"Main yeh shadi karna chahti hu! ", Riya's statements did reach one more pair of ears.

Of Mridula Singh Rathore, mother of Abhimaan Singh Rathore, who was standing on the door of Riya's room with her husband beside her.

Though they both shrugged it off. Not knowing the intensity of what those words carried.

As Riya kept the call, she heard a knock.

Turning towards the couple, Riya affirmed them to come inside.

Ashwat and Mridula came and stood beside Riya.

"Riya beta.. Hum jante hai, yeh sab kuch aapki marzi se nahi ho raha. Par beta, aaj hum, Ashwat Singh Rathore aapse ek wada karte hai, Humare ghar mei aap par kisi bhi prakar ki koi jor-jabardasti nahi ki jayegi.

Hum yeh shadi toh nahi taal sakte lekin itna yakeen dilate hai aapko ki Rathore's ki bahu banne ke baad aapki zindagi mei, humari taraf se koi bhi interference nahi ki jayegi.

Aapki zindagi aap apne tarike se hi jiyengi. ", Ashwat told Riya in a gentle voice.

Riya looked at him with surprise.

Her eyes softened for a second or so, as she felt herself being showered with gentleness after a very long time.

Unknowingly a soft little smile laced her face. Ashwat was radiating the fatherly vibes that she had craved for all her life.

"Beta, yeh humare pushteni jewellery hai, agar aap isse pehnegi toh hume bohot accha lagega. ", Mridula said.

" Mei pehna du? ", she further asked sweetly and Riya didn't have the strength to deny.

Mridula sat beside her, as she began making Riya wear all the jewelleries.

Riya looked at her being baffled.

Something softened inside her, as tears began lacing her eyes.

Was this wedding, this arrangment, this replacement going to give her this love, this care, this gentleness?

Was it going to heal her broken pieces?

Her heart couldn't help but wonder.

Her breathing fastened as Mridula softly made her to wear the jewelleries.

" Are they really this good? Am I doing wrong to them? This..this is a betrayal.... ", Riya's mind began pondering over the thought.

As Mridula was done, she softly ran her hand over Riya's head, blessing her. And that was enough for those tears to gush down her eyes.

There was so much she was holding on too. So much she was dealing with. She had no time to fall weak. No time to be vulnerable.

But at the end of the day. She was a human herself.

A human who had always craved for what was just bestowed on her by Ashwat and Mridula.

The care. The gentleness. The love.

Ashwat and Mridula looked at her.

The girl who appeared to be the scapegoat.

Her gushing tears pained them both, for only they knew that in all this she was the one wronged.

And that her sufferings had just began.

But what they didn't knew about was that she too was Riya.

Riya Shekhawat. A name. A mystery.

A tyranny in herself.

Riya took a deep breath calming herself down.

The lavender coloured lehenga, the heavy jewellery, the makeup and all the other accessories were screaming it out.

Riya Shekhawat was getting married.

She closed her eyes tightly.

Her conscious was weathering in the storm that she was carrying within herself. And the irony was she was herself the one who was airing the storm.

_____________ ______________ _____________

~Later~

Riya and Abhimaan stood at the large door of the extravagant Rathore Mahal.

Riya looked to her side, the tied dupattas, the garland around her neck.

All were screaming in synchrony.

She was married.

Married to the man for whom she had nothing in her heart, married to the man who was supposed to marry her sister.

Married to be a replacement.

Abhimaan's frustration and irritation was quiet evident.

Mridula did their aarti, applying the tilaks on their foreheads.

"Bahu, aab apne daahine pair se kalash gira kar ghar mei aao. ", she instructed Riya.

Riya did as told.

As she stepped inside the Rathore mahal, the wave of anxiousness began hitting her again.

Is this what was bound to happen?

The questions of uncertainty, apprehension, doubts, all of it began flooding her mind.

She was drowning in it all again.

She closed her eyes for a flick, as everything rushed infront of her eyes.

The creases formed on her forehead was a testimony that the visuals running in front of her closed eyes were not at all pleasing.

"This had to happen. For a lot to fall into place. ", the sentence gave her the assurance as she opened her eyes, her resolution and confidence shining through them.

Just then she realised that Abhimaan was no longer beside her. He was gone.

