The next morning arrived with a calm breeze flowing through the Mehra residence. The golden rays of the sun entered through the large windows, making the mansion look peaceful from the outside.
Everything appeared normal. The servants continued their work, tea was placed on the centre table, and breakfast was ready. But behind the peaceful atmosphere, one room was filled with tears and helplessness.
Downstairs, the entire Mehra family was gathered in the living room. Anika stood in front of them with tear-filled eyes. She had spent the whole night crying, and it was clearly visible from her swollen eyes and tired face.
She wasn't angry anymore. She was simply trying one last time to make her family understand what she truly wanted.
"Dadi... please."
Her voice trembled as she looked towards Savitri.
"Main abhi shaadi nahi karna chahti. Sirf ek hafte mein meri poori zindagi ka faisla kaise ho sakta hai?"
Silence filled the room.
Kavya immediately walked towards her daughter and gently held her shoulders.
"Beta... shaant ho jao. Rana parivaar bahut accha hai. Wahan tum bahut khush rahogi."
Anika shook her head continuously.
"Mumma... baat Rana family ki nahi hai. Baat meri hai. Main abhi tayyar hi nahi hoon."
Her father Raghav stood up and spoke calmly.
"Anika... har maa-baap apni beti ke liye sabse accha hi sochte hain. Rudra ek mature ladka hai. Woh zimmedar hai. Tumhara khayal rakhega. Tumhe woh pyaar aur respect dega jiski tum haqdar ho."
Anika looked at her father with watery eyes.
"Papa... aap log meri khushi kyun decide kar rahe ho? Ek baar meri baat toh suniye."
Before anyone else could speak, Savitri interrupted in her firm voice.
"Humne sab soch samajhkar hi yeh faisla liya hai. Rajeshwari meri bachpan ki dost hai. Main uske parivaar ko achhi tarah jaanti hoon. Tum wahan bahut khush rahogi."
Anika wiped her tears.
"Par Dadi... meri fashion company? Mere sapne? Maine itni mehnat se sab kuch shuru kiya hai."
Kavya lovingly held her face.
"Shaadi ke baad bhi tum apna kaam kar sakti ho. Hum sab tumhare saath hain."
Anika slowly stepped back. She looked at every member of her family one by one. Not a single person was asking...
"Tum kya chahti ho?"
Instead...
Everyone was trying to convince her that marriage was the right decision. At that very moment, Anika realized something.
No matter how much she cried... No matter how many times she explained... No one was going to change their decision.
Her eyes slowly lowered. Without saying another word... She quietly turned around. And walked towards her room.
Leaving behind a family that believed they were choosing her happiness... While the only person who truly knew her happiness walked away in silence.
The morning at Rana Mansion was calm, with light rain continuously falling outside. The cool breeze entered through the large windows, carrying the fresh fragrance of wet soil throughout the mansion.
The atmosphere was peaceful, yet everyone knew that peace wouldn't last long. The dining table had already been prepared. The servants were placing breakfast one by one, while some staff members stood nearby with files waiting for Mahendra and Vikram.
Rajveer was quietly reading the morning newspaper, Mahendra and Vikram were checking their office emails on their tablets, while Rajeshwari was talking and laughing with little Ayaan, who was happily sitting between Armaan and Advik. Meera was serving breakfast on everyone's plates, whereas Nandini's eyes were fixed on the staircase. Everyone was waiting for only one person.
After a minute, the sound of footsteps echoed through the mansion.Rudra Rana finally walked downstairs.
He was already dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, ready to leave for work. His hair was neatly set, his watch rested on his wrist, and his expression was as cold as ever. His sharp face carried no emotions. He neither looked at anyone nor greeted anyone. Picking up his car keys from the side table, he directly started walking towards the main entrance. Before he could leave...
"Rudra..."
Nandini softly called his name. He stopped but didn't turn around immediately. She slowly walked towards him while everyone silently watched them.
Rajeshwari and Rajveer secretly hoped he would agree to have breakfast with the family. Mahendra and Vikram exchanged worried glances, while Meera quietly picked up Rudra's breakfast plate, ready to serve him if he agreed. Armaan and Advik already knew he was still upset after yesterday's incident, so neither of them interrupted. Even little Ayaan stopped talking and innocently looked towards his eldest father.
Nandini gently held Rudra's hand. Her voice was filled with concern.
"Kal jo bhi hua... uske baare mein itna mat socho, beta."
He remained silent. She smiled weakly before speaking again.
"Bas... mera kehna maan lo. Breakfast karke jao. Roz ki tarah khaana skip mat karo. Hyperacidity ho jaayegi."
Rudra slightly pulled his hand back, ready to refuse once again. Before he could say anything, Nandini softly added,
"Apne liye nahi...meri liye."
