Rashika's POV

The hall buzzed with activity as people bustled in and out, their voices merging into a cacophony of sound. I sat beside my brother, who was, as usual, engrossed in his phone. His brows furrowed in concentration, oblivious to the tension around us.

"I'll give you whatever you want, but just don't cancel this deal. My everything is at stake," pleaded Dad before a man in his 50s. Anxiety knotted in my stomach as I watched the scene unfold wondering why dad brought me hear?

That man smirked "isi ka to intezar tha hamen..." he said and looked at my direction and I knew what was coming.....

I closed my eyes in disgust... bracing for what was coming.

"I want your daughter!" 

Hear it comes... my subconscious said and I gritted my teeth in furstration....

"vo kya hai na aapki beti pe hamara dil a chukka hai toooo...(you know your daughter held my heart sooo...) let me have her for one night and you will have your deal!"

My dad took one look at me and my brother his face devoid of any emotions hes always been like this and its not the first time a man said this in front of him but no one ever asked for marriage they've only asked for..... I clenched my fists remembering my life and forcing my tears back....

My eyes snapped open when A slap rang out, startling everyone. there stood a elder man maybe in his 70s? but he seemd strong 

"sharm nahi aati aapni beti ko bechte hue? (are you not ashamed of yourself by selling your own daughter?) he thundered, his voice echoing in the silence.....

Confusion rippled through me as I stood, uncertain. 

"Who are you? How dare you slap our father!" My brother's voice shook with anger, his fists clenched at his sides as he dashed towards him....

"I am Virendra Khanna," he spat, his guards looming behind him like silent sentinels.

My brothers froze in his place Silence fell around me, broken only by whispered murmurs 

"Virendra malhotra? You mean rakshit khannas gradfather?"

"Rakshit malhotra gradfather?

"Rakshit malhotra!"

"Owner of The Malhotra groups!?"

The whole hall was filled with only one name Rakshit malhotra....

I just stood there oblivious to the situation 

m-mr virendra Malhotra!? My dad said and panicked and approached him folding his hands...

s-sir I am so sorry p- please sit down! 

"whats with this behavior?" I wondered looking at them...

"What brings you hear sir? What can we do for you? What do you want?

"your daughter" He said and I rolled my eyes all these man they are the same I scoffed and laughed at my wonderfull fate

I will give you twice the investment in the deals twice the dowry I want your daughter to marry my eldest grand son! Rakshit!

My eyes snapped open at this hes willing to give dowry? Who is he? and most importantly why? Why does he wants me to marry his grandson!? Who is his grandson? Why is this happening to me? then I saw them shaking hands...

I scoffed ofcourse he agreed.... why wouldn't he if hes getting a million doller deal for someone usless like me? ofcourse he will agree I laughed at my helplessness..... ofcourse I cant do anything about this! I live in a type of family when my brothers force me to sleep with there clints and watch me getting humiliated and all I can do is cry.... dadu was able to save me from a lot of it for a real long time but after he started getting ill the situation only got worse I got humiliated, assaulted, they even watched me getting raped and did nothing! What else can I expect from such family? I was on verge of my tears when I felt a soft caress in my head I lifted my eyes up and it was him the same old man 

"kesi hai meri beti?"(hows my daughter?) he asked softly....

All I did was look at him with confusion and a million questions in my mind...

He smiled softly "why are you looking at me like this beta!? Didn't u remember me?" he asked 

"Im sorry..." I wisperd shaking my head

"Oh I don't blame you.... you were soo little when I saw you but now I can see you have grown up really well and pretty!"

I nodded looking down not satisfied with the answer

" Im friend of Ranveer!"

"d-dadu's friend?" I snapped my neck towards him... "veeru dadu?" I said my lips automatically curving up into a smile!

"dadu always use to talk about you!" I said remembering about him and bent to touch his feet he caressed my head 

"always be happy bacche!" he said softly and my eyes met his I don't usually come across people who speak this softly with me!

