Even without blinking my eyes, I firmly said - "Yes... do whatever you want... my decision won't change..."

Papa took a knife which was kept with the fruits and keeping it on his wrist and he said - "Then you'll see me dead... because there is no better punishment for a father... whose daughter doesn't want to get married..."

Mummy got scared and screamed - "Sharma ji... ye aap kya kar rahe hai? (Mr. Sharma.... what are you doing?)

Kunal also exclaimed - "Papa.... aisa mat kariye.... aur vaise bhi.... aap ye jis ke liye kar rahe hai... use koi farak nahi padta.... (Papa.... please don't do this.... and moreover.... for whom you're doing this.... is least bothered about you....)"

Mummy said - "Sharma ji.... please drop the knife.... whatever you do.... this girl will not be bothered...."

I was shocked to see all this and I came back to my senses when mummy came to me and said - "Are kis mitti ki bani ho tum...?! Tumhara baap kya kar raha hai dekho.... kamse kam ek baar to rok do.... jhuta to jhuta hi sahi.... par koshish to karo.... Kaisi beti ho tum...? (From which soil are you made of...? Look what your father is doing.... atleast show some fake concern only.... atleast pretend to stop him.... what kind of daughter are you...??)"

I came back to my senses and asked Papa - "Aa... aap... aisa kyun kar rahe hai... papa...? (W... why are you doing this... papa...?)"

Papa while gritting his teeth said - "To... to kya karu mai...? Tumhari jaisi beti ka baap hone se to accha hai.... ki mai mar jau.... (Then... then what should I do....? It's better to die.... rather than being recognized as your father...)"

I had tears in my eyes and with a chocked voice, I said - "Papa... maine aisa bhi kya kar diya....? Sirf shaadi karne se to mana kiya hai... (Papa... what have I done like that...? I only said... I don't want to get married....)"

Papa said - "Wahi to... tumhe abhi bhi nahi pata ki... tumne kiya kya hai... aur tumhari galati kya hai.... (That's what... you still don't know what you have done... and what is your mistake...)"

Mummy also taunted me - "Tum abhi bhi besharmo ki tarah ye pucch rahi ho.... ki tumhari galati kya hai...? Mai batati hoon... ki tumhari galati kya hai... tumhe apne maa baap ki padi hi nahi hai... bas jab dekho tab.... padhai aur kaam hi dikhta hai... bahar valon ki jaan bachani hai... lekin khudke baap ki parwaah bhi nahi karti.... dekho kya kar rahe hai ye.... aur tum unhe rokne ke bajaye.... unse behes kar rahi ho.... sharm aani chahiye tumhe.... (You are still shamelessly asking.... what you have done....? I'll tell you... what you have done.... you don't care about your parents.... all you care about is.... is your studies and that job.... you can save the life of strangers.... but you are least bothered about your own father.... look at him.... what he's doing... and instead of stopping him.... you are arguing with him.... Shame on you...)"

This was not enough, so Kunal also said - "Rehne dijiye mummy.... aap apna sir patthar par patak rahi hai.... ise kisi ki nahi padi hai... (Leave it mummy.... you're talking to a stone.... she's not at all bothered about anyone....)"

They were just giving guilt to me, and they were somewhere successful also. A guilt stricken me with a chocked voice said - "Papa... ruk jayiye... please... please... aap jaisa chahenge... mai vaisa hi karungi... par please... aap chaku phenk dijiye.... please... (Papa stop.... please.... please.... I'll do whatever you say.... please.... throw away that knife.... please....)"

Papa was successful in manipulating me and he said - "Will you do whatever I say...?"

After whatever I had witnessed, I didn't had the courage to go against Papa, so in a shaky voice I said - "Yes... I'll do whatever you say..."

Papa was satisfied, he asked - "Will you marry Shivansh... or not...??"

I had tears in my eyes, that how can my own father threaten me for getting married. But I had no other choice, so with a heavy heart I said - "Yes.... I'm ready to marry.... Shivansh...."

