You woke up with the weight of sindoor still clinging to your scalp and the smell of roses fading on your wrists.

But the bed beside you was empty.

The hotel suite was quiet, eerily so. The rich scent of cologne lingered, but Yoongi was already gone. Not that you expected a morning greeting or even a glance.

He had barely looked at you after the car ride.

Still wrapped in your bridal saree, you stepped out to the cold marble floor. The mirror caught your reflection—and for a moment, you didn't recognize the woman staring back.

You were someone else's bride.

A ghost standing in place of her sister.

A truth wrapped in a lie.

---

Hours Earlier — Flashback

Aarohi’s heels clicked against the hallway, each step angry and impatient.

“I’m not marrying him, Ma. I don’t care if he’s a global idol. I won’t do it.”

You had walked in just in time to hear your mother’s voice rise, sharp with shame.

“You agreed to this alliance. Our families—our name—”

Aarohi tossed the bridal dupatta on the floor. “Let it burn.”

And then she was gone.

The door slammed behind her, and the silence she left behind was loud enough to choke on.

Mom turned to you, her eyes frantic. “Put it on. No one will know. They won’t care which daughter it is under the veil.”

You stared at her like she’d spoken another language.

“I’m not her,” you whispered.

“You don’t have to be. Just be his bride.”

---

Present

“Did you sleep at all?”

The voice sliced through your memory.

You turned—and there he was.

Yoongi stood in the doorway of the suite, sharp in all black, his jaw clenched and his gaze unreadable. Not an ounce of warmth in his stare. Just cold, restrained calculation.

“I didn’t expect you to stay,” you said softly, fingers tightening around the edge of your shawl.

“I didn’t.”

He walked past you, pouring himself a glass of water. “I spent the night reviewing the contract. Your family thought they could trick mine. And you thought what—this would turn into a fairytale?”

You flinched at the bite in his tone.

“I didn’t want to be here either,” you said, trying to keep your voice steady. “But you needed a bride. And I was the only option left.”

Yoongi scoffed. “Don’t act like a victim. You stood there and said the vows.”

“Because I was forced to.”

The room stilled.

His eyes narrowed, studying you for the first time—really looking.

You weren’t dripping in gold or arrogance like Aarohi. You weren’t chasing clout. You were just… trapped. Like him.

Still, his voice remained cool. “This is just a formality. We’ll play the couple until this contract expires. Keep up appearances. But don’t expect anything more.”

You nodded slowly. “That’s fine.”

But as your eyes met, something shifted—just for a second.

Two strangers.

One lie.

And an unspoken storm beginning to rise between them.