（2） A forced marriage
Rajvendra's face burned with fury.
"You people have made a mockery of the Raisinghanis in front of the entire world," he thundered. "The respect we earned over decades - you dragged it into the mud in a single moment. You will pay for this. Your properties, your houses - we will take everything."
His voice dropped, colder.
"But right now... Veer, call the police. Their entire family will go to jail."
A wave of panic spread through Kavya's family.
Arun immediately folded his hands, nearly pleading. "Bhaisaab... please. Take whatever you want, but don't involve the police. Along with yours, our family's honor is already ruined."
Dhruv stepped forward, a dangerous smirk on his lips.
"Uncle, you should be grateful we are only involving the police," he said coolly. "Otherwise, all those guards you see outside? They just need one signal... to shoot every single one of you."
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Priya stormed forward, eyes blazing. "What did you just say? You'll have us shot? Why should we suffer for di's mistake? She ran away - not us!"
Behind her, Anvi hissed under her breath, "Maya, grab Priya before she actually gets us killed."
Maya's face had gone pale. "My mind has completely gone blank... I don't understand anything anymore."
Dhruv's patience snapped.
"Then why didn't you control your sister?" he barked. Then, turning slightly - "Dad, just give the signal. I'll fix their attitude right now."
In one swift motion-
He pulled out a gun.
And pointed it toward the family.
Anvi squeezed her eyes shut. "Oh God... please give peace to our souls."
Even now, Maya shot her a look. "These are the kind of guys you liked? He pulled out a gun over this?"
Then-
A single voice cut through the chaos.
Low.
Commanding.
"Dhruv!"
Every head turned.
Atharva's gaze was ice-cold as it locked on Dhruv.
"Put the gun down."
"But bhai-"exclaimed Dhruv
"I said. Put. The gun. Down."said Atharva
The authority in his tone left no room for argument.
Dhruv's jaw tightened - but he lowered the gun.
Silence swallowed the hall.
Atharva's sharp eyes slowly swept across everyone present.
Then he spoke.
"This wedding will happen."
A pause.
"Today. Right now. In this very mandap."
Shock exploded across every face.
Even Kabir looked at him in disbelief.
Rajvendra frowned. "What are you saying? The bride has run away. Who will you marry?"
Atharva's gaze moved once more across the crowd-
-and then stopped.
On Maya.
He lifted his hand... and pointed directly at her.
"That girl."
The world seemed to freeze.
Every single gaze turned toward Maya.
Maya blinked rapidly, looking around in confusion. Then she leaned slightly toward Anvi and whispered faintly,
"Anvi... that finger is pointing at you, right?"
Anvi swallowed. "No... his eyes are locked only on you."
Maya's heart dropped to her stomach. "I'm dead... why me?"
Even now, Anvi muttered, half-dazed, "Well... you had to look this beautiful. Poor guy probably lost control."
Arun's shaken voice broke in. "Ma... Maya..."
Atharva spoke again, eyes still fixed on her.
"That girl in the red dress. What is her name?"
Before anyone else could speak-
Priya blurted out, stunned, "Maya di... you want to marry Maya di?"
Kabir immediately protested, panic rising. "She's too young! She hasn't even finished college yet!"
Atharva didn't blink.
"We will ensure she completes her studies," he said coolly. "But the marriage will happen with her."
Arun shook his head firmly despite his fear. "No. My daughter... no. I will not marry her off right now."
Rajvendra watched Atharva carefully - noticing that the man's gaze had not moved from Maya even once.
Something calculating flickered in his eyes.
After a brief pause, he spoke decisively,
"If Atharva has decided that he will marry that girl... then it will be her only."
"Lekin-" Arun tried again.
Rajvendra's voice turned lethal.
"Or else... your entire family will go to jail. Right now. This very moment."
Kabir's voice broke. "She's just a child... only twenty-three. How can we get her married like this? Don't punish her for Kavya's mistake, bhaisaab. Take all our property if you want..."
That was it.
Atharva's restraint snapped.
His voice turned dangerously quiet.
"Enough."
The single word echoed.
"What exactly do you people think of the Raisinghanis?" His eyes darkened. "We are not some random men from the streets. First you fixed this alliance - then your daughter ran away. And now you are bargaining?"
His jaw tightened.
"You are taking advantage of our patience."
A chilling pause.
"Have you forgotten... what we are capable of?"
Kabir - and everyone else - fell silent in fear.
The weight of Atharva's warning had done its job.
Rajvendra's cold voice cut through the hall.
