Twenty-Four Years LaterImara Rathore! Yes, Imara was her name. The name that was apt for the kind of personality she possesses. A strong-willed girl, in the equally strong male dominated family she was born into. A family she had left behind, a family she had cut herself off from a year ago. And she didnât regret it, not even one bit. No! That day, the twins, Anika and Tarushi, daughters of Dilip and Vibha, were about to marry Atharv and Samrat, two of the three esteemed gems of the prestigious Shekhawat family.It came as no surprise to Imara when she learned that it was an arranged match. The Shekhawat Family, with their esteemed position in both business and society, held a higher status than the Rathores. Therefore, when the matchmaker proposed the idea of marrying the twin girls to two out of the three heirs of the Shekhawat family, neither family objected.However, fate seemed to favour the groomâs family, as their eldest heir, Adhiraj Singh Shekhawat, was also set to be married alongside his brothers.This remarkable occasion was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for each of the three families involved. Therefore, after considering all the options, they chose to celebrate the wedding at the magnificent Neemrana Fort. This 15th-century palace, perfectly situated between Gurgaon and Jaipur, proved to be the ideal location for a lavish destination wedding with a substantial guest list.Imara, however, was not on that list. She took it upon herself to remove her name. It didnât quite bother her whether she attended. However, her family, who had been a witness to her soft and lively personality, was deeply affected by her absence. It mattered to them, a lot!Along her journey from everyoneâs Imu to Imara, that innocent girl was lost somewhere. Hence, today, on the day of the wedding, Imara was in her apartment where she lived alone, away from her family. However, she couldnât shake off the feeling that her father would go to great lengths to ensure their so-called reputation in society remained intact by forcing her to attend the wedding. This was something he had always doneâmaking decisions on her behalf, all in the name of upholding their reputation. And Imara, having unofficially stripped herself of all the rights of being a Rathore, wouldnât stand for it this time.But how could she possibly escape being a part of this charade without causing too much trouble for herself? Best option! Leave the town. And so, she was on her way to attend an exhibition in Chennai, where the toys created and manufactured by her company, âLittle Tykeâ, would be showcased.Upon reaching the airport and parking her car, she felt a vibration in her pocketâa call from Anika. While pushing her trolley forward, she answered and was greeted by Anikaâs gentle voice, âImara Di! Where are you?âEntering the airport, Imara made her way to the assigned terminal for a security check. Meanwhile, she replied to Anika, âAirport!ââWe were hoping you would be here,â both Anika and Tarushi whispered, their disappointment apparent. However, Imara chose to not let their saddened voices affect her. In truth, she wasnât supposed to. Because if she did, she would have to be there with her sisters to celebrate their wedding. And, this version of Imara refused to indulge in any emotions, appearing cold, heartless, and indifferentâor at least thatâs what she wanted her family and herself to believe.âI have to participate in an exhibition, and Iâm on my way to board the flight. Bye!â Imara hung up with those words and placed her bag on the security check counter.After the call abruptly ended, Anika and Tarushi gazed at Vibha and Suvika, their faces filled with disappointment. Imara held a special place in the hearts of everyone in the Rathore family, especially Vibha, who Imara lovingly referred to as Maa, not Chachi. Vibha loved Imara even more than her own daughters. Despite the changes Imara had undergone in the past year, the unwavering love that her family had for her remained unchanged.âIâll go and check on the other preparations,â Suvika whispered, mustering the strength to hold back her tears before leaving the room. She had personally delivered the wedding invitation to Imaraâs doorstep, hoping to catch a glimpse of her daughter and persuade her to come, even if it meant begging. However, neither of those things happened. Imara wasnât there, or perhaps she was, but she didnât open the door even for her own mother.Still, she longed to see her daughter, to catch a glimpse of her radiant smile, to hold her tightly against her chest, and to tell her how much she missed her. Like every mother, her heart ached to see her daughter walk down the aisle, to see her happiness on her wedding day. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and ideas, endlessly searching for a way to bring her daughter back. The extravagant decorations and the joyous celebration of Anika and Tarushiâs wedding felt incomplete without Imara. The gap between Imara, Sanjay, Dilip, Shaurya, and Neel seemed insurmountable, a void she didnât know how to bridge. All she could grasp was that somewhere amidst the battle of self-righteousness, she had lost her ever-smiling daughter to the chaotic twists of life.Inside the room, Vibha cradled her daughtersâ faces and whispered, âItâs okay. She must be really busyâ¦and she wouldnât want you to have long faces at your wedding. Would she?âBoth the twins nodded, their hearts heavy with disappointment, but continued with the preparations for their wedding. Secretly, they had made countless attempts to meet Imara, hoping to coax her to be a part of their wedding. Yet, all their efforts had been in vain. If it werenât for Adhirajâs grandfather, who insisted on his grandsons getting married on the same day, Anika and Tarushi would have pleaded with their family to postpone the wedding until things were resolved between them and Imara. Never in their wildest dreams had the girls imagined their wedding day without Imara by their side. Despite their downcast expressions, the girls clung to a glimmer of hope, praying for a miracle that would land Imara right in their room.
Chapter 4: chapter 4
The Fated Knot•Words: 6219