Riya stood amidst all the unknown people, people who were looking at her with accusing gazes.

Proclaiming her to be the wrong one.

She felt intimidated.

She felt totally out of place. Her hands began trembling a bit over the foreign-ness of her surrounding.

The unwavering gazes on her began giving her a surge of anxiety.

Just then she saw two young girls storming towards her. Decked to perfection, yet their faces displayed anger and rage.

But before they could say anything, Leelavati commanded, " Sab thak gaye hai, baki sab rasme kaal karenge, abhi sab apne apne kamre mei jakar aaram kijiye.

Anvi, isse tumhare bhai ke kamre mei chod do. ", with that she walked away.

Anvika, Abhimaan's younger sister nodded to her grandmother's instruction, as she looked towards Riya, motioning her to follow.

Riya took steps in the direction that Anvika was walking, all throughout the way no words being exchanged.

And there Riya stood in front of a large door that had intricate carvings on it.

"Yeh bhai ka.. Aur ab aapka bhi room hai.

Bhai andar hi honge. ", the soft voice of the girl beside her reached Riya's ears as she stood in front of the door, contemplating on what was coming.

Anvika seeked her permission and left from there.

Riya took a deep breath and knocked the door, only to find it to be open.

Slowly sliding the door, Riya took a step inside the room, and just as she put her foot inside a shriek left her mouth as a glass vase broke just at a little distance away from her. It all happened so quickly that Riya closed her eyes tightly in response, her heart pounding in her chest.

After seconds she slowly opened her eyes raising them to meet the ferocious one in front.

Abhimaan looked nothing less than a devil.

His messed hair, popping veins, sweat running down his forehead,heavy breaths and the condition of the room was a testimony of his anger.

The room was as if a cyclone had just hit it, with the things being thrown around, blankets on the ground and broken pieces as far as the eyes could see.

Abhimaan charged towards Riya, holding her hand in a painful grip, his red eyes bore holes in her soul.

She did feel scared for a moment looking at him.

"Kyu.. Kyu kiya tum logo ne aisa. Kya kami reh gayi thi jo woh tumhari behen bhag gayi shadi chod kar.

Agar shadi karni hi nahi thi, toh keh deti na.

Itna bada dhoka. Woh bhi Abhimaan Singh Rathore ko.

Barbad karke chodunga aab tumhe, aur tumhare pure parivaar ko.

Kya lagta hai tumhe, yeh shadi karke tumne mujhpe aisan kiya?

Mujhpe, Abhimaan Singh Rathore, pe aisan kiya?

Yeh shadi tumhare parivaar ki barbaadi ki shuruvat hogi.

Tumhari barbaadi ki shuruvat hogi.

I'll make you suffer. I'll make you feel all the pain that I am going through right now.

This betrayal will cost you your everything.

Everything.

Get ready to face the devil himself. ", as he gritted those words out, Riya struggled in his hold.

His fingers printed their marks on her wrist, the intense grip giving her the pain.

Riya finally pulled her hand out of his clutch as she began caressing her wrist to soothe the pain.

Red finger marks got formed on her milky white skin due to the force he used.

Her eyes looked directly into his.

Though his anger was scary.

Yet, Fear?

Riya feared nothing.

Abhimaan looked at her taking those raspy breaths. As if trying to control herself.

Her audacity to look into his eyes, with no amount of guilt surprised him and fueled his anger more.

He wasted no time as he held her hand and walked her to the door, pushing her out of the room, he closed the door on her face, the vibrations of the bang created due to the closing of the door, resonated on Riya's face.

Riya stood facing the closed door.

Her newly wedded husband, just threw her out of their room, on the first night of their so called wedding.

What was she supposed to do now?

Riya closed her eyes for seconds, releasing a deep sigh, she held onto her heavy lehenga and walked a distance, settling on the floor with her back resting against the pillar.

Removing the heavy nose ring, she rubbed her face in between her palms.

Pulling her legs together, she closed her eyes, and rested her face on her knees.

The frustration, tiredness and uncertainty of future washed over her.

A marriage.

She never thought of it.

She was never really ready for it.

But here she was landed in a marriage.

A marriage of uncertainty. A marriage laid on lies and betrayals.

A marriage that hurted many.

