Bound By Fate

Chapter 7

Preeta's POV

The room had become strangely quiet.

Outside, the joyous sounds of the wedding band echoed throughout the Malhotra mansion. The rhythmic beats of the dhol blended with the laughter of guests, while relatives rushed from one corner of the house to another, eager to welcome the Kapoor family.

No one outside that room knew the truth.

No one knew that the bride they had all come to bless had vanished.

No one knew that the fate of two powerful families now rested on the shoulders of the daughter no one had ever chosen.

Preeta stood motionless, her fingers tightly clutching the edge of her dupatta.

Her father's words still echoed in her ears.

"Please... save this family."

She slowly closed her eyes.

A single tear escaped and rolled down her cheek.

"Lord Krishna," she prayed silently, "I don't know why You've chosen this path for me. I don't know whether this marriage will bring me happiness or sorrow. But if this is Your will... then please give me the strength to accept it."

When she opened her eyes again, they were filled not with fear...

But with quiet determination.

She turned toward Rajesh.

"I'll do it."

Her voice was soft.

Yet every word echoed through the room.

"I'll marry Mr. Ranbir Kapoor."

Rajesh's knees nearly gave way.

For several seconds, he simply stared at his daughter.

This was the same child he had pushed away for twenty-four years.

The same child whose birthdays he had forgotten.

The same child he had blamed for his wife's death.

Yet today...

She was sacrificing everything to save him.

His lips trembled.

"I'm sorry..."

The words escaped before he could stop them.

"I've failed you, Preeta."

"I've failed as your father."

Preeta forced a faint smile.

"It's alright, Papa."

"No."

Rajesh shook his head.

"It isn't."

"I should have protected you."

"I should have loved you."

Instead...

"I only gave you pain."

Before Preeta could respond, Sunita stepped forward.

"We don't have time."

Her voice remained firm, though her own eyes were moist.

"The auspicious time is approaching."

She looked toward the bridal attendants waiting nervously outside the door.

"Bring the bridal lehenga."

Within moments, three women entered carrying the magnificent crimson bridal outfit that had been prepared for Ishita.

Golden embroidery shimmered under the chandelier's light.

Every stitch had been handcrafted.

Every jewel carefully placed.

It was breathtaking.

One attendant smiled politely.

"Please sit, Madam."

Preeta obeyed without a word.

The women carefully removed her simple outfit and began dressing her in the heavy bridal lehenga.

Layer after layer of rich fabric settled around her.

Gold bangles were slipped onto her wrists.

An emerald necklace rested against her neck.

An ornate maang tikka was placed on her forehead.

Finally...

The long crimson veil was lowered over her face.

When everything was finished, one of the attendants turned the mirror toward her.

For a moment...

Preeta couldn't recognize the woman staring back.

She looked every bit the bride.

But inside...

She still felt like the forgotten daughter of the Malhotra family.

A quiet sob broke the silence.

Shalu.

She had been standing in the corner the entire time.

The moment their eyes met, she rushed forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Preeta.

"No..."

She cried.

"This isn't fair."

Preeta gently hugged her back.

"Please don't cry."

"How can I not?"

"They're taking away the only person who's ever truly cared for everyone else."

Shalu wiped her tears angrily.

"You should have been getting married because someone loved you."

"Not because someone else ran away."

Preeta smiled sadly.

"Maybe this is simply my destiny."

"I hate destiny."

Shalu muttered through her tears.

"If destiny keeps hurting good people."

The two women remained in each other's embrace until Sunita quietly cleared her throat.

"The groom is waiting."

Reluctantly, Shalu stepped back.

She reached into her handbag and removed a tiny silver pendant of Lord Krishna.

"I bought this with my savings wanted, heard it carried Lord Krishna's blessing."

"But..."

She gently placed it into Preeta's palm.

"I think you need it more today."

Preeta's eyes filled with tears once again.

"Thank you."

She closed her fingers around the pendant.

"I'll treasure it forever."

---

Ranbir's POV

Outside, the wedding celebrations continued in full swing.

Guests danced joyfully around the grand entrance as the Kapoor family's baraat filled the air with excitement.

Luxury cars lined the driveway.

Photographers captured every moment.

Television reporters spoke excitedly into their cameras.

