Tanya's POV:

Mr. Pratyush made a huge scene upon finding out the situation. Thankfully, Dad was able to send him away. That Oldie did leave but not before taking the cheque for the amount he spent on this wedding and the restaurant where we had our first meeting. He even took away the gaudy dress that he had forced upon me. Now Mom was running like a headless chicken trying to find an outfit before Raghav's family returned.

She finally got an address where she could get the dress on rent and hurriedly left to pick it up. As soon as Mom left the room, Sia came to sit beside me.

"Tanya, run away from here", she said, staring at me dead in the eye.

"Don't joke, Sia". I chuckled sarcastically.

"I am not kidding. Go away Di, don't waste your life like this. Just leave, I will handle everything", Sia promised, looking too wise for a 17 year old.

"Why are you still sad? I thought you would be happy since you got what you wanted. I am not marrying that oldie anymore", I queried with furrowed eyebrows.

Sia stood up and started pacing in frustration as she vented out.

"Happy? What is there to be happy? Yeah, you are not marrying that Oldie but you are still marrying someone for money. Why don't you understand that I am not angry over the person you are marrying but over the reason behind this marriage?"

"I know the reason is wrong but our family needs it. Plus I thought you liked Raghav as a person", I spoke, thoroughly confused. As far as I knew Sia had admired Raghav and Samar from her childhood. I thought she would relieved that I am marrying someone she trusted.

Sia paused in her pacing. Looking at me with a defeated face, she spoke, "I don't trust any guy. What they show and what they are behind the walls is totally different".

I was getting worried about Sia's mental state. Surely, there was something she was hiding. The words she spoke, the worry she had, something was going on. But before I could ask her about it, we heard Mom's footsteps near the door.

"Last chance Tanya, run away before it's too late", Sia whispered and left the room as soon as Mom entered.

"What happened to this girl?" Mom asked, looking at Sia's retreating figure.

"Actually....", I started but Mom interrupted me.

"Forget it. We don't have much time. Let's get ready". And just like that another round of instructions started.

"Raghav is best possible candidate for a groom. We have seriously lucked out. I don't think we would have found such a nice groom even if we were well off and without this criminal's tag on your dad.

"I know that you and Raghav don't get along but now this won't work. You have to change yourself completely to his ways. You are always going to agree with him, even if what he says doesn't seem right to you. I don't want to receive any complaints about you from their family. Stop your outgoing ways and be a little shy", Mom instructed, clutching my shoulders tightly, hurting me both physically and emotionally.

Yes, I knew we were in a dire situation and I wouldn't have done anything to jeopardize it but she just...she was my mother. Why couldn't she tell me a single word of assurance instead of this instructions? Why didn't she tell me that she was with me and would stand by me in tough situations? Why didn't she reassured me that even if I was marrying for money, she wouldn't let any harm come to me? Why? Just why?

"Don't worry Mom. I would handle everything and won't come back even in drastic situations. I would never divorce him so you don't have to worry about the money flow", I spoke with no emotions in my voice, though every single word cut through my being.

She smiled at me looking satisfied, killing away the remaining small piece of heart which still yearned for them.

Soon the wedding rituals started. I let out a fake smile but dropped it as soon as I saw Raghav sitting there with a stoic face. True, what was the need to act when everyone present knew the reality of the wedding.

Just like the puppet, I had become, I mindlessly performed the rituals whereas my mind was thousand miles away.