“Careful with her dupatta!”
“Someone call the photographer!”
“Aarohi beta, smile!”
Voices echoed around the huge bridal room while makeup artists, cousins, and relatives moved everywhere in excitement.
The entire Gupta mansion was glowing tonight.
Fairy lights decorated every corner, loud music played downstairs, and the smell of fresh roses filled the air so strongly that it almost made Aarohi dizzy.
Or maybe she was already dizzy because of the fact that she was getting married.
Aarohi sat quietly in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection.
Red lehenga. Heavy jewellery. Dark mehendi covering her hands.
A bride.
Her heartbeat felt uneven.
“You look nervous.”
Aarohi looked up through the mirror and smiled softly at Shanaya, who stood behind her adjusting the edge of her dupatta carefully.
“I am nervous,” Aarohi admitted quietly. “Shaadi ho rahi hai meri.”
Shanaya laughed lightly. “As if you’re being sent to war.”
A small laugh escaped Aarohi’s lips too.
Somehow Shanaya always managed to calm her down.
Since childhood, Shanaya had been the confident one while Aarohi was the emotional overthinker. They balanced each other naturally.
“You really look beautiful,” Shanaya said softly after a moment.
Aarohi’s cheeks turned pink instantly. “Don’t make me cry right now.”
“Please don’t,” Shanaya groaned dramatically. “Your makeup artist will murder both of us.”
Aarohi laughed again.
For a few seconds, everything felt normal.
Warm.
Safe.
Then the room door suddenly opened.
“Aarohi beta,” her mother entered with emotional eyes, “it’s time.”
And just like that—
Reality hit her.
The room slowly became quieter as everyone helped her stand carefully.
The jewellery suddenly felt heavier.
The heartbeat louder.
This was real.
She was about to marry Aditya Singhania.
One of the biggest business heirs in Delhi.
Successful. Reserved. Intelligent.
And somehow… her husband now.
As Aarohi walked downstairs slowly with Shanaya beside her, she could hear wedding music growing louder with every step.
Guests filled the huge venue outside while cameras flashed continuously.
The Singhania family stood near the mandap greeting everyone elegantly.
And then Aarohi saw him for the first time that evening.
Aditya.
Standing near the stage in an ivory sherwani, talking to some relatives.
Tall. Calm. Perfectly composed.
The noise around him somehow didn’t affect him at all.
For one second Aarohi forgot to breathe properly.
“He’s looking here,” Shanaya whispered teasingly.
Aarohi immediately looked away nervously.
“Oh my God, stop.”
Shanaya laughed softly.
As Aarohi finally reached the mandap, Aditya’s eyes met hers properly.
There was nothing rude in his expression.
Nothing cold either.
But there was something difficult to understand about him.
Something quiet.
Still, he gave her a small polite smile.
And Aarohi smiled back instantly.
The wedding rituals started soon after.
Mantras echoed through the air while relatives watched proudly.
People kept complimenting them constantly.
“Such a beautiful couple.”
“They look perfect together.”
“Rab ne fursat se banaya hai.”
Aarohi smiled shyly at every comment while trying to focus on the rituals properly.
Beside her, Aditya remained calm and respectful throughout everything.
He helped her carefully whenever needed, spoke politely to her family, and never once behaved badly.
And yet…
Something about him felt distant.
Like he was physically present there but emotionally somewhere else entirely.
Maybe he was just tired.
Weddings were exhausting after all.
Hours passed in rituals, photographs, laughter, and endless conversations.
By the time the wedding was finally over, Aarohi’s feet were hurting badly under the heavy lehenga.
She sat down for a moment near the stage while everyone stayed busy around them.
Shanaya immediately handed her water.
“You survived.”
“Barely,” Aarohi sighed dramatically before drinking.
Shanaya laughed softly and fixed a strand of hair near Aarohi’s face.
“Mrs. Singhania now,” she teased.
Aarohi smiled shyly hearing that.
Mrs. Singhania.
The title still felt unreal.
Meanwhile, a few steps away, Aditya stood with some family members discussing something work-related even during his own wedding.
“He’s always this serious?” Aarohi asked quietly.
Shanaya looked toward him for a second before replying lightly, “I guess.”
Before Aarohi could ask anything else, relatives called them again for more photographs.
The photographer smiled excitedly.
“Sir, ma’am, stand closer.”
Aditya stepped beside Aarohi quietly.
Close enough for his shoulder to brush against hers slightly.
The cameras flashed continuously.
“Perfect.”
“One more.”
“Sir, smile a little.”
Aditya gave a faint smile again.
Aarohi tried not to notice how controlled every expression of his looked.
As if he never allowed himself to feel too much.
Late at night, after endless goodbyes and emotional hugs, Aarohi finally sat inside the decorated car beside Aditya.
Her bidaai tears had finally stopped now, but exhaustion still rested heavily inside her chest.
Outside, family members waved emotionally while the car slowly started moving.
For a few minutes, neither of them spoke.
The silence wasn’t uncomfortable exactly.
Just unfamiliar.
Aarohi looked down at her hands nervously before finally speaking softly.
“Today was really tiring.”
Aditya looked at her briefly before nodding once.
“It was.”
His voice was calm. Deep.
Aarohi smiled slightly.
At least the silence had broken now.
She looked outside the window quietly while city lights passed by them one after another.
Somewhere deep inside her heart, nervousness and hope existed together.
Because maybe love didn’t always happen instantly.
Maybe sometimes…
It arrived slowly after marriage.
Aarohi just didn’t know yet how painful waiting for love could become. 💔
✨ Thank you for reading Chapter 1 🤍
comments are always appreciated!
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