Kira's P.O.V
The war I started—the fight I don't even fully understand—suddenly crashes down. I watch the fragile house built on my promises begin to collapse right in front of me, with Naveen standing at the center of the ruins.
"What is this?" Naveen asks, taking a hesitant step toward me. His eyes are filled with shock and unanswered questions. "What... what are you two doing?"
His voice shatters the tense silence, dragging me back from Moksh.
I try to step toward Naveen, but he immediately backs away. "Naveen, please, relax. I can explain."
I never in a million years imagined he would walk in at a moment like this.
He doesn't say much, but the betrayal in his eyes is unmistakable. Without waiting for my explanation, he turns on his heel and walks away, leaving me frozen in place.
I turn around. Moksh is still standing there. His expression says everything his mouth won't. What he said earlier was true—I can't have it both ways. Yet, I still refuse to admit what is happening inside my heart.
An entire wedding is already organized. Guests are out in the main hall celebrating. I was raised never to break a promise, and that core value forces me into a single, unyielding decision.
"Naveen. Please, open the door."
Knocking on my own bedroom door feels bizarre, but I keep at it. He refuses to answer my calls at first, but I don't give up.
I can't even fathom the anger in his head. If I saw my partner with someone else like that, I would have lost my mind.
"I can explain, Naveen. Please let me explain what you saw." I am genuinely remorseful. I never intended to hurt him like this.
My desperate pleas finally work. He swings the door wide open, glaring at me as I step inside. His face is an unreadable mix of hurt and anger. The turmeric paste from the Haldi ceremony has yet to be washed off either of our faces, and here we are, facing a complete breakdown.
"Why?" he demands, trying to hold back his anger. The pain in his eyes is sharp and clear. "What were you doing with him, and why?"
I struggle to find the right words. "I... I didn't realize how out of hand things had gotten. I can't tell you that what you saw was nothing. It was wrong, and I know it."
I take a breath, keeping my voice steady. "But he isn't the one to blame. I recognize my mistakes, and I intend to fix them."
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a faint reflection in the mirror near the hallway. Moksh is standing in the doorway, watching us.
"So you're still going to marry me?" Naveen asks, his voice hesitant and vulnerable.
Keeping my eyes on Moksh's reflection, I step closer to Naveen. "Yes," I declare softly, cupping his face in my hands.
"And after the wedding?" Naveen asks. His expression shifts from hurt to a mixture of relief and concern. It's clear how much he truly cares for me.
"I'll send him away," I promise firmly. "He can go wherever he wants. He won't ever be a problem for us again. I promise."
Naveen pulls back slightly, stepping out of my hold. "And you expect me to just trust you after today?"
"No. I'm asking you to give me a chance to make this right. I made a mistake, but I will fix it."
Naveen looks directly into my eyes. "Do you love him?"
Moksh's P.O.V
I stood near the door and heard everything. Even after what happened today, they are still going through with the marriage.
I can't comprehend Naveen's willingness to look past it. He didn't even ask for details about me. Either he is completely out of his mind, or he is entirely blinded by his feelings for her.
A cold numbness settles over me. I can't think straight. All I can picture is the two of them moving forward together, leaving me behind. Rahul looks just as stunned as I am as we stand near the edge of the hall where guests are still celebrating.
"Don't give up now," Riya whispers from beside me, offering a supportive squeeze to my arm. "Stand your ground."
"She isn't going to call off this wedding," I murmur, watching the illusion of their perfect narrative play out. There is only one day left, and I don't see any way out of this.
A moment later, Kira and Naveen emerge together. They look composed—happy, even. She has her arm looped through his as if nothing happened earlier.
Seeing the devotion in his eyes makes my heart shatter into a thousand pieces. She keeps her gaze locked onto his, completely avoiding mine. There is no solution now. How could I have ever thought I stood a chance against him?
Kira's P.O.V
Later that night, the house finally quietens down. Naveen is sleeping in a separate guest suite—he believes in the traditional belief that it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride the night before the wedding.
I am lost in my thoughts when a sharp knock sounds at my door.
"Coming," I call out quietly.
When I open it, I find Rahul standing there—the last person I expected to see after everything that happened today. He glares at me with intense frustration.
"Is it true that meeting the bride before the wedding brings bad luck?" he asks mockingly. "Do you actually believe in that stuff, Kira?"
"What do you want, Rahul?" I ask, stepping back into the room and sitting at my vanity.
He follows me inside, pulling up a chair and setting it right in front of mine. "Answer me, Kira. Do you really believe that nonsense?"
"How could it be unlucky when you're supposed to be starting a life with that person?" I reply coolly.
"So you don't believe in it," Rahul says sharply. "Yet here you are, ruining three lives for the sake of a promise you didn't even make."
"So you're here to fight his battle?" I pull a cigarette from the box on the table, lighting it up. "What made you take his side all of a sudden?"
Rahul scoffs. "You did! You're the one who always taught me to stand up for what's right, even if it means standing alone. So don't ask me why I'm taking his side."
"You think he's the victim here?" I blow out a thin stream of smoke.
"I don't know who's the victim, but at least he's honest about what he feels," Rahul says, reaching out to snatch the cigarette right out of my hand. He takes a slow drag before blowing the smoke back into the air. "At least he isn't lying to himself."
"Why are you really here, Rahul?" I ask, my voice softening slightly. He's my best friend—I don't want to break this bond too.
"Stop this marriage," Rahul says urgently, his tone turning into a plea. "You're making a massive mistake. Kira, you still have time to pull back."
"I won't. I can't. It's already set in motion."
"There's still a day left!" he insists.
"I don't care!"
"Remember what I asked you earlier?" Rahul presses, leaning closer. "Give me an honest answer. Do you feel anything for him?"
"It doesn't matter, Rahul. Just leave." I stand up, pulling out another cigarette.
"Just tell me you feel nothing for him, and I'll walk out that door and never bring it up again." He stands up, stepping into my path as I head toward the window.
"Go, Rahul."
"Tell me, and I'll go," he demands, his tone rising with frustration. "Kira, look me in the eye and tell me you don't love him!"
His persistence tears through the last thread of my patience, and the words spill out before I can stop them.
"Fine! Yes! I do! I love him!" I shout, my voice cracking under the weight of the confession. "I've never felt like this about anyone in my entire life! I want to see him, I want to talk to him every second of the day, but I can't!"
Tears burn in my eyes as I look at my best friend. "For once in my life, I'm trying to do the right thing! That accident still haunts me every single day, Rahul! I ruined everything back then—I refuse to ruin this too!"
Rahul stands frozen, staring at me in absolute shock.
"Stop blaming yourself for what happened!" he roars, stepping closer. "Stop ruining your life because of an accident that wasn't your fault!"
"I am not stopping this wedding," I say firmly, wiping my face. "That is my final decision."
Rahul lets out a harsh, angry sigh. "I can't believe you're still letting the past destroy your present. If you don't let it go, Kira, it's going to destroy you completely."
Without another word, he turns around and slams the door shut behind him, leaving me alone in the quiet room.
I have never seen him this angry before. He thinks I'm making the biggest mistake of my life. But I have to believe this is the only path left for me.