The soft glow of the laptop illuminated Bhumi’s worn face. She sat motionless on her bed, scrolling through the pictures of her dream university, the one she knew she would never reach now. Two days had passed since her parents made their final decision. Her fate had been sealed; there would be no college abroad, no career, and no freedom. Only marriage.

Her eyes lingered on a photograph of the campus gardens, girls laughing, arms full of sketchbooks, sunlight spilling over them like a blessing. She blinked hard, her throat tightening. The door creaked softly behind her. Aarav, her younger brother, walked in, ready to leave for work. But seeing his sister sitting so still, her gaze lost in the bright images on her laptop screen, he paused. A faint, teasing smile touched his lips as he stepped closer. From behind, he gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his chin on her head.

“Don’t think too much,” he said lightly. “I tried explaining things to Mom and Dad too, but I swear, Di… It feels like getting you married is the only mission left in their lives.”

Bhumi turned quickly to face him. This time her eyes were wet, her face pale with helplessness. Aarav’s heart sank. He knelt down in front of her instantly, holding her hands, trying to comfort her, but before he could speak, she gripped his fingers tightly and burst out, her voice trembling with hurt.

“Why can’t they understand, Aarav? Why can’t they see that I don’t want to get married? I want to build a career…. There’s so much… I want to do... I’m only twenty-two. What’s the hurry? If I marry now, what then? I’ll become someone’s wife, have children, sit at home cooking meals and serving relatives… pretending I’m content…. Or maybe I’ll end up like one of those restless housewives who lose their minds piece by piece.”

Her voice cracked, anger laced with pain. Aarav held her hands tighter. “Di, don’t talk like that,” he said softly. “You’re imagining the worst. No one’s decided on anything yet. We don’t even know who the person is. Maybe things won’t be as bad as you think.”

He smiled faintly, trying to lighten her mood. “Let me give you my example. If I ever get married and my wife wants to study or work, I’ll support her fully. I’ll help her chase her dreams because that’s what love is supposed to be, right? Maybe there’s someone out there who’ll think the same about you.”

A flicker of a smile touched Bhumi’s lips, but it faded just as quickly. She cupped his face and kissed his forehead softly.

“My sweet brother,” she whispered, “you’re saying these words because you love me and can’t stand seeing me like this. But the truth is, not everyone thinks like you. The world isn’t that kind.”

She looked away, her eyes distant. “Look at Chacha and Chachi. When they got married, Chachi was still studying; she was brilliant; everyone knew she’d go far. Chacha promised she could continue her education after marriage. But what happened? Dadi refused. She wasn’t even allowed to finish her graduation. Her dreams ended before they could begin.”

Bhumi’s eyes filled again, but this time there was fury behind the tears. “That’s what I don’t want. I’m not ready for marriage, Aarav. I can’t do it. And if Mom and Dad try to force me… I’ll run away from this house.”

Aarav’s eyes widened. “Are you out of your mind?” he whispered. “Don’t even think like that. You know what Dad will do if he hears such things. He’ll lose his mind. Even if you manage to run, he’ll find you, and then God help you.”

He looked at her seriously, lowering his voice further. “You know how traditional his thinking still is. He may act modern in front of people, but deep down, nothing has changed.”

He hesitated, then said, “Honestly, I think I’ve figured out what’s going on. I’ve heard Mom and Dad talking a lot lately. They keep mentioning one name.”

Bhumi frowned. “Whose?”

“Lakshya’s.”

She blinked. “Lakshya?”

“Yeah,” Aarav nodded slowly. “They’re interested in fixing your marriage with him. I even overheard that his parents like you too; in fact, you’re their first choice. The only problem is Lakshya himself. He’s refusing to marry anyone.”

Bhumi stared at her brother, completely speechless. Aarav, seeing her confusion, leaned closer. “Look, I know you two are very close. You’ve been friends forever. And I know you’ve never seen each other that way. But just listen to me before reacting.”

He looked around nervously to make sure no one was near the door, then whispered, “What if this marriage actually solves both your problems?”

Bhumi’s eyebrows drew together. “What do you mean?”

“Listen carefully,” Aarav said. “Lakshya doesn’t want to stay here. He wants to go back to England and start his own business. He’s confident; honestly, I admire him for that. Even Papa says business runs in his blood. The only issue is money. His father is ready to give him full funding, but there’s a condition: he must marry first.”

Bhumi’s eyes widened as he continued. “If you marry him, he’ll get his business funding, and you’ll get the chance to go abroad. He’ll obviously take you with him, and knowing Lakshya, he’ll never stop you from studying. You could easily join your fashion design program there. It’s a win-win.”

He gave her a small smile. “He gets his business, you get your dream. Think about it.”

Bhumi just stared at him, mouth slightly open, words caught in her throat. Aarav smiled, patted her shoulder, and stood up.

“Don’t answer now,” he said softly. “Just think. Maybe fate isn’t as cruel as you think.”

