The mansion, once alive with celebration, fell into a strange, suffocating silence.
Kaamini Rani broke it dramatically.
"Oh! This can't be real… I don't believe it!" she cried, her voice trembling yet loud enough to command every gaze.
"He would have discussed this with me if it were true. Somebody is trying to frame him," she added quickly, attempting to prove her innocence and distance herself from the rising storm.
Maheshwar Swamy regained his composure and called for a goldsmith—a check he had skipped earlier because Devendra Pratap owned the business and was soon to become family through the alliance.
Minutes later, under the weight of dozens of watchful eyes, the ornaments worn by the Aranthad women were examined.
And then came the result.
"It's fake jewellery—gold-coated on cheap metal," the goldsmith confirmed.
Silence fell—brief, stunned.
Then the hall exploded.
Raghav ripped off his garland and flung it aside, his jaw clenched as he turned away. Without a word, he strode towards his family, fury in every step.
The Aranthad women removed the ornaments in disgust, dropping them as if they burned.
"My dear Kaamini, you have endured enough with that man. Come with me, along with your son Dayanand. You both have suffered more than you should," her mother said, pulling her into a protective embrace.
Amidst the accusations, humiliation, and chaos—
Rithanya stood still.
Frozen.
As the gravity of the situation slowly sank in.
She wasn’t entirely shocked, but the unease she had carried all along—the quiet fear she could never name—was finally finding its answers.
She had sensed it long ago.
The wedding ceremony was over.
Her intuition no longer mattered.
Her dreams of a better future with the Aranthads had vanished.
All she could see were the angry, humiliated, and shocked faces of the Aranthads, ready to leave the venue.
"What about the bride—Rithanya?" a village elder’s voice cut through the chaos, just as the Aranthads prepared to leave.
Maheshwar Swamy turned sharply.
"This alliance is a deception," Maheshwar Swamy said, his voice controlled but firm. "We were misled and disgraced."
"I do not accept her as my daughter-in-law," he roared, pointing at Rithanya.
“The ceremony is complete,” another elder said.
“He has tied the sacred mangalsutra. She is his wife—you cannot abandon her for her father’s wrongdoing.”
Maheshwar Swamy spoke again, his voice measured but firm.
“Our lineage cannot be tainted by a betrayer’s bloodline. Let her stay with her stepmother if she wishes—I have no concern for her.”
Kaamini Rani’s mother spoke firmly.
“I agreed to take responsibility for my daughter Kaamini and her son. Rithanya is not my burden.”
“Rithanya’s life will be ruined. As per our traditions, she cannot remarry. We cannot allow this injustice,” the Somapur village head said, fixing a stern gaze on Raghav.
"I stand by my father's decision," Raghav confirmed.
"Then…" the village head paused.
“We must hold a village council meeting and decide on a solution.”
The elders gathered briefly for discussion.
After several tense moments, the village head returned with the verdict.
"This marriage cannot be undone. The sacred mangalsutra has been tied, and that bond cannot be ignored."
A pause followed.
"However, considering the deception involved, we will not force acceptance."
All eyes turned toward the Aranthads.
"Rithanya may stay with the Aranthad family, as the marriage has taken place. But whether she is accepted as a daughter-in-law… will remain their choice."
Another pause—heavier this time.
"Raghav is free to decide his future. If he does not accept this marriage, he may remarry."
The words settled like dust after a storm.
Rithanya lowered her gaze.
Each word felt less like a judgment—and more like strangers deciding the worth of her life.
"As for Rithanya," he continued, "she may choose—stay under their roof without the rights of a wife… or leave with any willing relative."
Silence spread through the gathering.
"Now," he said finally, "both sides may speak their decision."
The verdict came down heavily on Rithanya.
Hard to accept.
Deeply bitter.
She couldn’t believe her ears. She glanced quickly at the Aranthads for their reaction.
Raghav and his family were equally unsatisfied, but they could not deny that the ceremony had been completed.
Maheshwar Swamy gave a slight nod, forcing himself to accept the bitter decision.
Taking a deep breath, he declared:
"We permit Rithanya to stay at our residence until a relative of hers is willing to take responsibility for her."
Raghav nodded and stood still beside his father, saying nothing more—his silence heavier than any words.
Rithanya stood frozen.
Raghav's emotionless nod sent a chill down her spine. Though she had expected harshness, his quiet acceptance shattered her.
"What is your decision, Rithanya?" an elder asked.
She could sense that the entire Aranthad family was silently hoping she would choose to leave on her own.
Their eyes said it all.
She was not welcome.
But she had nowhere to go.
"I… decide to stay with the Aranthads," she said, gathering her composure and suppressing her tears.
Her words left them stunned.
The discussion ended, and the guests began to disperse.
A few elders exchanged glances. Some in pity, others in quiet approval.
Dayanand and Kaamini Rani left with her mother, their departure unnoticed amid the chaos.
What remained of the mansion felt hollow and lifeless—its festive adornments crushed underfoot, its former grandeur choked by the fury of the villagers who had stormed through it.
The Aranthads walked towards their jeeps.
Rithanya followed—hesitant, invisible.
No one called her.
No one guided her.
Her eyes searched for Raghav, but he was already gone.
After a while, Maheshwar Swamy gestured for her to get into one of the jeeps.
She obeyed silently.
Inside, she sat like an outsider, surrounded by angry, humiliated faces—people she was now tied to for life, yet not truly a part of.
The jeeps roared away, leaving behind the mansion—and with it, her dignity and hope.
Her fingers trembled as they touched the mangalsutra resting against her neck.
A sacred bond—
now merely a reason for an arrangement.
All hope shattered.
Concealing her fear, she walked forward as ruthless flames silently consumed her self-respect, leaving her with no choice but to go with the Aranthads.
The only thing she carried with her was her resilience—buried deep, but not gone.
What remained of Rithanya's future was nothing but the aftermath of a stampede.
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Author's Note:
Every vote, comment, every bit of support gives life to Rithanya's world. 🤍
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