As always, Naina woke up early in the morning, her body aching from the bruises that still throbbed from yesterday's beating. She pushed herself out of bed, her mind weighed down by the suffocating reality of her life. Mechanically, she got ready and went downstairs to prepare breakfast for her family.
Naina loved her family deeply-she always had. For 22 years, she had done everything in her power to earn her mother's approval and her brother's affection. But all her efforts were met with hate, disdain, and abuse. It crushed her spirit to think that the people she cherished the most only saw her as a burden-or worse, a tool to exploit.
Deep down, she knew the reason for their hatred. It wasn't her personality or her actions-it was greed. Her late father had left her a piece of property in his will, and to them, she was nothing more than a barrier standing in the way of their access to it.
Despite the darkness that surrounded her, Naina was not an ordinary girl. At just 21, she had become a manager at the prestigious Rajpurohit Corporation, her intelligence and sharp mind setting her apart. She had caught the attention of Devanash Rajpurohit himself, though she had no idea that the enigmatic and powerful businessman secretly admired her.
As Naina was setting the breakfast table, her bhabhi, Priya, entered the room, her sharp tongue ready to lash out. Priya's latest obsession was finding a husband for Naina, a topic she brought up every chance she got.
But Naina didn't want to get married. She had dreams of her own-dreams of completing her studies and carving out a life where she wasn't at the mercy of her family's cruelty. She had worked tirelessly to reach where she was, and she wasn't ready to give it all up.
Today, however, her world came crashing down. Her brother, Raghav, stormed into the dining room, his voice cold and commanding.
"You're getting married," he declared, his words cutting through the air like a blade.
Naina froze, her blood turning cold. She looked at him, her heart pounding in her chest.
"To whom?" she managed to whisper, though a part of her already knew the answer.
"To Ashok," Raghav replied, a twisted smirk playing on his lips.
Ashok. The man who had tried to force himself on her, the man she despised and feared more than anyone. Her hands trembled as the room spun around her.
"No... no, bhaiya, please... I can't-""Enough!" Raghav's voice boomed, silencing her protests. "You will marry him, and that's final. Don't forget your place in this house."
Naina's mother, Sudha, stood silently, her eyes void of any maternal love. She didn't speak up for her daughter, didn't defend her. She never had.
Naina felt the walls closing in on her. She couldn't refuse. She knew what they were capable of. If she resisted, they might beat her again-or worse. But she also knew the truth: this marriage wasn't about her happiness. It was about control. It was about the property her father had left her, the last piece of him that she still had.
As tears streamed down her face, memories of her father flooded her mind. He had treated her like a princess, showering her with love and affection. How had her life come to this? How could her own family-the people meant to protect her-treat her like she was nothing?
Clutching the only shred of dignity she had left, Naina wiped her tears and forced herself to leave for the office. The weight of her sorrow pressed heavily on her chest, but she refused to break. Somewhere, deep inside her, a fire still burned-a fire that reminded her she deserved better.
Little did she know, today wasn't the end of her story. It was just the beginning. Her life was about to change in ways she could never imagine
At the Rajpurohit Mansion
Devanash woke up early as always, his morning ritual bringing him a sense of calm. Reaching for his phone, his lips curved into a soft smile as he admired the wallpaper-Naina's picture.
"Good morning, love," he murmured, his voice tender, before pressing a kiss to the screen. He didn't care how absurd it looked. For him, this was his little secret-a way to feel close to her. He placed the phone aside, got ready, and headed to his gym. After an intense workout, he showered, dressed sharply, and made his way to the dining hall for breakfast.
In the Dining Hall
Meghana, his mother, and Sarita, his chachi (aunt), were busy setting the breakfast table. The aroma of freshly made parathas and tea filled the air.
"Good morning, Maa. Good morning, Chhoti Maa," Devanash greeted, walking over to kiss both of them on their foreheads.
Then he turned to his grandmother with a playful grin. "Good morning, sweetie," he said, earning a chuckle from the elderly matriarch, who loved being pampered by her grandson.
Just then, his younger brother, Vedant, and Kunal, his cousin and best friend, entered the room.
"Good morning, Bhai!" they greeted in unison.
"Good morning, Ved. Good morning, Kunal," Devanash replied, nodding at them.
"And here comes our princess! Vedant said dramatically as Aaradhya, their little sister, walked in.
"Good morning, princess!" the three men chimed together.
Aaradhya paused, glaring at them as they burst into laughter.
"Kya mazaak hai yeh?" Aaradhya huffed, crossing her arms.
("What kind of joke is this?" Aaradhya huffed, crossing her arms.)
"Woh dark circles, princess," Vedant teased, pointing at her eyes. "Padhai mein itna stress le rahi ho!"
