Chapter 1: A Paper and a Promise
❝She never wanted an arranged marriage. Especially not with someone who doubted her from the very beginning. But family pressure and a greedy stepfather left her with no choice. He was rich, arrogant—and she was quiet but brilliant. What happens when two strangers are forced to share a life neither of them chose?❞
Aarav Zaman (24): A wealthy but emotionally distant businessman. Forced into an arranged marriage by his mother. He thinks the girl married him for money and avoids her.
Aheli Rahman (20): A bright, kind, and studious girl. Forced into marriage by her greedy stepfather who saw Aarav’s wealth. Still wants to finish her studies and dreams of becoming a teacher or writer. She didn’t want the marriage but had no way out.....
The wedding was over in a blur of lights, noise, and signatures.
Aheli Rahman sat quietly at the edge of the grand bridal bed, her red veil slightly slipping off her head. Her mehendi had barely dried. In her hand, she still clutched the silver pen she had used to sign the nikah document — a symbol of a life she never asked for.
Downstairs, the guests were slowly leaving. The sound of laughter faded, replaced by silence and the ticking of a giant clock somewhere in the house.
She heard the door open.
He entered.
Aarav Zaman. Her husband.
She looked up.
He didn’t.
Aarav walked to the other side of the room and took off his coat without a word. His eyes were cold. Distant. Like she wasn’t even there.
“I hope you’re comfortable,” he said, without looking at her.
“I’m fine,” she whispered.
He didn’t respond. Just stared out the window.
For a moment, the silence grew so heavy, it felt like it would crush her.
She finally gathered some courage. “I didn’t ask for this either.”
Aarav turned around sharply.
“Oh really?” he said with a bitter smile. “Your stepfather practically begged for this marriage. He called me ten times. Sent your photo. Sang songs about your simplicity. Do you know what I saw?”
She looked at him, confused.
“I saw another girl trying to trap me for my money.”
Tears welled up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
“You don’t even know me,” she said softly.
“And I don’t want to.”
With that, he walked into the guest room and shut the door behind him.
Down the hallway, Aheli’s stepfather was laughing and chatting with Aarav’s mother.
“Thank you, Apa,” he said, sipping tea. “My daughter is lucky to get a home like this. Aarav is such a responsible boy.”
Aarav’s mother smiled, but her eyes were sharp. She had chosen Aheli for a reason. Not because of love, not because of beauty—but because she saw something in the girl. Something strong. Something missing in her own broken son.
That night, Aheli couldn’t sleep.
She stared at the ceiling of her new room, bigger than her entire old house.
Her stepfather had married her off without even asking her. Her mother was too weak to stop it.
Aheli only wanted one thing now — to finish her education. She still had two years of university left. She wouldn’t let this marriage stop her.
Even if the man she married thought she was nothing but a gold-digger.
