After two weeks ~
It’s 10 p.m.
Saraswati ji and Yashvardhan ji were chatting while enjoying their tea. Vikrant came inside his villa greeted them and as he steeped on the stair his mother called him.
His mother, “Vikrant kal jaldi taiyar ho jana.”
(“Vikrant, be ready early tomorrow")
Vikrant,“kyu ma?”
(“Why, Mom?”)
His mother, "kal hum tumhari hone wale patni, hamari hone wali bahu se milne ja rahe hai."
(“Tomorrow, we’re going to meet your future wife, our future daughter-in-law.”)
Her voice was calm but carried a quiet excitement, as if she’d been waiting for this moment for a long time.
Vikrant nodded and walked towards his room. As he started taking off his clothes, he muttered,
“Such a waste of time.”
The next morning ~
Saraswati said to Yashvardhan, “Maine Vidya ji ko call kar diya hai, ab bas sab achhe se ho jana chahiye.”
(“I’ve already called Vidya ji. Now everything just needs to go smoothly.”)
Yashvardhan smiled at his wife and said, “Chinta mat karo, sab kaam achhe se ho jayega.”
(“Don’t worry, everything will go smoothly.”)
Saraswati smiled back and then walked towards her son’s room.
“Vikrant, are you ready?” his mother asked.
“Ji, maa,” Vikrant replied, turning his face towards his mother.
Vikrant stood there, dressed to kill ~
A dark black shirt that fit him like a second skin, perfectly paired with tailored black pants that sharpened his silhouette. His expensive watch gleamed on his wrist, a silent statement of style and power.
His glossy shoes caught the light with every step, shining like polished onyx.
Every inch of him screamed confidence and charm. He looked so magnetic, so effortlessly handsome, that any girl who laid eyes on him would be breathless, maybe even faint.
She walked up to him and smiled,
“Are waah! Mere bete ko kisi ki nazar na lage.”
(“Wow! May no evil eye ever fall on my son.”)
She gently made the gesture to remove the evil eye.
“Chal, ab jaldi se neeche aa ja."
(“Now come downstairs quickly.”)
Vikrant nodded and went downstairs.
Once everything was properly arranged, they all got into the cars and proceeded to the Rajputs’ residence.
Ishita ~
It was around 7 a.m.
Ishita heard a knock at the door. Still sleepy, she got up from her bed and slowly opened it. To her surprise, her Chachi was standing there.
Confused, a thousand questions raced through her mind.
What had brought her here?
Vidya stood at the door, holding a dark blue saree in her hand.
“Here, take this and get ready quickly,” she said.
Ishita was surprised as her Chachi had never acted like this before.
After a moment of hesitation, Ishita signed and asked,
“Is there something special today?”
Vidya smiled and said rudely, “Haan, aaj ka din bahut khaas hai. Aakhir hamare sar se itna bada bojh utarne wala hai, samjhi?”
(“Yes, today is a very special day. Finally, a huge burden will be lifted from our heads.”)
Ishita looked at her, confused in and trying to understand what she meant.
Vidya said in a cold voice, “You’re getting married. Now go and wear this. Hurry up!”
Ishita was stunned. She couldn’t even process what was happening.
She went inside and typed on her phone,
“But why? How? With whom? Do they even know I’m mute?”
Then showed this to her chachi.
Vidya read the message and then said sharply,
“Teri shaadi is desh ke sabse ameer aur bade khandaan mein hone wali hai. Chalo, teri kismat tujh par thodi meherbaan to hai. Ab zyada soch mat, ye le aur jaldi se taiyaar ho ja. Woh log kisi bhi waqt pahuchte hi honge.”
(“You’re getting married into the richest and most powerful family in the country. Looks like luck has finally shown you some mercy. Now stop overthinking, take this, and get ready. They’ll be here any moment.”)
Without even glancing at her, Vidya turned around and started to walk downstairs.
Ishita held Vidya’s hand and showed her a message on her phone:
“Does he know that I’m mute?”
Vidya’s expression changed instantly. Angrily she pushed Ishita’s hand away with force, causing her to fall to the floor.
In a harsh voice, Vidya said, “Kitni baar bola hai thoda door raha kar. Aur haan, use pata he hoga.”
(“How many times have I told you to keep some distance? And yes, he must know.”)
