Notice: this chapter is unedited if there are some grammatical mistakes that please forget it

Happy reading 💕

Ruhanika finally agreed to go with the man.

After several hours of traveling, they finally reached Mumbai.

Ruhanika was wearing a simple kurta set and had covered most of her face with her dupatta. Only her striking blue eyes were visible.

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RUDRAKSH'S POV

As I reached the airport, I was in a hurry.

Lost in my thoughts, I accidentally bumped into someone.

The girl lost her balance and was about to fall, but I quickly wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her towards me.

Her face was covered with a dupatta.

For a moment, she closed her eyes in fear.

Slowly, she opened them again after realizing that someone had caught her.

And that's when I saw them.

Her eyes.

Beautiful blue eyes.

For a second, I forgot everything around me.

There was something about them that made it impossible to look away.

I had never seen eyes like hers before.

As soon as she realized she was safe, she quickly stepped away from me.

Without saying a single word, she turned around and ran.

I was about to leave when she suddenly looked back at me one last time.

A small smile appeared on my lips.

Strange girl.

My thoughts were interrupted when I noticed my bua.

Touching her feet, I greeted her.

"Khush raho, Rudraksh," she blessed me.

"Should we leave?" I asked.

"Yes, let's go."

We sat inside the car.

But throughout the entire journey, my mind kept returning to those blue eyes.

I knew I would probably never meet that girl again.

Yet for some reason, I couldn't stop thinking about her.

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RUHANIKA'S POV

My heart was still racing as I hurried back.

"Ruhanika, where did you go?" Uncle asked worriedly.

"I... I went to the washroom," I lied.

He nodded.

"Okay. And keep your dupatta over your face."

I nodded obediently.

Soon, we walked towards the parking area.

The moment I saw the luxurious car waiting for us, my eyes widened.

"Wow! Are we really going in this?" I asked excitedly.

"Yes," Uncle replied with a smile.

I had never sat in such an expensive car before.

Like an excited child, I quickly sat inside.

After some time, the car finally stopped in front of a huge mansion.

I stared at it with wide eyes.

It looked exactly like the grand mansions shown in television dramas.

"Wow... do we really live here?" I asked excitedly.

Standing at the entrance was a middle-aged woman holding an aarti thali.

The moment I stepped out of the car, she welcomed me warmly.

"Bhai Sa didn't come?" Uncle asked.

"No," she replied.

I immediately bent down to touch her feet.

But instead, she pulled me into a hug.

"Daughters don't touch feet, beta," she said affectionately.

For a moment, warmth spread through my heart.

Maybe these people really accepted me.

"Come with me, Ruhanika. I'll show you your room."

I followed her upstairs.

The room was enormous.

Everything looked expensive and elegant.

"Ruhanika, there are plenty of clothes in the wardrobe. Freshen up and get ready. After that, we'll meet Didi Sa."

I nodded.

As she left, I slowly looked around the room.

For the first time in my life, I felt like I had entered a completely different world.

AUTHOR'S POV

Inside a grand study room, a man sat on an expensive chair that resembled a throne. His aura alone was enough to make people nervous.

The door opened, and Vishambhar entered.

"So, Vishambhar, did you bring that girl?" the man asked while standing up.

Vishambhar sighed.

"That girl is your daughter, Bhai Sa."

A dark expression crossed the man's face.

"No. She is not my daughter. She is Nandita's daughter. I have only one daughter."

Vishambhar lowered his gaze.

Sometimes, the truth was crueler than a lie.

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A few hours later...

Ruhanika stood nervously in the living room.

"Go and take Veer Pratap Ji's blessings," Sunidhi said softly.

Ruhanika obediently walked towards him and touched his feet.

For a moment, Veer Pratap's eyes filled with tears.

His own daughter was standing in front of him.

Yet he couldn't even hug her.

"Khush raho," he said in a cold voice, hiding his emotions.

Ruhanika smiled faintly.

Sunidhi pointed towards a young man.

"He is your elder brother, Yug Suryavanshi."

Yug nodded politely.

Ruhanika greeted him with a small smile.

"And she is your younger sister, Kavya Suryavanshi."

Kavya smiled warmly at her.

"And I am your Chachi, Sunidhi Suryavanshi. This is your Chacha Sa, Vishambhar."

Ruhanika nodded.

Before anyone could continue, a sharp voice echoed through the hall.

"If everyone's introduction is over, let's talk about the important matter."

Everyone turned towards Ananya, who had just entered.

Ruhanika looked at her innocently.

"Chachi Sa, who are you to me?"

Ananya's expression hardened.

"We are nothing to you, girl."

The smile on Ruhanika's face disappeared instantly.

"And tomorrow is your wedding. Be ready."

Ruhanika froze.

"W-What?"

Tears immediately gathered in her eyes.

"No! I don't want to get married right now. What are you saying? I want to become a lawyer. I have dreams. I want to study."

Ananya looked completely unaffected.

"I wasn't asking for your opinion."

Her cold voice sent chills down Ruhanika's spine.

"I am informing you."

Ruhanika looked towards Veer Pratap hopefully.

