"I am sitting here, waiting for my baraat to arrive. My hands tremble, and my heart feels heavier with every passing minute. I am nervous about the responsibilities that will soon become mine. I have never seen the man I am about to marry. Mother says he is kind, owns land, and is well respected. Everyone tells me I am fortunate.Yet, a quiet fear lives inside me. I loved my studies and dreamed of continuing them, of becoming more than what is expected of me today. As I sit dressed as a bride, I wonder—are my parents right, or am