The next morning, Anvika woke up with a strange happiness in her heart.

She had barely opened her eyes when she remembered the previous evening.

Her mother had told her about the marriage proposal from the Thakur family.

And although Abhiraj himself had never said anything, the thought of becoming his wife had made her smile throughout the night.

She sat before the mirror, brushing her hair, when her younger sister entered the room.

"Di, aaj itni khush kyun ho?"

Anvika glanced at her through the mirror.

"Main khush nahi hoon."

Her sister grinned.

"Achha? Toh kal se aap baar-baar Thakur Sahab ka naam kyun le rahi ho?"

Anvika immediately turned around.

"Maine kab liya unka naam?"

"Kal jab Maa ne rishta bataya tha, tab aapne teen baar poocha tha—'Sach mein Abhiraj?'"

Anvika grabbed a cushion and threw it at her.

"Chup kar!"

Her sister laughed and ran away.

Anvika looked at herself in the mirror again.

She tried to hide her smile.

But she couldn't.

For the first time, she had allowed herself to imagine a life with Abhiraj.

A life where she could irritate him every morning.

A life where she could sit beside him while he worked.

A life where she wouldn't have to find excuses to see him.

She lowered her eyes shyly.

"Thakur Sahab..."

A smile spread across her face.

Little did she know that, at that very moment, her happiness was about to be shattered.

### The news

Anvika was sitting in the courtyard when her mother approached her.

"Beta, zara idhar aana."

Anvika looked up.

"Kya hua, Maa?"

Her mother sat beside her.

For a moment, she seemed hesitant.

Anvika immediately became serious.

"Maa, kya baat hai?"

Her mother gently took her hand.

"Anvika... Bade Sahab ke ghar se jo rishta aaya tha..."

Anvika's heart began beating faster.

"Haan?"

"Abhiraj ne shaadi ke liye mana kar diya hai."

The words struck her like a sudden blow.

For a few seconds, Anvika didn't move.

She stared at her mother.

"Ji?"

Her mother sighed.

"Abhiraj ko yeh shaadi manzoor nahi hai."

Anvika's fingers slowly loosened.

"But... kyun?"

"Yeh toh wahi jaane."

Anvika looked down.

The smile that had been on her face only moments earlier disappeared completely.

"Unhone khud mana kiya?"

Her mother nodded.

"Haan, beta."

Anvika tried to laugh, but the sound came out weak.

"Achha..."

Her mother placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Anvika, ismein tumhari koi galti nahi hai."

Anvika nodded.

"Main theek hoon, Maa."

But her voice trembled.

She got up and walked toward her room.

Once inside, she closed the door.

The moment she was alone, her eyes filled with tears.

She sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the floor.

She remembered the pond.

The market.

The countless times she had deliberately annoyed Abhiraj just to see him react.

She remembered how he had stood up for the poor farmer without hesitation.

She remembered the way he had looked at her when she had apologized for throwing water on him.

Had she misunderstood everything?

"Toh aapko main pasand hi nahi hoon?" she whispered.

A tear rolled down her cheek.

She quickly wiped it away.

"No..."

She shook her head.

"Main kyun ro rahi hoon?"

But the more she tried to control herself, the more hurt she felt.

She had never expected Abhiraj to propose to her.

Yet the moment she had heard about the marriage, she had begun dreaming.

And now he had rejected it before she could even understand what was happening.

She looked toward the window.

The Thakur Haveli was visible in the distance.

Her voice became bitter.

"Bahut achha, Thakur Sahab."

She wiped her eyes.

"Aapne mana kar diya."

For a long moment, she remained silent.

Then she remembered something.

Abhiraj had never behaved as though he disliked her.

He had tolerated her teasing.

He had listened to her complaints.

He had even seemed amused by her ridiculous behavior.

And whenever she needed help, he had been there.

"Phir kyun?" she whispered.

Her sadness slowly turned into confusion.

And then, as Anvika always did when faced with something she couldn't understand, she became stubborn.

She stood before the mirror and looked at her tearful reflection.

"Thik hai."

She wiped her cheeks.

"Aapne mana kiya hai."

She took a deep breath.

"Par maine toh nahi kiya."

A faint smile returned to her face.

"Main bhi dekhungi, aakhir aap mujhe itna door kyun rakhna chahte hain."

She had no idea what secret Abhiraj was hiding.

But she was determined to find out.

And somewhere beneath her hurt, another determination had already taken root.

She wanted Abhiraj Thakur.

And she wasn't ready to give up on him.

### The truth inside the Thakur Haveli

That evening, Dushyant Thakur sat in his study.

Abhiraj stood near the large window, looking out at the fields.

"Baat Anvika ke ghar tak pahunch gayi hai," Dushyant said.

Abhiraj remained silent.

"Uski Maa ne use sab bata diya."

Abhiraj's fingers tightened slightly.

Dushyant continued.

"Anvika ko tumhara mana karna achha nahi laga."

Abhiraj closed his eyes briefly.

"Main jaanta hoon."

"Phir bhi tumne yeh faisla kiya?"

"Haan."

Dushyant looked at his son.

"Abhiraj, tum kab tak apne aap ko is tarah saza dete rahoge?"

Abhiraj turned toward him.

"Papa, baat sirf meri nahi hai."

"Toh kiski hai?"

Abhiraj didn't answer.

Dushyant slowly rose from his chair.

"Arjun ko das saal ho gaye."

