12. SHATTERED
The reception hall glittered with chandeliers and the soft fragrance of roses, yet Aarvi felt the weight of every glance. She walked in alone, her saree heavy, her smile even heavier. Guests rose to greet her, but their words always circled back to the same question.
“Where is Vivan?”
She forced polite answers. “He’s just handling something, he’ll be here soon.”
But each excuse felt heavier than the last. Whispers floated around he, strange, isn’t it, the groom not standing beside his bride?
Aarvi’s eyes scanned the hall once, catching glimpses of him at a distance, talking with others. The ache of standing alone while he chose absence pressed harder. And still, she kept smiling, because that was all she could do.
From the other side of the hall, Vivan’s expression remained neutral, his suit sharp, his expressions composed as if the evening didn’t bother him. He had kept himself away from Aarvi on purpose, a silent protest only he understood.
But then his gaze froze.
Across the hall, just behind a group of guests, stood Kiara.
A jolt of panic shot through him. His eyes darted around, scanning faces. Did anyone else notice her? Almost everyone here knew about their long-standing relationship. If someone recognized her… if someone connected the dots tonight… the damage would be irreversible.
His throat tightened, his pulse quickened. He forced himself to keep his face blank, but inside, he can feel how kiara's one wrong move can destroy everything.
Casually, too casually he made his way toward her, his steps quick yet disguised as calm. The moment he reached her, he gripped her wrist, the smile on his lips hiding the storm in his chest.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he hissed under his breath, voice sharp but low enough not to draw attention.
Kiara only tilted her chin, as if daring him to react.
Ignoring her actions, Vivan cast another nervous glance around before pulling her with him. He led her away from the hall. But the grip on her wrist was anything but polite, it was desperate, panicked.
Within moments, they slipped away unnoticed, his strides fast and urgent until he pushed open the door of his and Aarvi’s shared room.
As they were inside, he closed the door. He clenched his jaw, his chest heaving with the weight of everything he was holding back.
On the other hand,
Aarvi’s gaze drifted across the crowd, her smile tightening with every new guest, every repeated question about the man who wasn’t at her side. Just when she thought she couldn’t hold it any longer, a familiar voice called her name.
Her parents.
The moment she saw them, her chest loosened. For the first time that evening, her smile was real. She hugged them, feeling comfort into their embrace. Surrounded by their warmth, she finally felt alive, no longer drowning in the crowd’s questions.
But then her father’s gentle voice asked, “Beta… where is Vivan? Shouldn’t he be with you?”
Her mother added softly, “The bride shouldn’t stand alone like this.”
The words stabbed deeper than any stranger’s whispers. Aarvi’s smile faltered. She forced a weak laugh. “He… he just stepped away for some work. He’ll be back soon.”
Her parents nodded, not pressing further, but their eyes lingered with quiet worry. Aarvi’s heart ached. She excused herself, unable to hold the mask any longer. Her steps grew quicker as she made her way toward the one place she thought she could breathe. Their room.
Meanwhile, inside that room, Vivan’s panic had flared into anger.
“Have you lost your mind, Kiara?” he snapped, his voice low but sharp. “Showing up here, do you want to ruin everything? Do you even realize what could’ve happened if someone recognized you?”
Kiara stood with her arms folded, unbothered by his fury. “Why are you so scared, Vivan? Afraid that people will finally see the truth? That this marriage is nothing but a compromise, and you still belong to me?”
Her words hit straight in his chest. He stepped closer, his voice a harsh whisper. “Don’t twist this. You don’t understand the risk—”
She cut him off with a bitter laugh. “No, you don’t understand. You think you can just push me away because of some forced marriage? You can’t, Vivan. You never could.”
The heat between them sparked into something reckless. His anger, her defiance, it all blurred until their words collided into silence.
And then, before either could think, her lips pressed against his.
Vivan resisted and pushed her slightly. "What are you doing Kiara? Try to Understand-" He tried to explain but she crashed her lips on his again. And just as he was about to resist again.
The door clicked open. Both Kiara and Vivan froze.
They sprang apart instantly, head shot up in her direction, faces pale with shock.
At the doorway stood Aarvi, her eyes wide, her entire body went numb. Time seemed to stop. The thud of her heart was louder than the silence that followed.
Vivan’s gaze darted between her and Kiara, his mind blank, his throat dry. Kiara, for once, had no smirk, only a flicker of unease.
And Aarvi stood there, shattered, her hands trembling against the doorframe as the weight of what she had just seen crushed her chest.