I have only heard about you from dadu and saw the photos of the time when you two were young so im sorry..." I said 

" I guess its all my foult I have seen you when you were 3-4 years old but after that im seeing you now! I guess we got busy with our own lifes but a week ago Ranveer contacted me saying he needs my help and now I get why he was sounding so despret!" He said looking at me

"h-have you met dadu?" I asked 

I did! And I know you have so many questions lets go to Ranveer and ill tell you everything!" he said tapping the top of my head.....

Soon We were on our way to the hospital veeru dadu ordered me to go with him and told my father to do preparations for my wedding things are moving way to fast.... yesterday I was dreaming about being an event organizer its my dream job but now wedding? Well my decigions were never my own specially concidering my future but I thought for once that ill atleast have a job but I guess I was delusional dad would never!! Never let me do anything he just uses me to lure his clints in for his deals I clenched my fist....

He wasn't always like this there was a time when he loved me well atleast that Is what I thoughtand that too was only unti my mother passed away I was 10 and too dam young to understand what happened to her but when I came of the age I realized that for a deal dad forced her to-...... I closed my eyes in disgust.... after that she commited suiside... no one from my mothers family tried to contact any of us and a year later he brought another women....

he married a woman that was suppose to be my mother! But she was who she was a gold digger who snatched away everything that was suppose to be mine! My dresses my toys my moms memories but my dadu he's my world he gave everything he can! or atlest tried to give me the happiness I deserve! But now that's also going to get snatched from me aswell.... he has cancer last stage dadu says the treatment is going good but I can tell that hes not getting well and its paining hes only one who ever loved me other than my mom..... 

We reached the hospital and I walked inside the room where dadu was and touched his feet and kissed his cheeks "how are you dadu?" 

"aaahaaa tumhara chehra dekhliya naa ab to bahut accha hu meri gudiya!" (now that I have seen your face im much better my doll) he said and pecked my forhead...

I smiled trying not to cry....

"Ranveer!!" virendra dadu said approaching him 

He instantly sat up straight "oohhhooo! Aayiye aaiye veeru!!"(welcome welcome veeru) they both hugged laughing 

And a genuen smile crept up my lips seeing there friendship

"kese hai Hamare param mitra! (hows my old friend doing?) he asked 

"Bass ji rahen hain par jada din nahi! (just alive but not for too long)" He tried to joke...

"What are you saying dadu? Why are you saying this!!?" I exclaimed tearing up he made such joke when im alredy feeling miserable my life is literally falling apart and such jokes?

"Arre bacche I was joking only?" he said reaching for my face...

"No your not suppose to make jokes like this!! I- its hurts dadu!!" I said holding his hand ...

It didn't took him long to ralise that something was wrong im not easy one to cry in front of anyone "did something happened ?" he asked softly and looked at veerendra dadu who shook his head in annoyance and disappointment.... 

"vo kamina nahi sudhrega!" (this basted will never learn) he gritted his theeth and held my hand... "sorry beta but all of this will be over thank fully I sent veeru there on time" he looked at veerendra dadu and continued "you talked about the wedding right?"

He nodded his head "it didn't took him a second to accept this deal" he said 

"ofcourse it dident!! kamine ko sirf paisa chaiye (that basted only wants money)" my dadu spat...

I lisend to them with confusion and questions and soon there gazes turned to me veerendra dadu caressed my head...

"I know all of this is confusing for you beta but let me assure you Rakshit is not a bad person! He will keep you happy!"

"What is going on?" I finally asked 

Dadu sat up straight and looked at me and I knew something is terribaly wrong "you know I love you beta?"

"What are you hiding?" I asked my tone sharp and cold with anger... 

"I know I have said that my treatments are going well and ill soon be okay b-but the truth Is the doctors are giving up and-......

"How long?" I asked coldly gulping the lump in my throat

"A - a month or two maximum"

"why does everyone I love have to leave me? am I that undeserving?" I thought to myself I don't know how to react I clenched my chest and let my tears flow as i tried my best not to break down...

