She was standing there, behind the curtain clutching it tightly, her eyes closed. She knew she had to face the situation, she couldn't run or hide forever from them.

But what will she say?

How will she explain herself?

What if they won't accept her?

What if he won't accept her?

Her eyes filled with warmed tears again, thinking about all the upcoming possibilities.

She was busy fighting her inner turmoil and didn't realize when the door opened with a thud.

She gasped.

Abhimaan entered the door furiously and looked around to spot a figure hiding behind the curtains or trying to hide.

Which was a failed attempt.

"So you think after cheating us, you can hide." He roared at her. She shivered hearing his loud and angry voice.

I didn't cheat them.

He fisted his hand so hard that it hurt, not wanting to do something wrong with a girl. The moment his mother told everyone about this, he was furious.

How can someone dare to cheat on him and his family??

He saw her in the morning, sleeping on the couch but her face was not visible to him, her hair was all over her face. Plus, he was not interested in seeing his one-night old wife.

But this is not tolerable!

A sob escaped from her mouth. She was chanting all the prayers she knew.

"Fine, let me call the cops. That will be the best place for you and your family." He said, gritting his teeth, hard.

"No, please! I didn't do anything. Please, I swear, it- it was not my fault..." She said reluctantly.

He stopped for a nanosecond hearing her low, sweet voice filled with fear. He shrugged off his thoughts and fished his cell from his pocket.

These types of people deserve to be in jail.

"Abhi no stop, ...how can you do this?" Her mother came and stopped him in between.

"Why not Mom? They cheated on us and I never spare the cheaters,” he said angrily. First, the arranged marriage and now this.

"Your mother is right son, if this news got out of this mansion then it will create a huge disaster. You need to calm down." His father thought rationally.

They had to think about every step before doing anything or their names would be flashing in the news the first thing.

They couldn't risk their reputation.

He closed his eyes to control his inner rage.

"Fine! Do whatever you want to do. I'm going to Germany but I want this mess to be cleared when I come back."

Without thinking, he called his wife a mess. Unknown to the fact that he could hurt someone.

" And mother this time I'm serious" He announced to his parents and stormed out of the room angrily.

This is too much. His subconscious screamed.

He loved his parents but sometimes he wanted them to understand him too. He easily agreed to arrange marriage when his parents asked. He did have a relationship with an actress but they both were not serious. It was just for pleasure. But he did leave his bachelor life on his family's wish and in return he just betrayal.

He got cheated.

And he could forgive anything, anyone, but not this.

.

.

.

.

It was noon, still, the whole house was silent as if a black cloud had loomed over the Sun, darkening their world in an instance. Gautam and Arunima were sitting with Indrajeet Rajvansh, the head of the family. He was not there in the morning when everything happened.

He was a very strict person who still followed his tradition and cultural values. It was his pressure on Abhimaan for this marriage.

They were just sitting silently thinking about the situation and the girl who is now their daughter in law.

"Call Ishwar Singh, I want to talk to him. How dare he.. hide this from us?" He said to his son, Gautam, who nodded.

Whereas Arunima was feeling devastated. Her only son got married yesterday and now this was happening.

She thought to go and check on that girl.

She entered the room and saw her sitting on the floor near the bed. Her head was buried between her knees. There was a plate of food that she sent to her, which was still kept untouched.

"You didn't eat," She said.

Samaira looks up to the lady, who came in the morning and saved her. She couldn't reply but her puffy eyes and pale face said everything Arunima wanted to know.

Her heart ached to see her in that condition.

She seemed young and innocent. Before reaching any conclusion, she wanted to know the truth.

"Come, sit here," She said to her, patting beside the space she was sitting on the bed.

Samaira hesitated first but got up slowly and sat beside her.

This lady seems kind.

"What's your name? And how are you related to Dhriti?" Arunima asked her calmly.

"Samaira. My name is Samaira. Dhriti Di is my cousin." She replied without looking up.

