Chapter 1 Reha and sharansh
The hazy morning rays filtered through the window of Reha's small house, scattering softly across the room. The cup of tea on the old wooden table had gone cold. Reha sat in silence, her eyes fixed on the wall in front of her, where an old photograph of her grandfather hung. That picture—his smile still just the same—bright, warm, and full of reassurance. But now, it was just a picture. Grandpa was no more.
Reha’s throat tightened. She closed her eyes, as if she wanted to feel that pain even more deeply. Her grandfather’s final breaths, his trembling fingers, and those last words—all of it still felt so present. “Reha, my child… I won’t leave you alone. Just one last wish I have…” His voice had been weak, but it carried a strange kind of unwavering resolve. At the time, Reha hadn’t understood what that wish was. But now, with everything changed, she kept revisiting that moment again and again.
It had been just two days ago. Her grandfather’s old friend, Pratap Singh Rajput, had suddenly come to their small house. Reha had never seen him before, but the respect and affection in her grandfather’s eyes for him were clearly visible. Pratap Singh, an elderly man, whose face bore the lines of time, yet whose eyes still held the grandeur of a Thakur sahib. With him was his grandson—Saaransh Singh Rajput.
The moment Reha saw Saaransh, her heart skipped a beat. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and his face was calm—like someone who could contain a storm within. There was a depth in his eyes, but he wasn’t meeting Reha’s gaze. Perhaps he was just as uncomfortable as she was.
“Reha, my last wish is… for you to marry Saaransh,” her grandfather had said in a low voice, his breathing heavy. Reha was stunned. She wanted to say something, but the words stuck in her throat. Pratap Singh held her grandfather’s hand and completed the thought, “It’s our promise, brother. Reha will be our daughter-in-law.”
Saaransh said nothing. He merely looked at his grandfather, then at Reha, and then lowered his eyes. Reha’s heart was in turmoil. What was happening? She had never even thought about marriage. Her grandfather was everything to her. And now, as she was losing him, this sudden responsibility was breaking her apart.
That same night, her grandfather passed away. Reha’s world came to a standstill. The next day, when Pratap Singh and Saaransh returned, Reha felt like she was in a dream. Everything was happening so fast that she had no time to think. Pratap Singh said gently, “Reha, you are now part of our family. We will never leave you alone.”
Reha looked at Saaransh. He was silent, but there was something in his eyes—maybe duty, maybe helplessness, or maybe something else that Reha couldn’t understand. He said only this, “I will honor grandfather’s wish.”
And today, in this misty morning, Reha sat alone in that house, which now felt even emptier. Her wedding was next week—to a man she didn’t even know. Her mind was full of questions. Would she be able to fulfill this relationship? Would Saaransh ever understand her? And the biggest question of all—would she ever come out of this pain?
Just then, there was a soft knock on the door. Reha looked up, startled. Outside stood Saaransh, holding a small box in his hand. His eyes held the same calm, but this time there was a hint of hesitation too.
“Reha,” he said softly, “I… just came to give you this. Grandpa said I should give it to you.”
With trembling hands, Reha took the box. When she opened it, there was an old silver ring inside—her grandfather’s. Her eyes welled up with tears.
“He wanted you to wear it,” Saaransh said, his voice carrying a strange warmth. “He said it would remind you that you’re never alone.”
Reha tried to say something, but her voice caught in her throat. Saaransh looked at her for a moment, then quietly turned and walked away. Reha stood there holding the ring, her heart swaying between pain and a strange, unfamiliar feeling.
This story had just begun. A story filled with immense sorrow, but somewhere, a tiny ray of love was slowly finding its way.