("Those dark circles, princess," Vedant teased. "You're taking too much stress with your studies!")
"Papa, Chachu, dekho na! Bhaiya aur sab mera mazaak udaa rahe hain!" Aaradhya complained as Suryaveer, her father, and Pratap, her uncle, entered the hall deep in discussion.
("Papa, Chachu, look! Bhaiya and everyone are making fun of me!")
Suryaveer placed a hand on her head affectionately. "Abey, kyun pareshaan kar rahe ho meri princess ko?"
("Hey! Why are you troubling my princess?")
Pratap smirked and added, "Haan Bhai Sa, yeh teen ghade toh kuch karte nahi, bas meri princess ko pareshaan karte hain."
("Yes, Bhai Sa, these three fools don't do anything worthwhile; they just bother my princess.")
Devanash raised an eyebrow. "Chhote Papa, aap toh hamari side mein the na? Achanak side kyun badal liya?"
("Chhote Papa, weren't you on our side? Why did you suddenly switch sides?")
Kunal interjected, "Haan, Papa! Aap yeh kaise keh sakte ho ki hum kuch nahi karte? Matlab Vedant kuch nahi karta, lekin hum toh karte hain!"
("Yes, Papa! How can you say we don't do anything? I mean, Vedant does nothing, but we work!")
Vedant protested, "Bhai Sa, yeh galat hai! Chhoti Maa, dekho na!"
("Bhai Sa, this is unfair! Chhoti Maa, look at them!")
The room erupted in laughter at the playful banter.
Sarita intervened, patting Vedant's cheek. "Mere Ved ko koi kuch nahi bolega. Vedu toh bohot accha photographer banega, hai na?"
("No one will say anything to my Ved. Vedu will become an excellent photographer, won't he?")
Vedant grinned. "Haan, Chhoti Maa! Aur meri pehli model aap hongi, aur dadi sa bhi!"
("Yes, Chhoti Maa! And you'll be my first model, and dadi sa too!")
Dadi sa rolled her eyes. "Chup, khotya!"
("Quiet, you fool!")
Meghana chimed in, "Theek hai, ab sab table par baitho. Khana tayaar hai."
("Alright, everyone, sit at the table now. Breakfast is ready."
As everyone settled, Sarita exchanged a meaningful glance with Meghana and gestured for her to speak. Meghana cleared her throat, drawing everyone's attention.
"Toh, beta Dev, kab milwa rahe ho Naina se?" Meghana asked, her tone casual but laced with curiosity.
("So, Dev, when are you introducing us to Naina?" Meghana asked.)
Devanash froze mid-bite, nearly choking on his tea. Dadi sa quickly handed him a glass of water, and he glared at Kunal, who was smirking mischievously.
Naina? Kaun Naina?" Vedant asked, intrigued.
("Naina? Who's Naina?" Vedant asked.)
Meghana smiled knowingly. "Woh tumhari hone wali bhabhi hai, aur kya!"
("She's going to be your sister-in-law, of course!")
The room erupted into chaos. Vedant and Aaradhya hooted in delight, while Kunal laughed.
"Bhai, tum love mein? Wow! Lekin Bhai, tum toh aise boss banke ghoomte ho, lagta hai koi ladki tumhe pasand karegi?" Vedant teased.
("Bhai, you're in love? Wow! But Bhai, you act like such a boss; do you think any girl will like you?" Vedant teased.)
Kunal grinned. "Aur waise bhi, bhai sa ne abhi tak Naina ko bataya bhi nahi hai!"
("And anyway, Bhai hasn't even told Naina yet!")
Kunal nodded. "Our dear Dev Bhai hasn't even told her yet. He just stares at her picture on his laptop all day!"
Aaradhya's eyes lit up. "She's from the office, isn't she, Dadi sa?"
"Yes," Kunal confirmed. "She's the youngest and smartest manager in our corporation. And she's incredibly intelligent."
Devanash shot Kunal a warning look, but Kunal only chuckled and fell silent.
Suryaveer leaned forward, his voice calm but firm. "Dev, you should have told us earlier. If you want, we can speak to Naina's family."
Devanash shook his head. "No, Papa. I want to talk to her first."
Pratap nodded in agreement. "That's fair. Let him speak to her first."
The family agreed, their excitement palpable. Aaradhya clapped her hands. "Wow! I'm going to have a best friend! I can't wait to meet her."
Vedant and Kunal added, "Us too!"
Devanash sighed, shaking his head. "Kunal, I'll deal with you at the office."
The room erupted in laughter as they teased him, their joyful banter filling the mansion. Little did Devanash know, the storm brewing in Naina's life would soon change everything.
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