Without another word, she turned and walked away.
Ishita slowly got up, tears slipping silently down her cheeks.
She looked at the saree lying beside her, picked it up, and quietly went back into her room.
She locked the door carefully. Taking support from the door, she slowly slid to the floor, her body trembling as silent tears continued to fall.
Her thoughts were a mess.
"Mujhe nahi pata main kaise sambhalungi se sab."
She thought while sobbing.
(“I don’t even know how I’m going to handle all this… and on the top of that, everything is happening all at once,”)
After a few moments, she wiped her tears, stood up, and walked into the bathroom.
She stepped into the bathroom, still trembling, and quietly closed the door behind her. The silence of the space echoed the storm inside her.
Without a second thought, she turned on the shower. Cold water rushed over her skin, soaking her clothes instantly, but she didn’t flinch.
She stood still, letting the water pour over her face mixing with the warm tears that had been falling silently all along.
Her lips parted slightly, but no sound escaped. The weight in her chest was too much.
She couldn’t scream. She couldn’t cry out. All she could do was let the water wash over her as if it could wash away the pain, - the fear, the helplessness.
Her fingers clenched into fists by her sides, her breathing shaky.
After some time ~
She came out.
She stood before the mirror, dressed in the deep blue saree which she wore with the help of a servant.
She looked complete on the outside graceful, composed. But inside, she felt like a stranger in her own skin.
Her eyes held no excitement, only quiet fear and unanswered questions.
She adjusted her pallu with trembling fingers.
She didn’t know what waited for her on the other side but she knew she had no choice but to face it.
After dressing, Ishita sat quietly at her desk. She opened her diary the only place that ever truly heard her.
With trembling hands, she wrote everything she couldn’t say aloud.
Her pain, her fear, her questions all spilled onto the page in silence. Because when no one listened… the paper always did.
Malhotra's arrived ~
Two sleek white cars pulled into the Rajputs’ driveway, followed by a line of black luxury vehicles. The quiet of the morning shifted the weight of status, power, and expectation settling in.
Vikrant stepped out of his car with quiet authority. His eyes briefly scanned the grand Rajput estate the sprawling garden filled with vibrant flowers, trimmed to perfection, almost too perfect to feel real.
At the entrance, Vidya and her husband stood waiting. They greeted Vikrant’s family with polite smiles.
Inside, both families settled into the lavish sitting area. Polite conversation flowed between sips of tea. The air felt formal measured words, practiced smiles.
After a while, Saraswati ji looked up and asked with a gentle smile,
“Where is Ishita? I want to see her.”
Vidya said, “Ji, abhi bulaati hoon.”
(“Yah, I’ll call her now.)
She then went into Ishita’s room.
“Ishita, let’s go downstairs,” she said firmly, gripping her arm tightly.
She said in cold voice, “Main kisi bhi tarah ka jhanjhat nahi chahti. Warna tumhe pata hai anjaam kya hoga.”
(“I don’t want any trouble. You know what will happen if there is...”)
Ishita quietly came downstairs. She greeted the family while joining her hands (Namaste), her expression calm but nervous.
Saraswati ji fumed inside and smiled warmly.
“Wow! What a sweet girl her innocence shines right through her face.”
Vikrant looked at her in amazement. He was surprised and a little confused that this was the same girl he had met before.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was stunning. Especially her long, dark black hair that flowed effortlessly.
Then Ishita sat down on the sofa carefully. Saraswati ji leaned towards her son and whispered softly,
“So, what do you think of your future wife? Do you like her?”
Ishita knew Vikrant was watching her, though their eyes never met directly. When he turned away to listen to his mother, she seized the chance to look at him closely.
She instantly recognized him a famous figure she had met before. She felt quietly drawn to his charm: tall and handsome, with dark hair, almond-toned skin, a strong masculine presence, and veiny hands. It was enough to captivate any woman’s heart.
Before Vikrant could answer, his phone buzzed. It was Arun.
Without hesitation, Vikrant said to his mother, “Ma, it’s something urgent. I’ll be there soon.”
Saraswati ji’s smile faltered for a moment a mix of disappointment and understanding flickered in her eyes.
“He’s always busy. You all know the pressure of work,” she said softly, trying to balance things.
