Hello guys... Welcome back. I hope you are enjoying the storyline.

Kindly ignore the grammatical mistakes as English is not my first language.

Enjoy reading 🤗.

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Author's POV-

The golden gates of the Yaghuvanshi Palace swung open with a soft creak, revealing a sight that looked straight out of a regal Bollywood film.

The sun had begun its descent, casting a soft orange hue on the sprawling white palace-its domes and jharokhas gleaming like they were dipped in melted gold.

Inside, the palace was alive with festivity-marigold garlands swaying in the wind, dhol beats echoing in the courtyards, and a crowd of nobles, guests, and family bustling with joy for the grand double celebration: the wedding of Ekakshi's bestfriend Ananya who's family was well known for the friendship of them with Yaghuvanshi's. With Rivaan's cousin and best friend Dhruv Malhotra.

A pair of majestic black cars pulled into the courtyard.

Out stepped the Randhawas.

Elegant, poised, and rooted in power.

First came Aditya Randhawa and Suhana, royalty in every move. Then Ashok and Nandini, their eyes lighting up the moment they saw the palace. Little Abhaan jumped excitedly in Vivaan and Siya's arms. Behind them, walked the man who turned heads and time-Rivaan Randhawa.

In his perfectly tailored ivory kurta with a black Nehru jacket, sunglasses sitting neatly on his nose, and his watch catching the sunlight like a jewel, he looked every bit the empire-builder he was-a modern-day prince forged not by privilege, but sheer determination.

His stride was calm, powerful. And yet, his eyes searched the palace instinctively... unaware they were seeking someone.

"Rivaan beta," Suhana whispered as they reached the grand staircase, "ye wahi mahal hai jahan tum paida hue the. Tum 4 saal ke the jab hum yahan aakhri baar aaye the."

(This was the same palace where you born. You were of 4 when we last visited here.)

Rivaan gave her a small nod, but said nothing-his jaw clenched ever so slightly.

And then-a wave of warmth rushed down the staircase.

Devyani Yaghuvanshi, the matriarch, descended with a grace only a queen could carry. Beside her, her son Yashveer, his wife Shraddha, Adhiraj and his wife Aradhna and other Yaghuvanshi members, including Advait, Rudraveer and other family members.

Along with them the Chauhan's, Ananya's family also descended the stairs.

Their eyes lit up at the sight.

"Surekha!" Devyani beamed, arms open.

Both women hugged, tears pricking their eyes as the years melted away in one embrace.

Surekha joined in, smiling, "Devyani, tujhe dekhkar lagta hai waqt wahin ka wahin ruk gaya hai."

(Devyani, seeing you again felt like the time had still.)

The men hugged each other, laughter echoed, and the little ones ran around like peacocks in celebration.

Then came the moment.

Devyani turned to Rivaan.

Her eyes scanned him from top to toe-pride swelling in her heart.

"Toh yeh hai hamara Rajkumar Rivaan," she said, voice proud and teasing, "jisne apne naam se ek nayi duniya basayi hai."

(So he is our prince.) (Who had made a world with his name.)

Rivaan bowed slightly, touching her feet, a rare smile touching his lips.

Yashveer patted his back, "You've grown into the man your father once dreamt of, Rivaan. We all heard about Ravure... and we've seen your hoardings across the World."

Avantika, Ananya's mother added, "And the new Vogue India cover? Half the girls in our family fainted!"

Everyone laughed.

Siya whispered to Suhana, "Maa, I think the bride's side is going to fall for the groom's cousin before the wedding even begins."

They all chuckled at her words.

Rivaan, meanwhile, accepted the praise with grace, but his mind was elsewhere.

Still haunted by the girl from the temple.

Little Vansh observing all these stepped ahead and stood in front of Abhaan.

"Hello Mr. Randhawa, Vansh here." He said raising his right hand to shake.

"Hello Mistell. Vanch, Abhaan here." Abhaan replied raising his hand too and they both shook their hands like new business partners who just cracked a deal.

Everyone stood there burst into laughter as they witnessed the cutest conversation of the little ones.

The group then moved into the palace, welcomed by the regal staff, the scent of rosewater and sandalwood filling the air. Musicians played shehnai in the background as petals showered from above.

The family went towards their assigned rooms before talking and teasing each other for a bit.

At night :

The night had fallen gently upon the royal palace, casting long shadows across the marble corridors.

Inside the grand sitting romm, the warmth of a low-burning fireplace danced over the serene yet serious faces of the elders of the Randhawa and Yaghuvanshi families.

