"Beneath the lights, a hollow gaze,

A caged soul trapped in fate's maze.

Love and lies entwine as one,

A battle lost before begun."

RIVAN's POV:

I stood outside the grand house, its walls covered in shimmering lights, draped in expensive floral decorations. Laughter and music filled the air, but to me, it all felt suffocating.

This was supposed to be a celebration. Her celebration. But I knew better.

From the outside, it looked like the perfect wedding. But deep within, behind all the bright colors and fake smiles, this was nothing more than a well-orchestrated transaction.

And I?

I was part of the betrayal.

My hands curled into fists as I stared at the house-the house that should have been a place of comfort for her, but instead, it was a gilded cage.

Inside, Saisha was sitting in the middle of the ceremony, dressed in yellow, Haldi smeared across her face, surrounded by people who were more interested in sealing their business deals than her happiness.

My heart clenched.

She's like my sister. No, she is my sister.

Not by blood, but by soul.

I should have been standing beside her, wiping the exhaustion from her eyes, protecting her. But instead, I was here, an outsider, watching her drown in the very mess I had created.

My eyes moved, scanning the crowd until I saw Vaishnavi.

She sat beside Saisha, whispering something to her, trying to comfort her. She had always been the one to bring warmth into our lives, but today, even she looked like she was holding on by a thread.

Vaish and Saisha...

The two people who trusted me with their whole hearts. And yet, I had lost my right to stand beside them. Because I had done the unforgivable. I had made a deal.

A deal that put Saisha's life on the line.

I gritted my teeth, feeling the weight of my choices crush me .I had told myself that this was necessary. That this was bigger than me. Bigger than her.

But now?

Now, all I could think about was what would happen when the truth came out.

Would she ever forgive me? Would Vaish? Would I even be able to forgive myself?

My phone buzzed in my pocket, dragging me out of my thoughts. I pulled it out, my heart already heavy with anticipation.

It was him.

The man behind all of this. The one who had promised me power. Revenge. And in return, all I had to do was lead Vihan Khurana into his trap. I swallowed hard, staring at the screen before finally answering.

"Speak," I said, my voice sharper than intended.

"Everything is going as planned, I assume?" his smooth voice hummed through the speaker.

I clenched my jaw, my eyes drifting back toward Saisha.

The Mehndi ceremony had started. Someone was applying intricate designs on her hands while she sat there, lifeless, defeated.

"She's not happy," I muttered.

A soft chuckle came from the other end. Cold. Unbothered.

"She won't be for long," he replied. "Once Vihan is out of the way, she'll be free."

Free?

I almost laughed at the irony.

She wasn't free now, and she wouldn't be free later. Because I had already caged her with my own lies.

The weight of it crushed my chest.

She trusted me. Blindly. Completely.

And yet, I had let her walk into a storm she didn't even see coming.

I cut the call, unable to listen to another word. My hands were shaking, my breath uneven. I had to do this .I had to finish what I started.

But more than anything, I feared the day she found out the truth.

Because that would be the day I loose everything.

SAISHA's POV:

The wedding preparations had begun. My home-once a place of warmth and dreams-was now just a decorated prison, adorned with flowers, fairy lights, and forced celebrations. But among all these bright colors, I felt nothing but darkness inside me. I was still looking for a way out, but every passing second only cemented my fate. Today was my Haldi and Mehndi ceremony-two steps closer to a future I had never chosen.

As I sat on the edge of my bed, lost in the fading memories of the life I once wished for, a familiar voice pulled me back to reality.

"Saisha..." Vaishnavi's gentle voice brought me out of my thoughts.

I turned to look at her. She was my best friend, my confidant-the only person who knew my pain without me having to say a word.

"Are you okay?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.

I forced a small smile. "I have to be, Vaish, don't I?"

Her brows furrowed, and she hesitated before speaking. "Ritvik is outside... do you want to see him?"

The moment she mentioned his name, my heart clenched. It had been so long since I had seen him. I wasn't allowed to step out of the house since my family had locked my freedom away along with my dreams.

"Call him in." My voice was barely above a whisper.

A few minutes later, I saw him walking towards me. My chest tightened, my eyes burning with unspilled tears. Seeing him again felt like rewinding time-to the nights we spent making plans about moving to the same city, getting jobs together, living life on our terms. But life had other plans.

He stood in front of me, his gaze scanning my face. His expression was unreadable, but there was something there-pain, guilt, sadness. I couldn't name just one.

He noticed the tear that was about to escape my eye and gently wiped it away with his thumb. "Don't cry, Saisha... you know I've got your back. Always." His voice was steady, but his eyes weren't.

I shook my head. "Then help me, Ritvik. Take me away."

His jaw clenched. He exhaled sharply and ran a hand through his hair. "I feel so helpless, Saisha. I want to, trust me, I do. But..." He trailed off, guilt making his voice heavy.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "People say blood is thicker than water, but look at us-you're the only ones standing beside me when my own family is throwing me into this mess."

He looked away, his fists clenching as if he was trying to control his emotions. Before he could say anything else, the sound of laughter and music filled the air. It was time.

