**■ Night – Sneha's Room**
The sky looked hazy. A gentle breeze brushed against the windowpane.
Only the faint moonlight slipping through the gap illuminated Sneha's face in soft, shadowy outlines.
Sneha sat quietly at her study table.
Her breaths were heavy—rising and falling without pause.
Her heart seemed to beat louder than usual tonight.
She knew what had happened today was no dream.
It was real.
The man for whom she had spent countless sleepless nights, for whom she had woven so many dreams—he had held her close to his chest today.
He had loved her… without hesitation, risking everything.
And he had said—
"I love you. No matter what society says, I will love you."
Sneha's lips trembled slightly.
For a moment, she wanted to feel that touch again.
The warmth of Anurag Sir's chest, the gentle way his fingers had brushed through her hair, that silent kiss—
it had turned her entire inner world upside down.
Tears rolled down her cheeks… but they were not tears of sorrow.
There was a strange peace woven into those tears.
A relief. A quiet joy of being acknowledged.
In a soft whisper, Sneha said to herself…
"Sir loves me… only me.
My Sir is only mine… only mine."
Through the window gap, a single star could be seen in one corner of the sky.
Perhaps tonight, Sneha had finally found the light of her own life.
Tonight, there was no sorrow of "not having" in her eyes.
Her entire heart was filled with just one name—
"Anurag…"
a name she was slowly carving deep into her soul…
for the rest of her life.
But in our lives, neither happiness nor sorrow lasts forever.
And fate, it seemed, had decided to cast a shadow over Sneha's joy far too soon…
Just then, the door opened and Riddhiman stepped inside.
Sneha was utterly startled.
"You… here?!"
Her uncle and aunt were in the outer room.
Terrified and helpless. No one had stopped Riddhiman; they had simply stood in silence, as though they had no right to speak. Only her aunt spoke in a faint voice—
"Riddhiman said he wanted to talk to her… he's her future husband… talking isn't wrong, is it?"
She seemed to be trying to convince herself.
Sneha's uncle remained grave and silent.
Her aunt, in a frightened whisper, added—
"I hope he doesn't do anything bad to the girl… she's still just a child, our Sneha."
Sweat beaded on her uncle's forehead. But he couldn't say anything. He felt utterly powerless. He felt like a criminal in front of his own niece.
Inside Sneha's room.
Riddhiman slowly advanced toward her.
Sneha was terrified.
"How are you, Sneha?"
His voice was soft, but his eyes carried a strange, predatory glint.
Seeing Riddhiman, Sneha stood up from her chair in fear.
In a trembling voice, she said—
"Why have you come into my room? And at this… this hour? Where are my uncle and aunt? Uncle… Aunt… where are you?"
Sneha was terrified.
Her uncle and aunt heard her calls.
Her aunt said worriedly—
"The girl is calling out already! I don't trust this Riddhiman at all. I'm so worried for Sneha."
Her uncle still remained silent.
---
Inside Sneha's room.
Sneha took one step, then another, backing away.
Riddhiman slowly advanced toward her.
Sneha (in fear):
"Uncle… Aunt…"
Riddhiman's face showed slight irritation as he said—
"Hey, why are you shouting so much? Am I going to eat you or something?"
Sneha:
"Why have you come into my room?"
Riddhiman:
"Why can't I come? Have you forgotten—I'm your future husband?"
Sneha remembered that day.
---
**Flashback – Earlier conversation**
Riddhiman (leaning back on the sofa, lips curved in a crooked smile):
"But I have some conditions. Before marriage, I want to spend time with the girl—my way. So I can see if she can adjust to my lifestyle."
His tone carried an odd rudeness and sense of ownership.
Sneha felt a chill run down her spine.
Shrabani Sen smiled and said—
"She's a very calm girl. She'll adjust to you. But yes—if she doesn't adjust… well, we won't continue this relationship. Then it would be a waste of our time."
Sneha's uncle and aunt exchanged glances.
The fear of letting a prestigious family alliance slip away was perhaps the reason for their silence.
Riddhiman:
"She must remain a virgin until the wedding…"
At those words, Sneha's uncle and aunt were stunned. They had already told him she wasn't that kind of girl, yet he kept repeating it.
Riddhiman:
"No interactions with any boys—no talking, no hanging out. She cannot have any contact with men at all; a relationship is out of the question."