For the first time that morning...Rudra looked into his mother's eyes. After a few silent seconds... He gave a small nod. Without saying a word, he walked with her towards the dining table.
A small smile appeared on Nandini's face. Meera immediately placed his breakfast in front of him. Everyone quietly sat straight. Just like every morning...
No one touched their food until Rudra had taken his first bite. Rudra silently picked up his spoon and started eating.
Only then did the rest of the family begin their breakfast. After a few moments of silence...
Rajeshwari finally spoke.
"Beta...Kal jo hua...Humne sirf tumhari khushi ke liye hi kiya."
Rudra didn't even lift his eyes from his plate. Mahendra calmly joined the conversation.
"Rudra... hum sab tumhe samajhte hain. Yeh sab tumhari bhalai ke liye hi hai."
Rudra slowly placed his spoon back on the plate. Without looking at anyone, he replied,
"Agar kisi ko zabardasti shaddi ke liye majboor karna khushi khelate hain...toh phir mujhe ye Khushi nahi chahiye."
Silence spread across the dining hall. Rajeshwari sighed before speaking lovingly.
"Anika iss ghar mein aayegi toh tumhara khayal rakhegi. Tumhe woh pyaar degi...jo tumhari zindagi mein kabhi nahi tha. Ab aur dard lekar jeene ki zarurat nahi hai, beta."
Those words made Rudra's expression harden once again. He slowly stood from his chair. His voice remained calm... But every word carried disappointment.
"Jab meri zindagi ke saare faisle aap log pehle hi kar chuke ho..."
He picked up his car keys.
"...toh phir jo karna hai kijiye."
He looked at everyone one last time.
"Waise bhi...Iss shaadi mein khush toh main kabhi nahi rehne wala."
Without waiting for anyone's reply... He walked out of the mansion. The sound of the closing door echoed throughout the dining hall.
No one spoke.
Everyone quietly continued eating, but the happiness that usually filled the breakfast table had disappeared. The heavy silence was finally broken by the smallest member of the family.
Little Ayaan innocently looked towards Armaan.
"Chachu! Kaun aane wala hai?"
Armaan smiled softly before ruffling his hair.
"Tumhari badi mummy."
Ayaan's eyes immediately widened. He excitedly looked towards Rajeshwari.
"Sach mein, Dadi?"
Rajeshwari smiled lovingly.
"Haan, mera baccha."
Ayaan thought for a few seconds before asking another question.
"Kya meri badi mummy bhi mujhe Story Wali Didi ki tarah pyaar karegi?"
Rajeshwari gently kissed his forehead.
"Haan...Bahut pyaar karegi."
Ayaan happily smiled and continued eating. Rajeshwari, however, remained lost in her thoughts. She looked towards her three grandsons.
One was about to get married.
The other two were still running away from the word marriage itself.
A small smile appeared on her face.
"Ek-ek karke..." she thought.
"Teeno ki shaadi karwaungi."
But for now... Her entire focus was only on one person.
RUDRA RANA.
The Chief Minister's office was as busy as every other day. Officers hurried from one department to another, ministers waited with important files in their hands, while security personnel stood alert at every corner. Everyone was waiting for only one person.
Rudra Rana.
A black SUV stopped in front of the Secretariat. Within seconds, Rudra stepped out, dressed in his perfectly tailored black suit. His cold expression and sharp aura were enough to make the entire atmosphere serious. As he walked inside the building, every officer and employee respectfully greeted him.
"Good morning, Sir."
He simply gave a slight nod and continued walking without stopping.
Near the entrance of the meeting hall stood Ruhaan, Rudra's childhood best friend and the only person who could speak to him freely. After hearing everything from Advik about what had happened at Rana Mansion, he had been waiting for Rudra since morning.
As Rudra reached him, Ruhaan quietly walked beside him.
"Good morning."
Rudra didn't reply. His silence itself was enough to tell Ruhaan that his mood hadn't changed since last night. The doors of the conference room opened. The moment Rudra entered, every minister and officer immediately stood up out of respect.
Rudra looked around the room before speaking in his usual calm yet commanding voice.
"Let's begin."
The meeting continued for nearly an hour. Important state matters were discussed, files were approved, and necessary orders were passed. Throughout the meeting, Rudra remained completely focused, as if nothing had happened in his personal life.
Once the meeting ended, he returned to his cabin. Ruhaan followed him silently. Rudra placed a few files on his desk before taking his seat. Ruhaan leaned against the table and finally spoke.
"Kab tak iss baat ko lekar khud ko pareshaan karoge?"
Before Rudra could answer, there was a knock on the cabin door.
"May I come in, Sir?"
"Come in."
A staff member entered respectfully with a blue file in his hands. He placed it on Rudra's desk.