"Im sorry bacche I know its hard and I know that after I will pass my son and that gold digger will give you hard time and I want you in safe hands before that! This is why I contacted veeru! But he said he will not do it unless you agree to this with your whole heart please bucche!? Don't say no to this Im doing this for you only!"

I wiped my tears away "Do they know about-..."

"I do beta but not Rakshit I will tell him soon" veeru dadu said 

"This is not fair dadu! Tell him this first and then talk about this wedding! He has to agree to this too!" 

Veeru dadu sat beside me and caressed my head "he doesn't care about this marriage beta!"

"w-what?" 

actually 3 years ago he lost mahira his wife she was pregnant but he is still young and we want him happy 

"so your forcing him for this marriage?" I said standing up 

"Beta-...."

"3 years? That's so recent she was even pregnant and you don't even care about him? and why will he-...."

"he already said yess! maybe after marrying you he will change? And-...."

"you just said he doesn't care about this marriage! Why did he said yess?"

"for me hes ready to marry you and I know how it sounds but maybe this marriage will change him!"

"we don't know this!! this is so unfair dadu!!"

"Consider it my last wish and marry him!" my dadu said and I stood there stunnd..

"d-dadu?"

"Everything will be okay and you will atleast live there happily don't you understand I want you safe!" he said tears forming in his eyes

"Dadu ill do whatever you tell me but how can i-...."

"You trust your dadu na?"

"I noded my head"

"Then trust me this last time I don't have long and I want you in safe hands marry him and go away from this hell!"

"Dadu please don't say this ill do whatever youll ask of me b-but don't leave me! 

D-don't leave me alone you're the only one after mom who loves me...." I said placing my head in his hand 

He caress my head "I know beta!! Ill always be with you" he whispered 

"soo? Are you ready for this marriage?" veeru dadu asked

I looked at him and noded 

Both of them laughed and hugged each other "congratulations!"

"congratulations?" I thought to myself what about Rakshit? He was getting forced into this after losing his wife 5 years ago? she was even pregnant! This feels so worng! Soo unfair to him! to us!! They are not understanding now that what are they doing to us!! To him!! and he didn't even told him about my condition what if he hated me? what if he feeled disgusted? What If he kicked me out after wedding? Where im gonna go? What is happening with me? why is this happening with me? but I have to..... I have to do it for dadu! If he kicks me out then he kicks me out its not like im getting princess treatment and a luxurias life anyways if I have survived until now I will survive in future aswell!....... And in the matter of love that was never in my dictionary so I'm not dissapointed.....

Rakshit's POV

"I will never leave you......."

Promise me?"

..............

Mahira promise me?"

She starts to fade away "im sorry......."

Mahi?...... 

I tried to reach for her but she remained out of reach Mahira?..... MAHIRA!!

MAHIRA!! my voice ecoed into the empty room, my voice filled with longing and despair as My eyes snapped open in my bed The silence that followed was deafening, a stark reminder of the loneliness that had become my constant companion. I lay there in the darkness, surrounded by the echoes of her laughter and the scent of her perfume lingering in the air.

I grabbed a glass of water from side table and drank it all at one go.......

"ill never forgive you!!.... why did you have to leave me like this!?.... you broke your promise!!" 

"bhai are you awake?" navya my sister asked form outside with a knock on the door

"what is it?" I asked without opening the door

"oh uh.. grand dadu is calling everyone for breakfast specially you he wants to discuss something important!"

I rubbed my forhead I know exactly what he want to talk about the fact that im only 28 and my wife died and I have my whole life ahed of me so they are trying to get me marry someone else..... Over my dead body..... I am not giving anyone a chance..... not anyone... doesn't matter who it is even if it is the most beautiful girl in the world doesn't matter whoever it is no one is like my mahira!! May heart is hers and hers only! I promised her that ill not have anyone in my life except her and im not planning to break my promise even if she broke her promise and left me ill not be the one to break mine... 

"b-bhai?" 

"Hmm? Oh... uh yea ill be downstares soon..." I sighed heavily, running a hand through my hair as I stared at Mahira's photograph on the bedside table.

"another marriage? Never!! No way in hell!!"

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