The morning sky was covered with dark clouds, and a gentle drizzle had begun to fall. The cool breeze carried the fragrance of wet earth, making the weather peaceful.
But inside Rana Mansion, the atmosphere was completely different.
If the outside was filled with rain, the mansion was filled with laughter, wedding songs, and endless chaos.
Relatives moved from one corner to another, servants rushed with decorations, and everyone seemed busy with one thing or another.
In the middle of all that chaos sat Rudra Rana.
Wearing a simple cream-colored kurta with its sleeves folded neatly to his forearms, he looked as calm and unreadable as ever. While everyone around him laughed and celebrated, he remained completely unbothered, sitting with the same cold expression on his face.
The haldi ceremony had already begun.
Nandini completed his aarti first before applying a small tilak on his forehead. Smiling lovingly, she fed him a piece of mithai.
"Khush rehna hamesha."
Rudra simply nodded.
Just then Meera picked up the bowl of haldi. Before she could apply it, Nandini stopped her.
"Ek minute..."
She looked towards Rajeshwari.
"Maa... sabse pehle haldi aap lagaiye."
Rajeshwari immediately shook her head.
"Nahi... pehle maa lagati hai."
Meera smiled softly.
"Aur aap bhi toh unki maa hi hain."
For a few seconds, both women insisted that the other should apply the haldi first.
Finally, Meera gently held Rajeshwari's hand.
"Maa... pehla haq aapka hai."
Rajeshwari's eyes softened.
Without saying another word, she dipped her fingers into the haldi and gently applied it to Rudra's cheek.
As she lovingly removed his nazar, she whispered,
"Haye... mera baccha."
For a brief second, even Rudra's expression softened.
After Rajeshwari, Meera applied haldi, followed by Nandini. One by one, every elder in the family blessed him with haldi and warm wishes.
A few moments later...
Advik walked in carrying little Ayaan in his arms.
He smiled faintly before applying haldi to his elder brother.
Then he looked at Ayaan. And Ayaan going to apply haldi on advik. Just then. Advik hold his hand and said...
"Chalo... Papa nahi, bade Papa ko haldi lagao."
Ayaan's tiny fingers dipped into the bowl before he carefully touched Rudra's cheek.
Everyone around them smiled at the adorable sight.
Armaan, who had been watching everything with folded arms, finally walked forward.
He looked at Rudra dramatically.
"Bhai... aaj toh has dijiye."
Rudra raised an eyebrow.
"Shaadi meri hai ya tumhari?"
Everyone burst into laughter. Armaan clutched his chest dramatically.
"Dekho! Dulha bol bhi raha hai."
Even Rudra couldn't stop the faint smile that appeared on his face.
Watching the moment, Rajeshwari smiled before turning towards Meera and Nandini.
"Bahu, sonu tum dono, Yeh haldi lekar Mehra House chali jao. Ab isi haldi se Anika ko bhi haldi lagegi."
Before they could answer—
Armaan immediately raised his hand.
"Dadi... main bhi jau?"
Rajeshwari looked at him for exactly two seconds before replying,
"Bilkul nahi."
"Kyun?"
"Tum wahan gaye na... toh shaadi se pehle hi koi na koi hungama pakka karoge."
The entire family laughed. Armaan pouted dramatically.
"Dadi... itna bhi bura nahi hoon."
"Bas... tum ghar pe hi raho."
Just then little Ayaan looked at Rajeshwari with innocent eyes. Who was in advik's arms.
"Dadi... main ja sakta hoon?"
Rajeshwari looked at the little boy and immediately melted.
"Hmm..."
She smiled before looking at Meera.
"Ayaan ko saath le jaana."
Meera nodded.
"Theek hai, Maa."
Ayaan clapped happily in Advik's arms.
"Yay! Badi mumma ke paas jaunga main"
The entire family smiled, while Advik simply shook his head with a helpless smile.
And amidst the laughter, preparations for the wedding continued.
The atmosphere inside Mehra Residency was filled with excitement.
Wedding songs echoed throughout the house as relatives laughed together. Children ran around the living room while the elders remained busy welcoming guests and preparing for the haldi ceremony.
In the middle of all the happiness sat Anika Mehra.
Dressed in a beautiful pastel-colored kurti, paired with floral jewellery specially made for her haldi, she looked breathtakingly beautiful. Yet behind that beauty, her eyes carried a silence that no one could understand.
She was sitting on the sofa in the living room, talking to her PA over the phone.
"Haan... woh bridal collection Monday tak complete ho jana chahiye. Aur clients ko bol dena ki main do din available nahi rahungi."
Her PA continued explaining the remaining work while Anika listened carefully. Everything was normal...
Until the entrance of the Mehra house caught everyone's attention. Standing there were Meera Rana and Nandini Rana.
In Meera's hands rested the beautifully decorated bowl of haldi brought specially from Rudra's ceremony.
Meanwhile, little Ayaan was comfortably sitting in Nandini's arms.
Seeing them, Kavya and Savitri immediately walked towards the entrance.
"Aao... aao."
They welcomed them warmly. Just then...
