Rishabh Khurana was a thirty-year-old man who had only one center to his universe his wife, Aishwarya. For Rishabh, no other woman existed in the realm of love. He believed that Aishwarya was the only one worthy of his devotion, admiration, and loyalty. Even after seven years of marriage, his heart still skipped a beat at her smile, and her happiness was the only prayer he ever whispered.
So when Aishwarya made an unusual request one that would shake the very foundation of their marriage. Rishabh, though conflicted, didn’t question her. She asked him to marry another woman. That woman was Pallavi Reddy, a twenty-four-year-old maid who worked diligently in their household. Quiet, humble, and with dreams buried under responsibilities, Pallavi never imagined her life would take such a turn. Two hundred million rupees. That was the price placed on her name, her fate, and ultimately, her heart.
“Marry Rishabh Khurana,” Aishwarya had said, her voice firm but calm. “It’s part of something bigger. You’ll be taken care of. You have nothing to lose.”
Pallavi had everything to lose her peace, her identity, and eventually, her emotions.
On the wedding night, Rishabh stood beside her, cold and distant. His words, like shards of glass, cut through the silence.
“You should know,” he said, not bothering to meet her eyes, “I was forced to marry you because of my wife’s request. Don’t ever expect love from me, Pallavi. It’s only Aishwarya whom I love forever.”
With those words, Pallavi stepped into a life that made her feel invisible. Days passed, then weeks. Pallavi did everything expected of a wife served meals, tended to the house, cared for Rishabh’s needs yet, he never truly looked at her. He was present, but never available. And always, in the background, was Aishwarya graceful, intelligent, unshakably confident.
Pallavi became a shadow. A second wife in name, a stranger in her own home. Yet, even shadows have hearts. Unseen moments turned into feelings. She saw Rishabh’s rare smiles, his unspoken pains, the way he ran his fingers through his hair when stressed, the softness in his voice when talking about his childhood. Unintentionally, unknowingly, she began to fall.
But love, unreturned, is a painful gift. Each time she reached out through her silence, her care, her gaze she was reminded: "It’s only Aishwarya whom I love."
Then came a moment of truth. Pallavi found herself standing between two paths one that led to continued invisibility, and one that promised freedom, though painful. Could she remain where she was never truly seen? Or would she walk away with dignity, even if it meant breaking her own heart?
She realized that love should never make you feel lesser. Even in silence, she deserved to be someone’s first choice, not a condition attached to a price. The decision now lies in her heart to stay or to leave.
Will Rishabh ever see the woman who quietly stood beside him when the world didn’t? Will love ever bloom in the unlikeliest of places? Only time will tell.
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Hi guys! This is my new story. I hope you fall in love with these characters as they navigate an emotional storm filled with duty, love, and self-worth.
Note:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual people, shows, or storylines is purely coincidental.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
@Ayushman
