"In shadows deep, where secrets dwell,

A silent heart in a gilded shell.

Love and war, a fragile thread,

Where hope is born, though fear is fed."

SAISHA's POV:

Graduation day. A milestone I should be ecstatic about. But as I stood in the sea of black gowns and flying caps, I couldn't shake off the emptiness gnawing at me from within. Applause echoed around me, but it felt like white noise against the heavy weight of my reality.

"Smile, Saisha," Vaishnavi nudged me with a half-smile, her eyes filled with concern. "It's your day, remember?"

I forced a tight-lipped smile. "Yeah... my day."

But we both knew the truth. My parents hadn't even bothered to attend. To them, my graduation was just another insignificant event compared to the 'bigger' plan they had for me — my engagement to a man I barely knew, let alone wanted to marry.

After the ceremony, the three of us headed to our usual café spot — a small corner tucked away from the world, where secrets were safe and judgments were left at the door.

Vaishnavi stirred her coffee absentmindedly. "Is there... any chance you can get out of this forced marriage?" she asked softly, her voice cautious but hopeful.

I sighed, the ache in my chest tightening. "No. It's set. The engagement's in a week, and the wedding right after. Papa already finalized everything."

Across the table, Rivan was unusually quiet, his jaw clenched as he tapped his fingers against the table. Usually, he was the one making sarcastic remarks or coming up with wild escape plans. But today? He hadn't said a word about the engagement.

"Rivan?" I prompted.

His eyes flicked up to mine, dark and unreadable. "Nothing... just thinking," he mumbled before standing. "I need some air." And just like that, he walked away.

Vaishnavi gave me a confused look. "What's up with him?"

I shook my head. "No clue."

Later, as the sun dipped below the horizon, I returned home, greeted by the familiar cold silence. No banners, no flowers, not even a 'congrats' note. My academic achievement didn't matter. I was merely a pawn in their game of societal status.

As I trudged upstairs toward my room, a sharp, angry voice pierced the stillness.

"WHAT? They canceled the engagement?!" My father's voice thundered through the walls, each word laced with fury. "How dare they back out after our agreement? We had a deal!"

I froze mid-step. Did I hear that right? Canceled?

A rush of relief coursed through me, like a locked door swinging open. Maybe... maybe this was my chance. Maybe fate had finally decided to give me a way out.

Heart racing, I dashed to my room and grabbed my phone. There was only one person I wanted to share this with.

Me: Hii... you were right. There's always a way out of everything. They canceled the engagement. Maybe it's over now.

I hit send and stared at the screen, the anxiety mounting with each passing second.

The reply came faster than expected.

Masked Man: Told you... just have trust, Gummy Bear. Soon you'll be out of this mess.

I smiled at the nickname he'd given me weeks ago, after I'd once confessed my weakness for gummy bears during one of our late-night chats. But the smile faltered as his words sank in.

He sounds like he knows more.

What did he mean by 'soon' exactly? And how did he always know things before I did?

I stared at the text, questions swirling through my mind.

Me: Wait... what do you mean? Do you know something about this?

Three dots appeared. Then disappeared.

Minutes passed. Nothing.

Frustrated, I tossed my phone onto the bed and leaned against the wall. My mind was a maze of confusion. The engagement was canceled, but my father wouldn't let it slide easily. I knew him too well.

And Masked Man... he knew something. Something I didn't.

I just didn't know whether to feel curious or afraid.

Vihan's POV:

The dim glow of my laptop screen illuminated the dark room as the video finished uploading. I leaned back in my chair, watching the progress bar hit 100%. The clip was simple but effective—evidence of Rohan Mehra's shady financial dealings, enough to make his father reconsider any alliance with Rakshit Saksena's family.

I smirked, satisfied. No damn way was I letting that bastard Rohan marry Saisha. My Saisha.

Later in the evening.A vibration on my phone snapped me out of my thoughts. I picked it up and saw her name flashing across the screen: Gummy Bear.

A warmth spread through my chest as I opened the message.

Saisha: Hii... you were right. There's always a way out of everything. They canceled the engagement. Maybe it's over now.

I ran a hand through my hair, a genuine smile tugging at my lips. She always turned to me when she needed to talk, and I did the same with her—even if she didn't know who I really was.

Me: Told you... just have trust, Gummy Bear. Soon you'll be out of this mess.

I hovered my thumb over the keyboard as she responded almost immediately.