Surekha Randhawa gently sipped her chai, sitting beside her lifelong friend Devyani Yaghuvanshi. Between them sat Suhana, Shraddha, Nandini, Aradhna, Yashveer, Adhiraj, Aditya and Ashok, their expressions soft but determined.

A silence hung between them - not awkward, but thoughtful. A silence before a promise was to be fulfilled.

"Humein lagta hai waqt aa gaya hai," Surekha said softly, setting her cup down. "Humara saalon purana vaada... ab pura karna chahiye. Rivaan aur Ekakshi... unka milan hamesha likha tha."

(We thought it's the time,)

(To complete our old promise. Rivaan and ekakshi... The destiny already had planned to unite them)

Devyani nodded slowly, a gentle emotion in her eyes.

"Aaj jab wo ek doosre ke saamne aaye the... Unka ek adhura milan jisko khud mata rani ka ashirwad mila hai."

(Today when they both came in front of each other... Their incomplete unite for which god has already blessed.)

"Matlab?" Asked Adhiraj. The confusion is evident in the faces of Yaghuvanshi's.

(Means?)

"Matlab ye ki..." They explained about everything that happened in mandir.

(Means...)

"Phir toh abb shak ki koi gunjaaish hi nahi bachi." Said Devyani and everyone nodded to her words with a bright smile.

(Then thereis no scope of doubt remains.)

Yashveer smiled, folding his hands.

"Lekin, ek baat hai jise kehna zaroori hai..."

(But, there's one thing which is important to tell you)

Just then, Shraddha, who had been silent all this while, shifted uncomfortably. Her eyes glistened.

"Nahi, Yash... mujhe kehne dijiye."

All eyes turned to her.

(No, yash... Let me tell)

She took a deep breath, and for a moment, her voice trembled.

"Aap sab toh sirf vaade aur rishton ki baatein kar rahe hain... par Ekakshi..."

Her words choked, and she held her chest for strength.

"Usne kya kuch nahi saha..."

(You all were only talking about promises and relationships... But ekakshi...)

(What did she not suffer...)

Everyone sat up straight.

"Wo accident... us raat ne hamari duniya hila di. Chaar saal tak wo coma mein thi. Uski sans lekin uske liye nahi, hum sab ke bharose pe chal rahi thi."

Tears slipped from her eyes now.

(That accident... That night changed everything in our lives. She was in coma for 4 years. Her breath but not hers, breathing on our faith.)

"Aur jab hosh aaya... toh uski yaadein... wo sab kuch... sab kuch chala gaya."

She placed a trembling hand on her lap.

"Usse kuch yaad nahi. Na apna bachpan, na apni dosti... kuch bhi nahi. Sirf woh pal yaad hain jab wo saat saal ki thi."

(And when she got up... Her memories... Everything... Everything left behind)

(She remembered nothing. Neither her childhood, nor her friendship... Nothing. If anything remembered means that moment when she was 7 years old)

Aradhna gently rubbed her back, her own eyes misted.

"Uski aankhon mein har raat dard hota hai. Usse neend nahi aati bina dawai ke. Panic attacks uska sach hai. Aur therapy uski har din ki jang."

(Everything she has pain in her eyes. She can't sleep without pills. Panic attacks are her truth. And therapies are her everydays fight.)

The room fell silent, the weight of truth heavy on every heart.

Suhana, emotional yet composed, took Shraddha's hand.

"Shraddha ... humein sab pata hai. Devyani kaki ne hame pehle se sab kuch bata diya tha."

She looked at Nandini and Surekha, who both nodded.

(Shraddha... We know everything. Devyani aunty had told us everything)

Nandini stepped forward.

"Lekin iss dard mein wo akele nahi hai."

(But she's not alone in this pain)

"Hum uska har kadam pe saath denge," said Surekha firmly. "Wo hamare ghar ki beti banegi, sirf naam se nahi, dil se."

(We will be with her in every step)

(She will become our daughter, not only with name, but with love)

Nandini, ever calm and full of compassion, leaned forward.

"Aur phir hamare ghar ki badi lakshmi Siya, wo neurologist hai. Wo sab sambhal legi. Uski therapies aur care wo personally karegi."

(And also our oldest daughter in law was a neurologist. She'll handle everything. Her therapies and care, she'll look into it personally.)

Shraddha looked at them, heartbroken but now with a glimmer of hope.

"Par uska mann?" she asked softly.

"Wo kabhi kisi se nahi judi dubara. Apne dil ko kholna uske liye sabse mushkil hai."

She sobbed silently, said further "Apna har dard, har takleef, har aansu, apni pyari si muskan aur shaitani ke peechhe chhupa leti hai."

(But her heart?)

