So , let's start ..shall we?

~Prisha pov.~

"Vivah sampann hua!" the priest declared as Viranshu applied sindoor into the parting of my hair. Some of it accidentally smeared across my nose-just like the elders say: If sindoor touches the bride's nose, the groom loves her deeply from the core of his soul.

(Translation -The wedding is complete)

But is that true?

I don't think so...

Because he hasn't even glanced at me once during the entire ceremony. In fact, I saw him clench his fists every time the priest asked him to extend his hand for any ritual. His body screamed resistance, not devotion.

This was an arranged marriage-set up entirely by my family.

And that's all I know.

They didn't even bother to tell me who the groom was until yesterday morning.

I don't know his age.

I don't know what he does for a living.

I don't even know if he agreed to marry me on his own or if he was pushed into this just like I was.

Love?

How stupid of me to even think that.

Because the way he just looked at me-like I was nothing more than a shadow in his path-burned through any fantasy I dared to carry.

His grip on my wrist was so tight I could feel my pulse struggling under his fingers, his hold bruising, possessive... violent.

"Get up. This show ends now."

He yanked me to my feet, dragging me out of the decorated wedding venue like I was some burden he couldn't wait to drop.

"S-slow down, please," I pleaded, my feet stumbling beneath the weight of his pace. At this rate, I was sure I'd collapse before reaching his car.

Suddenly, he stopped.

I crashed into his back with a soft "Ouch!" and rubbed my forehead, silently cursing. Was this man made of stone?

Before I could say another word, he turned and swept me off my feet-literally. He picked me up like I weighed nothing and stormed toward his car, carrying me as if it were the only way to keep moving.

He opened the car door and dumped-no, placed-me inside his sleek black Porsche. Then he slid in beside me and barked an order at the driver:

"Rajmahal. Now."

A low curse escaped his lips afterward, under his breath, but loud enough for me to hear. I didn't know what was running through his head-anger, frustration, hatred-but I could feel the tension in the air thickening like a noose.

I didn't know what awaited me at Rajmahal...

All I hoped was that maybe-just maybe-Viranshu would stand beside me. Even if not in love, at least in presence. But clearly, even that was asking too much.

"Don't expect anything from me," he said suddenly, his voice colder than steel. "This marriage means nothing. I was forced to go through with it for my grandmother's sake."

My heart sank.

His words pierced deeper than I was ready for.

If he wasn't going to be there for me, then how the hell was I supposed to survive in a house full of strangers?

"Then why did you marry me?" I snapped, glaring at him. "You could've said no instead of letting your grandmother emotionally blackmail you! I know very well how they use death as a weapon to manipulate!"

The moment those words left my mouth, I regretted them.

His hand flew to my neck-gripping, choking.

My breath caught in my throat. My nails scratched against his hand in panic.

"Let go of me, you psycho!" I gasped. "You think this will scare me?"

His face hovered close, voice dangerously low in my ear:

"Say one more filthy word about my family... and I'll slit your throat so quietly, you won't even get a chance to scream. You don't know me. Not even a fraction of me."

I shivered, unable to stop the fear crawling down my spine.

His eyes weren't just angry.

They were deadly.

And then he released my neck abruptly, and I sucked in a sharp gasp of air, coughing slightly.

"Drive faster, idiot, before I fire you from this job!" he barked at the driver.

"Y-yes, sir!" the driver stammered, his voice trembling with fear, before pressing harder on the accelerator.

🍁

"Sir, we've reached The Mahal," the driver's voice cut through the madness.

He got out of the car without so much as a glance in my direction.

Bastard.

Choking his own wife minutes after marrying her-what more could I expect from this living nightmare?

I got out of the car on my own, before he could come back and drag me again like a damn object.

But the moment I turned toward the mansion...

I froze.

Rajmahal wasn't just a home .

It was a fortress of luxury.

A sprawling estate that looked like it was carved straight out of a royal dream. Four times the size of my own family mansion, it stood like a palace-white marble shining under the sun, gold-rimmed domes rising in perfect symmetry. The entire façade glistened like polished pearl.

A majestic fountain stood in the center of the entrance path, spraying arcs of crystal-clear water that sparkled like diamonds in the daylight. Marble statues of dancing apsaras surrounded it, their intricate details catching the sunlight with a divine shimmer.

