Vihaan sat at the dining table, his eyes scanning the documents in front of him. The soft hum of the household around him felt like a distant noise as his mind wrestled with the growing tension about the upcoming wedding. His father, Rajiv, had been pushing him to attend the wedding of Shweta Sharma, a distant family connection, with one particular reason in mindâmeeting her younger sister, Aarohi.
Despite his father's insistence, Vihaan remained stubborn.
âI donât understand why youâre making such a big deal out of this,â Vihaan muttered, clearly agitated. âItâs just another wedding, nothing more. Why do I have to be there?â
His father, Rajiv, sighed, placing his hands on the table. âVihaan, this wedding isnât just any wedding. Itâs an opportunity for you to meet someone importantâAarohi. Weâve discussed this, and you know how her family feels about the match. You need to show up. Itâs the right thing to do.â
Vihaan let out a frustrated breath, pushing back his chair. âI donât need to meet anyone, especially not her. I donât believe in this whole arranged marriage nonsense. And Iâm definitely not interested in being part of it.â
His father, always calm and composed, shook his head. âVihaan, this isnât just about you. Itâs about your future, the familyâs future. You canât keep pushing away responsibilities just because you donât like them.â
Vihaan ran a hand through his hair, clearly irritated. âI donât care about responsibilities when it comes to something like this. I wonât be forced into a situation I donât want.â
Rajiv looked at his wife, who had remained quiet until now. Rajiv's expression softened slightly as he turned to her for support.
âIâve tried talking to him, but he refuses to listen,â Rajiv murmured.
Vihaanâs mother, Anjali, who had been quietly listening from the other side of the room, stood up and walked toward him. She placed a hand on his shoulder, her touch gentle but firm. âVihaan, I understand your reluctance. But you know how important this is for our family, for your future. Please, just go. Attend the wedding, meet her family, and letâs see how things go.â
Vihaan looked up at his mother, seeing the sincerity in her eyes. He could see that she wasnât going to let this go easily. After a moment of silence, he finally exhaled, defeated.
âFine. Iâll go to the wedding. But mark my words, I wonât discuss marriage with anyone. If anyone dares to bring it up, Iâll leave right then and there. Understood?â
Rajiv nodded, a hint of relief in his eyes. âWe just want you to make the right decisions. This is just the beginning, Vihaan. Youâll see.â
Vihaan stood up from the table, giving his father and mother a stiff nod before leaving the room. Deep inside, he knew his reluctance wasnât just about avoiding the wedding or meeting Aarohi. He had no interest in letting anyone dictate his life, not even his parents.
As Vihaan prepared to attend the wedding, his mind was filled with questions. He didnât want to meet Aarohi. He didnât want to be part of an arranged marriage. But he knew, as the wedding neared, he would have to face it sooner or later.
Vihaan had barely finished his meeting before he was on his way to the wedding. His mind was still preoccupied with the morningâs eventsâhis parents' insistence on him attending, the unexpected meeting with Aarohi and her family. He didn't know exactly what to expect, but one thing was clear: he had no intention of letting the whole marriage talk get in the way of the festivities.
As soon as he stepped out of his car and into the wedding venue, Karan was already waiting for him, a smirk plastered on his face.
"Well, well, well, look whoâs here, all suited up and ready to meet his bride-to-be," Karan teased, slapping Vihaanâs back in greeting.
Vihaan shot him a sharp look, his expression unamused. "Donât start, Karan."
Karan raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the tension. "What? Iâm just saying, this is probably the first time you're meeting her, right? Gotta make a good impression. You know, impress the future in-laws and all that."
Vihaan rolled his eyes. "Iâm here for the wedding, not for some arranged marriage drama."
But Karan wasnât done. "Come on, man, we both know you didnât just show up for the wedding. First time meeting the family, getting a glimpse of the future Mrs. Vihaan, huh? Howâs it feel? Are you nervous?"
Vihaan scoffed, trying to brush off Karanâs teasing. "I'm not nervous. Itâs just... formalities. No big deal."
Karan laughed, shaking his head. "Sure, sure. No big deal. Just remember, if things donât go according to plan, Iâm ready to back you up. We can always bail."
"Stop it, Karan," Vihaan muttered, clearly irritated now. "Just let me get through this evening without your nonsense, alright?"
Karan chuckled, still clearly entertained by the situation. "Fine, Iâll behave. But just know, Iâm watching you. This is going to be interesting."
Vihaan couldnât help but feel a knot tighten in his stomach. The idea of meeting Aarohiâand her familyâfelt like an obligation, not something he was looking forward to. But for now, he couldnât back out. His parents had made it clear that his presence at the wedding was important. The marriage discussion would come later, but tonight, he was just going through the motions.
As the wedding celebrations continued around them, Vihaan couldnât shake the feeling that this was the start of something bigger. But he also knew one thing for sureâhe wasnât going to let anyone push him into a marriage he didnât want.
Karanâs teasing faded into the background as Vihaan focused on the ceremony. There was no turning back now.