EKANSH ✧

The moment I saw her, I forgot to breathe. All I could see was her—only her.

Anaisha.

She walked forward, the girl beside her held her hand, maybe she was her friend, guiding her slowly toward where I stood, waiting on the stage.

But my eyes, mind, and thoughts were fixed on her. She lifted her eyes just for a second and then again lowered, walking slowly.

She was nervous.

And my heart was beating so fast that even amidst the sound of dhol, shahnai, music, claps, hooting, and all this chaos around me, I could hear it.

The deep red lehenga was royal, heavy, the gold embroidery with white beads on it shimmered with her every movement. The heavy gold nath on her nose, the deep red bangles on her wrist, and the heavy jewelry she was wearing.

Moving slowly toward me, her heavy lehenga got stuck in her leg. She stumbled a little, but fortunately, the girl caught her hand on time and helped her.

But one thing that I found strange was that no one came forward to help her from her family—neither her mother, nor her sister or brother. They were standing there watching her—but still, no one came forward.

I couldn't see her struggling.

I forwarded my hand to help her come up on stage. She froze just for a second, looking at my hand, then slowly, nervously, she placed her hand in my hand. Her gaze didn't meet mine.

She was standing in front of me, tightly holding her hands together as if holding her heart, so that it wouldn't scatter.

And in that moment, I made a promise to myself that no matter what happened, I would always stand by her side.

I was standing there, looking at her, lost in her thoughts, when my siblings came and started praising Anaisha.

“Wow, Bhabi, you are looking so beautiful,” Tanish grinned.

“Apsara Bhabi, apsara,” Avni said, placing her hand on her cheek.

“Bhaiya, you kept looking at her,” Lakshya teased, raising his eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes. These three never missed a chance to irritate me.

I knew they were not done yet, of course.

“Bhaiya, are you able to breathe?” Tanish smirked.

Lakshya grinned. “Bhaiya, your heart is beating so fast.”

Avni chuckled. “Yes, yes, the sound is coming here.”

They laughed, and I shot them a glare. They straightened up instantly, as if there was no one more innocent than them.

Maa came toward us. “Baccha, it’s time for varmala.”

Avni placed the varmala in my hands, just like Anaisha's sister had done with hers.

I gently placed the varmala around her neck.

Then she stood on her toes, trying to put the varmala around my neck. But she couldn't because of our height difference; I was too tall.

Trying to reach my neck, struggling, then she tried again, but I was too tall for her.

My gaze flickered to her family; her brother was standing there, looking everything. But he did not come forward to help her; he kept standing there.

My eyes again turned to my bride, Anaisha—then I looked at her brother. I thought he would come forward to help her, like every brother does for his sister, but no. He was still standing there, unbothered—like he didn't know that she needed help. Why? Why was her brother so unbothered by her struggle.? A question that arose in my heart.

I turned my gaze back to Anaisha. She again tried to put the varmala around my neck and failed.

Her brother, he didn't even take a step forward. Anaisha’s eyes lowered—But the thing that clenched my heart was her moist eyes. She tried to hide them by lowering her eyes, but they could not go unnoticed by me.

And that’s it. My jaw clenched, hands curled into fists. That’s it—I did something unexpected.

I sat on one knee in front of her, my head bent down slightly, so that she could easily make me wear the varmala.

When I looked at her, she was shocked. There were tears in her eyes and a soft, shy smile on her lips. I stood up and gently wiped her tears with my thumb pad.

“I’m here Now and Always.” My voice was low but firm, to assure her that I would always be by her side.

She was startled by my actions. She lifted her eyes, searching mine. There was hope in her brown eyes, vulnerability, and maybe, just maybe, a little trust too. And there was something unreadable, some untouchable emotions too in her eyes. A shy smile formed on her lips; I too smiled.

I didn't plan that. Even I didn't realize when I saw her teary eyes. My heart tore apart; I just couldn't stand her tears. And when I saw her smiling after putting the varmala around my neck, my world brightened again. I don't know what this feeling was, but it was different—so different, raw.

Then Maa’s voice took me back to reality. “Let’s go to the mandap. Pandit ji is waiting. It’s time for pheras,” she said with a soft smile on her face. She lightly patted my shoulder.

We moved toward the mandap. This time, Anaisha’s mother and sister helped her.

ANAISHA ✿

When I entered the wedding hall, I lifted my eyes, and there he was, standing tall.