Papa smirked under his breath and with an ordering tone, he said to me - "We'll inform the Singhanias' about your decision.... but when they'll ask you.... don't turn the tables.... and they shouldn't know what happened today.... Got it...!! Kavyashree!!"

I was already dumbstruck by my father's stunt, so I nodded in yes and went to my room.

(In the room)

I entered her room and locked it from inside. I went near her bed and sat on the ground, and burst out crying. While crying, all the stunts performed by Papa started to film in front of my eyes. I thought, how well he threatened me to get married. He knew my weakness, that was my father, and he took the advantage of my vulnerability towards himself and made me say yes to get married. I was completely broken by the incident I had witnessed few moments ago. 

💞💞💞💞💞💞

The next day was Sunday, and as usual, I woke up late. I got ready, came downstairs, and saw everyone gathered at the dining table. I joined them, and after breakfast, the whole family settled in the living room for our usual Sunday family time.

It was about 10:30 A.M. when Dad’s phone buzzed. It was Shashi uncle calling. Without wasting a moment, Dad picked up.

"Namaste Rajesh ji!! Hope I didn’t disturb you…", Shashi uncle said warmly.

Dad smiled. "Namaste Shashi ji!! It’s nothing like that…"

Shashi uncle’s smile broadened. "Thank you, Rajesh ji… actually, I called because… Kavyashree wanted to talk to you. Can she?"

Dad’s smile widened even more. I noticed him looking at me with an amused glance. "Bilkul… Shashi ji… ye bhi koi puchne wali baat hai… (Of course… Shashi ji… is this even a question?)"

Shashi uncle handed the phone to me. My hands were a little shaky, but I forced myself to sit upright and take a deep breath.

"Namaste uncle…!!" I said softly.

Dad leaned forward, his voice gentle. "Namaste bete!! Tell me… what did you want to talk about?"

I had not yet recovered from the shock of the previous night, but I knew I had no choice. With a deep, steadying breath, I said, "Uncle… I’m… ready for this marriage…"

For a brief moment, the room seemed to freeze. Then I felt Dad’s eyes glimmer with a mix of pride and relief. My heart thudded painfully as I realized what I had just said.

"Bete… are you sure about this decision?" Dad asked carefully.

I swallowed hard, nodding, "Yes… I’m sure… uncle…"

I handed the phone back to Shashi ji, trying to keep my voice steady.

Dad turned to me with a small, satisfied smile. "When our children are happy with this alliance… we should step forward. What do you say… Shashi ji?"

Shashi uncle’s voice was warm and cooperative. "Yes… yes… we’ll be very happy to do so…"

Dad nodded. "Well… then we’ll meet this evening… we’ll also call Pandit ji…"

"Sure, Rajesh ji… we’ll meet you this evening…", Shashi uncle replied.

The call ended, and Dad looked at me with an amused glance. "Han to… ab ho gayi tasalli…? Kavyashree ne bhi han kar di rishte ke liye… (Are you satisfied now…? Kavyashree also agreed for this alliance…)"

I forced a small smile. "Yes… I’m… happy now…"

Later, I retreated to my room, still processing everything. I picked up my phone and texted Nikhil:

"Hey bro… she agreed…"

Within seconds, Nikhil replied. "What?! Are you serious…?!"

"Yes," I typed.

He paused, then asked cautiously. "Bro… did she really agree…?"

I replied firmly. "Yes… she said yes on her own… why do you keep asking the same question…?"

Nikhil was right, though. Kavyashree’s family was strict; I had seen that firsthand. He texted again: "Because… her parents are not like yours… They might force their decisions on her… Are you getting it…?"

I nodded silently to myself, then replied: "Yes… but… how can I not trust that she has agreed…"

"You know what… you should meet her and know… what’s on her mind…", Nikhil insisted.

"Yes… I’ll try talking… when I meet her in the evening…"

"Evening…??!!"

