"What... Does that mean he has no idea what's going on here? This isn't right. His heart will break. I can't do this to him," Pia said, concerned about Aarav.
Pia couldn't stop worrying about Aarav. She knew he would never agree to this marriage. After all, if any man were in his place, he wouldn't agree to marry a stranger either. Pia herself didn't want this marriage, but she couldn't say no to her uncle, who loved her dearly.
"We understand it's not ideal, but we want what's best for our son. If he learns the truth, he'll never marry and will spend his life in misery. We can't let him ruin his life. He has worked so hard to bring the company to such heights. If this wedding doesn't happen today, people will gossip, and the company's reputation will suffer greatly," Radha tried to reason with Pia.
"We've seen you beta, and we've heard so many wonderful things about you. No one could be a better life partner for our son or a better daughter-in-law for us. If you don't have any objections, would you..." Avinash paused, wanting to give Pia some time to think.
Hearing all this, Pia was overwhelmed. The idea of marrying a stranger, spending her life with him, and entering a new family and environment was daunting. She wanted to refuse, but when she looked at her uncle's hopeful eyes, she couldn't bring herself to say no.
After much thought, Pia finally agreed to the marriage. Without saying a word, she went to her room.
Her decision brought smiles to everyone's faces except for Kavita.
Manish handed Kavita the wedding outfit and said, "Kavita, take this to Pia and help her get ready." Kavita obeyed and left the room with the outfit, but her thoughts were far from kind.
Kavita's Mind:
"The happiness meant for my daughter is now going to this Pia. I dreamed that when Muskan married into the Kapoor family, she'd live like a queen. But everything turned upside down, and now this Pia is taking her place. I still don't understand why Muskan left home. If I ever see her again, she won't get away so easily," Kavita muttered to herself as she walked to Pia's room.
---
Pia's Room:
Pia looked at the wedding outfit, feeling a wave of disbelief. Just yesterday, her life was normal and carefree. And today, she was about to marry someone she had never even seen. She couldn't decide whether to call this her fate or misfortune.
"Oh God, what's happening to me? I know what I'm doing is wrong... so wrong! But how can I refuse Uncle? He's always loved me like his own. After my parents passed away, he gave me everything. Now that he's in trouble and needs my help, how can I refuse? I can't break his heart. That's why I have no choice but to go through with this marriage. Whatever happens next, I'll deal with it."
Lost in her thoughts, Pia sat before the mirror, remembering her parents. Her eyes filled with tears.
"Mom, Dad, aap log kyun chale gaye mujhe chhod kar????? why did you leave me all alone? I miss you so much. If you were here, I wouldn't feel so lonely. Yes, Uncle loves me, and I know he wants the best for me. But I still miss you both terribly. I don't want this marriage. I haven't even seen the person I'm marrying. How will I spend my whole life with him? But I can't let Uncle down. I know if I refuse, he'll accept it without anger. But how can I hurt him for my own sake? If I don't marry today, his years of hard-earned respect will be destroyed."
Pia wiped her tears, but her heart felt heavy.
"I'm sorry, future husband. I know what's happening to you is wrong. This isn't my choice. But maybe this is our destiny..."
---
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.
"May I come in?"
It was Radha, coming to check on Pia.
"Oh dear, why are your eyes teary? Were you crying? You don't seem happy about this marriage," Radha asked, concerned.
"No, Aunty, it's nothing like that. Marriage was bound to happen sooner or later. Maybe this was the day God chose for me. If He thinks this is the right match for me, then so be it," Pia quickly wiped her tears and replied.
"Then why are you crying?" Radha asked gently.
"It's nothing... I just miss my parents. I feel so alone today. If they were here…" Pia's voice trailed off, and her eyes filled with tears again.
Radha, understanding her pain, said softly, "Oh, my dear, don't cry. If your parents see you like this, they'll feel sad too. And who said you're alone? We're all here for you now. From today, we're your family. And stop calling me 'Aunty.' From now on, I'm your mom. Do you understand?"
Pia felt comforted by Radha's kind words and hugged her.
"Now stop crying and get ready quickly. My son has been waiting for you for so long. If you make him wait any longer, he might come here and carry you to the mandap himself!" Radha joked, laughing.
Pia smiled at her words, but in her heart, she thought, He's not waiting for me; he's waiting for Muskan. Oh well…
As Radha left, Pia started getting ready.
---
Manish, who had come to check on Pia, overheard everything from outside the door. He felt proud of Radha's comforting words and was confident he had made the right choice for Pia.
"I'm sorry, brother. What I've done today has selfish motives, but I promise Pia will be happy in that home. The love she didn't get here, she'll find there," Manish thought, remembering his late brother, Sanjay. Tears welled up in his eyes.
But will Aarav ever learn the truth? Is hiding this from him the right thing to do? And if he finds out, will he ever accept Pia?