"Sir, Rajveer Sir ne yeh file bheji hai. Is par aapke signatures chahiye."
Rudra opened the file and slightly raised one eyebrow.
"Kis cheez ki file hai?"
The employee answered politely,
"Sir, shaadi ki arrangements aur security planning se related hai. Rajveer Sir ne kaha hai ki aap apne meetings ka schedule bhi isi hisaab se manage kar lijiye."
The cabin fell silent. Rudra calmly closed the file. His expression didn't change.
"Uski zarurat nahi hai."
The employee looked confused. Rudra spoke in the same cold tone,
"Meri meetings marriage ke hisaab se nahi chalengi. Schedule cancel kar dena."
The employee hesitated. Before he could say anything, Ruhaan picked up the file and glanced through it.
A small smile appeared on his face. He looked at Rudra before saying,
"Yeh Rajveer sir ka order nahi hai..."
He closed the file.
"...yeh RAJESHWARI mam ka order hai."
For the first time since morning... Rudra became silent. He knew one thing very well. He could refuse anyone.
But when it came to his grandmother... His options were always limited. The cabin once again fell into complete silence.
The atmosphere inside Mehra Couture was completely different from the chaos in Anika's heart. The grand fashion studio was bustling with brides, designers, and staff members. It was one of the most famous bridal fashion houses in the city.
Every bride dreamed of wearing a lehenga designed by Anika Mehra. She was known for pouring her heart into every design, spending countless sleepless nights just to see a smile on a bride's face on her wedding day.
But today... The same designer who fulfilled every bride's dream...
Couldn't protect her own.
Inside her private cabin, complete silence surrounded her. Rolls of luxurious fabrics, sketches, and colourful embroidery samples were neatly placed on the table. In front of her lay a beautiful bridal lehenga sketch.
Not for a client. For herself.
Since childhood, Anika had dreamed of designing her own wedding lehenga. She had imagined every detail—the colour, the embroidery, the dupatta, every tiny pearl stitched with her own hands. It was her dream to become both the designer and the bride wearing her own creation.
A faint smile unknowingly appeared on her lips as she gently ran her fingers over the fabric.
For a moment...She got lost in that beautiful dream. But within seconds...
Reality hit her. The smile slowly disappeared. Her eyes became moist.
She tightly clenched the fabric in her hands, trying her best not to let the tears fall. A heavy silence filled the cabin as she lowered her gaze.
Everything she had imagined... Was now being decided by someone else.
Taking a deep breath, she wiped the corner of her eyes and whispered to herself,
"Agar kisi ne socha hai ki main itni aasani se yeh shaadi accept kar lungi..."
A determined look appeared in her eyes.
"...toh woh bahut galat soch raha hai."
She carefully folded the fabric and placed it back on the table. One thing was certain.
If this marriage was being forced upon her...
Then she wasn't going to make it easy for Rudra Rana either.
Back at Rana Mansion, the atmosphere had completely changed compared to the morning. The mansion was once again filled with laughter and conversations. After so many years, a wedding was finally going to take place in the Rana family, and every member was busy in one way or another.
Nandini and Meera were discussing wedding outfits and guest arrangements. Rajveer, Mahendra, and Vikram were talking about the preparations and security.
The servants hurried around the mansion carrying decorations, invitation samples, and lists of arrangements. Little Ayaan was happily running around with Armaan, while Advik silently watched him with a faint smile.
Everyone was occupied...
Except one person.
Rajeshwari Rana.
She quietly walked towards the balcony, away from everyone's sight. The cool breeze carried the scent of the rain as she looked at the garden below. Taking out her phone, she dialed a number she trusted completely.
The call was answered within seconds. Her voice remained calm yet firm.
"Mujhe us doctor ki poori information chahiye..."
She paused before continuing.
"Jisne kuch din pehle Ayaan ka treatment kiya tha. Jo Aarogyam multi-speciality hospital main hain."
There was silence from the other side as the person listened carefully.
Rajeshwari added,
"Naam, parivaar, profession... sab kuch. Aur mujhe yeh information jitni jaldi ho sake chahiye."
The person immediately replied,
"Ji, Rajeshwari Ma'am."
Without saying another word, she disconnected the call. A small smile appeared on her face. She had already fulfilled the first step of her plan.
Rudra's marriage was her priority.
But once that responsibility was completed... Her next mission would begin.
Advik Rana.
Putting her phone back in to the table, Rajeshwari composed herself and walked back inside the mansion, where Nandini and Meera were excitedly discussing the wedding preparations.
No one noticed the mysterious phone call.
And no one knew...
that Rajeshwari had already started searching for the girl whom Ayaan lovingly called...
"Story Wali Didi."
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