"Yes… they are coming in the evening… and you also have to come," I replied.

"I’ll come even if you don’t invite me," Nikhil shot back immediately.

"I know that… okay bye…"

"Bye… meet you in the evening…"

I put my phone down, feeling a tight knot in my chest. The thought of meeting Kavyashree later, knowing everything that had happened, made me nervous. But I had to see her, to know how she really felt beneath that “yes” she had forced out.

💞💞💞💞💞💞

I didn’t want to say yes, but I was forced into it. After the call ended, I went straight to my room and locked it from inside. My go-to person in times like this was Sakshi, my best friend. I quickly texted her:

"Hi!! What are you doing...??"

She replied almost instantly, "I’m free… tell me babes… what happened?? Everything alright??"

I typed, "No… nothing is alright..."

"What happened, darling??" she asked.

I took a shaky breath and typed, "When I said no for the alliance… my father threatened to kill himself… and I had to agree for it..."

Sakshi’s reply came immediately, "What?! How can he do that…?! Are you crying, babes…?"

"Yes… But did I do right…??" I typed, the tears still stinging my eyes.

"What do you want, Shree…??" she replied.

"I don’t know…", I typed back.

"Are you happy with your father’s decision??"

I paused before replying, "What I know… is I don’t want my father to suffer because of me…"

Sakshi’s reply was sharp, almost like a whisper of reality, "Then what about you?? Are you going to suffer your whole life??"

I typed quietly, "Our parents are going to meet today evening…"

"Where??"

"At the Singhania Mansion… I want you to come too…"

"I’ll definitely come… don’t worry…"

"Thanks a lot…"

"I’ll meet you in the evening…"

"Okay!!" I replied, my fingers trembling slightly as I put the phone down.

Just then, Mummy’s voice called from outside: "Kavyashree… open the door…"

I wiped my tears quickly and opened the door. Mummy looked at me and asked, "What were you doing? Why was your room locked?"

"I was in the restroom…", I muttered.

"Leave all that… and get ready neatly… okay?!" she said, in her usual commanding tone.

I replied coldly, "Okay, mummy!!"

Mummy asked again, "What happened…? Are you not happy…?"

I froze for a second, shocked. "Wow!! Are you even bothered about my happiness…?"

"What happened to you suddenly??" she pressed. "You said you’re ready for this marriage… now what happened?"

Though I saw Papa standing there, I couldn’t hold back. "Oh!! You’re saying as if you prioritize my wishes over yours…"

Papa immediately interrupted, his voice firm. "When have we not prioritized you? You told us you want to be a doctor… we didn’t stop you. You told us you want to do specialization… nobody stopped you. You told us you’ll also work while studying… we let you do whatever you wanted… and still how can you say this??"

I was already annoyed. "And… when I told you I don’t want to get married… what did you do??"

Papa gritted his teeth. "You are at the age to get married… if not now… then when? And remember… you promised me… whatever I say… you’ll obey without questioning… or else…"

The memory of yesterday’s horror flashed before my eyes. My voice shook, "No need to remind me… I’ll do it…"

Papa’s tone softened slightly but remained firm. "No one should know what happened yesterday… especially I’m telling you…"

I nodded silently. Mummy added, "Okay!! Start getting ready… we’ll be leaving by 4 P.M."

I muttered in a disappointed tone, "Okay, mummy…"

By 3:45 P.M., I was getting ready. Today I wore a baby pink anarkali suit with silver and pink bangles, oxidized jhumkas, and my hair half open. In the name of makeup, I applied just a hint of blush and nude brown lipstick, trying to hide the turmoil behind a calm exterior.

These images are just a reference for Kavyashree's look. They all are downloaded from internet.)

After getting ready, I stepped out of my room and saw my parents beaming with happiness. My heart sank a little, and I thought to myself:

"My parents think I’m stubborn… but the truth is… I don’t want to leave them and go to someone else’s house… will they ever understand this? I want them to be happy… if they are happy with my marriage… then I’ll get married…"

My thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Oyee… kahan khoyi hui hai…?? (Hey… where are you lost…??)"

