Payal's mind swirled with memories and sharp questions. How did she end up here—caught in this whirlwind of a new life, expectations, and bewildering customs? One moment, she was rejoicing in her brief taste of freedom, and the next, she was trapped again, tangled in problems she hadn't asked for.
She came from a small rural area ruled by old traditions and limited awareness. Education was scarce, and people clung to backward beliefs—ideas that a woman's place was strictly in the household, tending to family and children. In her world, respect for women was rare, like a hidden treasure few sought.
The world beyond should have been the twenty-first century: a time of progress, shining with new ideas and modern thought. Yet in her small corner, change crept slowly, and the true role of women was still misunderstood and ignored. They were not just cooks or caretakers; they had lives, dreams, and feelings. But none of that mattered here.
Like so many unlucky girls, Payal's fate was sealed early. Forced into roles without choice or voice. At two years old, everything began to shift in ways she couldn't control.
Her heart ached with quiet sadness—not just for herself, but for all the girls whose worth was measured only by their ability to serve, obey, and blend into shadows
Payal was just two when her father passed away, leaving a heavy void in the family. She had three siblings—two elder sisters and a younger brother—and the entire weight of support fell on her mother's shoulders. Day by day, her mother grew weaker, her body slowly declining under the endless burden of responsibility.
Her mother dreamed of changing her daughters' fate, but her strength was limited, and the harsh realities of their world loomed large. The community's rigid traditions left little choice. Payal's eldest sister was married off at the tender age of twelve. Her second sister followed at sixteen. Now, at seventeen, it was Payal's turn.
But Payal refused to accept it. The thought of sharing their fate filled her with dread. She felt torn — better to face death than lose her freedom to a forced marriage. Her sisters' lives, bound in silence and sacrifice, haunted her with every breath.
In the desperate search for escape, Payal found solace in the pages of a book given by a classmate — a novel with a heroine who dreamed of freedom. The story sparked hope and excitement in her heart.
Yet back home, the tensions between her and her mother escalated, bitterness and frustration driving a wedge between them. The chains of expectation weighed heavily, and Payal's spirit began to crack.
One night, amid another fierce argument, she made a heart-wrenching decision. The pain of her world—of forced dreams and stolen choice—pushed her to the edge. With trembling hands and a heavy heart, she took a knife and tried to take her own life, believing death was the only escape from her cage.
Death's grip was painful and unforgiving. As she closed her eyes to the world, something inside her clung fiercely to life.
But when she awoke, it was in a place far stranger than she had imagined—bound again, this time in iron chains, trapped in darkness and uncertainty.
Payal was resting when she suddenly heard movements near the door—soft footsteps followed by a hurried whisper.
"Please, Master Lord, you can't scare her," a gentle voice pleaded.
Before she could steady her thoughts, the door burst open with a sudden force.
What she saw stole her breath away. Was he even real? His presence was intoxicating—too beautiful, too powerful to be anything but otherworldly.
Long, white hair spilled over broad shoulders like silk in moonlight. His red eyes, glowing fierce and warm, locked onto hers with a magnetic intensity. There was a playful, mischievous gleam in his gaze, as if he held a private joke meant only for her.
With slow, deliberate steps, he crossed the room. Each movement was graceful yet charged with an undeniable strength. When he finally stood close enough, the faintest warmth brushed against her skin as he reached out—his fingertips just barely grazing her cheek.
The touch was electric, sending a shiver spiraling through her. His gaze softened, but the fire in his eyes remained, pulling her into a world where fear melted away, replaced by an unspoken promise.
Payal's breath caught, her heart pounding wildly, caught between awe and an unexpected tenderness she wasn't ready to name.
He stepped closer, his crimson eyes locking onto hers with a mischievous glint. A smile curved his lips—a mixture of challenge and charm.
"So, you are our fiancée, and soon to be mine," he said softly, letting the words hang between them like a delicate promise. "But do you know, in this mansion, no one marries simply with agreement or ceremony."
His gaze flickered over her, eyes sparkling with something untamed. "After seeing you... I feel there's no need to wait any longer. Don't you think, Payal?"
He paused, then leaned in slightly, voice dropping to a velvety murmur. "There's still time before the wedding, but until then..." His arms opened invitingly. "Let me hold you tight."
Before she could resist, he wrapped her in a warm embrace—his presence powerful and intoxicating, yet somehow tender. The heat of his body, the steady strength in his arms, crushed the remnants of fear that had lingered in her chest.
Payal's breath hitched as a flush spread across her cheeks. In the quiet of that moment, surrounded by the mansion's grandeur but caught in his intimate hold, the boundaries between reality and enchantment blurred.
"Together," he whispered, pulling back just enough to catch her gaze, "we begin a new chapter—not just of marriage, but of alliance and destiny."
his arms wrapped around her, pulling her into an embrace that was both possessive and protective. The mansion's cold grandeur faded away beneath the softness of his touch.
"It's not just marriage here," he murmured against her hair. "It's binding of souls, a merging of destinies beyond what the eye can see. And from this moment, you are mine—as I am yours."
Payal's breath hitched, heart pounding with a strange mixture of fear and yearning. In this house of shadows and power, she was beginning to understand that love, here, was as much magic as it was a promise