Saisha: Wait... what do you mean? Do you know something about this?

The three dots appeared as if I was about to reply, but I didn't. I couldn't. Not yet.

Because the battle wasn't over. Rakshit Saksena wasn't the kind of man to give up after one broken engagement. He'd find another suitor—another puppet to marry his daughter off to for business gains. And that was where I'd step in.

I locked my phone and stood, my mind made up. If I wanted Saisha, I had to act fast.

I walked down the hallway toward my mother's room. The clock on the wall read 11:47 p.m., but I knew Maa would still be awake. She always said sleep was for the content, and Khuranas were anything but that.

I knocked softly before pushing the door open. Maa sat on the bed, her reading glasses perched on her nose, a thick novel in her lap. She looked up, surprise flashing in her eyes.

"Vihan? This late?" she asked, closing the book. "What's wrong, beta?"

I took a deep breath. "Maa, I need to talk to you about something important."

She shifted to the edge of the bed, concern etching lines across her forehead. "Go on."

I stepped closer. "I... I want to marry."

Her eyes widened. "What?" she gasped. "All of a sudden?"

I nodded, the words tumbling out of me. "Yes. I've thought about it for a while now. I like her. No... I love her. And her father is trying to marry her off. If I wait any longer, I might lose her."

The shock on her face melted into a soft smile. "You're just like your father," she said, her eyes glistening. "Impatient when it comes to the love of your life."

She patted the spot next to her on the bed, and I sat down, showing her my phone. The picture of Saisha I'd saved from her social media profile filled the screen. In it, she stood in front of a lake, her hair tousled by the wind, her eyes distant—like she was always searching for something she'd never been given.

Maa's smile faltered as she studied the image. Her brows knitted together. "She's beautiful, beta... but why do I feel like I've seen her before?"

My stomach tightened. I knew this moment would come. I couldn't hide the truth from her. Not about this.

"Because you have, Maa," I said, gripping the phone tighter. "She's Saisha Saksena. Rakshit Saksena's daughter."

The color drained from her face. She placed the phone on the bedside table as if it burned her fingertips. "The Saksena family," she whispered, more to herself than me.

I waited, letting her process the information.

After a long silence, she looked at me with a mixture of concern and resolve. "I met her once, years ago. She was just a sweet little girl then. Innocent and fragile, I know it's not her fault... but her father, Vihan." She shook her head. "That man is dangerous. He knows too much about our family. Too many secrets that could hurt us."

"I know, Maa," I said softly. "But I also know how to handle him."

Her eyes searched mine, measuring my resolve. Then she sighed, her lips curving into a faint smile. "You're stubborn. Just like your father."

"Is that a yes?" I asked, hope flickering in my chest.

She reached out and cupped my face. "Yes, beta. You have my blessing. But promise me one thing."

"Anything."

"Be careful. Don't let Rakshit Saksena drag you into his games. Marry the girl, love her... but don't underestimate that man."

"I won't," I promised, the weight of my mother's trust settling over me like armor.

I stood, kissed her forehead, and left the room.

Back in my own room, I collapsed onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. My heart raced with a mixture of excitement and dread. The plan was in motion now. With Maa's approval, there was no turning back.

Saisha had no idea what was coming.

Soon, she'd be here with me. As my wife. My everything.

And I'd make sure she never felt unloved again.

Ritvik's POV:

"You're getting what?"

The words shot out of my mouth, colliding with Arohi's identical exclamation as we both stared at Vihan bhai. He leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, a faint smirk tugging at his lips as though he'd just announced the weather and not something life-altering.

"Married," he repeated, voice calm. "I'm getting married."

Arohi gaped at him. "To an actual person? Like... a human being?"

I chuckled. "Yeah, Bhai. Didn't think this day would come. I was sure you'd marry your laptop first."

Vihan's eyes narrowed into that signature death stare of his—the one that said one more word and you're dead, Ritvik.

"Ritvik. In my office. Now." His tone had shifted from amused to ice-cold, his jaw tight. The sudden seriousness set off alarms in my head.

"Uh... sure, Bhai." I cast a quick look at Arohi, who shrugged as if to say good luck, before I followed him down the hallway.

The door shut with a decisive click, locking us into the dark, oak-scented room that was more battlefield than office. Papers, maps, and files were spread across the desk like pieces of an unfinished puzzle.