Sakshi had just arrived, as I had invited her. She looked at me worriedly, sensing my unease.

"Shree… please say No… I don’t want you to suffer like this…"

I gently signaled her to keep quiet and whispered, "No Sakshi… I won’t say No… I want my parents to be happy… look at them… they’re so happy with this marriage… I don’t want to ruin it…"

Sakshi’s eyes searched mine, full of concern. "Then what about you, Shree?? How will you survive in this marriage…??"

I smiled faintly, hiding my turmoil, and said, "I’ll manage… don’t worry…"

Our quiet conversation was cut short by Mummy’s voice from the doorway.

"Ho gaya tum logon ka…?? Baat to aise kar rahe ho… jaise saalon se bicchde ho… (Are you people done…?? You’re talking as if you’ve met after years…)"

Sakshi gave a small, polite smile. "Aisa kuch nahi hai aunty… (It’s nothing like that, aunty…)"

Mummy waved her hand impatiently. "Ye sab chhodo… chalo chalte hai… varna late ho jayenge… (Leave all this… let’s start now… otherwise we’ll be late…)"

Sakshi was about to say something, but I gently held her hand and shook my head. "Ji mummy!! (Okay, mummy…)"

I didn’t want any drama, and I knew how fiercely Sakshi cared for me. She might have tried to speak on my behalf, but I stopped her, knowing the consequences if she took a stand for me now.

💞💞💞💞💞💞

It was around 5 P.M. I was getting ready. Today I wore a navy blue kurta with white pyjamas. I accessorised it with a brown titan watch. 

(These are just reference images for Shivansh's look from internet. He's not our OG Shivansh.)

It was around 5 P.M., and I was getting ready. Today I wore a navy blue kurta with white pyjamas, accessorized with a brown Titan watch. I was setting my hair when Nikhil walked in.

“Ye phir se mujhe chhedega… aur ab to ise naya bahana bhi mil gaya hai… mujhe chhedne ka… (He’ll tease me again… and now he even has a new reason…)” I thought.

Nikhil, reading my mind with a smirk, said, "Bilkul sahi soch raha hai tu… mai to tujhe chhedne hi aaya hoon… (You’re thinking right… I came here to tease you…)"

I jumped, startled. "Chup saale… kuch bhi bol raha hai…?? (Shut up, idiot… what are you saying??)"

But inwardly, I wondered, "Ye koi psychologist hai kya…?? Ise kaise pata chala… ki mai kya soch raha hoon…?? (Is he a psychologist? How does he know what I’m thinking?)"

Nikhil’s smirk widened. "Mujhe aisa kyun lag raha hai… ki tu soch kuch aur raha hai… aur bol kuch aur raha hai…?? (Why do I feel like you’re thinking one thing and saying another…??)"

My eyes widened. "Abe… tu sach bataa… kaala jaadu to nahi karta hai na tu…?? Mere mann ki baat kaise jaan raha hai…?? (Tell me… you’re not doing black magic, right…?? How do you know my thoughts…??)"

He shook his head with a half-smile. "Mai koi kaala… neela jaadu nahi karta… (I don’t perform any black or blue magic…)"

I tilted my head, confused. "To phir… tujhe kaise pata… ki mai kya soch raha hoon…?? (Then… how do you know…??)"

Nikhil raised an eyebrow and said softly, "Dekh bhai… mai tujhe bacchpan se jaanta hoon… tu puri duniya se kuch bhi chhupa sakta hai… par mujhse nahi… samajh gayi…?? (Listen… I’ve known you since childhood… you can hide anything from the world… but not from me… get it?)"

Then he grew slightly serious. "Tujhe kya lagta hai… kya Kavyashree… sach me kisi ke dabav me han boli hai…?? (What do you think… is someone really forcing Kavyashree to agree…??)"