"The wedding of billionaire heir Ranbir Kapoor and Ishita Malhotra promises to be one of Mumbai's most talked-about society weddings..."

Ranbir heard none of it.

Dressed in an elegant ivory sherwani embroidered with gold thread, he sat quietly beneath the beautifully decorated mandap.

His expression remained unreadable.

His heart...

Completely detached.

"Brother."

Ayush sat beside him with a grin.

"You look like you're attending a board meeting instead of your own wedding."

Ranbir looked at him briefly.

"A wedding changes nothing."

Ayush sighed.

"You really haven't moved on."

Before Ranbir could answer, Rajesh approached them.

His usually confident face was pale.

His hands trembled slightly.

"Ranbir..."

"May I speak with you? Alone."

Ranbir immediately stood.

Something in Rajesh's expression told him this wasn't an ordinary conversation.

The two men walked toward a quiet corridor away from the guests.

Rajesh folded his hands.

"I'm ashamed to even say this."

Ranbir remained silent.

"The girl you came here to marry..."

He swallowed hard.

"...Ishita..."

"...has run away."

For a few seconds...

Neither man spoke.

Ranbir simply stared at him.

Then, slowly, memories he had spent two years trying to bury came flooding back.

Parvani.

The woman he had once loved with all his heart.

The woman he had dreamed of marrying.

The day he had surprised her with the wedding sari his mother had chosen...

Only to find her in another man's arms.

The laughter.

The betrayal.

The humiliation.

A bitter smile appeared on his lips.

"So..."

He said quietly.

"History has found me again."

Rajesh lowered his head in shame.

"I know I have no right to ask anything of you."

"But my elder daughter..."

"Preeta..."

"...has agreed to take Ishita's place."

Ranbir closed his eyes for a brief moment.

Love.

Trust.

Promises.

To him...

They had all become meaningless.

When he finally opened his eyes again, his voice was calm.

Cold.

Emotionless.

"I never loved Ishita."

"I was only fulfilling my family's wishes."

He looked directly at Rajesh.

"Whether it's Ishita..."

"...or Preeta..."

"They're both strangers to me."

"This marriage will happen."

Rajesh looked at him in stunned silence.

Ranbir turned toward the mandap and began walking away.

Preeta's POV

The wedding drums echoed throughout the Malhotra mansion as the priest took his place before the sacred fire.

"The auspicious time has begun," he announced.

"Bring the bride."

A hush fell over the wedding hall.

All eyes turned toward the grand staircase.

Slowly...

A figure dressed in an exquisite crimson bridal lehenga descended the steps, her face hidden beneath a long embroidered veil.

Gold jewelry shimmered beneath the lights with every careful step she took.

Guests smiled in admiration.

"What a beautiful bride."

"The Kapoor family is truly fortunate."

Preeta heard every compliment.

Yet each word made her heart ache.

If only they knew...

She tightened her grip on the tiny Lord Krishna pendant Shalu had slipped into her palm moments earlier.

"Please... give me strength."

The bridal attendants gently guided her to the mandap.

She sat beside Ranbir.

Not once did he turn to look at her.

His eyes remained fixed on the sacred fire.

The priest began chanting ancient Sanskrit mantras.

The sound filled the hall with solemnity.

He first instructed Ranbir to tie the mangalsutra around his bride's neck.

Ranbir accepted it from the priest without hesitation.

For a brief moment, his fingers brushed against Preeta's neck as he fastened it into place.

Preeta instinctively closed her eyes.

One silent tear escaped beneath her veil.

The priest smiled.

"Now apply the sindoor."

Ranbir dipped his fingers into the small silver container before gently filling the parting of her hair with vermilion.

"The marriage is now blessed," the priest declared.

Next came the Saat Phere.

Together, they rose to their feet.

The sacred cloth was tied between them.

With each round around the holy fire, the priest explained one sacred vow.

To nourish each other.

To protect one another.

To stand together through happiness and sorrow.

To remain faithful.

To raise a family built on love.

Preeta listened carefully.

Every vow felt sacred.

Ranbir, however, completed each step without emotion.

To him...

These were merely rituals.

When the seventh round was complete, the priest raised his hands.

"From this moment onward..."