The ceremony began.

As the Haldi was applied to my skin, the elders smiled and guests cheered. To them, this was a celebration. To me, it was the stamping out of my dreams.

Few knew the truth-that this wasn't a wedding, but a business deal in disguise.

My mother didn't even look me in the eye. How could she? She was part of this. They all were.

The Mehndi came next. My hands were covered in intricate designs, but they felt like shackles. The irony wasn't lost on me-I was being decorated like a bride, yet I felt like a prisoner.

By the time the ceremonies ended, exhaustion consumed me. I made my way to my room, peeling off the layers of makeup and jewelry that felt too heavy on my skin. As I sank onto my bed, my phone buzzed.

I sighed. I already knew who it was.

I hesitated before picking it up. Masked Man. My only escape, the only one who knew the real me without knowing my face.

Masked Man: Hi, Gummy Bear.

A sad smile tugged at my lips.

Me: Hi, Masked Man. I'm sorry about the other night. I was rude.

Masked Man: No worries. I understand.

A pause.

Masked Man: So... how's everything going?

I let out a humorless laugh.

Me: Yup, going well. Today was my Haldi and Mehndi function. Tomorrow is the Pooja, and the day after... the wedding.

There was another pause before I typed again.

Me: Funny, isn't it? Getting tied to someone I haven't even seen. Someone I don't know at all.

A long pause. Then finally, his response.

Masked Man: Gummy Bear, I don't know if you believe in destiny or not. But if you don't... you should. If that person is destined for you, maybe he's the right one.

Hope. That's what he was giving me. But it was too late for hope. I had learned my lesson-expectations only lead to heartbreak.

I sighed, typing out a formal goodnight before putting my phone aside.

There was more waiting for me.

And I was preparing myself to face it.

VIHAN's POV:

The ceremonies had begun at her house.

I sat in my office, surrounded by walls filled with deals worth millions-yet, at this moment, none of them mattered.

My eyes were glued to my phone, scrolling through the pictures my men had sent from her house. My men, dressed as part of the staff, were stationed everywhere-not just to send me updates but to protect her. She looked adorable. My fingers itched to reach out and wipe the yellow paste off her skin, to touch her just once.

I had told them one thing: If anything seems off, handle it. If anyone dares hurt her, deal with them before I have to.

And yet, despite knowing she was safe, there was an uneasiness settling in my chest. The pictures.

There she was, Saisha-the girl who had unknowingly stolen my peace, the girl who had been fighting alone for too long.

Her face was covered in Haldi, her delicate features glowing under the golden light, making her look like something out of a dream.

But that wasn't what caught my attention.

It was her eyes.

The usual fire, the quiet rebellion I had always admired in her-it was missing. The corners of my jaw tightened as I leaned forward, my fingers gripping the phone tighter.

She looked lifeless.

And I knew why.

She thought this was nothing but a deal.

She thought she was being sold to the highest bidder, thrown into a marriage where her value was nothing more than a signature on a contract.

The thought alone made my blood run cold.

She didn't know.

She had no idea that the man she was being forced to marry was the same person who had spent months making sure she had someone to confide in-someone to talk to without fear.

She didn't know that I was the one she texted every night.

That I was her so-called 'Masked Man.'

That I was the only one who had always been listening.

And yet, she was preparing herself for the worst.

I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair before grabbing my phone.

Me: Hi, Gummy Bear.

Minutes passed.

And then finally-her reply.

Saisha: Hi, Masked Man. I'm sorry about the other night. I was rude.

My lips twitched into a small smirk. Still thinking about that, huh?

Me: No worries. I understand.

I leaned back in my chair, knowing she was avoiding the real topic.

Me: So ....how's everything going?

There was a slight pause before she typed again

Another pause.

Then finally-

Saisha: Yup, everything's going well. Today was my Haldi and Mehndi function. Tomorrow is the Pooja, and the day after... the wedding.

A bitter taste filled my mouth.

Our wedding.

Saisha: Funny, isn't it? Getting tied to someone I haven't even seen. Someone I don't know at all.

I closed my eyes for a brief second before typing-

Me: Gummy Bear, do you believe in destiny? Because if you don't, you should. If that person is destined for you, maybe he's the right one.

The silence stretched longer this time.

I knew what she was thinking.

She wasn't someone who believed in fairy tales. She wasn't someone who waited for miracles.

Life had been cruel to her for too long, and she had stopped expecting anything good from it.

And yet, here I was-wanting to give her everything.

She didn't reply after that.

Instead, she ended the conversation with a simple 'Goodnight.'

My fingers tightened around my phone, my patience slipping away.

She wasn't expecting anything from this marriage.

That-burned.

She was protecting herself. From me.

She thought I was just another name in a long list of men making decisions for her, another stranger she had to obey.

But she was wrong.

Because once she became mine-she would never have to bow down to anyone ever again.

Not her father. Not society. Not even me.

She would be free.

She would have everything she had ever been deprived of.

And she would finally understand that she wasn't being forced into this marriage.

She was being saved.

Just a little more time, Saisha.

You have no idea what's coming for you.

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