My smile faded. "Mujhe nahi pata… aur agar aisa hua bhi… toh vo mujhe kuch nahi batayegi… (I don’t know… and even if it happened… she won’t tell me…)"

Nikhil pressed further. "But why?? Doesn’t she trust you?"

I exhaled slowly. "Bhai… ye arranged marriage hai… love marriage nahi… hum ek dusre ke naam ke alava aur kuch nahi jaante… na vo mujhe, aur na mai use… to vo kis bharose par apne secrets mujhse share karegi…?? (Brother… this is an arranged marriage… not love… we know nothing about each other… how can she trust me with her secrets…??)"

He nodded, understanding. "So… what do you want to do?"

I smiled faintly. "Whatever she wants…"

Nikhil arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

I looked at him, a quiet determination in my eyes. "Mai uska bharosa jeetunga… (I’ll win her trust…)"

Before he could reply, Chachi maa called from downstairs. "Shivu… beta… aur kitni der…? Teri shaadi aaj nahi hai… (Shivu… how long are you taking? Your wedding isn’t today…)"

I stepped out, replying casually, "Aaya… chachi maa… (Coming…)"

As I walked down, Lata ji caught sight of Nikhil and smiled warmly. He smiled back, and together, we descended the stairs.

Chachi maa noticed Nikhil and asked, "Are… Nikhil… tum kab aaye…?? Pata hi nahi chala… (Nikhil… when did you come… nobody noticed…)"

Nikhil gave a cheeky grin. "Thodi der pehle hi aaya mai… (I just came a little while ago…)"

💞💞💞💞💞💞

I was still lost in my thoughts when the car suddenly came to a halt, pulling me back to reality. My gaze lifted, and there it was — the Singhania Mansion. Majestic. Elegant. Intimidating. The place where everything could change for me.

We all got down from the car. Just then, Sakshi’s phone started buzzing. She glanced at the screen and sighed before picking it up.

“There's an emergency, ma’am…” came the hurried voice of a nurse from the other side.

Sakshi closed her eyes for a second, inhaling deeply before replying, “Okay… I’m coming.”

As the call ended, she turned towards me, guilt flickering in her eyes.
“I’m sorry, Shree… I’ve got an emergency call from the hospital. I need to attend it. I’ll call you once I’m free, okay?”

I nodded, forcing a smile. “It’s okay! I understand… I’ll meet you tomorrow.”

She pulled me into a quick hug, her arms warm against my trembling ones. Whispering softly, she said, “Take care of yourself… and keep me updated.”

I whispered back, “Okay… thank you for being with me.”

Just then, Mummy’s voice cut in, her tone firm yet cautious.
“Yaad hai na tumhe… galti se bhi aisa kuch nahi bolna… jisse unhe shak ho… ki tumne zabardasti haan boli hai… isiliye, thoda muskurao… aur chalo andar… (You remember, right… don’t say anything that might make them doubt you said yes unwillingly… so smile a little… and let’s go inside.)”

I nodded silently and plastered a smile on my face — fake, but well-practiced. I’d worn this expression so many times, it almost felt natural. No one could see the storm behind it.

Growing up under my parents’ strict watch, I had mastered the art of hiding my emotions — of appearing composed even when my heart was breaking.

And so, with that same composed smile, I stepped inside the Singhania Mansion, unaware that tonight… my silence would speak louder than words.

Author's Note

Dewdrops… sometimes silence screams louder than words, doesn’t it? 💔
Kavyashree’s “yes” wasn’t an agreement — it was a surrender wrapped in love for her parents and fear of losing them. Sometimes we’re not given a choice… we’re just handed a promise we never wanted to make. 🌙

Tell me, my dewdrops — is it bravery to fight for yourself… or is it love to sacrifice your happiness for the ones who never understood your heart? 🌸

If this chapter made your heart ache even a little, don’t forget to leave your thoughts and sprinkle your love through votes and comments. Your words are the light Kavyashree needs tonight. 💫🕊️