Before leaving, he checked the hallway once more to ensure no one was listening. The corridor was empty. He pressed a hand against his chest in relief, looked back at his sister with a reassuring smile, and quietly closed the door behind him.

The silence in the room grew heavier. Bhumi kept staring at the door, her mind a storm of thoughts.

Should I really say this to Lakshya?

She murmured to herself, her voice trembling with disbelief. “Should I actually go and ask him to marry me… just so he gets money for his business, and I get a ticket to London?” She laughed under her breath, a humorless, hollow laugh. “It sounds insane. He’s my best friend, not some deal I can strike to buy my dream.”

She closed her eyes, pressing her palms against her temples. “I can’t do this,” she whispered. “I can’t even imagine saying it out loud.”

Her phone buzzed suddenly, breaking her thoughts. The screen lit up.

Lakshya.

The sight of his name made her roll her eyes. She would rather not talk to him, not now, not with this thought still echoing in her mind. But before she could turn away, another message arrived.

"I need to see you right now. Because life and death are in your hands."

Bhumi blinked in surprise. Her eyebrows furrowed as she reread the message.

“What the hell…?” she muttered. A smirk tugged at her lips, though her heart felt too heavy to really smile. She quickly typed back:

"Oh really? Then go die…."

She pressed send and sat back. Normally, she would have laughed at her sarcasm, but today, the laughter wouldn’t come. There was no humor left inside her. Only exhaustion.

The night before, her parents had been brutally clear: she would not be allowed to study abroad, and if she kept insisting, they would even stop her post-graduation plans in India too. Her chest tightened as the weight of their words sank in. She lowered her head, wrapped her arms around herself, and started tapping her forehead lightly, as if trying to knock some hope back into it.

Her phone chimed again. Frustrated, she grabbed it, ready to ignore him. But when she saw the message, her hands froze. Her eyes widened. Her breath caught in her throat.

Whatever she saw on that screen made her world tilt ever so slightly.

*****

In the Mehra mansion, where silence always spoke louder than words.

Lakshya stood facing his family, his father, Rajesh; his mother, Sarla; and his grandmother, Savita Devi, all seated like a royal tribunal. He said nothing now. Every argument had already been exhausted. His jaw was clenched, his eyes tired. Sarla broke the silence first, trying to sound gentle.

“So, we understand you want to go back to England. You’ve been planning for months, haven’t you?”

Lakshya didn’t respond, his eyes fixed on the floor. Rajesh spoke next, his voice calm but cold.

“You have one month to leave, Lakshya… One…. But tell me something, in one month, how will you meet a girl, understand her, and marry her? You’re always short on time for everything that truly matters.”

Lakshya looked up sharply. “Papa, why does every discussion in this house start and end with marriage? I’m twenty-five, not a child. I’m trying to build my future. Most people my age are still figuring out their studies and their careers, but here, the only topic that matters is wedding arrangements." His frustration spilled over. “I’m not ready for marriage, and I don’t want to be. Can’t you just let me live?”

Rajesh’s tone hardened. “We’re not stopping your dreams, Lakshya. You already have a future waiting for you, this entire business empire is yours. But you keep talking about building something from scratch, about wanting to prove yourself. You call it ambition. I call it stubbornness.”

He leaned forward. “Let’s be honest. You just want distance from us. You don’t like control. You don’t like authority... Fine… But freedom has a price.”

Lakshya’s jaw locked. He knew what was coming.

“I’ve chosen a girl for you,” Rajesh said flatly. “Since you’re too busy to find one yourself, I’ve done it for you.”

Sarla added softly, “You already know her. You’ve known her since childhood. You won’t need time to understand her.”

Lakshya’s pulse spiked. “Who?”

Before he could finish, Rajesh’s words cut through the air.

“I spoke to Manoj this morning. He’s delighted about the alliance. We’ve agreed; the engagement will be fixed soon.”

The silence that followed was suffocating. Lakshya stared at his father, disbelief clouding his face. Rajesh continued calmly, as if sealing a business deal.

“Marry her, and the day after your wedding, all the money you need for your abroad venture will be transferred into your account. No delays.”

For a long moment, no one spoke. Lakshya stood frozen, the world blurring around him. Freedom, his biggest dream, now dangled in front of him like bait on a hook.

Marriage for money.

Obedience for independence.

It wasn’t a choice. It was a trap, wrapped in love and labeled as care.

He looked at his family: the father who built an empire but couldn’t trust him to build his own life, the mother whose silence tried to soften the cruelty of logic, and the grandmother who believed tradition was the only truth. A part of him wanted to scream. Another part… just went quiet.

Meanwhile, Bhumi stared at her phone, contemplating the same name, the same heartbeat, and the same impossible choice. And reading the message again.

"OUR PARENTS ALREADY FIXED OUR MARRIAGE."

She sighs; there is no choice. This is a decision, and they are bound to follow.

Two lives.

Two cages.

One condition that could set them free or destroy them both.