"What happened yesterday? I want to know everything" Arunima asked.

Samaira's eyes filled with warm tears but she blinked twice. She was tired of crying.

She didn't want to look like a pathetic weak girl.

But her tears weren’t supporting her and a lone tear escaped her eye.

"Don't cry beta. No one will hurt you. You don't need to be afraid." She cupped her cheek.

"But he said he would hand me and my family over....to cops......It's not my fault, I swear....." She said between her hiccups.

Finally, someone was talking to her calmly. She couldn't control herself anymore and burst into tears.

Arunima hugged her and rubbed her back lovingly. Samaira felt so good after a long time. Maybe for the first time, she was feeling the love of a mother.

Arunima gave her a glass of water and wiped her tears. She could see the innocence and truth in her eyes.

"Dhriti Di ran away and it would harm our family's respect. So, aunty decided to marry me instead." She continued.

"And you agreed?" Arunima asked in shock.

"They have done a lot of things for me. I can never repay them. This was the first time that my uncle asked me to do something for them. I couldn't say no."

Arunima gasped with so much information. The girl they chose runs away and here another girl, who is now their daughter in law, was sitting in front of her.

"You don't need to be afraid of anyone. You are my daughter in law and my Abhi's wife, I will never let anyone harm you. " Her soothing words gave Samaira solace. Her heart finally calmed down.

"You take a rest and I'll call you when your family comes." She caressed her hair. Samaira nodded.

.

.

.

In the evening, Ishwar Singh came with Damini and was standing, joining his hands in front of the senior man, who had all the powers to ruin him any second.

Samaira was also there standing in a corner, quietly. She could feel the influence of the powerful man. Her eyes were wet seeing her uncle.

She wanted to run and hug him but couldn't move in front of them.

"Do you have something to say to explain yourself?" Abhimaan's granddad asked.

"No Bade Sahab, I'm ashamed of my daughter's deed. I can't even look in anyone’s eyes. She has completely ruined my respect." Ishwar said guiltily.

Samaira felt bad watching this. It was not her uncle's fault.

" You should have told this yesterday, before this marriage. Before marrying your brother's daughter in place of your daughter." He yelled at him.

Abhimaan's parents were also standing there. They didn't say anything. Arunima was just worried for Samaira. And her Son's marriage.

Whatever the situation, the fact is, this girl standing quietly here is Abhimaan's wife. And marriage is not some kind of joke. They know how to respect relations.

"We are very ashamed Bade Sahab. But we didn't want to harm our and your family's reputation. The whole city knew about this marriage. If the marriage had been cancelled last minute, ten people would have become suspicious."

" We thought to save both family's respect, so we married off our other daughter. " Her Aunt said in the middle. Only her clever brain and sugar-coated words could save her and her husband.

"Who gave you the power to make a decision here??" He roared at them.

Samaira flinched after hearing him. She could sense his anger was just like the man that yelled at her in the morning.

Her husband.

"I have nothing to justify but I can assure you, my daughter Samaira is a beautiful soul. She is an honest person and a great daughter. I hope she will be a great daughter-in-law to your family also. She is far better than my daughter. Trust me, give her a chance." Ishwar said, looking towards Samaira. His eyes shone with pride. Price in Samaira.

"She is our daughter in law now, this is our family matter. But remember this Ishwar Singh, no one can play with my family and get away with it. You have to leave this place forever and never try to contact her. " Indrajeet Rajvansh announced.

They nodded without arguing. How could they argue? They were standing in front of the most influential businessman. No one could play with him.

Samaira was stunned, she never thought this would happen. She bit her inner cheeks to control her sobs.

How will she live here?

In a second, she became a daughter in law of the most powerful and rich family. But that came with a price, bidding goodbye to her family of 17 years.

...........

Beta is a salutation given by an older person, like a mother to a person she sees as a child.

Bade Sahab is a salutation given to an older person, who has power and is influential.