Ayaan's eyes searched the room. The moment he spotted Anika, his entire face lit up. He immediately looked at Nandini.
"Dadi... chhodo na mujhe. Mujhe meri badi mumma ke paas jana hai."
Nandini smiled lovingly before placing him down.
"Dheere, Ayaan... gir jaoge."
But before she could complete her sentence... The little boy had already started running.
Anika looked up from her phone in surprise. Seeing Ayaan running towards her, she immediately ended the call.
"I'll call you later."
She had barely kept her phone aside when... Ayaan tightly hugged her.
"Main aa gaya!"
A smile unknowingly appeared on Anika's face. She immediately lifted him into her lap and kissed his forehead.
"Arey... itni yaad aa rahi thi meri?"
Ayaan nodded innocently.
"Bohot."
Watching them together, everyone couldn't help but smile.
For a moment...
Even Anika forgot all the fear hidden inside her heart. Soon, Savitri walked towards her.
"Anika beta... chalo. Haldi ka muhurat ho gaya hai."
Anika stood up, still holding Ayaan's tiny hand, and walked towards the beautifully decorated seat prepared for the ceremony.
She sat down quietly.
Savitri performed her aarti before placing a tilak on her forehead. Then she lovingly picked up a little haldi and applied it to Anika's cheeks.
While caressing her face, she whispered emotionally,
"Kal se tum apne naye ghar chali jaogi... bas hamesha isi tarah sabka dil jeetna."
Anika lowered her eyes. Next came Kavya.
The moment she applied haldi to her daughter's face, her hands trembled. Both mother and daughter looked at each other.
Neither of them spoke... Yet tears silently filled both their eyes. Kavya gently wiped Anika's tears before kissing her forehead.
After them...
Meera and Nandini stepped forward. Meera smiled warmly while applying haldi.
"Hamesha khush rehna."
Nandini added with affection,
"Hamare ghar ki bahu bankar aa rahi ho... lekin sabse pehle hamari beti banogi."
"No one will scold you or make you feel alone."
"And Rudra..."
She smiled softly.
"Woh tumhara hamesha khayal rakhega."
Those words echoed in Anika's ears. For a brief moment... She drifted into her own thoughts.
Will he really care for me...?
Or...
Will this marriage only become another responsibility for both of us? She stared silently at the haldi on her hands, lost in thoughts no one around her could see.
The night had quietly settled over Rana Mansion.
Downstairs, the mansion was still alive with laughter. Family members and relatives were enjoying themselves, talking about tomorrow's wedding while servants completed the last-minute preparations.
But upstairs...
Inside Rudra's room, the atmosphere was completely different.
Rudra sat on the sofa near the window, silently looking outside at the rain. His face remained expressionless, yet anyone who knew him could tell that countless thoughts were running through his mind.
Meanwhile, Armaan sat beside him, refusing to let the room become silent.
"Bhai... kal shaadi hai. No excitement? No nervousness? No smile?"
Rudra didn't even look at him. Armaan continued dramatically.
"Main toh soch raha tha ki kal se aap romantic hero ban jaoge."
Still...
No response. Just then the room's door opened.
Advik walked inside.
The moment he entered, he saw Armaan continuously teasing Rudra while the groom himself looked completely done with him.
After listening for a few seconds, Advik finally spoke in his usual calm but strict voice.
"Armaan."
That one word was enough.
Armaan immediately raised both his hands.
"Theek hai... theek hai. Main chup."
He stood up from the bed before looking at Advik.
"Waise mera baby kahan hai?"
Advik smiled faintly.
"Dadi ke paas hai. Neeche sabke saath."
Armaan nodded dramatically.
"Perfect. Toh main bhi wahi ja raha hoon."
Before leaving, he looked at Rudra one last time.
"Bhai... thoda smile kar lena. Warna kal log sochenge dulhe ko zabardasti mandap mein bithaya hai."
Without waiting for a reply, Armaan laughed at his own joke and walked out of the room.
The door closed. Silence filled the room. Advik slowly walked towards Rudra and sat beside him.
For a few moments, neither of them spoke. Then Advik asked softly,
"Kya hua? Tum itne chup kyun ho?"
Rudra let out a long sigh before finally speaking.
"Tujhe pata hai na...Mujhe yeh shaadi... yeh rasmein... yeh sab kabhi pasand nahi thi."
He looked down at his hands.
"Chhe saal ho gaye... Lekin jo hua tha... Usse bhoolna itna aasaan nahi hai. I still feel... History might repeat itself."
Advik remained silent, allowing his brother to speak. After a few seconds, he placed a reassuring hand on Rudra's shoulder.
"Har baar ek jaisi kahani nahi hoti, Rudra. Ho sakta hai... Anika ke aane ke baad tumhari zindagi badal jaaye."
Rudra gave a bitter smile.
"I can explain my family. They love me. They'll understand. But she..."
He paused.
"She could have refused this marriage. It would've been easier for her."
Advik looked at him thoughtfully before replying,
"Aur agar usne mana kiya ho toh?"
Rudra looked at him.
