Poonam ban jaungi poori.” She giggled, rushing inside.

As she entered the family room, her gaze quickly scanned the space. Anirudh’s parents sat there, along with her brother, father, and grandfather. Kritika peeked from behind the kitchen wall. A sigh of relief escaped Sanaya’s lips when she noticed the absence of her mother and aunt.

With a sweet—though slightly forced—smile because it was supposed to be a wide and bright one, she bent her neck in greeting before stepping forward to touch Anirudh’s parents’ feet.

“Arre beta! Betiyan paon nahi chhuti,” Anirudh’s father said, quickly standing up and pulling her in for a gentle hug, patting her head affectionately.

[ Oh dear! Daughters don't touch feets ]

“Acha?! Uncle, mujhe pata nahi tha. Waise bhi, maine pehli baar hi paon chhuye the,” Sanaya admitted before sitting down in front of them.

[ Oh really?! Uncle, I had no idea. Anyway, it was the first time I even touched feet. ]

Anirudh’s mother glanced at her outfit and raised an eyebrow. “Your brother said you were in the office?” she asked, clearly noticing that Sanaya was dressed more for a festival than a regular day at work.

Sanaya smiled confidently. “Haan ji, aunty, main office mein hi thi. Par jab pata chala ki aap milne aa rahe hain, toh maine jaldi se yeh dress kharid li. Pehle jo pehna tha, wo yeh raha.” She lifted the shopping bag in her hand.

[ Yes, Aunty, I was at the office. But when I heard you were coming to meet me, I quickly bought this dress. The one I was wearing before—here it is. ]

From the kitchen, Kritika smacked her forehead. “Yeh ladki!” she whispered under her breath.

[ This girl! ]

Anirudh’s mother exchanged a glance with her husband before smiling. “Acha hai.”

Rudraksh, who had been observing silently, forced a smile as his gaze briefly met Sanaya’s.

Sanaya looked around, still searching for something, when Anirudh’s mother added, “Hamaare yahan haath maangne ke liye ladka nahi aata, uska bada bhai aur parivaar aata hai par Anirudh hi bada beta hai toh......”

[ In our family, it's not the groom who comes to ask for a girl's hand, but his elder brother and family. But since Anirudh is the eldest son, then...]

Sanaya’s breath hitched, and she immediately lowered her gaze, Realizing she has been caught.

To be continued......

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