It would be wrong to say that she didn't believe in the school of marriage or love. For she did.

Strongly.

But she?

She was never meant for love.

"Love", had always been cruel to her.

But her idea about marriage had always been a bond laid on love and respect.

She valued that bond always.

But now, here she was, herself being a part of destroying the purity of something that she always believed in.

Her conscious questioned her.

Why did she agree to this?

For her children?

For herself?

Why?

And what was she going to do now?

Abhimaan hated her.

His family hated her.

Not that the hate bothered her for that was the only emotion she had lived with all this while.

But didn't she for once deserved to be valued and loved?

Was she really this ill fated that all her life she was just meant to live under shadows?

Never deserved even the basics? The bare minimums?

Her family forced her into this marriage. Her so called new family hated even her presence. Her so called husband threw her out of the room on the very first day of their marriage.

What more was this marriage going to get her to? What more was she left to face?

After moments she finally looked up.

Taking her phone, the only possession of her's that she had bought along, she dialled a number.

"Hello Ri! Tu thik hai na? Mei aau kya? ", a concerned voice rang from the other end.

" Calm down Abhi. I am absolutely fine.

I just need your help, get me some clothes and my laptop, please. ", she said in a bored tone.

" Jaldi kar, Thik hai. ", she further said only to hear a hum from the other end as the call went off.

Riya looked across, she spent moments staring at the walls that were in front of her eyes, decorated with some paintings and artefacts.

" Kya yaar. Shadi ke liye lavender colour ka lehenga kon select karta hai. Atleast lehenga toh red hona chahiye tha. Upar se yeh itna heavy.

Arghhh! ", she sighed being all irritated as she failed in handling the heavy lehenga.

The sudden unseriousness of her demeanor was scary.

Her head rested on the pillar as she looked up, the ceiling was visible to her eyes but her concentration was lost in her own thoughts.

" Sahi kaha tha aapne,yeh shadi barbaadi ki shuruvat hai. ", she muttered in a slow voice to her own self.

Riya knew the further path for her was something that she knew nothing about.

The How's and What's were still a puzzle that needed to be solved.

But, She had her back.

After minutes her phone vibrated, indicating a call from Abhimanyu.

She picked it up to realize that he was waiting for her outside the Rathore Mahal.

Somehow balancing herself in the lehenga she walked to the main gate, opening it slowly ensuring that she made not much of a noise, she walked out to the sleek black Mercedes.

As soon as she reached there, she was engulfed in a bear hug, which she too reciprocated.

Abhimanyu Singhania, CEO of Singhania Group of Industries, a emerging businessman and Riya's best friend was here on just a call from her, all at her service.

As Riya and Abhimanyu stood with their backs seeking support from the car's bonnet Abhimanyu remarked, "Waise dulhan ke attire mei lag toh tu aachi rahi hai. Dulhan bante rehna chahiye tujhe! "

Riya just made a funny teasing face, rolling her eyes.

Just then they heard a ping, indicating a notification on Riya's mobile.

She checked it and on realising what was done, she shoved the phone towards Abhimanyu while giving him the raised eyebrow smirk.

Abhimanyu read the cryptic message.

Confused. Baffled.

But what made him shiver in fear was the photo attached.

He went cold for seconds.

"How? Why? ", that was the only thing that left his mouth.

" Tomorrow. ", Riya said looking directly into his eyes.

Her eyes radiating something that he also couldn't decipher.

So all he did was, hugged her sideways while trying to normalize his breathing.

He knew his Riya enough to say that she would do everything that she wants, just the way she wants and just at the time that she wants to.

So nudging her about anything now was going to be of no use. She was not going to reveal anything before time.

"Ri, Tu thik hai na? Yeh shadi? Aise achanak?

Mujhe kuch samaj nahi aah raha? ", Abhimanyu's concern was evident.

Riya gently took his hand in her own, entangling it, she said, " Sach kahu toh, yeh sab.. Yeh shadi.. It wasn't something I was looking to as well, Abhi.

Mei khud confused hu. Jo kuch bhi hua, ekdam jaldbazi mei hua.

Par ha, itna pata hai ki jald hi Mahadev iss sab se koi na koi rasta nikal ne mei madad karenge. "

"Par kyu Ri?

Why did you even agree to this?