"Ranbir Kapoor and his wife are united in the eyes of God."

A shower of flower petals filled the air.

Applause echoed through the hall.

Guests lined up to congratulate the newlyweds.

Camera flashes illuminated the mandap.

Everything appeared perfect.

Until

A young television reporter approached with a cameraman.

"Congratulations, Mrs. Kapoor!"

He smiled brightly.

"Our viewers would love to hear a few words from the beautiful bride."

Before Preeta could respond, emotion overwhelmed Shalu.

She stepped forward without thinking.

"Preeta..."

Her voice trembled.

"...are you alright?"

The entire hall fell silent.

The reporter blinked.

"Preeta?"

Neha Kapoor's smile disappeared instantly.

She slowly turned toward Rajesh.

"What did she just call the bride?"

No one answered.

Neha looked back at Shalu.

"You said... Preeta."

Her voice became sharper.

"Who is Preeta?"

Rajesh's hands began to tremble.

He looked at Sunita.

Then at the Kapoor family.

Finally...

He folded his hands.

"I'm... sorry."

Those two words were enough.

Neha's face turned pale.

"No..."

She whispered.

"Don't tell me..."

Rajesh lowered his head.

"The bride..."

"...is my elder daughter."

"...Preeta."

Gasps filled the hall.

"What?"

"How is that possible?"

"Wasn't the bride Ishita?"

Guests began whispering among themselves.

The reporter looked ready to ask another question, but Kapoor security quickly stepped forward and politely escorted the media away before the situation escalated.

Neha stared at Rajesh in disbelief.

"You deceived us!"

Rajesh shook his head desperately.

"It wasn't planned."

"My younger daughter ran away this morning."

"She left with another man."

Neha's eyes filled with tears.

"So you simply replaced her?"

"You thought my son wouldn't notice?"

"You thought the Kapoor family could be fooled?"

Sunita stepped forward.

"We had no choice."

"No choice?"

Neha's voice echoed through the hall.

"You could have told us the truth!"

"My son has now been humiliated twice."

"The first woman betrayed him."

"And now the second bride disappears on his wedding day!"

She pointed toward Preeta.

"You wanted this alliance so badly that you handed us your elder daughter instead!"

"You planned this from the beginning!"

Preeta immediately shook her head.

"No..."

"I didn't."

"I swear I didn't."

"I only found out after my sister left."

"I never wanted to deceive anyone."

Neha refused to listen.

"You expect me to believe that?"

Before anyone else could speak—

The sharp tap of a walking stick echoed through the hall.

"Enough."

It was Savitri.

The entire hall fell silent.

She slowly walked toward Preeta.

With gentle hands, she lifted the bridal veil.

For the first time...

She looked directly into her new granddaughter-in-law's eyes.

They were swollen from crying.

Filled with fear.

Filled with guilt.

Savitri spoke softly.

"Child..."

"Did you ask your sister to run away?"

Preeta shook her head.

"No, Dadi."

"Did you force your parents to choose you?"

"No."

"Did you deceive this family for your own benefit?"

Another tear slipped down Preeta's cheek.

"No."

Savitri nodded slowly.

She turned toward everyone gathered.

"Then why..."

"...is everyone punishing the innocent instead of the guilty?"

Silence.

Even Neha couldn't answer immediately.

Savitri looked at her son.

"The marriage has already been completed."

"The sacred fire has witnessed it."

"Lord Krishna has blessed it."

"No one has the right to insult this girl."

All eyes turned toward Ranbir.

He had remained silent throughout the confrontation.

His expression revealed nothing.

Finally...

He stepped forward.

He looked at Preeta.

Then at Rajesh.

His voice was calm.

Cold.

"The marriage is complete."

"I will not disgrace my family by creating another public spectacle."

For one brief moment...

Preeta thought she saw kindness in his eyes.

Then he spoke again.

"But don't mistake my decision for acceptance."

He looked directly at her.

"From today onward..."

"You are my wife in name."

"My responsibility."

"Nothing more."

Those words pierced Preeta's heart.

She lowered her eyes.

Quietly accepting the fate she had chosen.

Far away from the crowd, Shalu watched everything unfold.

She silently prayed.

"Lord Krishna... one day... please let this man see the woman standing before him."