(She still struggles to open up in front of everyone)

(Her every pain, every problem, every tear, she hides everything behind her smile and her naughtiness)

Suhana's voice softened.

"Toh kya pata... Rivaan uska ilaaj ban jayein."

(Then who knows... Rivaan became her treatment)

Devyani looked at her best friend, tears threatening again.

"Aur shayad... wo Rivaan ka bhi."

(And maybe... She became of Rivaan's)

Yashveer added gently, "Dono ke dil toote hain. Shayad unke tukde ek doosre ke paas sambhal jaayein."

(Both are heartbroken. Maybe they both take care of each others piece)

"I think it's time to tell them about this. Hum aaj hi Rivaan se baat karenge." Said Suhana .

(We will talk to rivaan tonight)

"You are right. Ekakshi abhi Delhi gayi hai Ronav aur Rudra ke saath therapy ke liye. She'll be back tomorrow and we'll talk it about this." Said Aradhna and everyone nodded.

(Ekakshi is in delhi with ronav nd rudra for therapy.)

A silence fell again - this time not heavy, but filled with quiet determination.

The promise of two families.

The scars of two souls.

And a belief - that maybe love doesn't need to be remembered... to be real.

After sometime (Rivaan's room) :

The golden hue of the Jaipur sunset cast long shadows across the floor of Rivaan Randhawa's suite. The grandeur of the palace couldn't mute the silent storm inside him. He stood by the massive window, shirt sleeves rolled, his jaw taut, lost in a loop of thoughts that refused to settle.

The image kept flashing - a girl, backlit by the setting sun, dancing with a soul that seemed to echo something within him. Ghar More Pardesiya still echoed faintly in his memory. He hadn't seen her face clearly... but her presence, her grace - it lingered like an unfinished melody.

A knock interrupted the silence.

He turned just slightly. The door opened and in walked Suhana, Surekha, and Nandini - three women who were not just family, but pillars of the Randhawa household.

"Can we come in?" Suhana asked gently.

Rivaan nodded once, curtly. "You guys don't need to be asked."

He turned back towards the window, expecting small talk. But the silence behind him felt too purposeful.

"Rivaan..." Nandini began, stepping forward, "We want to talk about something important."

Without turning around, he said, "Sun raha hun."

Surekha's voice followed, laced with firmness. "We want you to get married ."

He froze.

The words hung heavy. He slowly turned, his brows furrowing. "Excuse me?"

"We're not asking," Suhana said softly but firmly. "We've already made the decision. It's time."

He let out a sharp breath and moved away from them, fingers raking through his hair.

"You've got to be kidding me." His voice was quiet, but steel-edged. "You came into my room to talk about this?"

"Rivaan..." Surekha's voice rose above the tension. "This isn't just about marriage. It's about a Vaada - a promise that was made before you even knew what love meant."

He turned sharply. "And you expect me to honor a decision made before I had the right to choose? I'm not a puppet."

Nandini stepped forward, calm but strong. "No, you're not. But you are a Randhawa. And in this family, promises are not just words."

Suhana's voice trembled slightly, "We made a commitment to the Yaghuvanshi family. To Devyani Aradhna and Shraddha... that the daughter of their house will one day become the daughter of ours."

Rivaan looked away, his jaw clenching. The very name - Yaghuvanshi - felt like fire meeting forgotten wounds. "And what if I say no?"

"Then you break the very foundation we raised you on," Surekha said firmly. "Randhawas don't break promises. And neither do Yaghuvanshi's."

The air felt heavier. The pressure of legacy, of reputation, of every bond tied to his bloodline pulled at his resolve.

A moment of silence passed. Then, Rivaan's voice, cold and quiet:

"Do what you want."

The women looked at him - surprised.

He finally looked up, eyes burning not with anger, but a buried ache.

"I won't let my past destroy the respect or the vaada this family has made. If you believe it's right, then go ahead. Get me married."

"But don't expect me to give you the version of Rivaan who once believed in fairytales."

He walked past them, picked up a bottle of water, and faced the window again.

"I'll keep the promise," he said, voice barely above a whisper,

"but don't ask me to feel anything."

The women watched him with misted eyes - proud, emotional, and silently praying... that maybe the very girl they had chosen would awaken the parts of him he'd buried deep.

Because only love can repair what legacy demands to preserve.

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I hope you like this chapter.

If you have any kind of doubts then ask me in the comment section.

Please Vote if you like the chapter.

Drop atleast one Comment so that I keep motivated to write further stories.

I know the chapters might look boring but the real twist is after some chapters, so keep engaged here.

What do you think about the promise?

What about Rivaan's reaction about the marriage?

How will Ekakshi react about it?

Answer these questions for sure.

Thank you 😊.