"Okay... what's going on?" I asked, crossing my arms to mirror his stance.

Vihan ran a hand through his hair and exhaled deeply. "The girl I'm marrying... is Saisha Saksena. Rakshit Saksena's daughter."

My stomach dropped. My arms fell to my sides. "What?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Bhai..." My mind scrambled for words. "Are you marrying her because of... you know... him? Is this some revenge scheme?"

His eyes darkened as he cut me off. "No. I love her." His voice softened just enough for me to believe him. "I've loved her for a long time, Ritvik. But her father? He's trying to marry her off like some business deal. I won't let that happen."

I slumped into the chair across from his desk, still processing. "So what's the plan? I mean, Rakshit Saksena isn't exactly going to throw rose petals for you."

Vihan's lips curved into a grim smile. "We're going to give him what he wants—a deal he can't refuse. He won't stop unless there's something in it for him. And if he thinks he's 'winning' something, he'll hand her over himself."

My mouth went dry. "He'll practically sell her off." The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

The air shifted. Vihan's knuckles turned white as he gripped the desk edge. His gaze locked onto mine like a loaded gun.

"Don't ever talk about Saisha like that again." His voice was low, dangerous. "She isn't being sold. I'm getting her out of that toxic house. I'm giving her a choice she never had."

I swallowed hard. "I get it. I do. But... this is Rakshit Saksena we're talking about. You really think he'll sit back and let you marry his daughter?"

Vihan's jaw tightened. "He will. Because I'll make sure the deal benefits him more than he realizes."

The weight of his words settled in the room like thick smoke. This wasn't just about love. This was war.

The day came faster than I expected. And suddenly, there we were—back in a place I swore I'd never visit again.

Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

The streets hadn't changed much. The air was still thick with the scent of burning incense mixed with diesel, the sun casting long, sharp shadows on the old buildings. The last time I'd been here, it had been for my father's business deal—a deal Rakshit Saksena had sabotaged. And now? We were walking straight into the lion's den.

Vihan sat next to me in the car, expression unreadable as always. His phone buzzed, but he ignored it, eyes fixed on the towering gates ahead.

"You ready?" I asked, breaking the silence.

He gave a curt nod. "Yeah. I've been ready for this since long."

The gates opened with a groan, revealing the Saksena estate. Opulent, cold, and soulless—just like the man who owned it. We were led through marble hallways until we stood in the main lounge

And then he appeared.

Rakshit Saksena.

Dressed in an immaculate suit, he walked toward us with a predatory smile. His sharp gaze flicked to Vihan first, then landed on me with a glint of recognition. "Ah... the Khurana brothers," he drawled. "What a surprise. Or should I say... an unwelcome blast from the past?"

"Cut the small talk," Vihan said coolly. "You know why we're here."

Rakshit chuckled. "Straight to business, like your father." His smile thinned. "So... what exactly are you proposing?"

Vihan took a step forward. "I want to marry Saisha."

The man's eyes narrowed. "And why the hell would I allow that?"

"Because you'll get what you want: a profitable deal with the Khurana empire. We'll invest in your failing steel plant and turn it around. You get the money and the prestige. I get Saisha."

My head snapped toward Vihan. This was new. He hadn't mentioned an investment. And judging by the smug glint in Rakshit's eyes, he hadn't expected it either.

Rakshit rubbed his chin. "Hmm. Interesting. But why my daughter? You could marry into any family."

"Because I want her," Vihan said simply. I knew him he would never show those emotions to the devil standing infront of him . 

The older man's eyes narrowed further, trying to detect a lie. But my brother had always been a master at masking his intentions when it came to business. And right now, he was playing the perfect role of masking his love and real intentions.

Rakshit exhaled slowly. "I'll think about it."

"No." Vihan's voice hardened. "Decide now. The engagement's already broken, and you need a new plan fast. Say yes... or we walk, and your plant sinks."

Tension crackled in the air. Rakshit's nostrils flared as he weighed the options. Then, with an icy smile, he extended his hand.

"Deal."

Vihan shook it, and just like that, the battle shifted in our favor.

But as we turned to leave, I caught sight of a photograph on the mantelpiece—a younger Saisha, maybe five or six, standing stiffly next to her father. Her eyes empty. Her smile forced.

And I realized this wasn't just a deal.

This was Vihan's war to break her free from a cage she hadn't even realized she was trapped in.

And we were just getting started.

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