Our gaze locked just for a second. I immediately lowered my lashes, not able to hold his intense gaze.

He stood there waiting, dressed in a golden embroidered sherwani, the maroon turban on his head giving a royal look.

I was moving slowly toward him, but suddenly my lehenga got stuck in my leg.

I lost my balance and stumbled. The memory of my childhood crossed my thoughts. When I was a kid, he always came to hold me, to save me from falling, the trust of mine, that, yes, I am not alone, that yes, my father might get angry sometimes, but when I fall, he will come to hold me, to take care of me. But today, everything has changed; he didn't come. He remained standing where he was. And I knew that he would not.

Kiara caught me in time and helped me. “Are you okay, babe?” she asked in concern.

I gave a little smile and nodded. She nodded back, but my eyes flickered to my family—Mumma, Papa, Ankit, and Kriti—standing there, unbothered, no concern, no emotion in their eyes. Just standing, looking at me. As always.

And that hurt. I didn’t want it to. I knew the reason; they were like this since seven years, but it still hurt. My heart knows everything, but still, a little corner in my heart still ached—

A tear rolled down my cheeks. I wiped it quickly.

“No, Sha, don’t, not today. This is a new beginning of your life, a new chapter. Don’t waste these moments on your  fucked up family. Come, let’s go,” Kiara said. There was a little anger in her voice for my family.

I again started moving toward the stage carefully. I was about to take another step and he extended his hand  towards me, and I knew who it was, him Ekansh, staring at me with his intense eyes. I immediately lowered my eyes; my cheeks turned red. I placed my hand in his and went up on stage.

I was holding my hands together tightly, as if it was my heart, my emotions, trying to hold them together, scared that the feelings running inside me might come out, that my heart might shatter into thousands of pieces.

My heart was heavy with the memories of the past, of that one mistake that made me a taint for my family.

I was lost in the raw, bitter memories of my past when my trance broke by the voices of his siblings. They were praising me. I murmured, “Thank you,” to them with a shy smile. Then they started teasing their elder brother. He was glaring at them; I was smiling shyly.

After some time, his mother came and told us that it was the time of varmala.

Kriti handed me the varmala. He put the varmala gently around my neck. Now it’s my turn. I tried to put the varmala around his neck, but he is too tall for me. I tried again and failed again. Ekansh’s brothers were standing there, on both sides of him. But my brother—Ankit—didn’t come up on stage.

“Hey, dude, will you not help your sister? Dar gaye kya ki haar jaoge (Are you scared that you will lose)?” Lakshya said mischievously, and everyone laughed.

Maybe they were thinking that Ankit will come and help me like every brother does in his sister’s wedding. But he didn’t even move a step—not even to show, to behave neutral that everything is all right, but no. He was standing there still, unmoved, unbothered. My vision blurred with tears. My eyes lowered—I was trying to hold them back, to hide them from everyone. The most painful thing was that the boy who used to run to me to hide from Mom’s scolding, to pacify Mom and Dad when he wanted something, or when he and Kriti had a fight, he used to come to me with his complaint box every time—but today, he didn’t even flinch. That hate in his eyes cut deep into my heart.

“Anaisha, beta, do it,” his mother’s voice brought me back from my memories. I didn’t look at her, just nodded. I didn’t want her to see my tears.

I was going to try again, but suddenly something unexpected happened. The billionaire Ekansh Rajvansh was sitting on one knee, with his head bent. I was shocked. No one was expecting this from him. I gently placed the varmala around his neck. He looked at me, like really looked, as if he was seeing my pain without saying anything. Then he stood up on his feet, rose petals showering over us. Then he came closer, wiped my tears from the corner of my eye with his thumb, and said something that made my heartbeat race.

“I’m here now and always.” I lifted my eyes, searching his eyes, and he meant it. He was not just saying it; he was assuring me. That was not just words, but a promise, maybe. A hope rose in my heart. I know it’s too early, but the sincerity and honesty in his words forced me to hope, to trust.

Then his mother’s voice came. “Let’s go to the mandap. It’s time for the pheras. Pandit ji is calling.”

We moved toward the mandap.

He and I sat across the holy fire, mantras chanting. We took pheras. He put the mangalsutra around my neck and filled my hairline with sindoor. Some fell on my nose.

Priest declared

“You are husband and wife now…”

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