Stand-In Bride

A girl dressed in a blue lehenga hurried along with gifts clutched in her hands. Her dress nearly made her stumble, yet she paid no attention to the dupatta slipping away from her shoulder. "Only one more round and this will be finished," she murmured to herself while placing the gifts on the backseat of the car parked outside. This is Niyati Mehra, 23 years old, a simple and innocent girl. She was the sort of girl any parent would proudly call their own. She was pretty and intelligent, and had only recently graduated. She hoped to study medicine, but that would require a lot of money and she did not want to trouble her uncle. From a young age she had stayed with her paternal uncle's family. Her uncle was soft-hearted, and he could not leave his only brother's little girl crying beside her parents' dead bodies. So he brought her home. But not everyone in that family was happy about it. They still were not. Yet she always tried to keep her aunt pleased. She obeyed every order so the woman would not get angry. They have a daughter named Rhea, who is 3 years older than her. It is her wedding today. Her uncle and the whole family were very happy when this match got fixed. The whole house was decorated, and everyone had celebrated for 3 straight days, with Sangeet, Haldi, and Mehandi ceremonies. Many relatives and neighbours came to bless the bride and brought gifts for her. Music was playing at one side of the party centre. A few of the bride's friends were dancing too. The caterers were among the best in town and were cooking many tasty dishes so the wedding would stay memorable. And it had to be. It was the wedding of the son of one of the country's richest families. The Khanna family was highly respected; their ancestors had been zamindars, and later they started business outside the town. Now their grandson, Rishan Khanna, is spreading the business across India and even into other countries. At 28, he was counted as India's most handsome eligible bachelor. Girls dreamed over him after only one look. But he had a reserved nature. He was rude, arrogant, and egoistic in business. That was just him. He was proud of whatever he had achieved. He never mixed business and pleasure, and that made him unlike others. The news of his marriage shocked everybody. People thought he would marry a model or a girl from business circles, but his family wanted someone decent from their hometown. "What is this, Niyati? Did I not tell you to finish it before the guests arrived?" Her aunt Shalini, her face lined with wrinkles and age well into the 50s, yelled at Niyati when she came to collect the remaining gifts. "Aunty, I was..." She lowered her eyes because she did not want to see the anger there, which must have gone red by now. Niyati shook her head. "That is not true, aunty." She had been working without a break, and still had more tasks waiting. But she stayed quiet and muttered sorry. "Do not go complaining to your uncle; he already believes I am the villain," Shalini said, twisting her lips. She had never liked Niyati. From the day her husband took his brother's daughter in and said she would live with them, she had started hating her. She never wanted that. They were not rich and were already struggling to make ends meet and maintain a respectable ordinary life. Shalini turned and left with a strict look. Niyati just nodded and turned to leave. She did not dare to reply back or even give her a proper answer. Her eyes filled with tears, but she held them back. She did not want her uncle to see her in that state. Her uncle treated her like his own. Many times she ended up causing quarrels between her uncle and aunt. Each time, her aunt accused her. Rhea, her uncle's daughter, always kept some distance from Niyati. She got everything without asking, even the love of her parents that Niyati always longed for. Pushing those thoughts aside, she loaded the last of it into the car. Soon she saw the baraat entering from the main gate. All the guests stood there to welcome the groom and the Khanna family. "How am I supposed to get inside?" she wondered, biting her lower lip. She could not simply stay there. She had to go see if Rhea needed anything. She did not want her aunt to get angry with her again. Finding no other choice, she went in through the back door. It was a little dark there, and the lights were low. Standing in the hallway, she tapped on the door. She waited for a while, but there was no answer. "Rhea Di, the baraat has arrived," she called, knocking again. But she got no reply. She grew a little tense. Then she heard a thud. "Are you okay?" she asked with worry. Still, there was no reply. She could not take it anymore and was getting worried for her. She opened the door and stood shocked. No one was there. Rhea had left her bridal dress and jewellery lying on the bed. The room was a mess, and the cupboards and windows stood wide open. She noticed a note on the table. Niyati could not believe her eyes. The note said, "I cannot do this. I am sorry. I am leaving. I love someone else, and I will marry him." The note slipped from her trembling hand. She was terrified. She had no idea about the storm coming toward her, one that would alter her life beyond recognition.