Chapter 1
A VOW I NEVER WANTED
Chapter One
The Announcement
I knew something was wrong the moment my mother asked me to come downstairs.
Not because she had called me.
But because she had called me twice.
“Meera!”
“I’m coming!”
I closed my laptop and looked at the clock.
8:17 p.m.
Dinner was usually at nine.
Something was definitely wrong.
I walked downstairs, still wondering what could possibly be so important.
The moment I entered the living room, I stopped.
Everyone was there.
My father.
My mother.
My grandmother.
Even my uncle and aunt, who rarely visited without warning.
And nobody was talking.
I looked from one face to another.
“What happened?”
No one answered.
My heart began beating faster.
“Dad?”
My father finally looked at me.
“Sit down, Meera.”
That sentence alone made me nervous.
I slowly sat on the sofa.
“What happened?”
My mother reached for my hand.
I pulled it back gently.
“Why is everyone looking at me like someone died?”
“Meera!” Grandma scolded.
“What? You’re all acting strange.”
My father exchanged a glance with my uncle.
Then he took a deep breath.
“There is something we need to tell you.”
I stared at him.
“Okay…”
“You’re getting married.”
For three seconds, I didn’t understand the words.
Then I laughed.
Actually laughed.
“Very funny.”
Nobody laughed with me.
My smile disappeared.
I looked at my mother.
She looked down.
“Mom?”
“I’m sorry.”
My stomach dropped.
“What do you mean you’re sorry?”
My father spoke again.
“Your marriage has been arranged.”
I stood up so quickly that the glass on the table shook.
“No.”
“Meera—”
“No.”
I looked at everyone.
“No, no, no. You can’t be serious.”
My father remained silent.
“You know I don’t want to get married.”
“We know.”
“I have college.”
“We know.”
“I have plans!”
“We know.”
“Then why are we even having this conversation?”
My voice cracked.
My mother stood up.
“Please listen to us.”
“No!”
I stepped away from her.
“You promised me I could finish my studies. You promised I could decide when I wanted to get married.”
My father looked away.
“I remember.”
“Then why are you breaking your promise?”
Silence.
That silence hurt more than an answer.
I wiped the tears that had gathered in my eyes.
“Who is he?”
Nobody answered immediately.
And then my uncle said a name.
“Reyansh Malhotra.”
My entire body went still.
No.
Anyone but him.
I looked at my father.
“You’re joking.”
“We’re not.”
“Reyansh Malhotra?”
“Yes.”
I let out a disbelieving laugh.
“Absolutely not.”
I knew Reyansh.
Everyone in our city knew of the Malhotras.
Their family owned several businesses, and Reyansh was expected to take over everything someday.
He was arrogant.
Cold.
Unnecessarily serious.
And, unfortunately, incredibly difficult to ignore.
I had met him only a few times.
Every single meeting had ended badly.
The last time we’d spoken, he’d looked at me and said:
“You talk too much.”
I’d replied:
“And you think you’re too important.”
He hadn’t even reacted.
He’d simply walked away.
I hated that man.
And now my family wanted me to marry him?
“No.”
My father sighed.
“Meera, please.”
“No, Dad.”
“This isn’t something we can simply cancel.”
“Then cancel it anyway.”
“We can’t.”
“Why?”
Nobody answered.
Again.
That horrible silence.
I looked around the room.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
My father’s expression changed.
Just slightly.
But I noticed.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Dad.”
“Nothing happened.”
“Then why are you forcing me into this marriage?”
My voice became quieter.
“Why?”
My mother came toward me.
“Because sometimes families have to make difficult decisions.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
She didn’t respond.
I looked at my father.
He finally said,
“There are reasons you don’t understand yet.”
I stared at him.
“Then explain them.”
“I can’t.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
He said nothing.
I shook my head.
“This is insane.”
I grabbed my phone from the table.
“I’m going upstairs.”
“Meera.”
I stopped.
My father looked at me.
“The Malhotras are coming tomorrow.”
I slowly turned around.
“For what?”
He hesitated.
“To meet you.”
My heart sank.
“And if I say no?”
My father didn’t answer.
That was my answer.
I barely slept that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I heard the same sentence.
You’re getting married.
I turned over in bed and stared at the ceiling.
I was twenty years old.
I had dreams.
I wanted to travel.
Finish college.
Build something of my own.
Fall in love someday—if I ever wanted to.
But I had never imagined sitting in front of a stranger’s family and being told that I belonged to someone else.
And Reyansh?
He wasn’t even a stranger.
That somehow made it worse.
My phone vibrated.
A message from my best friend, Naina.
Naina: Are you alive? You disappeared.
I stared at the screen.
Then typed.
