Everyone was struggling to decide what to do next. The wedding procession couldn't return without a bride, but Muskaan had run away, leaving the family in a dilemma.
"If not Muskaan, then someone else will have to take her place in the mandap. The wedding must go on, or else our family's reputation will be ruined," Avinash Kapoor declared decisively.
"But how can we just marry off our son to any random girl? This is his life we're talking about. And what will happen when he finds out he didn't marry Muskaan?" Radhaji expressed her concern for Aarav.
"No one will tell him anything right now," Avinash said firmly. His words drew everyone's attention. He continued, "Aarav is deeply in love with Muskaan. Learning about her betrayal will devastate him. We need to handle this intelligently. And we won't marry him to just anyone; we need a suitable girl, and quickly."
"But where will we find a good girl at such short notice? Oh God, what a terrible situation this is!" Radhaji exclaimed, genuinely distressed.
She wasn't wrong. The auspicious time for the wedding was slipping away, the guests were waiting, and Aarav, seated in the mandap, was performing all the rituals, unaware of the chaos. Finding a bride and convincing her seemed nearly impossible.
Manish Agarwal, who had been silent until now, thought of Piya. Knowing the Kapoor family well, he believed Piya would be a good match for Aarav, especially given the circumstances. It wasn't just about saving face—Manish genuinely thought highly of the Kapoor family and was confident they would treat Piya well.
With this in mind, Manish suggested Piya's name to Avinash and Radhaji. Hearing this, both began to recall their brief interactions with Piya. Although they didn't know her well, they had met her a few times and found her to be a sweet and well-mannered girl.
After some thought, Avinash said,
"We've met Piya before. She's a lovely girl who takes care of everyone. I don't think we could find a better match for Aarav. What do you think, Radha?"
"I like Piya too," Radhaji agreed hesitantly, "but will she agree to marry Aarav? And what about Aarav? You know how angry he gets. What will he do when he finds out the truth?"
"Don't worry about Aarav. We'll explain everything to him later. He won't go against our decision. Right now, we have no other choice. Let's speak to Piya," Avinash said with determination.
Hearing this, Manish was relieved, though Kavita's expression remained unreadable. She had stayed silent, knowing her daughter was at fault for this entire mess.
Just then, Piya entered the room. Seeing everyone gathered and visibly worried, she froze in place.
"What's wrong, Uncle? Why are you all so tense? Everyone downstairs is waiting for you," Piya asked, sensing that something serious had happened.
Manish took a deep breath and explained everything—how Muskaan had run away, leaving behind a letter. Hearing this, Piya was shocked and unsure how to respond.
Manish walked up to her, held her hand gently, and said, "Piya, I want to ask something of you."
"Uncle, what are you saying? You raised me like your own daughter. Please don't use words like 'ask.' Just tell me what you need," Piya replied.
"Will you take Muskaan's place in the mandap and marry Aarav today?" Manish asked, almost pleading.
Piya was stunned. She pulled her hand away and took two steps back. Her heart wanted to refuse immediately and leave, but the love and respect she had for her uncle kept her rooted in place. She couldn't bring herself to speak.
Manish noticed her hesitation and reassured her, "Piya, if you don't want to do this, it's okay. Do you... Do you have someone else in your heart? If you do, please tell us. You are under no obligation."
"No, Uncle. It's nothing like that. There's no one," Piya replied softly, "but…"
"But what, dear? Speak your mind freely. We won't force you into anything," Radhaji said, trying to ease her discomfort.
"But how can I say yes? I don't even know him. And he… he loves Muskaan. Why would he agree to marry me?" Piya asked, her voice trembling.
"We won't tell him the truth right now," Avinash replied. "If he finds out now, it will break him. We'll explain everything later."
"What? So he doesn't even know what's happening? That's wrong. It will shatter his heart. I can't do this to him," Pia said, deeply worried about Aarav.