Author's POV:

Jhanvi was sitting in front of the mirror while the makeup artists were getting her ready, when 

one of them said:

"You are very lucky, you are getting married to the most popular bachelor of this country."

Jhanvi faked a smile and gave a small nod.

Another artist excitedly asked:

"Waise aap log kaha mile? I mean... aapki love story start kaise hui?"

(The smile on Jhanvi's lips slowly faded.)

She thought for a moment, about to speak, when suddenly 

the door to her room swung open.

The atmosphere shifted instantly.

Cold. Dark. Suffocating.

The echo of shoes tapping against the marble floor filled the silence, until a low, icy voice came from behind:

"Dusre ki personal life jaanne mein aap logon ko bohot interest hai."
The artists exchanged nervous glances.

One of them stuttered:

"Sir, we are sor—"

Dev raised a hand in the air, cutting her off.

"Leave it. I want to talk to my beautiful to-be wife... so."

His eyes swept over them, one by one, before he ordered, voice razor-sharp:

"Move."

They dropped everything they were holding and rushed outside, the door clicking shut behind them.

Dev stepped closer and placed both hands on Jhanvi's shoulders from behind, forcing eye contact through the mirror.

A slow smirk curled on his lips as he whispered:

"Itni khoobsurat lagogi toh main bhool jaunga ki humari suhaagraat mein abhi time hai."

A wave of disgust washed over Jhanvi.

She tried to pull away, but his grip tightened  nails pressing into her bare skin where the cut-sleeve blouse left her exposed.

A sharp hiss escaped her lips.

Dev leaned closer, lips brushing her neck as he inhaled deeply.

Her eyes burned with tears as she dug her nails into her palm — but Dev only chuckled, low and mocking:

"Tumhari ye khushboo mujhe pagal kar degi... hmmm f*ck."

She began trembling when she felt his lips on her neck again.

He lifted his gaze in the mirror, voice dropping to a dangerous calm:

"Don't worry, Gulab. Aaj kuch nahi karunga... lekin agar tum aise hi mujhe door karti rahogi...""...toh mujhe waqt nahi lagega tumhare saath voh sab karne mein jo main roz tumhare baare mein sochta hoon."

Tears were already streaming down Jhanvi's face when he whispered again, voice heavy with obsession:

"Tum nahi jaanti, Gulab, main tumse kitna pyaar karta hoon."

Love?

No.

It felt vile. Revolting. Suffocating.

He pulled her up forcefully and rose himself, stepping toward her as she backed away until her spine hit the wall.

His fingers traced her jawline, then clamped around her chin.

He leaned in, eyes glinting with cruel satisfaction as he whispered again:

"Can't wait to fully make you mine."

Before she could react — he smashed his lips against hers.

The impact made her gasp.

Her fists clenched so tight her nails dug into her own palm.

When he finally pulled away, blood had smeared her lips — her lipstick now ruined.

He wiped the blood gently with his thumb, smirking

Then he turned and walked out of the room.

The moment the door shut, Jhanvi dropped to her knees.

She rubbed her arms aggressively, trying to scrub the feeling off her skin.

Her reflection stared back at her — lipstick smudged, eyes hollow, breath uneven.

She felt filthy.

Not because of the mark on her lips.

But because of the weight crushing her soul.

Meanwhile;

Reeva went to the hotel where the Taneja and Verma families were staying. 

As she reached, Arushi was already there, waiting for her. Without wasting a second, she took Reeva upstairs to their penthouse.

The door opened.

Inside, Aryan sat on the couch, silent and still — Aahan seated beside him. (Arushi had already told Reeva everything, including Aryan's act.)

Arushi cleared her throat, pulling their attention toward the entrance.

Aryan looked at Reeva, then at Arushi, and asked coldly:

"Ye yaha kya kar rahi hai?"

Arushi stepped forward and crouched in front of him, voice heavy with guilt:

"Aryan, I'm sorry... lekin tumhari condition dekhne ke baad main Jhanvi se baat karne gayi thi. 

Sach batane gayi thi."

"Lekin Jhanvi ki jagah mujhe Reeva mili... aur maine sach bata diya."

Aahan shot up, shock and panic exploding out of him:

"Tum pagal ho gayi ho kya, Arushi? Bhabhi ko sach batane gayi thi? Hosh mein bhi ho?"

"Unhe pata chalta toh—"

Aryan raised a hand, stopping him mid-sentence:

"Pata toh nahi chala na? Toh baat khatam."

His voice softened only slightly as he looked toward Reeva:

"I'm sorry... aapko ye sab shocking laga hoga."

Reeva shook her head, tears glossing her eyes:

"Nahi nahi... balki I'm sorry."

"Tum dono ke saath ab tak jo bhi hua... koi aur hota tumhari jagah toh ab tak dusri shadi kar chuka hota."