Me: I’m getting married.
The typing bubble appeared immediately.
Naina: WHAT???
I almost laughed.
Me: Tomorrow. They’re coming to meet me.
Naina: WHO IS HE?
I hesitated.
Then typed his name.
Three dots appeared.
Disappeared.
Then:
Naina: MEERA WHAT HAVE YOU DONE???
I rolled my eyes.
Me: Apparently, nothing. My family did it for me.
Another message appeared.
Naina: Do you want me to kidnap you?
Despite everything, I smiled.
Me: Tempting.
I put my phone down.
The smile disappeared almost immediately.
Tomorrow.
I would have to see him.
The next evening, the house looked completely different.
Flowers everywhere.
Lights around the entrance.
Servants running around.
My mother had spent three hours deciding what I should wear.
I stood in front of the mirror wearing a simple burgundy suit.
“I look like I’m attending my own wedding.”
My mother adjusted my earrings.
“Don’t say that.”
“Why? That’s basically what’s happening.”
She sighed.
“You don’t have to love him today.”
I looked at her through the mirror.
“Good. Because I don’t.”
Before she could answer, the doorbell rang.
Everyone downstairs became quiet.
My heart started racing.
My mother looked at me.
“They’re here.”
I swallowed.
Then followed her downstairs.
I heard voices before I saw them.
The Malhotra family entered the living room.
And then—
I saw him.
Reyansh.
Black shirt.
Black trousers.
A silver watch on his wrist.
His expression was exactly the same as I remembered.
Calm.
Unreadable.
Cold.
His eyes found mine.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then his mother smiled.
“Meera, come here.”
I walked forward reluctantly.
Reyansh didn’t move.
He simply watched me.
I stopped in front of him.
“Hello.”
His eyes remained on mine.
“Hello.”
That was it.
No smile.
No greeting.
Nothing.
I narrowed my eyes.
Apparently, he hadn’t changed.
His mother laughed nervously.
“You two already know each other, don’t you?”
I answered immediately.
“Unfortunately.”
His eyebrow lifted.
“Unfortunately?”
“Yes.”
A faint smirk appeared on his face.
“I could say the same.”
I glared at him.
His mother looked delighted.
“At least they remember each other.”
This woman has no idea.
Dinner was served.
Everyone talked.
Except us.
I kept my eyes on my plate.
Until I felt his gaze on me.
I looked up.
He was watching me.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Then stop staring.”
He leaned back in his chair.
“You haven’t changed.”
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“You still get angry quickly.”
“And you’re still irritating.”
His lips almost curved into a smile.
Almost.
Then he looked away.
For some reason, that annoyed me even more.
After dinner, our families left us alone on the balcony.
I crossed my arms.
“I’ll make this easy for you.”
He looked at me.
“I don’t want this marriage.”
His expression didn’t change.
“Neither do I.”
I blinked.
“Then we’re agreed.”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
I turned to leave.
“Meera.”
I stopped.
His voice had changed.
It was quieter now.
Serious.
I turned around.
“What?”
He looked directly into my eyes.
“There are things you don’t know.”
My stomach tightened.
“What things?”
He took a step closer.
“About this marriage.”
I stared at him.
“Then tell me.”
“I can’t.”
I laughed bitterly.
“That’s exactly what my father said.”
Reyansh’s jaw tightened.
“So you know something?”
He didn’t answer.
“Reyansh.”
Silence.
Then he said something that made my blood run cold.
“Your family isn’t forcing you into this marriage because they want you to marry me.”
I stared at him.
“Then why?”
He looked toward the house.
Then back at me.
“Because they think you’re in danger.”
My breath caught.
“What?”
Before he could say anything else, my father’s voice came from behind us.
“Meera.”
We turned.
My father stood at the balcony door.
His face was pale.
“Come inside.”
I looked at Reyansh.
He didn’t look surprised.
And suddenly I understood.
Everyone knew something.
Everyone except me.
I walked toward my father.
“Dad…”
He avoided my eyes.
“What is happening?”
He remained silent.
“Tell me the truth.”
He finally looked at me.
And whispered:
“The wedding is in ten days.”
My heart stopped.
Ten days.
Ten days until I became Reyansh Malhotra’s wife.
But somehow, that wasn’t the thing that frightened me most.
It was the look on Reyansh’s face.
Because he wasn’t looking at me like a man who had just agreed to an arranged marriage.
He was looking at me like a man who already knew exactly what was coming.
And I had a terrible feeling that my marriage wasn’t the beginning of my story.
It was the beginning of something much worse.
— End of Chapter One —
Thank you for reading... ❇️
Vote for chapter ✍️
Let me know if you like the chapter 💗
