Saathiya

Chapter 1

Preeti slammed the door behind her and slid to the floor, burying her face in her hands. Her eyes burned with unshed tears, each one threatening to spill over. Who were they to decide my fate? she thought bitterly. Does anyone care about what I want? About my dreams? No one seemed to notice the pain that hid behind her laughter, the sorrow veiled beneath her smile.

Her gaze landed on a photo of her and Naina, and a sharp pang twisted in her chest. They had always been inseparable, standing by each other through thick and thin. Preeti took a deep breath and wiped away the tears. For Naina's happiness, she told herself, I'll do this. She would put aside her own dreams to walk the path others had laid out for her and sacrifice her own ambitions. It was the only way to keep the peace and make her sister's world a little brighter.

—

Sameer sat with his friends, Munna and Pandit, recounting Chachi-ji's concern that his and Naina's love marriage might complicate Preeti's future. What Sameer didn't know was that these fears had been planted in Bela's mind by her scheming sister-in-law.

"So, what now?" Munna asked, his face tight with worry. They had fought so hard to bring Naina and Sameer together, and now, just as they were on the brink of marriage, a new complication had arisen. Munna, still newlywed himself after overcoming countless hurdles to convince his and Swati's family, wanted the same for his friends—that they could finally be together without anything standing in their way.

"I suggested that Naina and I delay our wedding until we find a suitable match for Preeti. She will get married before us," Sameer explained.

Pandit asked in disbelief,"...And what did she say?"

Sameer replied, "Chachi-ji agrees it will be the best option for Preeti. Even Naina thinks—"

Pandit cut him off, "I'm not asking about Chachi-ji or Naina! What about Preeti? You're all making decisions for her—what does she think about this? What does she want?"

Sameer paused, a sudden realization dawning on him. While Preeti had been present during their conversation, none of them had actually stopped to ask for her opinion. And she hadn't said a word.

"Well... she didn't say anything, so we just assumed..." Sameer's voice trailed off, uncertainty creeping in.

—

Preeti sat motionless in front of the mirror as Naina carefully dressed her, but Naina couldn't help noticing the dullness in her sister's eyes. It was a stark contrast to Preeti's usual vibrant, cheerful personality.

"Are you sure about this, Preeti?" Naina asked in a soft voice laced with concern.

Preeti blinked, forcing a smile. "Yes, I'm sure. I'm just nervous, that's all. It's the first time someone's coming to see me for marriage."

Naina, like everyone else, missed the sadness behind the smile. She giggled and brushed it off. "It's normal to feel that way. I'm sure everything will go well. I know they'll like you. I just hope Chacha-ji and Chachi-ji like the boy and his family too."

Preeti nodded, but the unease in her chest only deepened. What about me? she wondered silently. Will I like him and his family? Or will I have to compromise everything I am for the rest of my life?

Her thoughts were interrupted by her mother's voice calling from the drawing room. "Hurry up, they're here!"

Naina rushed to the balcony, eager to catch a glimpse of the boy who might soon be her brother-in-law. Preeti remained still, her breath caught in her throat. She glanced at her reflection one last time—eyes lined with kohl, a perfectly placed bindi, her mother's gold necklace, and a bandhani saree wrapped around her. The only thing missing was the light in her eyes, the smile that used to come so easily. With a deep breath, she stood and followed Naina into the drawing room.