Riya adjusted her wedding veil as the priest chanted the final mantras, her heart pounding beneath the heavy embroidered fabric. She sneaked a glance at Aarav—her husband. He had been polite, charming even, during their brief courtship, but there was something unsettling about him, something that made her question if she truly knew the man she had just married.

As the sacred fire crackled between them, she noticed his eyes—deep, intense, and distant. He wasn’t looking at her the way a groom should look at his bride. There was a weight in his gaze, as if he was carrying the burden of an untold story. A small shiver ran down her spine, but she forced herself to smile as the guests cheered and showered them with flowers.