The Rajput family had already left, and the house slowly returned to its usual quiet, but something in the air felt heavier than before. Rishikesh stood in the middle of the hall with his hands folded behind his back, his posture straight and controlled.

He turned slowly and looked at Shivanya, who was still standing there with her head lowered, silent and composed. She had answered whatever little was asked, especially by Ganga, and she had done it calmly without showing any discomfort or hesitation.

Rishikesh had noticed everything.

He had seen how Trishul barely spoke to her, how he did not even look at her properly, and how the rest of the family kept their distance. Nothing had been said openly, but enough had been shown for him to understand the situation.

Kapil started walking toward him, his expression serious, but before he could speak, Rishikesh raised his hand slightly, stopping him without even looking in his direction. His attention shifted toward Amita, his voice calm but firm.

“Amita, take her to the room. From tomorrow, take a girl along with you and start shopping. Whatever is needed for the wedding, get it done properly. I do not want anyone to think that I have compromised in any way.”

Amita nodded quietly, understanding the tone behind his words.

Rishika glanced at Shivanya for a brief moment, her expression clearly displeased, before turning away and leaving without saying anything. Amita noticed it, but she chose to remain silent, fully aware that this was not the place to question anything.

She held Shivanya’s hand gently and led her away. Kapil watched Shivanya leave, his concern growing stronger, and then he turned back toward his father, stepping closer with hesitation that he could not hide anymore.

“Do you really think this marriage is right? You saw Trishul. He did not even look at her once. No one from his family came near her. This does not feel right.”

Rishikesh did not look at him. His eyes remained fixed on the photograph placed in front of him, the picture of his wife Ambika, and his expression softened just slightly, as if something from the past had returned.

“I promised Ambika that no matter what happened, I would never let my anger toward Kirti fall on Shivanya. And I will marry her into a respectable family, with full dignity.”

His voice remained steady, but there was something deeper beneath it, something unresolved.

“You know very well what Kirti did. She ran away from this house and married that man. I do not even like to take his name. I do not want to remember him.”

He paused, his jaw tightening slightly as the memory returned.

“She made the biggest mistake of her life by choosing him. And the second mistake was bringing these two children into this world. If she had come back in time, maybe things would have been different.”

His tone did not break, but the weight of his words grew heavier.

“She lived her entire life for that man, and in the end, she left these children behind for me to handle. If Ambika had not forced me, I would have never agreed to take responsibility for them.”

There was a brief silence before he continued, his voice returning to its usual firmness.

“Ambika loved them. It was her last wish that I take care of them. But I cannot forget Kirti’s betrayal. That is all I remember when I see them.”

He turned slightly, his expression closing again, returning to the same distant calm.

“My only responsibility is to get Shivanya married into a good family. What happens after that is not my concern. How she lives, how she manages, that will be her life.”

Without waiting for a response, he walked away.

Kapil stood there, watching him leave, unable to say anything further. His gaze slowly shifted toward the photograph of Ambika, and he let out a quiet breath before speaking under his breath.

“I do not know what is right or wrong anymore, but something does not feel right about all this.”

He shook his head, as if pushing those thoughts away.

“But maybe Papa is right. Kirti made her choices, and they were wrong. If we do not act now, Shivanya might make the same mistake. It is better to settle her life ourselves.”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving the hall behind. The silence that followed did not feel peaceful.

It felt heavy.

Shivanya rushed into her room the moment the door closed behind her, her steps quick and unsteady as fear took over her calm. She went straight to the bed and bent down, gently placing her hand on her brother’s head, her fingers trembling as she touched him.

Siddharth lay completely still on the bed, his body unmoving, his face pale in a way that made her chest tighten instantly. He was not sleeping. He was unconscious, his breathing slow but steady, as if his body had finally given up after fighting too much.

Shivanya turned sharply toward Amita, her eyes filled with worry and confusion, silently asking a question she did not even need to speak aloud. Amita quickly closed the door and walked toward her, her expression tense but controlled.

“Beta, he went out of control today. The doctor had to give him an injection. You know what happens when his episodes start.”

Her voice was soft, but the weight of her words was heavy enough to settle everything in place. Siddharth’s condition was not simple.

Sidharth is 16 years old, Whenever his anger spiked beyond control, his body reacted violently, his mind losing all sense of awareness. He did not understand what he was doing in those moments, and his strength, uncontrolled and raw, made him dangerous even to himself.

The doctors had been clear.

His condition was a mix of severe anger disorder and neurological imbalance that triggered intense episodes, where his body would either collapse or lash out violently. At times, he could hurt anyone around him without even realizing it.

Rehabilitation was no longer a suggestion. It had become necessary.

“You know he is scared of injections.”

Shivanya’s voice broke slightly as she spoke, her eyes still fixed on her brother’s face. Amita sighed softly and stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder with quiet understanding.

“I know he is scared, but your Nanaji was very clear. The Rajput family was here, and he did not want any scene in front of them. He has already decided that Siddharth will be sent to rehab within a week.”

Shivanya looked at her immediately, shock and pain flashing through her eyes as the words sank in deeper.

Amita held her gaze, her tone turning more serious now, as if she was trying to make her understand something she had already accepted.

“Beta, you know this is needed. If this continues, things will only get worse. Today he beat a boy so badly in school that it could have become a police case. Your mama handled it, paid them, and somehow stopped it.”

The words hit harder than anything else.

Shivanya closed her eyes, and tears slipped out quietly, one after another, as if she had been holding them back for too long.

“Nanaji will get him treated.”

Her voice was low, fragile, but filled with a belief she was forcing herself to hold on to.

“That is why I agreed to this marriage. You know I do not want this. I just wanted to study, build a small life for myself and for him.”

Amita understood every word, every feeling, but her expression remained steady, shaped by a reality she could not change.

“Beta, this world is not easy. I know what you have already gone through, but we do not know what is coming next. Right now, Siddharth needs this. The doctor has clearly said he will need at least one year in rehab.”

She paused, her voice softening further.

“And even after that, there is no guarantee he will be completely fine. He might have to stay longer.”

Shivanya said nothing after that. She just looked at Siddharth, her hand still resting on his head, her tears falling silently as she watched him breathe, as if that was the only thing holding her together.

Amita had already left after helping her settle, and the room grew quiet, holding only the sound of Siddharth’s steady breathing. Shivanya slowly took out her mother’s photograph, holding it carefully, as if it was the only place where she could speak freely.

“Ma, my marriage is fixed. But you know, he did not even look at me once. Maybe he is not happy either. Maybe both of us are just doing this because we have no choice.”

Her lips curved into a faint smile that did not reach her eyes. She turned her gaze toward Siddharth, her hand gently resting near him, her voice softer now, filled with a quiet promise.

“You do not need to worry. I promised you, I will take care of everything. No matter what it takes, I will make sure you get the best treatment.”

She took a slow breath, holding on to the only hope she had.

“Nanaji promised me that if I agree to this marriage, he will take care of his rehab and all the expenses for the next three years. After that, I will manage something on my own.”

Her fingers tightened slightly around the photograph as she tried to steady herself.

“Maybe I will get a job. Maybe someone will read my books someday, and I will earn enough. I will not let anything happen to him.”

She quickly left everything, picked up her phone, and started writing a new book.

“UNCHOSEN BRIDE.”