Manicured gardens framed the driveway, overflowing with exotic flowers-orchids, roses, jasmine vines-blooming in waves of color And it was breathtaking.

A world I didn't belong in.

But one I was now forced to enter.

And the devil who brought me here?

Was already walking ahead, never looking back.

I clutched my lehenga a little tighter, bracing myself as I made my way toward the grand entrance of the Mahal. But before I could step inside, a woman stepped in front of me-her hands carrying an aarti thaal and a small pot of rice.

Before I could even process what was happening, she gently placed the pot near my feet and looked up at me with the warmest smile I'd seen all day.

"Viranshu beta, come here! We need to do the welcoming rituals," she called out lovingly, her eyes briefly flicking toward the stairs where her son was already trying to escape like this whole marriage was some sort of contagious disease.

He didn't stop.

He didn't even glance in my direction.

It was as if standing next to me was beneath him-as if I was beneath him.

"Maa, do whatever rituals you want. You don't need me for all this emotional drama," he said dryly, brushing her off with that same deadpan expression that practically screamed, I don't care. Do what you want. Just don't involve me.

But his mother wasn't one to let things slide.

Her tone hardened as she said, "Come down right now, or I swear I'll show you the worst side of me today."

Oops.

Did I just discover his weak spot?

I watched with an amused smirk as he halted mid-step, his jaw tightening. And then-like a sulking child-he scoffed and began walking back down the stairs, clearly irritated, clearly annoyed, but unable to defy his mother's command.

"Good job, Prisha. You just found Mr. Nakchara's weak point," I silently grinned to myself. This might actually be fun. Testing his patience could become my new favorite sport.

You choked me earlier, huh?

Just wait until I show you what real choking feels like-without even laying a finger on you.

"Maa, can we please finish these rituals quickly?" I said with a yawn I barely managed to hide. "I'm honestly too tired to even understand what's going on. If this continues any longer, I might just collapse here."

To my surprise, her expression softened even more. She reached out and gently patted my head like a mother comforting her child.

"Yes, beta. I understand exactly how you feel right now. Don't worry-I'll finish everything in the blink of an eye."

Aww.

How adorable is she?

Honestly, I think I already love her.

......｡⁠◕⁠‿⁠◕⁠｡......

"So, this is your room-oops, I mean yours and bhai room," Shanaya said with a playful grin.

If I'm not wrong, she's his sister... maybe three years younger than me.

And such a sweetheart!

I can't believe she's related to that nakchara.

"Okay, cutie. Thank you for helping me." I said, cupping her cheeks gently between my palms and giving them a soft little tug, smiling sweetly to show just how much I already adored her.

"Byee, my pretty bhabhi... have a playful night with my bhai," Shanaya whispered in my ear, then ran off giggling like a kid caught red-handed after pulling a prank.

God, I really wanted to tell her how her beasty bhai was actually choking me inside the car-not with passion, but with literal fingers and fury.

I closed the door behind me, not bothering to lock it from the inside, and started peeling off the layers of heavy jewellery like it was garbage weighing me down.

"Urghh!"

I let out a long, frustrated breath as I finally managed to tug off the blouse after what felt like my hundredth struggle. My skin could breathe again.

I was just about to slide off my lehenga when-

Creak.

The door opened.

My eyes went wide, panic flooding me. I was standing there-bare except for the lehenga, no blouse, no dupatta. Vulnerable. Exposed.

"What the hell-" I began, but stopped dead in my tracks when I saw him standing there.

My husband.

Viranshu.

He walked in casually, his eyes scanning me without the faintest hint of shame-just that same cold indifference. Or was it disgust?

"Are you trying to seduce me on our first night?" he said, his voice laced with mockery. "If so, don't stoop this low. Even if you strip completely naked, your body is far too ugly to turn me on."

He stepped closer and tucked a stray strand of my hair behind my ear.

Huh... so it's going to be like this? Fine then, I'll play too, Mr. Viranshu Malhotra.

Letting my hand roam slowly, almost teasingly, across his chest, stopping just above his v-l

ine. I whispered something that made him freeze-maybe in confusion, maybe in shock.

"Daba doon?"

How was the chapter,

Please let me know in the comments section ❤️

By-

_anastella_