Raghav's POV:

I walked out of that room! It was getting hectic and suffocating for me there!

My head felt really heavy...

I was about to go out while Bash chachi called me and gave me a dress saying I'm supposed to change as there is a small programme organised by my cousin's to welcome Siya as they feel she looked quite low!

While I knew chachi will not listen...I quickly took the dress and was about to take steps towards my room while Chachi asked me to change in Anuj's room as she will dress up Siya for the night.

I was now getting concious! And it striked me about it being an extremely awkward one for me and Siya like this...

I mean...

The first night!!!

Whatever!!!

I stopped overthinking and dressed up with the indo western sherwani that Chachi gave me...

I was in no mood of any functions but will my mad family listen 😏

So I dressed up and went to the living room area where I was welcomed while everyone kept asking for Siya..

I noticed Mr Malhotra had also arrived with Samay Bhai and Deepa Bhabhi.. I saw Ashwin uncle was now talking tom my dad and her dad while Ashwin uncle noticed me looking on their direction.

He questioned if I had signed the contract...I nodded a no!

Slowly he came closer and said..
' He needs it by tonight!!!'

I nodded a OK...

Soon I noticed my cousin's started dancing and soon my friends joined in..

While they pulled me too but I was in no mood...while I saw Bash chachi was bringing her along...

She was looking breathtaking.. I bit my lower lip looking at her nervously...

She was made to sit on the other side of the dias. I wonder why...

I wanted to see her ...

She was looking like she would just burn my insides alive🔥🔥🔥

How am I going to resist myself !!!

I gulped my saliva!!!

Soon Anu brought me my guitar and told...

'Bhaiyya bhabhi...Just one song!!!'

I nodded a no...

While Siya started...

🎵🎶

Kismat se tum humko mile ho
Kaise chhodenge, yeh haath hum na chhodenge
Kismat se tum humko mile ho
Kaise chhodenge, yeh haath hum na chhodenge
Phir se banti taqdeeron ko
Armaanon ki zanjeeron ko
Jaanam ab na todenge

🎶🎵

I was in no mood of it...I played guitar and soon I told

'I have some urgent work at office ..I'll br back in a while and left...

I didn't even wait for an answer and left the house...

I went to the Marine drive

Even at midnight!!! It was a full throttle.

I walked out of the car and sat on one of the rocks and put down my head.

The loud gushes of water tonight resembled the tsunami in my chest!

This isn't going to be easy Raghav!

Hating the woman you probably are badly attracted to!

How I wished this night passed and that "First night thing" was still scaring me now!!!

But then if not tonight!

Tomorrow day after...

12 months!!!

I must share that same room with her!

No I must find a solution to this!

A permenent one!

Such that I'm at peace... she's comfortable and our families are happy too!!!

Yes!!! I must ...

Thinking I ruffled my own hair...

Prologue-2

Siya's POV:

Life is a race...
Our parents always taught us this...

They asked us to prepare well for everything.

I still remember Bhabhi used to tell me when I was a child....

Yeah Bhabhi... I lost mom too early...my bhabhi was my mom 😢

'Plan it well!!! Prep it well'

I did it all...

Planned... prepped... But then finally did it go as I wanted?

I planned every single thing!

From joining a college to do my MBA in India to making sure I maintain my topper position.

Yet again I topped the class but then what's the use!

My dreams although I planned everything perfectly are been crushed like a piece of paper and thrown away...

Why this happens to me😢

First Jordan...

Now Raghav 😢

Raghav...

The name itself used to bring a smile on my face...

I still remember when Tanya told me..
'Beware Siya... You are developing a certain thing for him... Stay away...you know he's head over heels in love with Sapna...'

To which I laughed my heart saying...
'Tanya... The thing I feel for him is mere attraction...it's a teen crush kind.. I am a 21 year old College going girl... I felt that for many in London too yaar... please chill'

But was it so chill after all?

I still remember when he was about to flunk a subject I sat next to him and taught him the entire night...