Sneha sat silently, listening to everything. She had no desire for this marriage. She did not like this man at all.
Riddhiman said clearly:
"I want to talk to Sneha alone for a bit. I need to make sure she'll be exactly to my liking."
Before her uncle and aunt could respond, Shrabani Sen said—
"Yes, yes. Let them talk. It's a modern age, and my son is no ordinary boy."
Sneha was terrified. She looked pleadingly at her uncle's face.
Her uncle said firmly—
"Let them talk in front of everyone. What's the problem?"
Riddhiman, slightly irritated, replied—
"Uncle, trust me—I only want to talk. Whatever I do, I do openly. And if there's no trust, how will the marriage last?"
Her aunt now spoke softly—
"Go on, Sneha. Take him to your room and talk, okay?"
Sneha was extremely frightened.
She lowered her head and walked to her room, Riddhiman following behind.
The moment they entered, Riddhiman closed the door.
As soon as she stepped inside, Sneha realized—she was alone on this side of the door. The sound of Riddhiman's footsteps behind her felt like it was closing in.
Sneha was terrified.
She stood facing the wall. Waves of panic surged inside her chest.
Riddhiman said coldly—
"What's wrong? Why are you acting like this? Won't you talk to your future husband? Won't you come closer to your future husband?"
Sneha stayed turned away, head lowered, saying nothing.
Riddhiman (in a commanding tone):
"Look at me!"
Sneha's hands trembled. Her throat felt dry. It seemed as though the walls of the room were closing in.
She turned toward Riddhiman.
Riddhiman said—
"Has any boy ever touched your body before? Have you ever let anyone? Even a little? I'm very sensitive about these things."
Sneha said nothing—just shook her head to indicate no.
"Good," Riddhiman said.
"I want to know everything. Let it all be clear before marriage. My wife must be flawless. No one else's touch should ever have been on her body."
Sneha stepped back slightly. Her own heartbeat was now loud in her ears.
Riddhiman took another step closer. His gaze was now even clearer.
"You know you're my future wife. From now on, I want you to think of yourself as mine. Prepare yourself for me."
Sneha remained silent. She said nothing.
Riddhiman smiled lightly—
"You seem very calm. But girls are never quite what they appear… right?"
Sneha didn't look at him. She stayed silent.
Riddhiman (with a faint smile on his lips):
"Do you know what I look for in a girl?"
Riddhiman came very close to Sneha. Her hands and feet were shaking. But she couldn't move—as though terrified that if she did, Riddhiman might touch her somewhere she didn't want.
Riddhiman looked toward her chest.
Sneha said nothing. She kept her head lowered.
Riddhiman:
"Look, I like to be very open. Before a relationship, some things need to be clear—such as whether your… body shape is exactly what I want."
Sneha's face turned pale.
Riddhiman:
"What you're hiding under your dress—will I like it? You understand what I mean, don't you?"
Sneha stepped back.
In a trembling voice, she said—
"What are you saying?"
Riddhiman said coldly—
"You're my future wife. Don't you understand what I want… Show me your body."
Sneha remained silent for a moment. Then, steeling her voice, she said—
"I'm leaving this room right now. Open the door."
Riddhiman laughed—
"Leaving? Where will you go? Your uncle and aunt will just hand you back to me!"
Sneha felt terrible. Being harassed on the street by strangers was one thing—but this, inside her own home, was far more painful!
Riddhiman:
"What's wrong? Won't you open up? Won't you listen to your future husband? Your uncle and aunt said you're a very obedient girl…"
Sneha felt intense anger toward Riddhiman.
Riddhiman:
"What's your bust size?"
Sneha:
"I want to go outside…"
Riddhiman:
"You seem like a very disobedient girl. You don't listen at all…"
Sneha now looked directly at Riddhiman and said—
"If you don't let me leave, I will scream."
Riddhiman gave a devilish smile—
"You don't seem as innocent as you look…"
Riddhiman brought his face close to her neck and whispered in her ear—
"But very soon, you'll learn to be obedient."
Sneha's entire body swelled with rage. But she said nothing.
Riddhiman pulled his head back and said—
"Come on, let's go outside. Your uncle and aunt are probably worried about what I'm doing with their little niece…"
To be continued...