Author's POV:

The Bisht household was buzzing with activity. Dev sat on the sofa, surrounded by guests, but his eyes were fixed on the stairs. When Jhanvi finally descended, his breath hitched.

She looked breathtaking—so small, so petite, and so innocent. A dark possessiveness flared within him; he wanted to ruin that innocence, to mark her as his from head to toe. 

In his mind, she was already nothing more than Mrs. Dev Singhania.

As Jhanvi sat beside him, the Pandit announced the start of the ring ceremony. Her hands were shaking violently.

"This is for Aryan," she whispered to herself like a mantra. When the time came to exchange rings, Dev reached for her hand, but she hesitated, pulling back slightly.

His expression darkened. He grabbed her hand tightly, making her hiss in pain as he forced the ring onto her finger. Because the band was too tight, the metal sliced into her skin.

Blood began to bead around the ring. Jhanvi stared at her finger, tears blurring her vision, as the crimson drop stained her skin. When it was her turn, her trembling fingers dropped the ring.

Dev caught it mid-air with lightning reflexes. He forced her hand to hold the ring and guided it onto his own finger. 

The room erupted in applause, oblivious to the silent terror in the bride's eyes.

Immediately after the ceremony, Jhanvi rushed to the garden to breathe. She sat on a bench, trembling, until a shadow fell over her.

Dev sat beside her, leaning in close.

 "Finally, humari engagement ho gayi. Aur aaj raat, tumhare haath mein mere naam ki mehndi lagegi," he whispered, his breath fanning her ear. "Phir tum Mrs. Singhania kahlaogi."

Jhanvi let out a dry, hollow chuckle. 

"Sirf naam ki... kyunki mere dil aur dimag mein sirf ek hi insaan hai, aur woh tum nahi ho. Tum ek gire hue insaan ho jo pagalpanti ki saari hadein paar kar raha hai."

Dev rolled his tongue against his cheek, a smirk playing on his lips.

 "Yeh pagalpan bhi toh tumhari wajah se hai, Gulaab."

"Main hi kyun? Koi aur kyun nahi?" she cried out, her voice breaking. "Meri zindagi barbaad karne kyun aaye ho?"

"Kyunki jabse tumhe dekha hai, tabse zindagi ki ahmiyat pata chali hai. Tabse tumhe sirf apna chahta hoon."

Jhanvi wiped a stray tear aggressively. 

"Yeh shaadi zaroor kar rahi hoon main, lekin ek pal ke liye yeh mat sochna ki main tumhe apna pati maan lungi. Nafrat hai mujhe tumse, har had tak."

"Tum nafrat karti raho, main mohabbat karta rahunga," Dev countered, his eyes burning with intensity.

 "Phir dekhte hai tumhari nafrat jeet-ti hai ya mera junoon."

As Jhanvi stood up to leave, she threw one last look at him.

 "Jis pagalpan ko tum mohabbat samajh baithe ho na... woh hi ek din tumhari jaan le legi."

Dev watched her walk away, chuckling to himself. 

"Is pagalpan ya mohabbat mein jaan bhi chali jaye, toh woh bhi manzoor hai... lekin tum meri ho aur meri hi rahogi."

Jhanvi's POV:

I ran up to my room, the walls feeling like they were closing in on me. A sudden knock made me jump; my heart raced, fearing Dev had followed me. 

But when I opened the door, I saw Papa standing there.

"Papa? Aap?"

"Hmm... andar chalein?" He walked in and we sat on the edge of the bed. He produced a first-aid box from behind his back and gently took my hand, looking at the cut on my finger. 

"Takleef ho rahi hai?"

I quickly pulled my hand away, hiding the wound.

 "Nahi Papa, yeh bas thodi si chot hai. Ring choti thi na, is wajah se."

Papa looked at his hands, then sighed, his eyes full of a hidden weight.

 "Ek baat bolun beta? Main nahi janta tune is shaadi ke liye kya soch ke haan ki hai... lekin ek baat yaad rakhna. Hum jo faisle lete hain na, humein soch samajh ke lene chahiye. Kisi majboori ya dabaav mein nahi, kyunki wahi faisle aage jaake humari kismat badalte hain."

I looked at him, my throat tightening. Papa, aap nahi jaante ki maine yeh faisla kyun liya hai. Main aapko aur Aryan ko khone ka khatra nahi utha sakti.

I looked at the blood crusting around the diamond ring—a symbol of my cage. I decided to test the waters, to see if he felt the suffocating pressure I was under.

"Papa... agar aap meri jagah hote," I started hesitantly, "aur aapke saamne koi aisa insaan hota jo... jo apni taqat aur zidd ke liye kisi ki bhi khushi kuchal sakta ho.

 Agar aapko lagta ki ek galat kadam sab kuch tabah kar dega, toh kya aap tab bhi wahi karte jo aapka dil chahta? Ya woh karte jo sabko bacha sake?"

Papa looked at me intensely, sensing the hidden meaning. 

"Bete, taqatwar insaan sirf jism ko jhuka sakta hai, rooh ko nahi. Agar koi shart tumhari khushi ki keemat par rakhi gayi hai, toh woh samjhauta hai, mohabbat ya farz nahi."

I looked away. "Lekin kabhi kabhi samjhauta hi ek louta raasta hota hai na?"

He didn't answer, but the sadness in his eyes told me he knew I wasn't just talking about a tight ring anymore.

Papa patted my head gently, his eyes lingering on me for a moment longer than usual.

 "Raaste toh bahut hote hai beta, humein dhundhne padte hai," he said softly before turning and leaving the room.

I stared at the closed door, a bitter smile touching my lips. Kaisa raasta, Papa? I thought.

  Har raasta toh Dev pe khatam hota hai. Har mod par wahi khada hai... meri saansein rokne ke liye.

The emotional exhaustion finally took its toll. My body felt heavy, and my mind was numb. 

I laid down on the bed, still in my heavy engagement attire, and without even realizing it, darkness pulled me into a deep, dreamless sleep.

As Jhanvi sleeps in a veil of forgotten memories, Aryan holds onto the ghost of a past she cannot see, and Dev stokes the fires of a future he will not let her escape.

-----------------------------------------A Shayari for their intertwined fates----------------------------

Ek ishq hai woh, jo sab bhool baitha hai ek haadse ki tarah, Kore kaagaz si yaadein liye, dhoondta hai khud ko baar-baar. Jise khabar nahi ki uski khamoshi mein kitne toofan chupe hain, Woh apni hi pehchaan se bekhabar, bhatak rahi hai manzil ke paar.*

Ek ishq hai woh, jo har pal purani yaadon ki aag mein jalta hai, Zakhm taaza hain, dard purana, par dil ab bhi wahi thaharta hai. Woh sadiyon ka intezar, woh aankhon mein basa ek chehra, Yaad rakhne ki saza kaat raha hai, jo har saans ke saath marta hai.

Aur ek junoon hai aisa, jo zamane ko raakh karne nikla hai, Na mohabbat ki parwah, na khuda ka khauf jise rok sake. Zidd hai ki tujhe apna bana kar hi dam lega yeh dil, Chaahe is jalan mein poori duniya hi kyun na jal ke bikhar jaye.