With a heavy heart, she began the traditional rituals. Rising slowly, she handed Ishita a red saree and delicate jewelry.
Ishita lowered her gaze, touched Saraswati ji’s feet with reverence, and received a warm blessing,
“May happiness always surround you.”
Yashvardhan ji then stood and presented Ishita with sparkling diamond earrings, a necklace, and golden anklets that symbolises welcoming of their daughter-in-law.
Vikrant came inside and said, “Ma, kuch important kaam hai. Urgent hai, jana hoga.”
(“Ma, there’s something important. I have to go right away.”)
His mother didn’t want her son to leave and said,
“Par Vikrant abhi?”
(But Vikrant now?)
“Ma, important hai,” he said, then left for his office.
Ishita looked at him leaving, and he didn’t even look at her before leaving just like when they first met and Ishita left without even a glance at him.
After some time, both families exchanged the shagun plates.
Yashvardhan ji said, “We will send you the dates for the rituals.”
After the formal greetings, the Malhotras left.
In the car, Saraswati ji turned to Yashvardhan ji and said,
“What kind of work came up that he didn’t even talk to his own future wife? Didn’t even take a proper look at her.”
Yashvardhan ji replied, “It must be something urgent. By the way, did you tell him about Ishita’s condition?”
Saraswati ji sighed, “No, I didn’t get the chance. The moment marriage is mentioned, he just walks away.”
Yashvardhan ji nodded thoughtfully, “Hmm… but you should tell him soon.”
Meanwhile, Vikrant reached his office and confidently strode into his cabin. Arun followed shortly after and reported,
“Sir, the skeletal remains of that woman have been found. Sengar won’t miss this chance to strike. We’ve hired a lawyer who has never lost a case. Rest assured, we are doing everything we can. Also, there’s an important conference meeting scheduled for you. People are starting to doubt you, and we cannot let this slide easily.”
After listening, Vikrant dismissed Arun with a wave, saying,
“You may leave now.”
Just then, Vihaan entered the cabin, holding a tablet.
“Brother, take a look at this,” he said, showing him the news.
Vikrant took the tablet, glanced at the screen, and thought to himself,
Who dares to reveal something like this?
Then Vihaan asked, “Have you met Bhabhi?”
Vikrant looked up from the tablet, his eyes narrowing slightly as he met Vihaan’s gaze.
There was a flicker of curiosity mixed with a hint of hesitation in his expression.
Vihaan smiled slightly and said, “I was just asking, brother. No pressure just wanted to know if you’ve met Bhabhi yet.”
There was a hint of teasing in his tone, trying to lighten the mood.
Vikrant’s lips curled into a faint, almost unnoticeable smile as he said,
"She’s the same woman who saved that child that day.
In his words, there was a quiet admiration a respect for her courage and kindness that he rarely voiced aloud.
Then he fumed inside.
"She looks like a princess came down from heaven."
Vihaan’s eyes sparkled with mischief as he smirked and said, “Oh ho! Lagta hai mere bhai ko unki pasandida aurat mil gayi hai.”
(“Oh ho! Looks like my brother has found his beloved one.”)
His tone was light and teasing, clearly enjoying the chance to poke fun at Vikrant.
Vihaan noticed Vikrant’s cold glance but didn’t press further. With a casual smile, he nodded and said,
“Alright, I’ve to go now. There’s some work waiting for me.”
He turned smoothly, his footsteps echoing softly as he walked out of the cabin, leaving Vikrant alone with his thoughts.
Vikrant sank into his revolving chair and slowly turned to face the large window of his office.
Soft morning light filtered in, casting a gentle glow across the room.
He closed his eyes, and in that quiet moment, the image of Ishita appeared her calm face, the silent strength in her eyes.
For a brief second, everything else faded away, leaving only that vivid memory.
A small, almost hesitant smile tugged at his lips before the image dissolved like mist in the morning sun.
He didn’t know exactly what the feeling was, but it felt quietly satisfying something calm and unexpectedly comforting.
Meanwhile, Ishita wondered quietly to herself, How could anyone agree to marry a mute girl like me?
Thanks for reading ~
I hope you’re enjoying my story! If you are, please share your reactions they really motivate me to keep going. Don’t forget to share the story with your friends too!
Naina.writz ~
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