Chapter 6 :The Wedding That Wasn’t Meant to Be
The Birla mansion was glowing that evening — lights draped across the walls, flowers in every corner, laughter echoing through the air.
It was supposed to be a happy day. A wedding day.
But Aarohi’s heart… wasn’t ready.
She sat quietly in front of the mirror, her red lehenga shimmering like fire. Yet her eyes reflected storms. Her fingers trembled as she fixed her dupatta, staring at the girl in the reflection — the one about to marry her boss.
Six months, she whispered to herself. Just six months.
She had agreed to this contract marriage because it would keep both their families at peace — his parents wanted him settled, and her parents believed this was destiny. But deep down, Aarohi knew destiny had a cruel sense of humor.
A soft knock broke her thoughts. “Aaru?”
It was Atharva.
She turned, and the moment he saw her, his expression melted. “You look… beautiful, little sister,” he said softly, trying to hold back his emotions.
“Don’t cry,” she teased, smiling weakly. “You’ll ruin my mascara.”
He chuckled, walking closer. “I’m not crying. I’m just… proud. And maybe a little scared.”
Her smile faded. “Scared?”
Atharva nodded, kneeling beside her. “You’re my little sister, Aaru. You’ve been through enough already. And now this… marriage… even if it’s for six months, I just want to make sure you’re not hurting yourself more.”
Aarohi took his hand. “Bhai, I’ll be fine. Reyansh… he’s not what people think. He’s kind. He listens. He doesn’t treat me like I’m fragile.”
Atharva’s eyes softened. “Then maybe he’s exactly what you need.”
He kissed her forehead gently. “Just promise me one thing — if he ever hurts you, even by accident, you tell me. I’ll handle him myself.”
She laughed, half crying. “You’d actually fight him?”
Atharva grinned. “Oh, I’d destroy him.”
They both laughed, and for a moment, the heaviness lifted.
---
Downstairs, Reyansh stood in a cream sherwani, looking far too calm for a man about to enter a contract marriage.
His younger brother Vivaan smirked, adjusting Reyansh’s stole. “Bhai, I’ve seen corporate deals with less tension than your wedding.”
“Shut up, Vivaan.”
Vivaan laughed, hands up. “Relax! You look good, though. I mean, if I were the bride, I’d totally say yes.”
Reyansh shot him a deadly glare. “You talk too much.”
Their mother, Mrs. Malhotra, entered just then, her eyes lighting up at the sight of her elder son. “Reyansh,” she said softly, “you remind me so much of your father today.”
Mr. Malhotra smiled proudly, adjusting his watch. “Except I was way more nervous than you are, son.”
Reyansh chuckled quietly. “I’m not nervous, Dad.”
Mrs. Malhotra touched his arm. “Then maybe you should be. Because marriage — even if it starts as an agreement — has a strange way of becoming something real.”
For the first time that night, Reyansh didn’t know what to say.
---
The ceremony began with soft music, the mandap glowing in gold. When Aarohi walked in, everything seemed to stop.
Reyansh looked up — and for a moment, forgot to breathe.
She wasn’t just beautiful. She looked like peace wrapped in chaos, strength wrapped in fragility.
Their eyes met — and in that one glance, something unspoken passed between them.
The rituals began, the priest’s voice echoing as the sacred fire burned.
“Do you, Aarohi Birla, accept Reyansh Malhotra as your husband?”
Aarohi hesitated for a heartbeat. Her mind screamed this isn’t forever, but her heart whispered maybe even a short forever can be enough.
“I do,” she said softly.
Reyansh’s turn came. “Do you, Reyansh Malhotra, accept Aarohi Birla as your wife?”
He looked at her, really looked at her — at the trembling hands, the brave eyes, the smile that hid pain.
“I do.”
Vivaan, standing behind, whispered to Atharva, “They look like a movie couple, don’t they?”
Atharva shot him a warning look. “One more word and I’ll make you sit in the mandap.”
Vivaan grinned. “Tempting.”
---
After the ceremony, everyone cheered. The Malhotras welcomed Aarohi like their own.
Mrs. Malhotra hugged her tightly. “From now on, you’re my daughter, not my daughter-in-law. And if Reyansh ever annoys you, you come straight to me.”
Aarohi laughed softly, overwhelmed. “Thank you, Ma’am—”
“No,” Mrs. Malhotra interrupted, smiling. “Call me Maa.”
Tears welled up in Aarohi’s eyes. “Maa.”
Mr. Malhotra placed a hand on her head. “Welcome home, beta. You’ve brought light back into this house.”
Reyansh watched silently from the side. For a man who believed in business, not emotions — this was something new.
Aarohi fit into his world like she’d always belonged. Even Vivaan, the troublemaker, was already teasing her.
“So, Bhabhi,” Vivaan said, grinning as he offered her sweets. “How does it feel to officially become a Malhotra?”
Aarohi smiled. “It feels… chaotic.”
Vivaan laughed. “Perfect! You’ll survive here then.”
---
Later that night, after the guests had left and the noise had faded, Reyansh found Aarohi standing on the balcony, barefoot, looking at the stars.
“You okay?” he asked softly.
She turned, smiling faintly. “Yeah. Just… trying to take it all in.”
He leaned on the railing beside her. “Big day.”
“Big decision,” she corrected.
They both fell silent, the night air wrapping around them.
Reyansh glanced at her. “My mom really likes you.”
“She’s lovely,” Aarohi said. “So is your dad. And Vivaan… well, he’s a chaos magnet.”
Reyansh laughed quietly. “You have no idea.”
Then his voice softened. “Thank you… for doing this. I know you didn’t have to.”
Aarohi looked at him — the man she’d once thought was made of stone, now standing before her, human and real. “Maybe we both needed this, Reyansh. You to prove love still exists… and me to feel it one last time.”
He stared at her, speechless. “Don’t say it like that.”
“Like what?” she asked softly.
“Like it’s ending before it begins.”
She looked away, her voice barely a whisper. “Because maybe it already is.”
He wanted to tell her she was wrong. That he’d fight time itself if he had to. But instead, he just reached out — and gently took her hand.
“Then let’s make whatever time we have… count.”
And for the first time that night, Aarohi believed him.
---
✨ To Be Continued… ✨
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