"You are my father... please tell her. I don't want to get married."

For a moment, silence filled the room.

But Veer Pratap remained quiet.

The hope in Ruhanika's eyes slowly died.

"Don't raise your voice in front of me," Ananya snapped angrily.

Then she turned towards Sunidhi.

"Put lenses in her eyes and hide her blue eyes. Make sure she looks exactly like Manika."

Everyone in the room went silent.

Only Ruhanika stood there confused and frightened.

One question echoed inside her mind.

Who is Manika?

✨✨

Sunidhi took Ruhanika to her room.

The moment they entered, Ruhanika turned towards her.

"Who is Manika? And why does everyone want me to become her?" she asked, confused.

Sunidhi sighed heavily before sitting beside her.

"Manika is your twin sister."

Ruhanika froze.

"I... I have a twin sister?"

Sunidhi nodded.

"And the lady you met downstairs, Ananya, is your stepmother. She is also your Maasi."

Ruhanika's eyes widened in shock.

"Then... where is my real mother?"

Pain flashed across Sunidhi's face.

"We don't know, beta. Maybe... she is no longer in this world."

Ruhanika lowered her gaze as tears gathered in her eyes.

Before she could ask another question, Sunidhi continued.

"You have to marry Rudraksh Singh Raizada."

"What?"

Ruhanika stood up immediately.

"And yesterday was your engagement. From today onwards, you will live as Manika Suryavanshi."

"No!"

She stepped back.

"I am Ruhanika Sharma. Why should I take someone else's identity?"

Sunidhi looked helpless.

"Beta, if you refuse, they might hurt the people who raised you."

The words struck her heart.

Raj Sharma.

The only man who had ever loved her like a daughter.

"You don't want anything to happen to them, do you?" Sunidhi asked softly.

Ruhanika remained silent.

"Get some rest, beta."

With that, Sunidhi left the room.

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Elsewhere...

Veer Pratap sat alone in a dark room.

In his hands was an old photograph.

A photograph of Nandita.

His fingers gently traced her smiling face.

"Look, Nandita..." he whispered.

"Our daughter was standing right in front of me today, yet I couldn't even hug her."

His voice trembled.

"No matter how much I deny it, she is my daughter."

A tear escaped his eye.

"Her eyes remind me of you. Her voice sounds like yours. Even her nature is just like yours."

He closed his eyes.

"Forgive me, Nandita."

His grip tightened around the photograph.

"For the sake of one daughter, I am about to destroy another daughter's life."

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In another room...

Sunidhi, Vishambhar, Yug, and Kavya sat silently.

The guilt was evident on their faces.

"We are doing something terribly wrong with Ruhanika," Sunidhi said quietly.

"I tried talking to Bhai Sa, but Bhabhi Sa refused to listen," Vishambhar replied.

Yug clenched his fists.

"She is innocent. None of this is her fault."

His eyes darkened with anger.

"Everything happened because of Manika."

The room fell silent.

"Did you tell her the truth?" Vishambhar asked.

Sunidhi shook her head.

"No. I only told her that Manika is her twin sister."

"And nothing else."

Everyone knew that sooner or later, the truth would come out.

✨✨✨

RUHANIKA'S POV

The next day...

I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection.

A heavy bridal lehenga covered my body. Expensive jewelry adorned my neck, wrists, and ears.

Yet I couldn't recognize the girl standing before me.

Because she wasn't Ruhanika Sharma.

She was supposed to be Manika Suryavanshi.

A tear rolled down my cheek.

Everything was happening too fast.

Just a few days ago, I was living a simple life with Baba.

I had dreams.

I wanted to become a lawyer.

I wanted to make him proud.

But today...

I was about to marry a stranger.

A knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts.

The makeup artist smiled nervously.

"Ma'am, everyone is waiting downstairs."

I nodded silently.

As soon as they left, I quickly checked my phone.

A message from Avni.

Atharv's Location 📍

My heartbeat accelerated.

This was my only chance.

My only hope.

I immediately saved the location and hid my phone.

"Rooh," I whispered to myself.

"You have to be brave."

I took a deep breath and wiped away my tears.

No matter what happened today...

I wouldn't let anyone decide my future.

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A few minutes later...

Kavya entered my room.

"Are you ready?"

I forced a smile.

"Yes."

She looked at me for a moment.

There was guilt in her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

I frowned.

"For what?"

"For everything."

Before I could ask anything else, she looked away.

"Come on. Everyone is waiting."

I nodded and followed her.

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As soon as I reached downstairs, my breath hitched.

The entire mansion looked like a palace.

Flowers decorated every corner.

Guests filled the hall.

Everyone was smiling.

Everyone except me.

My hands trembled as I walked towards the stage.

Then my eyes landed on him.

Rudraksh Singh Raizada.

Dressed in a black sherwani, he stood confidently among the guests.

His expression remained unreadable.

For a second, our eyes met.

A strange feeling passed through me.

And suddenly...

I remembered the airport.

The man who had caught me before I could fall.

It was him.

My would-be husband.

But he had no idea who I really was.

And if everything went according to plan...

He never would.

Because tonight...

I was going to run away.