"You really love her... aur yaadash na hone ke bawajood bhi voh tumse pyaar karti hai."

Aryan froze.

Brows tightening. Breath uneven.

Confused, he asked:

"Pyaar karti hai... matlab?"

Reeva looked down, hesitant but honest:

"Haan... voh tumse pyaar karti hai. I mean... karti thi—"

Aryan stood up instantly:

"Thi matlab?"

Reeva sighed, rubbing her temples:

"Yahi batane aayi hoon main."

"Shayd Arushi ne tumhe abhi tak nahi bataya..."

"Lekin jha—mera matlab Anjali ki shadi ho rahi hai..."

"...Dev Singhania se."

Aryan staggered a step back.

Aahan immediately grabbed his arm to steady him.

Reeva continued, guilt weighing her voice down:

"Jaisa maine Arushi se kaha tha ki main Mrs. Bisht se baat karungi... main gayi thi."

"Wahan gayi toh decorations chal rahi thi..."

"Mujhe kuch sahi nahi laga, toh main direct jha—Anjali ke paas gayi..."

"Aur usne tumhare baare mein bahut kuch kaha..."

"Jo main jaanti hoon sach nahi hai..."

"Aur gusse mein... maine uspe haath bhi utha diya."

A shaky breath escaped her.

"I'm sorry."

Aahan clenched his jaw:

"Mr. & Mrs. Bisht ko pata hai... phir bhi?"

Reeva nodded:

"Main nahi jaanti voh log ye kyu kar rahe hai..."

"Lekin Jhanvi Dev ko nahi pasand karti."

"Aaj usne kaha ki voh use pasand karti hai..."

"Ek din mein aisa kaise ho sakta hai?"

"Aur jitna jh—Anjali ko jaanti hoon..."

"...voh kabhi pyaar ke upar paise nahi choose karegi."

Silence swallowed the room.

Heavy. Unforgiving. Cruel.

Then she added, voice breaking the quiet again:

"Aaj uski engagement hai..."

"Aur shaam ko mehndi."

Aryan shut his eyes.

A single tear rolled first.

Then another.

A low, painful chuckle left him:

"Ab kya karna?" Aahan asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Aryan looked at all of them, heartbreak sharpening every word:

"Karna kya hai... kuch nahi kar sakte."

Arushi's voice trembled as she argued:

"Hum kar sakte hain, Aryan bhai... hum Jhanvi ko sach bata sakte hain."

Aryan shook his head, a bitter smile on his lips:

"Tumhe kya lagta hai... maine kabhi nahi chaha ki main use sach bata doon?"

"Lekin agar maine use sach bata diya... usko khatra hoga."

"Aur ek pal ke liye maan lete hain ki sach batane ke baad use kuch nahi hoga..."

"Lekin kya guarantee hai ki voh mere paas wapas aa jayegi?"

His voice cracked.

But he pushed through it.

"Voh toh yahi puchegi na?"

"Ki tumne 4 saalon mein ek baar bhi koshish nhi ki mujhe dhoondne ki?"

"Ya tumne maan liya tha ki main mar gayi?"

"Kya kahunga main?"

"Ki main apne dard mein itna kho gaya tha... ki sab kuch bhool chuka tha?"

"Apni beti tak ko nahi sambhal paya main?"

His voice collapsed into a whisper, knees giving out beneath him as he fell.

Everyone in the room was crying.

Yet the quiet was louder than the sobs.

"Voh kehte hain na..." he said, breath shaking,

"Mahobbat agar sachi ho... toh laut ke zaroor aati hai."

"Aayi bhi..."

"Lekin humara naseeb dekho."

"Main yahan hoon, humare saare pal haath mein liye..."

"Aur usko ek bhi pal yaad nahi."

"Ye tak yaad nahi ki uska asli naam kya hai."

He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out her photo — Anjali's photo.

He pressed it between trembling fingers.

Reeva wiped her tears and whispered, painful hope flickering in her voice:

"Toh kya... tum koshish nahi karoge apni mahobbat ko wapas paane ki?"

Aryan gave a dry, defeated chuckle:

"Yahi toh baat hai..."

"Mahobbat hai na... zid hoti toh kab ka apna bana chuka hota."

He looked at her photo again, voice raw, honest, helpless:

"Usne meri wajah se kya kya nahi dekha..."

"Shayd isliye Bhagwan ne uski purani yaadein mita di..."

"Aur use ek nayi zindagi de di..."

"Jisme main... voh khush rahegi."

A tear slipped again, but his lips curved into a heartbreaking surrender:

"Sab kuch uske liye hi toh sahi hai."

Everyone present in that room felt devastated, looking at the man who loved a woman so much that even letting her go felt like love to him.