"Ho sakta hai usne bhi apni family ko samjhane ki koshish ki ho. Lekin har baar bachchon ki baat maan li jaati ho... zaroori toh nahi. Sometimes... We choose our family over ourselves. What happened... happened for a reason. So stop overthinking."
Rudra remained silent. His eyes stayed fixed on the rain outside. After a long pause, he finally took a deep breath.
"Mujhe is baare mein aur baat nahi karni. It's better if we leave it here."
Advik simply nodded.
"Theek hai."
The two brothers sat there in complete silence, listening only to the sound of rain outside, unaware that by the same time tomorrow...
Both their lives would change forever.
The clock had already crossed midnight.
The cheerful atmosphere of Mehra Residency had finally settled into silence. The laughter, music, and wedding chaos had slowly disappeared as the relatives retired to their rooms after a long day.
Only a few decorative lights still illuminated the mansion.
Inside her room...
Anika sat on the swing placed in the balcony. A cool breeze brushed against her face as she looked up at the cloudy night sky.
Beside her sat her closest friend, Preeti quietly watching her.
For several minutes...Neither of them spoke.
Finally, her friend broke the silence.
"Kya soch rahi hai?"
Anika smiled faintly before lowering her gaze.
"Pata hai...Rana family buri nahi hai. Sab log... kaafi acche lage. Dadi, Meera aunty, Nandini aunty, Even little Ayaan..."
A small smile unknowingly appeared on her face as she remembered the little boy hugging her tightly.
"But..."
Her smile slowly disappeared.
"Mujhe Rudra Rana bilkul pasand nahi hai."
Her friend looked at her silently. Anika continued,
"Sabse pehli baat... Mujhe politicians kabhi pasand hi nahi aaye. And most of their family belongs to politics."
She looked towards the dark sky.
"Aur doosri baat...I never imagined that the man I would marry...would be someone I was forced to marry."
She let out a deep sigh.
"I hate the Chief Minister. And tomorrow...I'll become his wife."
Silence surrounded both of them once again. After a few moments, her friend gently held her hand.
"Anika...Har kahani shuru hone se pehle buri lagti hai. But that doesn't mean its ending will be the same."
She smiled softly.
"Who knows...Maybe this marriage will give you everything you never expected. What happens..Happens for a reason."
Anika remained quiet.
She closed her eyes for a brief moment...
Took a deep breath... And silently prayed that whatever awaited her tomorrow...
Wouldn't destroy the dreams she had spent years building.
The morning slowly turned into afternoon.
Outside Mehra Residency, every corner was beautifully decorated with flowers and lights. Wedding songs echoed throughout the mansion as relatives rushed from one place to another, making sure everything was perfect.
Inside...
The atmosphere was strangely quiet. It wasn't filled with tears. But anyone who looked closely could feel the emotions hidden behind every smile.
Inside her room...
Anika Mehra sat in front of the dressing mirror.
Dressed in a breathtaking bridal red lehenga with heavy bridal jewellery, her hands adorned with dark mehendi, and a delicate veil resting over her head, she looked nothing less than a dream.
Yet...
Her eyes carried thousands of unanswered questions. She looked at herself in the mirror.
"Am I really ready for this?"
For a brief moment...
She wondered whether she should stop everything. Whether she should refuse. Whether she should fight for her dreams one last time.
But after a long silence... She closed her eyes.
"Maybe... Maybe I can still complete my dreams after marriage. Maybe this decision won't end my journey..."
Just then...
The door slowly opened. Kavya entered the room along with Preeti. The moment Kavya saw her daughter dressed as a bride...
Her eyes instantly became moist.
She slowly walked towards Anika and gently cupped her face.
"My little girl...You've grown up so much. It feels like yesterday you were running around this house... And today...You are becoming someone's wife."
Anika looked at her mother. Unable to stop herself any longer... She hugged her tightly. Tears rolled down both their faces. Within moments...
The door opened once again.
Harish entered along with Savitri and Raghav.
Seeing Anika crying, Harish immediately smiled and said,
"Arey... Aise royegi toh makeup kharab ho jayega."
Savitri lovingly held her granddaughter's hand.
"Yeh ghar hamesha tumhara rahega. Jab mann kare...Apne ghar aa jana."
Raghav kissed Anika's forehead.
"Our princess doesn't need anyone's permission to come home. Yeh ghar kal bhi tumhara tha...Aur hamesha rahega."
Anika could only nod while wiping her tears.
Just then...
Raghav's phone rang. He looked at the screen. It was Mahindra Rana. After answering the call, Raghav smiled brightly.
"Haan Mahindra ji..."
A few seconds later, he ended the call before looking towards everyone.
"Baraat nikal chuki hai. Bas kuch hi der mein pahunchne wali hai."
The entire room immediately became active again.
Harish clapped his hands dramatically.
"Chalo chalo... Ab rona-dhona band. Aaj meri princess ki shaadi hai."
Everyone smiled through their tears.
Seeing her family's happiness... Anika couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. For that one moment...
She decided to keep her fears hidden behind a smile.
Because today... She wasn't just Anika Mehra.
She was about to become...
Anika Rana.
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