Bound by mistake

CHAPTER 1

The entire hall was filled with the sweet fragrance of marigolds and traditional sweets. Laughter echoed from every corner, blending with the distant sound of music. Yet none of it could drown out Aarushi's words that kept replaying in my mind.

you are the girl people respect ,Mahi i'm the girl they choose

A bitter taste settled in my mouth.

My fingers instinctively wrapped around my left arm, tracing the skin marked by an old burn. It was something I always did whenever anxiety crept in.

I took a deep breath.

Relax, Mahi. Stop overthinking. It's your sister's wedding. Be happy for her.

Suddenly, fireworks burst across the night sky. Brilliant colors painted the darkness, announcing the groom's arrival.

A small smile found its way onto my face.

"Mahi."

I turned to find my mother approaching me. She looked beautiful tonight. Then again, she always did.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. "You should be in Aarushi's room."

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and nodded.

After all, I was the bride's sister.

Without another word, I turned and made my way toward Aarushi's room.

The lavender embroidery of my lehenga shimmered beneath the golden lights as I made my way through the crowd. Laughter surrounded me, yet each step felt strangely heavy.

The closer I got to Aarushi's room, the more uneasy I felt.

I stopped outside the door.

It was strange.

The entire house was overflowing with guests, music, and laughter, yet this corner stood in complete silence. It was as if the room had been cut off from the celebration.

I took a deep breath and raised my hand.

My knuckles met the wooden door.

Knock. Knock.

The door creaked open on its own.

A cold gust of air brushed against my skin, sending chills down my spine.

"Aarushi?" I called softly.

No answer.

Trying to ignore the sudden knot in my stomach, I stepped inside.

The room was empty.

"Maybe she's in the bathroom," I muttered to myself.

I walked toward the attached washroom and knocked.

No response.

Slowly, I pushed the door open.c

The bed.

The balcony.

Nothing.

No Aarushi.

The entire room was empty.

A terrible feeling crawled up my spine.

Every instinct told me something was wrong.

But I pushed the thought away.

Where is Aarushi?

My gaze swept across the room.

The suitcase that had been resting beside the wardrobe this morning was gone.

My heart skipped a beat.

Maybe she ran away.

No.

No, Mahi. Relax.

That wasn't possible.

It couldn't be.

She wouldn't run away today.

Not on her wedding day.

My eyes landed on the bridal lehenga spread across the bed.

The deep red fabric remained untouched.

My breathing quickened.

If she had run away, why would she leave her wedding outfit behind

Questions swirled through my mind as I lowered myself onto the edge of the bed.

The mattress dipped beneath my weight.

"Where are you, Aarushi?" I whispered.

Then something brushed against my hand.

Soft.

Yet oddly sharp at the edges.

I froze.

Slowly, I pulled my hand back and looked down.

it was a yellow folded paper

For a moment, I couldn't breathe.

My fingers trembled as I picked it up.

With every bit of courage I had left, I unfolded it.

Only three words stared back at me.

I am sorry.

My eyes widened.

The room seemed to spin around me.

She had done it.

if she had just said i don't want to marry father would have aacepted

the father would have understood

why disappear on the vary day of wedding

outside 'another burst of firecrackers lit up the sky again

the groom had arrived.

And the bride was nowhere to be found

i needed air

my fingers found the the necklace around my neck which felt like chains

someone touched my shoulders

i jerked away with a startled cry

my heart nearly stopped

'Mahi!'

i looked up

Alina

A shaky breath of relief escaped me

'What is wrong with you' she asked while narrowing her eyes 'why are you shouting '

'why did you touch me like that' i shot back while placing hand over my racing heart

her expression shifted from annoyance to confusion as she glanced across the room

"where is Aarushi?"

the question hit me like a punch

i froze without a word i handed her the yellow paper

as she read the note the color of her face drained off

"Mahi this is not funny" she whispered

"you think this is a joke "my voice crack "why do you think i scream then "

for a moment neither of us spoke

"what are we gonna do" Alina whispered

my gaze fell to the note clutched in her hand

"We should tell mom and dad"

Alina nodded immediately

"yes .maybe they will know something. Maybe they can find her"

i wished i believe that