Flashback:

Hugging her knees tightly riddhima cried her heart out as the images of her memories being burnt  infront of her eyes flashed before her eyes

R: how much more bappa
How much more pain will i have to endure
The whole world is bad mouthing about me calling me a home wrecker, a gold digger, a...a slut
Why with me bappa why

Hearing a knock on her door riddhima wiped her tears not wanting anyone to have the satisfaction of seeing her broken self

Opening the door, she closed her eyes in exasperation seeing the person infront of her

R: plz come inside
What work do you have from me??
Oh let me guess
You missed the opportunity to humiliate me as you were absent from the conference
Come on
Don't hold your self back
Say out your heart
Iam all ears

Riddhima said with sarcasm dripping from her voice

MARRY ME

Riddhima's eyes widened in shock hearing him

R: come again

MARRY ME

her eyes flaring with anger, she clenched her fist tightly stopping herself from slapping the man infront of her

R: YOU HAVE LOST YOUR MIND

MR ARYAN RAI SINGHANIA

A: no
I have not

R: then why do u want to marry me
Oh let me guess
You want to use my body just like your brother

A: i know you hate me
Hate me to the core
And I don't blame you
My behaviour had been the worst with you

I don't believe that you attacked sia

You were attacked numerous times in this house but you never complained to vansh bhai
Because you know how to value and cherish relationships
Something that we all couldn't learn even after having such a big family

I want to help you

You know the situation
Each and every person is badmouthing about you

I want to take you out of this mess that vansh bhai has created

I don't expect you to trust me

But plz show a little faith

R: GET OUT

A: riddhima

R: I SAID GET OUT

Dejected, he started walking out

A: just remember
Iam always ready to help

Few days later:

A devastated riddhima entered inside the guest

Once again she was humiliated

Humiliated to such an extent that people were about to paint her face black

And all she could do was run

Run to save herself

But where could she run to

She had to come run back to the only shelter she had as of now

Only to be insulted and humiliated by the princess of the house- ishani

Whereas her loving brother stood by the staircase like a statue seeing her get insulted

Ishani's blabbering would have continued if a hard slap had not landed on her face by aryan

Taking a deep breath, riddhima opened the door of her room

Walking around the mansion like a corpse, she reached infront of his door

Knocking it, she waited for him to open it

As soon as the door opened, she blurted out helplessly

R: IAM READY

Riddhima looked on as everything changed by her single decision

She was actually shocked how aryan handled the situation

He had smoothly proved infront of the media that riddhima being his wife was forced to sabotage vansh's conference because vansh's enemies had held her husband (aryan) captive and if she had refused, they would have killed him

And just like that all the humiliations, insults and accusations died out

Even though people outside the mansion were put to rest but a havoc was stirred inside the mansion

Countless accusations and dirty looks at her

But he didn't back out

He stood as a shield and decided to leave the mansion and all the property

JUST FOR HER

No doubt a fear arose in her heart that what if he tried to force her after they left the mansion

But the respect he bestowed her with made her heart flutter

Despite having a playboy nature, he slept on the floor giving her all the space on the single bed that they could afford

It is said right, time change everything

From owning a single room flat to a beautiful house

Life had been difficult for them both but somehow it didn't felt that  much difficult

They had decided to continue this marriage for one year and then part their ways so as to keep people from starting their nonsense again

And today was the last day of the deal

Flashback end:

A: tomorrow
We part our ways

Aryan said while choking on his words

A: do...do u want to leave??

He asked with teary eyes full of hope

Riddhima kept staring at him before finally letting her guards down

Tip toeing, she leaned forward and placed her lips over his

Placing her head over his naked chest, she smiled feeling him run his fingers in her hair

A: you will always be by my side na riddhima

Riddhima parted her lips to say something when the bell rang

Confused as to who could visit them , both hurriedly put on their clothes and rushed towards the door

Aryan stood rooted to his spot as he saw vansh going down on his knees confessing his love and guilt
Apologising profusely

Apparently sia has gained consciousness after a long one year and revealed how riddhima had been innocent all this while

Aryan's inside churned

What type of love requires proof of loyalty

Doesn't love itself means trust and compassion

A compassion to protect their partner, not shove them in darkness and hell

Holding vansh's hand, riddhima made him stand up

R: thank u

Vansh and aryan looked at her confused

R: thank u for bringing ahana in our lives

Thank u for making her attack me

Thank u for asking me the price of my love

Thank u for leaving me alone in manali

Thank u for announcing ahana as your wife

Thank u for calling me a stranger and a mental case infront of the whole world

Thank u for burning my stuff, my memories with you

Thank u for everything

Because maybe if you wouldn't have done all that

I would have never realised what true love really meant

Ek waqt tha jab mene khud kaha tha

Ishq kurbani mangta hai

Ishq sukoon bhi hai or maut bhi ishq he hai

Par woh sach nhi tha

Ishq kurbani nhi mangta, ishq kurbani deta hai

Ishq andhere main nhi dhakelta, ishq andhere se nikalta hai

Ishq beech main sath nhi chor deta, ishq sath deta hai

Ishq woh hai

Jo meri ankhon ke samne khara hai

riddhima said lovingly eying aryan

Indeed it was all destiny's game

And after all the hell she went through

Destiny finally bestowed riddhima with the peace she deserved

The end

I hope you all liked riddhima and aryan's jodi

I know alot of you will be upset that the first story of this book is not of riansh

I actually had to post this part in my previous os book but I forgot

But better late than never

Next os will be on riansh☺️