Rudy POV:

I stepped into my office, the familiar scent of polished wood and freshly brewed coffee wrapping around me like a warm embrace.

Om was already there, slouched over desk, engrossed in his screen. A slight frown creased my brow as I thought, "Ise aur koi kaam nahi hai kya jab dekho mere office me hi rehta hai." I chose to ignore him, sinking into the comfort of my leather chair, hoping to lose myself in my work.

As if sensing my presence, Om looked up, his eyes wide with curiosity. "Bro, what happened? Why were you in Rai's company? And the scandal... oh my! That Charishma is really a piece of work! But wasn't Rai supposed to keep her identity as CEO under wraps? Why the sudden reveal?"

I let out a weary sigh, running a hand through my hair. "Thank God she did it. Otherwise, the situation would have spiraled out of control."

Just then, my phone buzzed insistently on the desk. I glanced at the screen and saw my grandma's name flashing. A smile crept onto my face, and I answered the call, "Hello, my sweetheart. Itne din baad yaad ayi meri?"

Her laughter bubbled through the line, warm and comforting. "I'm at home, dear. Come home early today. I've brought someone special to meet you."

"Someone special?" My curiosity piqued.

"Mmhmm! But you have to come home to find out who it is. I'm not telling you now. So, I'm hanging up. Come early, dear!" she said, her voice teasingly cryptic before the call ended.

I frowned, bemused by her mischievous nature. Grandma always had a flair for the dramatic, never revealing anything straightforwardly.

Om leaned back in his chair, eyes glinting with interest. "What did Grandma say?"

"Nothing much. Just that she's brought someone special to meet me. I have no idea who it could be!" I replied, my mind buzzing with intrigue.

The rest of the day dragged on as I buried myself in work, trying to shake off the anticipation that bubbled beneath the surface.

Finally, as the sun dipped below the horizon, I left the office early, as per Grandma's orders. She had just returned from visiting relatives after two weeks, and I couldn't shake the feeling that she had something important planned.

Arriving home, I found Grandma settled comfortably on the big sofa in the drawing room, her eyes sparkling with delight.

"Sweetheart!" I called out, my heart warming at the sight of her.

"Rudra, mera ladla, aa yaha pere baith," she beckoned sweetly, her voice a soothing balm to my weary soul.I took a seat beside her, only to notice a girl sitting across from us, her presence both unfamiliar and intriguing.

Then Grandma announced, "This is the person I was talking about. Meet Nisha, Nisha Bhatiya."

Nisha smiled at me, a radiant expression lighting up her face. "Hi, I'm Nisha. I've heard so much about you!" She extended her hand, and I shook it, replying, "Hi, Rudra Singhaniya."

Yet, an inexplicable sense of unease washed over me. Why did Grandma refer to her as someone special? I barely knew this girl, and already I was picking up a negative vibe.

"Now, I want you both to get to know each other better before finalizing anything. Rudy, take her with you to your room," Grandma said, her tone leaving no room for debate.

"What? What finalizing? What are we even talking about?" I asked, confusion knitting my brows together.

"Oh, I didn't mention the main thing!" Grandma chuckled, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "You and Nisha are getting married, dear!"

The words hung in the air like a thunderclap, rendering me speechless. My wedding? And I hadn't even been consulted? How could she treat such a monumental life decision so casually?

"What is this rubbish, Dadi?!" I burst out, frustration boiling over. It wasn't just her; the concerned expressions of my mother, father, and sister loomed around me, adding to my disorientation.

With a glare, Grandma admonished, "Rudra! Nisha is here. What will she think? Keep your voice down; we can discuss this calmly."

"There will be no negotiation!" I shot back, my voice rising in anger. "You're talking about my marriage as if it's a trivial matter! You're ordering me to marry someone I don't even know!"

"Ek taraf Rai aur yaha meri dadi, majak banke reh gaya hu main," I thought bitterly.

I stood up, my mind racing to leave for my room when Grandma's voice halted me. "Shaadi tumhe Nisha se hi karni padegi, Rudra. Maine Nisha ke papa Shrikant ji se wadah kiya hai ki unki beti ki shadi mere bade pote ke sath hogi. Aur main apna wadah kabhi nahi todhti, tumhe shayad ye pata hi hai! Ek baar achhe se soch lena kyunki shaadi tumhe Nisha se hi karni hai aur isi mahine!" With that, she turned and retreated to her room, Nisha following in her wake.

I was left standing there, staring at my family, their faces a mix of sympathy and concern. My mom finally spoke, her voice soft but firm. "I'm sorry, beta! But this is really important. You know your grandma takes promises seriously. This was decided five years ago. I didn't tell you because you were focused on your career. And anyways, you have to marry someday, so what if it's Nisha? You don't have any girlfriend, right?"

I said nothing, my heart pounding as I slammed the door to my room behind me.

This whole thing had been decided five years ago? Why was I just now learning of it?

Panic coursed through me. I knew Grandma was serious about this marriage happening this month.

Just great!Frustrated, I punched the wall, the pain barely registering as another thought struck me. Five years ago? Could it be...? A sinking feeling settled in my stomach.

Rai must have known about this, which explained her strange behavior and why she kept mentioning a chosen bride.That must be why she rejected me back then, and now?

You've got to be kidding me! She could have discussed this with me, but instead, she'd chosen to distance herself, leaving me in the dark.

Shit! How much pain must she have felt when she discovered this?I flopped onto my bed, overwhelmed with frustration and anger.

I had known she had feelings for me, but I had never thought it would come down to this—my marriage to someone else! Oh God, what was I going to do? I had to stop this ridiculous marriage from happening!

I forced myself to freshen up, lying on my bed, skipping dinner, my appetite vanished. I needed to talk to Rai. I had to make her understand. I would fix this.

After several rings, she finally answered, her voice a mixture of annoyance and concern. "What's the matter? It's literally 1 am at night!"

"Grandma is fixing my marriage with Nisha this month!" I said, my voice heavy with urgency.

There was a long, agonizing pause before she replied, "Hmm. Congratulations."

Her calmness took me by surprise. Did she really just say that?

"Congratulations? You're congratulating me?" My voice was laced with disbelief.

"What should I say after such good news?" she replied, her tone eerily collected.The weight of the situation crashed down on me. If Rai was indifferent now, it meant she had accepted this fate long ago—or perhaps she had already moved on.

                           (To be continued)
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