Without a second thought about what his girl friend Sapna would think... The funniest was I myself had 2 units unfinished and surely 20 marks questions would come from it but then I let that go and taught Raghav the entire night.

Have I done that for anyone before...

I remember giving him my Principles of Management notes ...well prepared notes before the exam so he could clear it well... Although I found that subject tough too but Raghav had got chicken pox...him clearing his papers was more important for me...

That college fest where I let go off my presentation preps only because I had to prepare Raghav for stress interview...

We were best of friends in last 6 months.
Infact Raghavendra Sehgal turned my bestie.

I would feed him the same morsel I ate

Many called us lovebirds but I didn't care nor did Raghav...
He always playfully ruffled my hair saying...

'Siyu... Chillax...I'm the college hunk... every other girl is in love with me and every other guy is Jealous of my popularity... Our friendship is beyond all this 😉 and if you think I'm handsome you can flirt with me too hahaha' and I laughed at that thought then although I felt a string in my heart was been played...

Maybe...

I had this crush on him...

Or a bit more than that...

Maybe something like the big word...

But then everything got destroyed...

Wouldn't you be happy if your family plans to get you married to a man you had a thing for...

Whatever the little emotion be...

The comfort is something else if you know the man...

Here...I have spent the best of my life's days with him...

But the situation we are in is a disaster.

😢

(Knob click and door opens)

I looked at him... He was looking elsewhere...

'Did you sign it?' he asked...

I looked at him with my eyes filled with tears...

'It was the deal to marry you Siya! Now don't back off!' he was huffing in anger

I simply asked him..
'You once told me you trust me...then'

'I don't trust you Siya!'

That broke my heart into a billion pieces...

When your crush says it ...it maybe doesn't hurt so much!

But when your Bestie says it! It kills you 😢

I nodded and gulped my saliva...

Lifted my lehenga a bit ...took heavy steps towards the dressing table and looked at the papers...

It said ...

Marriage Contract between Bride and Groom.

My name was written under bride's column.

His under groom's.

The time interval for the marriage said was for 12 months.

The clauses our fathers discussed in that meeting with our lawyer was all mentioned point wise.

'You can take time if you still want to read!' he said firmly...

I passed him one last glare with my eyes filled with tears 🥺

'Our father's are waiting outside Siya! And I'm warned Nobody in the family should know this! The minute you sign this I'm handing it over to Ashwin uncle. And it will all be legal!'

I nodded...

Maybe this is my fate...

Marriage became a joke to me..a funny joke that my father and his father directed, he enacted and very and the enduring pain of emptiness that Destiny had written for me...

I signed it and dropped the pen.

Next second he moved past me...

Took his pajamas and t-shirt. His laptop and walked towards the bedroom door...

My voice came out softly...
'You are leaving?'

His musk fragrance so close to me... Made me breathe a little more deeper...

I noticed him close ...

He was looking devilishly handsome...

But then his smile...his heartfelt pearly smile was no longer seen..

His eyes looked red... tired... Hurt💔

Comeon Siya... he's a broken heart now! Just a body who's soul has left him💔

Just then he realised that I asked him a question...He shot fire at me saying...

'The contract doesn't say I must coo my wife to sleep! So help yourself! I'll be sleeping in study... I'll be back by morning 5 am... Daadi wakes up by then...
And Siya... Whatever is between us... please keep it to us...I hope we are that mature!!

To which I passed him a sad smile...
'Dont worry Raghavendra Sehgal...
If the contract can keep us in this marriage thanks to our fathers and their genius proposal!

Then the love I have for our families can definitely keep me mum for next 12 month's!!!'

He shot me one last glare...

Our eyes met...

We had an eyelock...I dont know for how many minutes I stared into those dark chocolate like eyes...

But then he next second

The door closed with a thud...

He was gone 🥺

I stood in front of the mirror and kept looking at my reflection...

Woow...

Guess I'm the first ever bride who signed her divorce papers on the night of her wedding itself huhh 🥺

Even though the man whom I married was always my ideal choice in man...

Sometimes...

Guess it's...

Written in our Destiny 😢

And a tear escaped my eyes...