The mention of his brother's name changed the atmosphere instantly.

Abhiraj's expression became cold.

"Uska naam mat lijiye."

"Kyoon? Sach se bhaagne se woh raat badal jayegi?"

Abhiraj looked away.

Dushyant continued, his voice softer now.

"Arjun ki maut tumhari galti nahi thi."

Abhiraj's jaw tightened.

"Main uske saath tha."

"Uske saath hona aur uski maut ka zimmedar hona alag baat hai."

Abhiraj gave a humorless smile.

"Logon ke liye shayad."

Dushyant fell silent.

He knew his son had never forgiven himself.

### Ten years earlier

Ten years ago, Abhiraj had been twenty-three.

His younger brother Arjun was the complete opposite of him.

Where Abhiraj was serious and disciplined, Arjun was impulsive, outspoken, and often reckless.

The two brothers had been inseparable despite their differences.

But the Thakur family's growing influence had also brought enemies.

A bitter dispute over farmland had created tension between the Thakurs and another powerful family in the region.

Arjun had become involved in the dispute after standing up for several farmers who were being pressured to sell their land.

One evening, after a heated argument with some men from the opposing side, Arjun left the village.

Abhiraj followed him.

He still remembered that night.

The dark road.

The sound of the vehicle moving through the fields.

Arjun's irritated voice.

"Har baat mein mere peeche kyun aate ho, bhai?"

Abhiraj had glanced at him.

"Kyuki tum bina soche kuch bhi karte ho."

Arjun had laughed.

"Main sambhal lunga."

Those were the last ordinary words they exchanged.

On their way back, their vehicle was attacked.

The sound of gunfire shattered the silence.

The vehicle crashed near the roadside.

Abhiraj survived.

Arjun did not.

But the truth that followed was even more painful.

The investigation revealed that someone close to the Thakur family had passed information about Arjun's whereabouts to the attackers.

Someone they trusted.

Someone who knew the family's movements.

The person responsible had never been fully exposed.

The case remained unresolved, and the enemies behind the attack were still out there.

Abhiraj had spent the following decade believing that he should have protected his brother.

That he should have noticed the danger.

That he should have been there sooner.

And ever since, he had kept people at a distance.

Because he knew what it meant to lose someone close.

### The decision

Dushyant looked at his son.

"Anvika tumhe pasand karti hai."

Abhiraj's eyes moved toward him.

"Papa..."

"Main uski aankhon mein dekh sakta hoon."

Abhiraj said nothing.

Dushyant continued.

"Tum bhi usse pasand karte ho."

Abhiraj looked toward the window.

For a long time, he remained silent.

Then he spoke.

"Pasand karna aur shaadi karna alag baatein hain."

"Yeh tumhara faisla hai ya tumhara darr?"

Abhiraj's expression hardened.

"Main use apni wajah se khatre mein nahi daalunga."

Dushyant sighed.

"Beta, tum har insaan ko apne dushmanon se bachane ke chakkar mein unse door karte ja rahe ho."

Abhiraj turned toward him.

"Main Anvika ki zindagi barbaad nahi karunga."

"Usse sach bata do."

Abhiraj immediately shook his head.

"Nahi."

"Kyoon?"

Abhiraj's voice lowered.

"Kyuki agar usse pata chal gaya ki meri wajah se uski zindagi mein kya aa sakta hai... toh woh mujhse nafrat karegi."

Dushyant looked at him sadly.

"Ya shayad woh tumhari baat samajhne ki koshish kare."

Abhiraj looked away.

He couldn't imagine that possibility.

All he could remember was Arjun's lifeless face.

The blood.

The broken vehicle.

And the terrible knowledge that someone close to him had betrayed the family.

He couldn't allow Anvika to become another person he failed to protect.

"I won't marry her," he said quietly.

Dushyant didn't argue further.

But before leaving, he said,

"Anvika ko tumne mana kiya hai, Abhiraj. Lekin uske dil ko mana karne ka haq tumhare paas nahi hai."

Abhiraj remained alone in the study.

### Anvika's determination

That night, Anvika sat on her terrace.

She had spent the entire day pretending that Abhiraj's refusal didn't bother her.

But every time someone mentioned his name, her heart ached.

Her younger sister came and sat beside her.

"Di, aap sach mein udaas ho?"

Anvika looked at her.

"Nahi."

"Jhooth."

Anvika sighed.

"Thoda."

Her sister hesitated.

"Thakur Sahab ki wajah se?"

Anvika looked toward the haveli.

"Haan."

"Toh aap unse baat kyun nahi karti?"

Anvika thought about it.

Then she smiled faintly.

"Karungi."

"Abhi?"

"Nahi. Kal."

Her sister frowned.

"Kal kyun?"

Anvika stood up.

"Kyuki pehle mujhe samajhna hai ki unhone mana kyun kiya."

She looked toward the distant haveli.

Her voice became determined.

"Unhone mujhe reject kiya hai. Lekin main unhe itni a sani se nahi chhodungi."

She paused.

"Main pata laga kar rahungi ki unke dil mein kya hai."

Far away, Abhiraj stood in his room, unaware that Anvika had already decided to challenge his silence.

He believed that refusing her would keep her safe.

She believed that getting closer to him would make him change his mind.

Neither of them knew that the secret of Arjun's death still had the power to destroy the fragile bond forming between them.

And neither was prepared for what the future held.