"Bring the girl to the mandap."
Something inside Maya finally snapped.
"I am not some object that you can just buy because you feel like it!" she shouted, her voice shaking but loud. "I am not getting married!"
Atharva didn't even flinch.
His gaze locked onto hers - steady, unblinking.
"Come here," he said quietly.
A pause.
"Or your family members will have to pay the price."
The threat wasn't loud.
It didn't need to be.
Maya's breath hitched.
Slowly... helplessly... her eyes moved across the hall.Every face she loved...
...was looking at her.Not with anger.
With hope.With fear.With silent pleading.Her throat tightened.
For one long second, she stood frozen between her life... and theirs.
Then Maya closed her eyes briefly.Took a deep breath.And made her choice.
Without another word, she bent down, slipped off her heels right ther-lifted her lehenga with both hands-and ran.
Gasps exploded across the hall.Everyone stared at her retreating figure in shock.
Behind them, Anvi muttered under her breath, half-stunned, half-impressed,
"Wow... my girl really did that. Like she's going to get very far..."
Dhruv stepped forward instantly. "Bhai, I'll bring her back-"
"No."
Atharva's voice stopped him mid-step.
His eyes were still fixed in the direction Maya had fled.
"Stop everyone here," he ordered coldly. "I will bring my wife myself."
Before anyone could react-
He yanked the sehra from his head and threw it aside.
Then-
he strode forward......and broke into a fast, purposeful run after Maya.
The hall erupted into chaos.
Several family members tried to rush after them-but Dhruv and Veer stepped in front immediately.
In one sharp motion, they - along with the bodyguards -raised their guns.And aimed them straight at the crowd.
No one moved after that.
Under the harsh glare of the road lights, Maya kept running.
Her breath came in broken gasps, her heavy lehenga clutched tightly in her fists. Every few steps, she threw a terrified glance over her shoulder - then pushed herself to run faster.
People on the road had begun to notice.
Whispers followed her.But she didn't stop.She couldn't.
Suddenly-Her lehenga snagged.Maya's balance faltered.
She stumbled forward-and a strong arm wrapped firmly around her waist.
Atharva.
Before she could even react, he pulled her sharply back against him.
"Kaha na, mujhe shaadi nahi karni!" Maya struggled wildly in his grip. "Leave me!"
His voice came low. Dangerous.
"You were not given an option."
A pause.
"You were given an order. Move."
"I'm not going!" Maya twisted desperately, then shouted at the top of her lungs, panic cracking her voice. "Help me! Help - somebody please! He's forcing me to marry him - please help me!"
For a brief second... people did look.
But the moment their eyes met Atharva's face-
Every single one of them lowered their gaze...and walked away.
Fear was louder than her screams.
Maya fought harder, trying to pry his hands off--but it was useless.
Without warning, Atharva lifted her with one arm as if she weighed nothing at all--and threw her over his shoulder.
Maya's voice broke into frantic screams, her body thrashing as she struggled, breath shaking from the run.
But no one came.No one moved.
Carried like that - helpless and furious - she was brought back into the wedding hall.
Inside-
Tears filled many eyes.But fear sealed every mouth shut.Atharva strode straight to the mandap......and forcefully set Maya down beside him.
"Please!" Maya cried, voice cracking. "I don't want to marry you - you can't force me like this!"
Atharva caught her wrist in an iron grip.
Without even looking away from the sacred fire, he said coldly,
"Pandit ji. Start the mantras."
The priest, visibly trembling, immediately began chanting.
Around them, people watched with heavy, helpless eyes.
Maya's voice broke as she pleaded desperately,
"Why are all of you letting this happen? What is my fault in all this? Please let me go... please, uncle... Bade Papa... Papa... someone do something..."
She kept trying to pull free, repeatedly attempting to stand-
-but every time, Atharva dragged her back down.
His patience finally snapped.
In one sharp motion, he yanked her closer and spoke in a deadly low voice near her ear,
"Don't you love your family's lives?"
A chilling pause.
"Or do you want to watch them die in front of your eyes?"
The words hadn't even fully settled--when Veer fired a shot into the air.
The gunshot exploded through the hall.
Gasps.
Cries.
Pure terror spread across every face present.Maya's body went rigid.
Her frightened eyes swept across her family - their pale, helpless faces... their silent tears.
Her fists slowly clenched.
Then-With burning anger and trembling breath-
Maya squeezed her eyes shut...and sat down quietly.The fight had not left her.But for now-
Fear had won.