Agar.. Agar woh Neha bhagi bhi toh, why did you have to agree to this?

Did they force you to extends that my Ri... My Ri..bowed to something as bizzare as this?

Yaa..

Ya phir did he again blackmailed you.. With Rainbow..

Yes,Yes..Yes.... Yehi kiya na unhone? ", Abhimanyu guessed it.

Riya looked at him for seconds her thumb drawing circles on the back of his hand as she sucked in a deep breath and finally replied, " He did.

Main yeh shadi nahi chahti thi, Abhi.

I never wanted this marriage.

Par.. ", she held herself from saying more. But there was utter truthfulness of her's behind revealing the fact that she never wanted this marriage.

Abhimanyu could see it, something was breaking inside his best friend, something he couldn't hold on to, something he didn't knew about, something he couldn't decipher.

Taking another deep breath, Riya continued, " Par.. We'll talk about it tomorrow. Sab ke samne. "

Abhimanyu looked into the darkness that laid ahead them. Understanding, atleast trying to understand her words.

His best friend. His Ri.

He had known her since they were fifteen.

They had been best friends for years now. He had seen atleast to some extends of what all she went through.

And even with all her flaws, all her shortcomings, SHE WAS THE MOST PERFECT GIRL, ever known to him.

The moment that they just shared, the way she spoke, the heaviness and tiredness in her voice was enough to convey that there was much more than what she was letting out.

But nudging her was of no use.

So he just sucked in a deep breath. Trying to calm himself.

After a while he walked to the car and got all the things that she had asked for.

Coming back he kept her clothes, her laptop on the car's bonnet, as he handled a cup of ice cream to Riya.

"Your favorite guava flavoured ice cream. ", Abhimanyu said.

" Abhi! I needed this right now! ", Riya yelped in a childish voice.

They both began savouring the delights, as Abhimanyu asked, " Ri.. Aage ka socha hai? "

Riya looked at him as she moved her head in negative.

"Mahadev ke bharose sab chod rahi hu. Ab jo woh karaye. ", she said with confidence.

" What about them Ri? The Rathore's? ", he further asked.

" Sach kahu Abhi, toh unke liye bura mujhe bhi lag raha hai.

They were so happy for this alliance. They had accepted Neha as their Daughter in law already.

And this..

This was so wrong to them.

A betrayal. And the disrespect that followed.

They all are too hurt. Too heartbroken.

And.. Somewhere it's all because of me.

That's the sole reason why I stood silent to Mr. Rathore's nonsense today.

Par.. I don't know. I don't know till when I'll be able to survive with them.

Kab para phootega, aur kab paani sar ke upar se jayega, mei kuch nahi keh sakti.

Baki main sacchai ki murt toh hu nahi na.", Riya conveyed her thoughts. She did feel said for the Rathore's.

She knew the Rathore's were hurt over the chaos that held the wedding.

And Riya believed that their display of hurt was justified to extends.

" Side ped kaate jate hai, aur maine toh humesha se hi jhukna sikha hai. Toh Rathore's ke samne bhi jhuk kar rehne mei mujhe koi problem nahi hai.

Jab tak they mind their own business I am good. ", she further said as she took bites of the cold delicacy.

" Ri, woh bhi kuch dudh ke dhule nahi hai. They too have their bad side. ", Abhimanyu stated.

" And I got nothing to do with that. Main jab tak yaha hu, bas meri wajah se kisiko takleef nahi dena chahti, Abhi.", Riya said softly.

"Aur na hi kisiki wajah se khud ko takleef dena chahungi. ", she further continued, with the fire in her eyes blazing.

After finishing the ice cream, Riya took her belongings as she hugged Abhimanyu for a last time before he left from there.

However their hug was witnessed by Abhimaan himself who looked at them from the glass window of his room.

"Mujhe lag raha tha ki tumpe chilla kar, maine galat kiya. Mujhe lag raha tha ki tumhare parivaar ka gussa tum par nikal kar maine galat kiya. But I was wrong. Tum bhi apni behen ki tarah hi gayi guzri ho.

I hate you Riya Abhimaan Singh Rathore.

I hate you. ", Abhimaan muttered darkly as he broke the glass in his hand making the glass pieces to pierce his hand letting blood to gush down.